Top 10: The Balkans

Location: Podgorica, Montenegro
Distance Traveled: 2,429 km

I'm writing this entry from what we think is the only internet cafe in the country. Since our last update we have explored Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro and by nightfall we'll be in Albania.

The Balkans have so far been full of surprises. Since Ramsey has been to some of these countries before, you'd expect that he'd have properly warned us. I claim he never tried, and he claims I never listened :) Regardless, the last few days have been INTENSE to the saythe least. Here are our Top 10 things that Chad didn't know about the Balkans, and Ramsey failed to inform! They are a mix of things that make the journey both tantalizing and punishing!

1. Deadly Heat

Yesterday it was 45 degrees Celsius (113 fahrenheit). We now wake up at 4:30AM to try and beat the heat... with a bit of effort we're on the road by 6AM but somehow the heat always catches us.

2. Beautiful Beaches

Only 14 years after the war, Croatia is now one of Europe's hottest beach holiday destination. Yes, we definitely took a day off to work on our SERIOUS farmer tans.

3. Land Mines

Right, so about this war. In hyper speed, it happened after a peaceful region lost it's uniting leader, Tito, and old and new conflicts lead to invasions, war, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. The area seems to have healed up very well. The visible traces are bullet ridden buildings yet to be rebuilt, the ruins of once vibrant villages, and hundreds of cemeteries and war memorials for the estimated 100,000-200,000 thousand lives lost just over a decade ago. There also happens to be some 4 million un-detonated land-mines... which leaves lots of perfectly good land to waste. This of course makes camping difficult. Through much of Bosnia, we didn't dare leave the paved road unless it was on to somebodies yard. Don't worry, we are through the worst of it and all is perfectly well! It sound much worse than it is!

4. Mostar

A 400 year old bridge, the Bride of Mostar, connecting the predominantly Christian Croatian side to the Muslim Bosnians side, destroyed during the war has now been rebuilt. Traditionally to prove their bravery, young men took the 24 meter plunge. Since it will apparently help us with "the ladies" we thought we better both do it.

5. Mountains

What the F#$&*? We thought that the Alps would be the last mountain we'd see. Turns out we were wrong. Our daily pace of 140km has been crippled to an average of 95 km as we expend all our juice on climbing and descending ridiculously steep and windy mountain roads. But at least if you go up, you always get to come down! eventually...

6. Generous People

While we found patches of generous hospitality in Western Europe, so far the Balkans have been consistent. Thanks to a fantastically welcoming family in Bosnia, the Tulyi family last night we had a real shower, ate a real meal and slept in a real bed . If two foreigners who didn't speak your language rode up to your house to ask for a place to camp, would you invite them in for dinner and then put them up in your guest room?

7. Snakes

Because of the heat, we started sleeping under the stars, without the tent... Until the Tulyi family informed us that the dry rocky Balkan country side is ripe with snakes. Uhhhh we're back in the tent!

8. Rogue Cows

Nothing makes you smile more after a long climb than being passed by a rogue cow.

9. Cyrillic

The last challenge has been hilarious. So our map and everythingon it is now useless, as parts of Bosnia, all of Montenegro and much of many places to come use a different alphabet! Ohh cyrillic!

10. Seemingly scary Serbian men are a ton of laughs!

So yes, this has all been very intense... but really it's been an amazing few days and you don't need to be crazy to travel to the balkans. An air conditioned hotel room, pinacoladas, and lonely planet would set any of you up for a great vacation here!

If all goes well, we'll be on the streets of the worlds newest independent country, Kosovo, in a few days. We'll write from there!

- Chad and Ramsey