UN ANCIANO ME GUÍA POR LOS ALPES ALBANESES, VALBONA PASS | ALBANIA #6

Well, start a new day waking up with this piece of landscape around you. He slept quite well, although with the tranquility of this place it is impossible not to. The bed is also quite comfortable, everything super good. And nothing, we'll start today the day doing... son at 8am I'm going to do the route I told you yesterday, which is called El Balbón a Paz, It's a pretty typical tourist route, especially in the summertime. The more it's clear, the better the conditions. And nothing, it's about 14 kilometers, so I'll show you. It seems that there are issues of snow, ice, in some points that can be just a little more complicated, Because, as it's early May, the snow is still melting. So, well, we'll see the status, I hope it's not too bad, because I have to get there yes or no, Because I told you it's from point A to point B and I'm staying at my hotel tonight, it's in the next pueblo. O sea, I do or do have to reach that other pueblo. He's started the road, he said, about 14 kilometers. The first part you could skip, it's like a whole stone road that doesn't have much You can bring in a car and stuff. I met a guy from the hotel where I stayed today. They told me that that señor mayor was going to make this camino And you don't speak a shitload of English, but well, more or less I understood something like that. He's been doing this all his life. He goes from here to Balbona to Tez, which is the next pueblo, he gets off then to Escódara, Well, he's going around the world. So nothing, I'm going to accompany you, the señor comes with Sunday shoes, But I think it's changing now, so nothing, so you'll accompany me. And well, well, well, somebody who knows the way, because it's much better to go alone I suppose the conditions are not yet optimal. Well, nothing, we'll see what happens. I heard it was hard in the summer and it's for... I heard it was hard in the summer and it's... Oh, the sea, well, it's pretty high, but the problem is the heat. Now we're in the beginning of May, in fact there's still a lot of snow, But it's very hot, O sea, you put a sweat on it and we'll be... At 9 o'clock in the morning we will be at... Nothing, either, 14, 15 degrees, but you see I'm sweating awful. Then I didn't want to imagine in summer that Albania can reach 40 degrees calmly, So if you come in summer, I recommend you do it super soon, With lots of water, with hats, with all the precautions, Because the heat is so complicated. Now suppose the complicated thing is that there's a little snow and ice, So anyway there are some areas, well well, the señor has left me a palo too To go back and walk a little better. There's a passage that's a little more complicated, but then it's all down, it should be simpler. I recommend you to drink this water that comes from here, from the springs, from the rivers. Now it's a glory, it's frozen because it's ice and it feels great, O sea, with the heat, now throw everything in the face, perfect! What a bad sound that made! Don't let the gentleman think he's betrayed his own water. Oh sea, el señor has betrayed himself a petaca with vodka, as well as distilled caseramente, That he gave me to prove. Oh sea, there's a pelotazo fuerte, that señor is going to be dancing la Macarena. It's impressive this, o sea, to be passing from being made of heat and sweating, I suddenly enter this area totally covered in snow. Good thing I came with the Yayo, because if I wasn't so worried that this couldn't happen, I'm going the wrong way, but thanks to him who knows it by heart, I'm super calm. We have to go through the Balbona Pass, which is this little point you see at the end. It's a very steep, very steep hill, all covered in snow. That's going to be all the less interesting. After a while, we've finally crowned here the peak east of Balbona, It's like the middle point to reach the other pueblo, the Zeci. He said if you come in May, I wouldn't recommend it. Not that you're used to the mountains and come with crampons, Some chickpeas or, well, some sticks, and even a guide. It's worth a lot of trouble not to come alone, because with all the snow and ice there, There are areas that are a lot of trouble and not easy. There was another couple that we passed at the beginning and they didn't seem far away. Oh, I think they gave up, because they didn't come with a guide or anything, they couldn't do it. But the views here are incredible. Without which I could not have done this, because I would not have found the way. So nothing, thank you very much to him from here, that I know that I am watching this video. He had to go another way, if he was going to the other side of the mountain. The truth is that I was so grateful to him, I left the staff and everything. Without him I certainly wouldn't have been able to. As soon as I'd found a lot of snow and such, I would have surrendered, Because I wouldn't have seen the road, because the signs don't show with so much snow. Well, it seems you're softening up quite a bit. And there's practically no snowfall, although I cross my fingers. And nothing, this way of doing many people, in fact I think most people, If you start at Ceci and end at Balbona, you have the option. To get to Ceci there are vans or buses. And similar to the ones that take me to Lake Ocomani, because the same. But from Skodra to Ceci. So, in the end it's a very big circle what you do if you do the pass, But I prefer to do it this way. So, but good, it's very personal. And I found another snow. Lo de Ceci, finally, he managed to do everything the Balbona Pass. It's been about 14 kilometers. And it took me a total of about 5 hours. Including the rest stops, the flying the throne, photos and so on. So, well, calculated more or less, but it varies a lot. Because for example in summer there is no snow. Then it's easier to walk, but also it's much hotter. Then you still have to go stopping more. Depends on your physical condition. It's a lot of things, but good, I calculated that between 4 and 8 hours, no one will be leaving. And nothing, I'm just gonna go find a place to eat. There's not much choice. This is also a village like Balbona, which is not very big. There are a few guesthouses and such distributed in the area. So nothing, I'll see if I find even a hostel where I can get something to eat.