TOURISTS

Now that Steff and I have made our way to the Adriatic Coast we have been completely immersed in the throngs of people that flock to theses tourist hubs each summer. Its certainly a far fetch from the small tractor roads northern turkey and even removed from the impolite drivers of Bulgaria, here in Croatia there are very few pull outs, even fewer roads with a shoulder and a whole heap of tunnels. I must admit I do like the tunnels and I cant help shouting out to hear my voice echo as I am in the dark and musty depths of the hill.

Racing through Albania we stopped in the North at a friends house before making a push to the boarder of Montenegro where we continued without too much fuss or exploration all the way to the coast. Now we are here I can certainly appreciate why there are so many people about. Take the Bay of Kotor for instance. On a whim we decided to take the road and not the ferry adding an extra 40km to our day. We were treated with an easy ride through very old villages and stone buildings swaying and teetering towards the road after years of strain. The bay climaxed with the Fiord like mountains casting long shadows over the beautiful blue waters. The mountains were very similar in relief to those of the famed southwest corner of New Zealand and the memorable Milford Sound. I would have loved to take a sea kayak out and have a mozie around. I think Doris would get sea sick.

All the people walking up the hill

As I wandered up to the old fortress up the hillside I could not help but notice the signs warning people of extreme fatigue and the need for good personal fitness and the need for a walker to be in good health. Holy smoke, I thought what am I going to find here. What I found was a well worn path intermittent stairs and more sweaty, overweight and sloppy people that I think I have ever witnessed. It was disturbing how unfit and lazy the general public really is and it makes me appreciate the love for the outdoors that has been bestowed upon me by my many acquaintances over the years. Needless to say the views over the Bay were worth the walk (for most of the people).

View from the fortress

Steff will leave tomorrow back to Canada and I will be left to my own devices once again. I have a month or so before I want to head into Solevenia so I am heading back to Montenegro to have an explore of the mountains and have a look over to the eastern edge. Everything comes easier with two people, the conversation, food and of course you have ready made company. Steff presence offered a nice reprieve from the loneliness of my trip thus far but her visit also served as an acknowledgment that I do enjoy the 'every option is right' philosophy of being on ones own. I am certainly looking forward to making time out on the road again and riding for the sake of riding. It feels good to be out on the road and making people smile when they hear about the journey. Plus I love getting the country stamps. Im up to 10

Why cover a man hole??

A kid in a barrow, what not to like about this photo

For the second time Doris has had a cheeky snake curl up and show aggression towards her. This time however the snake was a minor inconvenience and too small to be of consequence. So small in fact it earned its self the nick name of Trouser. Steff managed to negotiate the international time differences and a few boarders to end up in Skopje where we set out on our way through to the bustling capital city of Albania. On route we have managed some truly breathtaking vistas over beautiful mountain ranges and looking towards river valleys snaking off into the distance.

Stef's favorite Cycling Position

It must be said that steff has an aversion to up hill sections and because Albania is mostly comprised of converging mountain ranges, the going has been tough and akin to a certain trip up a modest hill in the North Saskatchewan river shed with a friend a few years ago. Needless to say it is pleasant to have the company in the evenings.

Grumpy Pants half way up a hill

Albania has truly been a gem in the rough through these parts. People are very quick to say hello and certainly lay on the horn nice and thick in their appreciation of our style of travel. They are very quick to raise a hand and give a big ol friendly wave as we idle past. For the most part I have no idea what they are saying but they seem to portray a kind heartedness with the way in which they say it. I met a chap the other day and we sat down for a beer at a cafe. Turns out the field behind the cafe, thick with maturing corn was his and his alone, to work and care for. How he had the time for an ice cream and a beer I am not sure. What I do know is that it is nice to get out of the mid day heat as it tops out around the high 30s.

Trouser

Definitely not a scorching heat like you might find in Nz but still bothersome to bike through and it makes one very careful to ensure enough water is taken on board through out the day. Many people speak English here so between my caveman like noises and their movie lingo we usually get where we are going. That being said I nearly bought 4kg with of Tomatoes from the back of a car when I wanted but 4 for dinner. In the end I got the 4 tomatoes, 2 peppers and a watermelon for my troubles. A WATERMELON. For christs sake, like its not hard enough to bike on unpaved canyon roads as it is.

