Advertisement
Published: June 20th 2013
Edit Blog Post
Sutjeska National Park. What to say about a place that is soooooooooooo beautiful? Well, it could do with a proper camping ground for one. I had high hopes of camping but these soon diminished upon finding out that the camping ground only had toilets (the condition of which can only be imagined) and no shower. There is the (freezing) river for that. And the only other campers were some guys (not seen) from the Slovenian Slalom team? Who knows. All I know is at the end of the day I really, really, really like to have a shower and I really, really like to wash my clothes. Everything else is really, really is secondary. I didn’t camp. Instead I walked up to Hotel Mladost.
And there ensued a lengthy discussion about half pansion, full pansion or room and breakfast only. I was trying to say that actually I only wanted full pansion for one day and room and breakfast for another but I was staying two nights. He wasn’t keen on trying to understand me I could tell. The conversation, if you can call it that, just went round in circles. In the end I caved in. I just wanted
Sutjeska Canyon
Those trees have a will to survive and thrive! to wash. Full pansion for two days even though I’m not here for two days it is. Ugh, it’s so hard not being able to speak the language. But then again, there have been instances where people have made themselves very well understood and me too and neither of us spoke the other’s language. I guess it comes down to how willing one is to understand. This guy wasn’t.
And don’t then get me started on dinner. It was cabbage soup with gristly meat. Is that it I asked? Is that dinner really? Soup? I was hastily brought cake. That always shuts me up. How did they know?
But, today is another day and what a day it was! My plan was to ride the bike without all the gear out to Prijevor which is at 1,668m and around 20km from my hotel, stopping along the way at Perucica Primeval Forest and Dragos Sedle. I’m happy to say that I succeeded in my mission but boy was it HARD. Another late start, 10am but I thought no problem, it’s in the bag. It’s 20km without the gear. Simples. Ugh. What was I thinking? It wasn’t so much a
gravel road but a very rocky, pot-holed and steep road which saw me peddling 5.6km/h – if I was lucky. Woohoo! What would I have done with gear? Cried.
The great thing around here though is that all that hard work is rewarded and then some. I wish I had a writer’s sensibility so I could describe in vivid detail what I saw. It was breathtaking to say the least and I seemed to be the only one enjoying this taking of breath. Actually, I know I wasn’t the only one. When the ranger stopped me (actually I think I stopped him mid whatever he was doing behind his shed) l was #11 on his sheet of paper on which were recorded name, vehicle type and passenger. Name always confuses them. Back home we generally know how to decipher the first name and surname because our names are familiar, or we can understand what firstname and surname means. Here however, if you cannot read English, it can be a tad difficult ande our names just sound like words in another language anyway. In the end my family name was my first name and my first name was my second
name. Doesn’t matter. I was then asked the registration number of my bicycle. Que? It’s a bicycle. He went and had a look at it and after seeing that yes, there was no number, simply put down whatever he put down. I should have said her name is Dragana. He also asked me where I was going, barking the names of the places I wanted to see. Perucica – Da. Dragos Sedle – Da. Prijovor – Da. Maglic – Ne. Maglic is Bosnia & Herzegovina’s highest peak at 2386m.
I’m so glad I stopped at Prijovor. It took me until just after 3 to get there. I would never have made it to Maglic. Especially as since I got to Prijovor the weather had turned. Thunder was rumbling and there was the odd flash of lightening. Prijovor, which is on a high ridge, is probably not the best place to be during a thunderstorm. As confirmed by four workmen (building toilets so it seemed) who were surprised to see me there (as surprised as me to see them). Maglic no. No. These were the same workmen who had been hard at work at the campground (hopefully building shower facilities)
Long Grass
Them there are mice in there. Where there's mice there's snakes. near the hotel. No camping. No, no camping. It was time to go. And with that they piled into their truck and disappeared. I wasn’t hanging around either let me assure you but it really was such a shame. It was so pristine up there. Really. Hardly a bottle, wrapper or plastic bag in sight only mountain, after mountain, after mountain. But the weather Gods were telling me to get on my bike and stop taking photos. I do as I’m told – mostly.
Going down was an equally hard slog. Every now and again I had to stop and wheel my bike. My poor hands could not handle the constant squeeze of the brakes. Even going down I was only doing about 8km/h at times. The rain eventually got me. Thankfully I had picked up two plastic bags in my effort to clean up the National Park which now served as protectors for my camera. And I had the foresight to pack my raincoat. But, the canopy of the dense forest did really help in being nature’s umbrella. I wouldn’t say I was dry but I was certainly a lot drier than I would have been on the
Grasshoppers
There's lots of grass around open road.
Very happy to come back to the hotel at the end of the day, awesome as it was. I had the best hot shower scrubbing myself clean, or so I thought. The towel always ends up looking like I’ve dried the pavement not myself. But I was so very, very tired. Exhausted really. I couldn’t even muster dinner. Dinner? Meat? Veal, pork, beef, chicken. No, just salad please. And a beer. It was an early night.
And instead of leaving today I’m here for another. All is not well at the moment. A bit of a headache and earache – probably overdid it yesterday and possibly suffering from a bit of dehydration? I ought to listen to the body and really, when it’s telling me it needs to rest in such a beautiful setting how can I possibly ignore it? Thank you body for making me stop. Full pansion? Yes, full pansion.
So rest is what I did. I slept. I read. I poured over the map trying to find a route into Montenegro. It took me until 10pm last night but I have decided that I will take the main road from Foca to
Pljevlja instead of taking the minor road. Yesterday’s experience highlighted that I’m not quite ready for that kind of challenge. For that I would need to be fully equipped as there is not much in those mountains – except wolves and bears : ).
Wish me luck. Montenegro here I come.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.177s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 11; qc: 50; dbt: 0.1128s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Fiona Hill
non-member comment
Loving the blog
Hiya Bernii, just a quick one to say loving the blog; your commentary and the photos are excellent, you really do have a writer's touch, I don't know why you keep saying you wish you did! You are certainly giving your body a huge workout and I expect to see you incredibly fit when you get back. I know what you mean about strangers helping and opening their homes and hearts, I found the same when I was in Europe, particularly Germany and Switzerland. The people just put us to shame in regards to trust and care of others, even if they've never met them before. It's just such a humbling, lovely experience. Well Winter is certainly starting to inch its chilly claws into our nights, with most nights around the 4 degree mark at the moment, both here and in Melb. The past few days have been sunny though which is lovely, but there's that real nip in the wind which tends to balance out the lovely sunshine. Still, it is Winter and you have to expect it. Not much else to report from here at this stage. Still looking for work (although not TOO actively :-) ) but enjoying the country lifestyle. Take care petal, stay safe, and get those legs working :-) I look forward to your next entry. Fi xx