How I Was Humbled on the Hills Above Kakanj

Written By David Bailey
 

A badly packed rucksack, the wrong trousers, and a Bosnian hiking trail that offered a quiet lesson in age, pride, persistence, and humility.

I had planned to make a simple hiking story from the hills above Kakanj in central Bosnia. A scenic walk with our hiking club, a few thoughtful voice notes, some views towards Vlašić, and the sounds of boots, birdsong, and conversation along the way.

On the Hike

Bosnia had other ideas.

This episode is about a 13.5 kilometre hike that quickly became something much more personal: a lesson in preparation, aging, stubbornness, and humility. From a too-heavy rucksack and the wrong trousers to unforgiving hills, aching knees, and schoolchildren who seemed to float up the climbs, it reminded me that walking every day is not quite the same as hiking in Bosnia.

It is also a story about community, kindness, and the strange satisfaction of reaching the end when, somewhere along the route, you quietly wondered whether you would.

David Bailey

Hello, I’m David, a British-born storyteller, podcaster, and video creator living in rural northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For more than two decades, Bosnia has been home. From village walks and quiet mornings to local traditions, unexpected encounters, field recordings, podcasts, and reflective videos, I share stories from a life lived a little off the usual path.

My work is not about glossy travel content or chasing the latest trend. It is about slowing down, noticing the details, and telling honest stories from this part of the Balkans, especially from the perspective of someone in the later chapter of life, still curious, still learning, and still trying to make sense of the world.

David

An Englishman in the Balkans / Retired Life in Bosnia

https://anenglishmaninthebalkans.com
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