Adventure Is the Antidote to Comfort

Good morning ☀️ from Booked It On Points: A curated collection of travel tips and personal stories by me, Allie→ because you’re meant to experience meaningful travel no matter life’s constraints 👊🏽

Let’s dive in.

✈︎ Travel Story

🏔️ Adventure Travel

Hi friends, Geo here this week because I have a story to share→

Last week, I attempted the Peaks of the Balkans Trek - a 119-mile loop threading through Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo. I flew from my Greek island paradise and met up with my brother and sister-in-law in the new-to-me country of Albania. Now, my bro and sis in law live in Colorado and might as well have "Expert Top-Level Gold Star Hikers" printed on their backpacks. Honestly, I just stared at the back of their packs for 5 days straight making sure I didn’t loose them in my line of sight. 

Let me paint the picture of this type of adventuring→ we slept in mountain huts on rustic beds that dozens of strangers have occupied before us, we were served nothing but white carbs at every meal, we needed to purify all questionable water sources, and each morning it was waking to that type of cold that seeps through every layer you packed. You get the idea.

Sounds fun right!?

It's a long way from being an old balding man sitting in a Greek café, contemplating life while staring at the Aegean Sea. I’ve been this version too. Both experiences have their places, I suppose.

Due to extreme and unseasonal snow in the mountains of Albania and Montenegro, we got re-routed multiple times. We didn't complete the full loop, due to the weather and consequently the huts being shut down. But I assure you, we still logged more than our fair share of elevation gain and sore muscles. One day we hiked through hip high snow and 40 mph winds over a pass in order to get to our next destination. 

Here's what the mountains taught me:

1. Doing hard things feels incredible on the backend. There's something about pushing your body past what seems comfortable that recalibrates your entire sense of what you're capable of. The ache in your legs becomes proof of what you've accomplished.

2. You bond fast in mountain huts. When you're all carrying heavy packs, sharing cramped quarters at altitude, and collectively dealing with the discomfort, walls come down quickly. Some of my best conversations happened at 6,000 feet with people I'd just met hours earlier.

3. My favorite→ Adventure is the antidote to comfort. We spend so much time optimizing for ease softer beds, warmer rooms, better coffee. But sometimes what we actually need is cold water, tired legs, and a reason to remember we're tougher than we think. It reminds me of this book which I absolutely love- The Comfort Crisis.

We used BN Adventure for our adventure. Not an affiliate link—just a genuinely solid experience worth sharing if you're considering the Peaks of the Balkans.

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✈︎ Travel Links

📍 A new cabin look for our trusted friend, Southwest Airline. It’s like we don’t even know her anymore 🥺

✈️ Holiday flight prices are dropping: For Thanksgiving, prices typically bottom out in October, and for Christmas, the sweet spot is mid-October to mid-November Holiday travel 2025: Top destinations, best times to book and cheapest days to fly - ABC News. Time to lock in those deals!

🌍 "Slow travel" is trending: This sustainable approach to exploring encourages longer stays, deeper cultural immersion, and fewer flights The October 2025 Travel Trend That Could Change How Americans Vacation Forever. We’ve sure found this our favorite way to travel anymore.

💳 Points and miles promotions are heating up this month: Spirit Airlines and other carriers are offering bonus miles and discounts October 2025 Travel Deals: How Points and Miles Promotions are Boosting Tourism - Travel And Tour World that could make your next trip more affordable. Confused? Message me and I’ll gladly help answer your points & miles questions!

🏔️ Considering a trek? The Peaks of the Balkans offers a less-crowded alternative to popular European hiking routes, with jaw-dropping scenery across three countries.

…And if that’s not your thing, Allie completely understands and can always inspire a different type of adventuring 😉 !

Have a great week!

Allie & Geo