An energetic final morning turns into icy swims, a cancelled bus and one last exhausting march through the Vallibierna Valley into Benasque.
Pico de Aneto – Day 3: The Wrong Choice
We skip the spa after Aneto and face scree, panic, swollen knees and a brutal ten-hour trek through the Pyrenees to Cap de Llauset.
Pico de Aneto – Day 2: Reaching the Peak
I cross Aneto’s glacier, stop at the exposed final ridge, get lost on the descent and return to La Renclusa moments before dark with friends.
Pico de Aneto – Day 1: The Calm Before the Climb
I travel from Barcelona to La Renclusa with a chaotic new trekking crew, marmots, mountain views and one daunting summit ahead.
Pico de Aneto
I agree to climb Pico Aneto with an ex, his eccentric friends and a long-time crush, despite my bad knee and complete lack of preparation.
Tirana: Faith, Fear and Freedom
I return to Tirana to explore Albania’s Ottoman and communist past, leaving me restored, reflective and already planning my next adventures.
Theth: Breathless in the Alps
I hike to Theth’s Blue Eye and Grunas Waterfall, survive an icy plunge and a terrifying drive, then unwind in Shkodër at dusk.
Valbona to Theth: Paradise Awaits
I cross the Accursed Mountains from Valbona to Theth, only to discover that the village at the end moves me more than the trail itself.
Valbona: Chasing a Wilder Life
I cross Lake Koman to Valbona, where adventure envy, a fairytale cabin and a sudden storm awaken my craving for a wilder kind of travel.
Shkodër: Cycling Towards Clarity
I cycle from Shkodër to Shirokë, finding wetlands, a lakeside sunset, and the clarity to rethink the balanced life I had built so carefully.