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.
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| 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).
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| 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
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. 
It sounds like you left NZ for a place that looks like NZ altho you get to enjoy it when its not covered in snow (a novelty which wears off quickly).
ReplyDeleteHappy cycling,
Peter
I LOVE the happiest kid in the world! Also the visual of you shouting through tunnels made me smile. I trust you are saying something more unique then "echo". What great photo's - please keep them coming. And oh dear stamp collecting - is this a McDowall thing? It is 36 degrees here and I am congratulating myself on walking to school - you are very impressive!
ReplyDeletePip :)