My friend Lauren says, "the trail provides." Although I've always loved to hike, I don't think I fully, deeply understood what this meant until this past year. The trail has become my salvation. The place I go to find myself, to find my spirit. The second I set foot on the trail, my soul is free.

On my last day in Slovenia I decided to do what I enjoy most: walk. I had walked all over Slovenia during my 10-day trip – on mountain paths to waterfalls, down country lanes past herds of sheep and cows, on boardwalks through gorges.