I didn't have any specific plans for Bosnia. I thought bout visiting Radimlja (old pagan cemetery) and maybe Mostar. Hitchhiking turned out to be a bit easier than in Croatia but still I wasn't going as fast as I expected and instead of Mostar I decided to go somewhere else. I heard bout really nice lake surrounded by waterfalls which was about 30 km further and I decided to spend a night there. Getting there was not easy - I had to walk the last 5 km with my 30kg backpack but it was definately worth it. The place was beautiful, water was clean (and not salty) and also there were just a few tourists visiting it. Apart from me only few people stayed there for a night for fishing. I spent some time with them, we ate together, had a beer - very nice and hospitable people!
Next day again some swimming in the morning and then some more swimming :) Instead of leaving at 6-7 am as usual, I stayed there till 11. I just couldn't leave! Gotta come back next time I'm gonna be somewhere around!
That day I was not hurrying anywhere. I wanted to go as far as possible north cause the next day I had to reach Pecs in Hungary where I had CS hosting. I enjoyed every minute of that day. Waiting by the road, eating fresh pears, apples and grapes I found nearby. Especially the last ones were amazing - the best ones I've ever eaten!
The day I left Bosnia was very interesting also because of the people I met on my way. I drove with a guy from Switzerland working at military mission in Bosnia and a girl from Slovenia who was planning to organize a trip to Sarajevo. I was really glad to finally find some people with a lot of interesting things to say instead of truck-driver-types with whom you could talk like: my name is..., I'm going to.. and discuss whether Turkish/Greek/Croatian/Serbian/other girls nice asses and tits. I don't mind the last one but it's not one of the things that gives you a lot of new experience and helps you develop your personality :)
I finished the day at some petrol station. It was already after 10pm and completely dark. Since the station was close to the road and it was visible from there I decided to go a bit further with some small local road. I followed it till I saw some wayside chapel. I wanted to sleep just after it but then I saw a sign. It was saying that that place was full of land mines and I was in the middle of it. In a second I felt very strange. I was not afraid but in a while everything become different. Croatia, a tourist destination, with its beaches and curorts was no longer the same. Of course, I knew about the war, read about it a bit, saw some pictures but only at that moment it become so real. Walking through the mine field in complete darkness every step could be the last one. Amazing experience. Much better than the seaside..
Next day again some swimming in the morning and then some more swimming :) Instead of leaving at 6-7 am as usual, I stayed there till 11. I just couldn't leave! Gotta come back next time I'm gonna be somewhere around!
That day I was not hurrying anywhere. I wanted to go as far as possible north cause the next day I had to reach Pecs in Hungary where I had CS hosting. I enjoyed every minute of that day. Waiting by the road, eating fresh pears, apples and grapes I found nearby. Especially the last ones were amazing - the best ones I've ever eaten!
The day I left Bosnia was very interesting also because of the people I met on my way. I drove with a guy from Switzerland working at military mission in Bosnia and a girl from Slovenia who was planning to organize a trip to Sarajevo. I was really glad to finally find some people with a lot of interesting things to say instead of truck-driver-types with whom you could talk like: my name is..., I'm going to.. and discuss whether Turkish/Greek/Croatian/Serbian/other girls nice asses and tits. I don't mind the last one but it's not one of the things that gives you a lot of new experience and helps you develop your personality :)
I finished the day at some petrol station. It was already after 10pm and completely dark. Since the station was close to the road and it was visible from there I decided to go a bit further with some small local road. I followed it till I saw some wayside chapel. I wanted to sleep just after it but then I saw a sign. It was saying that that place was full of land mines and I was in the middle of it. In a second I felt very strange. I was not afraid but in a while everything become different. Croatia, a tourist destination, with its beaches and curorts was no longer the same. Of course, I knew about the war, read about it a bit, saw some pictures but only at that moment it become so real. Walking through the mine field in complete darkness every step could be the last one. Amazing experience. Much better than the seaside..
Hello Tomasz,
OdpowiedzUsuńI am the guy from Switzerland who drove you from Croatia to Jajce and I am glad to hear that you did not camp in the mine fields. I told you to be careful because of the mines. Just promise me to not have any more of these kind of "amazing experiences"... Greetings from BUGOJNO, Bosnia. Roman
Hi Roman,
OdpowiedzUsuńKnowing myself, I can't promise u anything, sorry :) Like they say - no risk, no fun. Well, even if there's not much fun in it a small shot of adrenaline that helps you spice up your life a little is always worth it.
Anyways, nice to hear from you. Hopefully see ya some other time on the road :)
Tomasz
PS. ah, and if you have a spare boat someday, lemme know, I could use one :)