Travelling sustainably through the Alps

That one day, that made me feel like I’m capable of anything I set my mind on

There were many special days that summer, but if I had to choose a single one, I’d know immediately which one I’d pick, as that day made me realize, that I’m capable of so much more than I previously believed myself to be.

It all started with a train trip, followed by another bus ride that brought me to a small valley in Switzerland, close to the Italian border. Before comming there I just knew which campsite I would stay at for the next two nights. Once I settled in, I started looking at the hiking trails on my maps and started putting in the points on my phone, which ended up being 30 kilometers long, with ascent and descent of 1900 m each. Seems doable for a day hike, right?

Well, apparently it depends on who you ask, but my best friend said yes, so I set my alarm clock to 5 am and set off. The day was just a perfect mixture of everything; calm early morning, sunrise on an alpine pasture with cows, spotting a marmot family, meeting some inspiring women on the border pass between Switzerland and Italy, breathtakingly beautiful lakes on the Italian side, then again ascent to another bordering pass and returning to my campsite.

That day I realized, that we really are capable of doing so much more than we think, the important thing is just to take it one step at a time and keep going for as long as it takes.  It was also a day for practicing mindfulness, when I could just absorb my surroundings, smell the flowers, notice the colorful butterflies, listen to the sound of the springs and wind, feel the sun’s heat on my skin and simply appreciate the fact, that I was there. I still keep it in my mind and return to that place in my head when life starts to feel a bit too much.

_Polona Zakrajšek

Back To Top

YOALIN

#yoalin
#alps
#sustainabletravel

Follow us