As I get close to the Serbo-Croatian border I see a queue of trucks as long as several kms. That doesn't make me that happy cause I don't want to imagine that anything similar might be the case for the rest of the vehicles, especially on a day that the weather can rain anytime and the forecast said it should be raining already. Fortunately the queue for us non truckers is much shorter but nothing to not worry about. Fortunately, soon the queue splits in two for EU residents and non EU and luckily the EU one is shorter and faster.
In both sides they just ask my ID and bike document so after a short while I am riding over Croatian soil. Looking for some Croatian fuel though cause I already run on my second reserve. No worries when you run an efficient bike and you know the fuel gauge is rather pessimistic. Many would question this choice to run so low in fuel but logic says that there's no way they won't have a gas station if not a full rest area near the border. And after a few km I realise they really do.
With a full tank I ride the rest of the km to my Croatian AirBnB and the surprising absence of rain puts a smile on my face but a regret that I believed the forecast and didn't put my camera on. It's a pity you miss this part of the ride cause it's nice green though flat. Finally it rains for a few km around the last quarter of the distance but seriously, I don't care at all. I'm dry by the time I arrive.
Ladies and Gents, welcome to Vidrenjak, Croatia:
As you can see in the above view from my tiny balcony, it's a cute little village. The whole area is actually much cutier and less indifferent than I expected so I'm already looking forward to explore it. I'm not even done unloading my bike when I get a visit from someone who's looking forward to explore the new tenant... in other words me:
Cute as this thing is I soon discover that it's beyond intrusive which makes me understand why my host said "she can be annoying". I would say beyond annoying as she even dislocated the mesh for the insects with her nails so I cut off all relations with her. I hope she doesn't mess with the cover of my bike later which now waits uncovered right in front of the balcony:
Like in Serbia, bare bricks are a thing here too:
The annoying cuteness is now sitting at my window:
I hope she doesn't attack the mesh behind her again while I'm busy organising my things inside. I soon have to go out shopping so in order to avoid a mess with the mesh I pull it up.
Supermarket, here I come:
The view of signs reading prices in both currencies, Euro and their previous local one, reminds me of the same phase we've been in Greece two decades ago. Wow...time flies...So it seems that the time machine hasn't ended in Serbia. Funny that a couple of minutes after I enter the shop a guy comes up to me talking about something that obviously I can't have any idea at all. I tell him "sorry but I just arrived here literally minutes ago for my first time" and that cracks him up.
Back in the day I bought my bike I didn't imagine that it would help me do my shopping somewhere at rural Croatia but never say never right?
I couldn't have bought a better "all around/do it all" thing. Now if you question where did I fit all that stuff then you don't know me enough. It's never to late for it though 😉
After a long day riding 350km in non toll roads, 2000 km so far in my trip, crossing 4 countries so far, I do deserve some food don't I? The thing is that it's me the one who has to cook so no time to rest yet.
When it's all done I am in front of this:
In case you wonder, this is Tortellini stuffed with ricotta and spinach, escorted by some parsley and a bit of olive oil.
Now I can finally get some rest...Boy this village offers silence! Imagine that I stay right in front of the main road, or say number 2 road and the traffic is so low that it feels like the kingdom of silence. If I sneeze the mayor will hear me I'm sure. And my host for sure as she stays next door. She speaks no English so she got a friendly couple to deal with the communication. I must admit I needed them as I struggled to turn on the kitchen. How embarrassing right? I thought "you're too tired, it's OK, everyone has the right to be stupid sometimes". Well, it was as embarrassing for them to realise they couldn't turn it on too! Turns out it locks itself for safety purposes and requires a specific combination of touch buttons for a specific amount of time to unlock. We all laughed when we figured this out...
But that's not the only thing to laugh about though this next one is kinda "all Greek to you". So, I stay on a street named "Kolodvorska". "Kolo" is the Greek slung for "ass". Similar to other languages too. But it doesn't end here. The closest town which by the way is the one I went shopping before is named "Popovaca". "Popo" is...yep you got it, "ass" again :) So I'm kinda stuck between an ass and an ass. Both cute in their own way though🙂
Time for some good sleep before I start exploring tomorrow, see you on the next one!
*Check out "HIVE" at https://hive.io
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