Kandovan, East Azerbaijan, Iran.

Kandovan is oft proclaimed to be a mini Cappadocia by the tourist agencies. And, seeing as I've never been to Cappdocia, I'd have to take their word for it.

One thing that did spring to mind straight away, when I arrived, was that I'd worn the wrong shoes; my trusty chelsea boots with soles as flat and smooth as pair of skis. Which was ideal, you'd think, considering that the stony pathways that jutted up and through the village were basically frozen streams.

I was encouraged, however, by a small woman who was bent double with a huge sack of wool on her back as she graciously strolled up this veritable glacier in a simple pair of slip on leather shoes. I tentatively followed her, shuffling along like a penguin and half holding onto the wall. A small child came skipping along, blowing raspberries.

Show off.

I was further emboldened by how easy he made it look. So I let go of the wall slightly. I tried to jab my toes into the snow and as I did I hit the ice underneath. Both of my feet went backwards and I landed on my knees with my camera swinging dangerously close to the ground. A woman in a colourful chador was watching me from her rooftop. I could feel her gaze, embarrassed for me, I thought, as I gripped the snow with my hands, trying not to slide back down the 3 metres I'd made it up from the car-park.

I slowly moved my foot up again, keeping my face as nonchalant as possible, as if this situation could somehow me totally normal; yeah, just doing some press-ups, don't mind me.

I slowly got up and took one more step before I was crawling again, red-faced and runny nosed. More people came from round the corner, men in hats walking confidently across the street right past me. There was no way I was going to be able to get around this village.

It was almost as if I was some sort of alien trying to blend in with the local population but failing miserably.

When I did make to an unfrozen area I stayed there for the duration of my visit. Awkwardly smiling at a group of old men, trying to look interested in the mountain scenery for what must have seemed an unusually long time. I was merely putting off the descent, which would be even worse.