Seven-year-old Felix Bundalo from Banja Luka has covered quite a number of kilometers, visited destinations and mountain peaks behind him, which not even many adults can boast of.
He recently became one of the youngest mountaineers who independently climbed the highest peak of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Maglić, 2,386 meters high, Miroslav Bundalo , Felix’s father, told Nezavisne novine .
“We climbed Maglić on September 2nd, and for the ascent and descent we chose the Poštarev direction, which is much more difficult than the ascent from Trnovački jezera. The entire ascent and descent, with the stay at the top, lasted about 14 hours ,” said Bundalo.
He explains that during that time they covered about 20 kilometers, and adds an interesting fact, which is that Felix took about 40,000 steps that day .
“That’s really quite a number and I’m proud of my son. After the ascent, we also received information that Felix is the youngest mountaineer who independently climbed the highest mountain in BiH , in the direction of Poštar.
That information, if it’s true, I really didn’t check, it means absolutely nothing to us, because we don’t go to the mountains to break records, but to enjoy ourselves”, said Bundalo and added that he heard that before Felix, the record was held by a girl , who, at the age of eight, climbed Maglić on the same trail.
It was precisely the love for mountaineering, traveling and nature that passed from father to son, because Miroslav has been an avid mountaineer for many years.
“I have been actively engaged in mountaineering for 15 years, as well as outdoor activities, or active tourism. Felix has been my companion on various trips and hikes since he was a baby, so he loved that way of life from an early age.
And now , as a seven-year-old, he is already quite experienced , because he has climbed many mountains here and in the surrounding area. When he was five years old, he went with me to Spain, where we climbed to the top of Teide, the highest peak in Spain at 3,718 meters,” says Bundalo.
Laughingly, he points out that the reactions of other mountaineers when they see a boy climbing a mountain without problems are always interesting.
“Everyone reacts positively, and a lot of mountaineers even recognized him, because many have already met him on the mountain, and a part of people recognized him because Felix has his own YouTube channel, Felixbundalo9429, where he publishes his mini travel reports ,” says Bundalo .
It is written on the YouTube channel of young Felix that he loves to travel and share the beauty of our planet with others.
Felix wants to be a tourist guide when he grows up, but as he said, he also likes school, and is a second-grade student at Branko Radičević Elementary School in Banja Luka.
” I like hiking because I’ve been going to the mountain with my dad for a long time , and I like it best when I get to the top and see the view from the top, and along the way I learn a lot about different plants and animals. It’s a special experience, and that’s why I’m so happy that we often camp in nature.
In addition to hiking, I like snowboarding, which I’ve been riding since I was two years old, so every winter I go to the mountain, I like movement, so my favorite subject at school is physical education”, says Felix, adding that his friends also like physical education and nature.
Felix’s father says he believes there are many children who are interested in hiking and being in nature.
“However, I’m not sure if there are any hiking clubs that have children’s sections. I know that in Banja Luka we have the Sports and Creative Center ‘Kids’, which organizes various outdoor activities for children, and that is really something phenomenal and praiseworthy, and I would recommend it to all parents,” says Bundalo.
He adds that he and Felix have visited numerous countries together, and that he is not sure if he could single out one as special.
“It is not so important to us where we go, it is important that we are in nature , that we travel, visit new places, get to know new cultures, customs, learn about flora and fauna. Basically, we are making good memories, where I try to make him a good childhood that he will remember when he grows up, and if he is lucky, that he will treat his children the same way”, explains Bundalo.
He notes that it is not difficult to organize trips with his son, because nothing is difficult when you do it from the heart and with love, and if there is will, there is a way for everything.
“We are currently part of a great project that we are working on in cooperation with the agency ‘Mania’ from Banja Luka, where we will present the beauties of the entities of Republika Srpska through several episodes, and the episodes will be broadcast on state television, so the public will also be in the opportunity to, among other things, see the scenes from the ascent of Maglić,” says Bundalo and adds that school comes first , so he will coordinate trips with his son with school vacations and his free time, Nezavisne writes .
Source: radiosarajevo.ba
