Author: bengarbutt

The hattrick

A third consecutive day of 100km+ and 2000m+ elevation, not something I’d previously thought myself capable of what with all the baggage. It’s big but I’m learning I can just keep doing it as long as I don’t dip into the red zone during the steepest climbs. I also have to start early to ensure recovery at the end of the day. And eat lots.

The visual highlight today was a viewpoint I had to take an 8km detour to. From high above the Uvac river, you could see its snake-like coils through a densely forested canyon.

I had one of my usual recipes for lunch just before the half way point in Sjenica.

As I bought my items, the guy at the checkout started speaking to me, asking questions in English. As I paid he jumped up and ran to get a Kinder Bueno. “Please take this gift to remember me.” OK, thanks! Small acts of kindness like this are truly memorable.

The afternoon was a long push through beautiful scenery along undulating tarmac.

Tomorrow I start my odyssey of five countries in six days. I will start tomorrow in Serbia and end in Montenegro. From there I will go to Kosovo. It’s impossible to cross into Kosovo from here in Novi Pazar in Serbia, despite it being about 10km away. Serbia doesn’t recognise Kosovo as an independent nation, so that “border” is impassable, necessitating my trip through Montenegro.

After two days & nights in Kosovo I hope to reach North Macedonia, where I’ll stay for one night in the capital, Skopje, and from there into Bulgaria next Saturday.