Nice Melon

We will make our way slowly but surely to the Adriatic sea in the next few days for some swimming in the temperate waters before heading to the mountains in the North. Montenegro is next on the country list and I am very excited to get into the Alps they have in the interior. They are famed in this part of the world for being spectacular and well worth the visit. Alas I may have some push back to this idea but we will get there I am sure of it.

Children seem to enjoy the presence of our bikes as we roll past and will often pose for our photographs with big curious smiles smothered all over there sun kissed faces. Everybody looks with a curiosity reserved for the type of people who whould never embark on such a trip. They are often shocked that we are simply trying to get to the next village let alone London.

Canyon lands, Albania

Just over 4 months to go and plenty of riding left. Bring on the mountains and lets feel the ocean breeze on our faces. I hope as we head north the man hole covers become more frequent.

Children lovin the Doris. Note the Happiest kid in the world on the Right

Fondled by an old man

ladies that helped me find a place to camp in Serbia

Im not in Kansas anymore!! You would think of an experience that was enough to make you jiggle with nerves you would have something better to say for it. Alas, entering Kosovo amid government travel warnings was largely without feature and a steady tail wind sped me along quite nicely through the rolling green countryside of the worlds latest self decleared nation. I was not sure what to expect, but I talked to a few people and they all suggested I find another way, then reading of the ill advised non essential travel I was at a cross roads (literally) to stay in Serbia with their beautiful people and way of life or head to Kosovo and see what happens. It was a police man (after buying me a bottle of water) who said 'no worries' no dangerous no dangerous and with that I headed up into the mountains and descended into Kosovo.

Serbian Lads

There was one major hold up about 3km before the boarder crossing. I was trying to spend my last Din and was swooped on by a beer baron barrel of a man and accosted until I agreed to have a beer with him and his friends. One turned into a couple turned into a night sleeping on a couch listening to the rain on the roof and the cows mooing in the shed. Cretainly needed the shower I had though as I had been 18 days on the trot without one and I was starting to look unloved (threw that in for you molly).

In Kosovo I was having lunch when a well spoken gentleman approached and we started having a chat. His opening line was 'are you lost?' Lost no, why. "because tourists dont come through here, and on a bike, no no no". That may go a long way to explaining the looks I was getting. Mostly harmless but inquisitive none the less. Apart from the occasional sign for unexploded land mines and sped limits on the open road for tanks it was similar to any other country, but for the huge military persence from a bunch of different nationals. So without fan fare I have made it to Macedonia.

Kosovo

Tank speed signs

Serbian Police (revenue gathering)

Serbia turned out to be a gem. Big hills surrounded rolling lush and furtile countryside and the people were outstanding. Almost every place I stopped along the way, for food, to camp I was offered something. Some people bought icecream, lemonade they made, beer was a common gift and someone bought me a tomato to go with the freshly picked mushrooms I was given by his friend. Unfortunately it was squished in my bag when Doris for no apparant reason toppoled over while I was taking a break. I had a personal tour guide for Belgrade who biked along side me and pointed out buildings that bore the marks of the bombings in 1999. Hotel Yugoslavia was an interesting piece. We tootled around the town and I followed up and down roads I would never have seen and he left me at the fortress in the middle of the city. I was wandering around with Doris and an older gentleman of about 70 asked if I spoke german. Nine I replied showing extream linguitic talent but yet he mosied on over and inspected the bike as many people do. I should have seen it coming but when he lent in to see the odometer on the handlebar he let his hand drop and cool as you like he copped a feel of my bicycle short wearing package. He was good, though, it was not until he sucessfully had a second go and I caught the third I even realised I was being indecently touched by a dirty old man snatching a cheeky feel. Good to know I still got it.

sleeping in a bus shelter away from the rain

Camping has come easy and with the exception of a fuel spill while cooking in my tent it is all going well. I was rudely woken up in the middle of the day by a young lady wanting to know if I wanted a drink while I was sleeping in a hey barn to get out of the sun. She had just some into work and screeched to a halt next to Doris as I woke, startled and ready to be driven by a pitchfork wielding farmer. Then we got chatting and she gave me some water. Ice cold and sweet as you like.

Jasmina,who woke me from the barn

Tomorrow I will meet Steff at the train station after she muddled up some international times (being today I had ridden to meet her) and we will explore these southern countries together for the next three weeks.