Bulgaria - watch yourself

I was a little nervous about crossing the border into Bulgaria but all went smoothly and painless. I arrived in Sofia after 6 hours of riding, mid 30s, soaked under riding gear and can't wait for a shower.

I was determined to stay in a hostel to meet other travellers. After story upon story of organised crime in Bulgaria, I had to have secure parking, slowly over 3 hours I went from Hostel, 2 star, 3 star..... and then 5 star hotel. Everyone I met, receptionists, ex-London copper, locals in the street admiring my bike all said watch your bike, if its not nailed down it will go!!

The bike has its advantages but not yesterday.

Macedonia - rating countries?

Macedonia is about the same size as Montenegro but not worth the visit if I hard limited holidays. This poses the question, comparing and rating countries?? Experience, people, landscape and cost?? There is no doubt that rating is on a personnel level, for me its important locals are open, honest and is not difficult to travel (5 years ago Egypt wore me out after 3 weeks).

So the big differential with Macedonia is the poverty - the difference between the have and have nots, there are lots of fancy European cars. Heaps of Gypsies, shanty towns, markets, modern shopping centers and the stench of burning rubbish dumps. From my perspective, it is something new, not scary but unknown?!? The bike enables me to get off the beaten track to places I would not have seen on public transport.

I am a relative wealthy westerner and to see people collecting plastic bottles, sifting through garbage, selling junk at 6am markets...its a different world and its part of Europe.

Kosovo - US is the best!!

I have spent one night in the independent Kosovo. Its is a very poor place and I am sure that half the GDP is from international assistance - KFOR (Italian and French troops), OCSE, UN, UNHCR. There are blue and white Landcruisers everywhere and a massive compound next to my hotel.

I drove across Kosovo from the East (crazy local drivers), houses and construction sites were flying the Kosovo and US flags. I had a chat to a couple of US Journalism students, on an exchange program, the US is credited for Kosovo's independence, so if your American, you are loved here, probably the only place outside the US!

Dodgy again

Never give up...knocked back once then try a different approach, I was not going to be ripped off again! At the Serbian(Kosovo) border, I once again had to buy a Green Card for the bike (liability insurance). The border guard wanted €80 and I could not speak to the insurance agent but had to go through the border guard - seems familiar.

Having been through this before, I turned around and drove back to the Montenegro border (to the amazement of the Monty border guards) and onto another border crossing with Kosovo, the insurance agent sold me a Green Card for Kosovo for €20 and off I drove to Pristina.

Montenegro - Small country that packs alot

Montenegro, what amazing natural beauty. I have spent the last four days there, two on the coast and two in the mountains. The coast, a little over developed, has clear Adriatic waters from which the mountains rise to 2000 meters and to 2500 meters on the Serbian border.

I joined the locals, who filled the beaches - I wondering if anyone works here? I day on the beach was great, some reading, sleeping and swimming.

The historic sites are way better preserved in Croatia but the wide open spaces of the mountains are breath taking. I spent two days in the mountains, running, walking and relaxing. The windy roads we so much fun on the bike but also not in good condition. They were so bumpy I was continuously bottoming out on the center stand - I am thinking of removing it??

Lifestyle change

In planning my trip home I knew I would have to change my indulgent food and wine life style. In some countries I would have no choice and in others I can't afford a bottle of wine every night. I planned to eat and drink well in France and Italy and from there to live a backpackers life style.

In reality, this maynot be possible, I am finding it incredibly hard to cut back on the good things in life. So then the plan is to only drink house wine and one course - this is not working. The house wines in the Balkens, needs alot more work, and when reviewing the menu I can't say no to something I have not tried.

I blame my family and friends for sharing together too many great meals and wines.

The lifestyle I have come to expect will have too wait one year!!!

Sarajevo

Sarajevo has been settled from prehistoric times but became a major city during the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Many religous groups, Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism lived together for hundreds of years and continue today. The various religous places of worship still stand next to each other in the old town.

I followed the war Bosnian War, with the EU, UN politics from the comfort of Melbourne and the TV, but the real impact of the war has only just hit me. The stories about how people lived in Sarajevo, sniper alley, no power or runnning water, only food aid and burying the dead in local football fields and parks for a period of 4 years is mind numbing. After almost 15 years the majority of the city looks as it was and people have rebuilt their lives (to a degree) but from talking to people there is discontent with politics in this young democracy.

I only touched the surface but it has left an impact on me.