Camp Dona Day 1

 First day alone on my way to the camp from Aroma hotel I start walking up the main road of this area of Përmet. Only minutes after taking off with ally belongings, feeling like in one of the latest travel documentaries on Netflix, Cars passing by honking, people waving, cars stopping, nodding, saying hi, smiling, as man across the street gets off his bike, stopping,smiling at me asking for my nationality, laughing like a child learning that I'm German, happy, he joins me walking for 20 minutes, his wife calling, handing me the phone encouraging to say something, telling me about his 3 children in his broken German, so grateful, telling me his story, wishing me the best of luck, living the life of a queen in love and happiness before he gets back on his bike pursuing his day. 

Hitting the road in the peaceful sceneric mountain range, green hills, sun burning down on me on the long asphalt road wishing for an ice cream, and water, a shop showing just seconds afterwards, the seller handing me the ice cream without hesitation though I didn't have enough change, going forward towards the place of my longing. To Dona, the camp, my refuge. Happy, the sunshine in my heart, she welcomes me in her deepest warmth, giving me coffee and cookies telling me that only a few minutes later a bus would come take a few guys to the thermal springs, I could join and so I find myself only minutes later on the road again together with 4 young Albanian guys on the way to the canyon, river and healing springs. 

One highly motivated young man by the name Wissim walking me directly through the river, over the rocks up the canyon again and again grabbing my hand when going knee deep into the water to cross over the river to finally get to the pool, the spring, thermal water flowing down into the river as a natural infinity pool, me refreshing in the cold river, rejoining the warm pool with my new friend, trying to motivate me to come closer to him politely accepting my rejection, guiding me back to the beautiful rock bridge, the bow picturing the snow covered peaks right above, the river splashing under it in its vivid nature. Enjoying the beauty of the day the sun, wind, all the waters around, making friends with my new Albanian crew, laughing with me, trying to connect unverbally, clapping hands, looking at our body decorations, laughing, the mini bus dancing over the uneven mountain roads, the driver rambling on and on in Albanian, on the road construction workers, the boys laughing their arses off, the bus shaking to the rhythm. The Albanian sounds playing, I feel very close, connected to my surrounding, my hunger slowly arising, arriving in the camp Dona having again "nothing" for me to eat, serving me lentil soup, Burek and salad out of nowhere. Happy with my filled stomach a nice young Dutch couple shows up, talking to me, drinking together, with Dona putting the little lamb and the chicken to sleep, letting the night end with a glass of wine, talking until our eyes shut down from the exciting, inspiring day fully of new stories, memories and people, I fall into a deep long sleep in my new home, my private caravan feeling safe, thankful and fulfilled. 

First day in my new home. And many more to come..