Hi Everybody, we`re still alive and well. Firstly to stop the confusion which happens a lot when both of us are chatting on msn or emailing, when Sharan is writing it will look normal (and with more exclamation marks) and when I`m writing it´ll look like this with italics. Cool.
Our trip was going to start nice and easy chilling down the coast of Croatia and starting in Montenegro, first week all booked up back home. As it turned out it wasn´t quite that straight forward due to a ślight´ planning error on my behalf which meant not sleeping and a 8 hour overnight bus, doh day one and I´m in the doghouse! To highlight the dodgy transport schedules over here, we were told there was a night bus leaving at 3am..no probs, we were ready for a long night, about 1am a bus turns up going where we wanted (you can´t even get a decent bus timetable at the bus station info!!!!)
Phew finally got to Montenegro, we both smelt and were dying for a shower. After being misdirected by all the locals we eventually found our hostel in Kotor. Now, I admit that I am fussy when it comes to cleanliness but this place was a shithole. No hot water, no locks on showers and toilets, no loo paper(admittedly I did know this place was crap but it was the only place around!)
By the end of our 2 days in Kotor I was ready to check into the nearest hotel...thankfully the next hostel in Budva proved to be much better. Heaps more friendly people around to chat with and a good atmosphere. A wise and VERY old woman once told me that you would get sick of explaining your story again and again, which I can see happening as I´ve blabbed it out about 20 times. Montenegro is definitely a mans paradise. The women all look like models, Vien thought i couldn`t see him staring behind his shades...but i know better. Beers on the beach, thong bikinis and pole dancing at the clubs...hmmm, need i say more?
The old towns in Kotor, Budva were pretty cool, but Dubrovnik really does take the cake. Imposing, grand and a great vibe around due to the summer festival.
We decided to take a day trip to Medugorje and Mostar in Bosnia & Hercegovina. 5 mins in and we got sideswiped onto the kerb by a kamikaze local the driver got out and checked that all 4 wheels were attached and declared it was safe to go on, hmmm...Medugorje is hard core. Made famous by some kids having seen the Virgin Mary for years, there are heaps of devout catholics and all the religious paraphenalia that goes with it.
Mostar was a bit of a wake up call as to how much people have suffered from the war. The bridge is just one example of what was bombed and now is restored. There are soo many buildings that have been bombed and are just left as shells. Bullet holes are everywhere..all the souvenirs were war-related, I didn´t know how versatile a shell could be you can make pens, salt and pepper grinders, umbrella holders, etc ingenious!.
So after a tricky start weŕe right into it now and loving it. Weŕe in Zadar at the moment and off to the Piltvice lakes tommorow and Slovenia next which should be a good change from the usual beach bum life style. Till next time XXX Vien and Sharan.
PS. Look who we spotted eating pies in Kotor (see pic), I thought Johnny was in OZ????
