One of those days that feels like a contract right from the morning. Depending on the location of the huts, you have a choice: a very short or a very long day. As I was already approaching my destination and bad weather was forecast for the following day, I deliberately opted for the long version.

After the previous day, the morning felt tough. I couldn’t quite get out of bed, had a hearty breakfast, and took what felt like an eternity – by Jens’ standards – to get going. There was bread, jam, and eggs. At times, I felt like I was being deliberately ignored by the staff. Everyone else was getting the same food, but they kept walking right past me. It’s strange what thoughts go through your head at moments like that.

The first climb wound its way up the slope directly from the accommodation. I had been looking at that very slope the evening before while enjoying an alcohol-free shandy. A way out of the hollow where the hut was located: green, full of flowers and small shrubs. Idyllic.

On the other side lay the remains of bygone times, made of stone and wood. At first, the shapes of the buildings gave me no clue as to their purpose. Only later did it become clear that they were former military buildings.

The morning got off to a slow start. I still needed to relieve myself and I also had to refill my water. So I followed the trail to a hut – a detour, unnecessary really, but sometimes you just prefer to do your business in comfort. In fact, on this tour it was rarely necessary to resort to nature.

Halfway there, I was able to shorten the route by about three kilometers and save a few hundred meters of elevation gain. I wrestled with myself for a long time about whether I should skip the peak – just to make it a little easier for myself. This is how I know that my trip is coming to an end. Towards the end, I almost always lose the desire to do extra loops.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, I had covered 32 kilometers and gained around 1,600 meters of elevation. When I arrived, I couldn’t wait to finally get out of my shoes. I even treated myself to a $5 shower – far too short, but heavenly. Water is relative, as is happiness. Since I didn’t have a towel with me and was too stingy to borrow one, I just let myself air dry. Surprisingly effective.

However, the real highlight of my day was off the trail. The road was long, the heat was relentless, and my destination for the day felt further away than the map promised. I was thirsty – not dramatically, but seriously. Then the map showed a spring. On site: nothing. No sign, no sound. Just a barely visible path leading steeply left into the bushes. After about fifty meters, I heard it – a soft splashing sound. A pipe protruded from a wall in the middle of nowhere, from which the purest, ice-cold water bubbled. A dream come true. Just when your mouth is dry and the sun is relentless.

In general, my recommendation for long distances without reliable huts: pack three liters of water. Some huts don’t have drinking water or even running water. Then you have to rely on bottles – 1.5 liters for 6 euros. I understand that a lot of things have to be flown in. Still, it feels absurd. Once, I haggled a host down to 4 euros. Not out of stinginess, but on principle.

Without this find, my thirst would have continued until today’s destination. Not a single drop could be found. Even after refilling, it would not have been enough.

Looking back at the map, I could have reduced the day’s hike to ten kilometers and still reached the same destination. But would it still be the same trail? They say that everyone hikes their own path. So it depends on what you make of it. However, I had set myself the goal of 400 kilometers – and I didn’t want to fall short of that under any circumstances. Even if it hurts a little sometimes.

Side note: Tobacco laws in Slovenia seem to be much stricter than in Germany. The packs are not branded; you only see the brand name and the familiar pictures of diseases. I haven’t seen a single tobacco product openly displayed in stores. I think it should be the same here. Those walls full of cigarettes at German checkouts – like a candy shelf for addictions. Smoking is an issue that concerns me greatly. And I can’t understand why such a powerful addictive substance is so easily available.