Day 3: The balloon takes me far away

Dear traveler,

This morning I slept a bit more, as the light did not wake me up anymore and the rustling of plastic bags was a part of my dream..or?!

My parents are ready to hit the road, they got everything ready, except my sleeping bag and me. Once that's done, we can get going.

We start walking in the morning chill air, on the road that takes us out from the village, but not before I tie up my balloon on my backpack. This balloon will make me fly today.

We leave the asphalt behind quite quick and the shell takes us on green hills and meadows with cows.

We stop in the first village for breakfast and I already know what I want. Potato pie and orange juice will always be in my menu. It's too good and it comes with a crunchy bread on the side. 

After breakfast we continue our way that takes us through a dense forest this time. Here, most of the forest entrances resemble a tunnel entrance.

From time to time you can see a waymarking out of cones or stones, probably in the area where the shell appears less often, although I kind of saw it all the time.

Without the other backpack, we are way lighter. My folks take turns in carrying the big backpack and sometime me, although today, my balloon helps me and it will take me far.

During a snack break, I see a girl, a bit older than me, riding her bike, with the shell hanging on it. It's the first time I see pilgrims on bikes. Hmmm, so this trail can be done by bike as well? Why didn't you say so, parents, as I would've taken my bike as well and it would've been easier for me this way.

-"Yeah, marmot, for sure it would've been easier for us to carry both you and your bike when you got tired."

Well..Mamarmot may be right..

Every time we cross a village I am amazed by the colors around me, as there are flowers everywhere: at the windows, on the street, in the parks. I would like to live in villages like these.

As we move further, the forest turns into a tall yellow reed that slowly winds in the wind and I wind along with it.

It's so quitet out here I could just...pop!

Ohhh no..my balloon! That's it, I'm stopping here as I cannot continue without it.

-"Come on, marmot, we'll search for a new balloon in the next village."

I don't want one, I want two! Just to make sure I have a backup in case it pops again. Ohhh...I can hardly move and I feel my feet so heavy.

I walk this way for a while, until my sad thoughts about the balloon pass. I'm feeling better now. 

We get back to the narrow forest paths and then, without noticing, we enter the village where we'll be sleeping today.

After we get our stamp, we go to our beds which are a bit weird and they have something that looks like spikes underneath. Today I really wouldn't want to be in the bottom bunk bed!

After we explore the surroundings, we cook our own dinner and I enjoy a delicious pine marmalade with crispy bread.

Unfortunately we did not find any balloons, so for now I'd have to walk on my own two feet, as I cannot fly the balloon anymore.

We tuck ourselves in our spiky beds that creak at every move.

With my thoughts at a journey in a balloon that's creaking, I dive into the world of dreams.