Friday, May 4, 2012

Kotor


I left the hostel just before 7 and hopped on the bus that would take me to Kotor which is in Montenegro. Of course I had to go back through Dubrovnik which is annoying, but I don't think there is any other way. 

Back in the Neum Pocket, much nicer day this time.


Kotor is located in a very secluded part of a huge Fjord so it was a spectacular drive along the coastline with towering mountainous hills and all the spring growth just seems to glow so vibrantly.



My hostel - All ways good to stay in the old towns. Get to stay in some really old buildings 
Back to the Venetian style architecture - Frankly I'm a little bit bored with it

I arrived at my hostel in the afternoon with my eyelids feeling like sandpaper.  I went for a short walk and then came back to my hostel to collapse on my bed for a few hours. 


Lots of drinking fountains 





The next day I decided I'd walk the amazing walls that extend around the old town and over the hill and up to the fortress. The reception guy kept telling everyone, "Don't do it in the middle of the day, it's too hot and you'll get burnt' So I set off at 11.45am and met up with a couple of NZ girls who were also doing the walk. The guy was right, it was too hot, and my shirt was saturated in sweat within a few minutes. But on we went.
            


Incredible views and old ruins. The clouds make it look so dramatic
View over Kotor






I decided I'd try and climb the neighboring mountain which was probably another hour uphill. I started following some small signs along a deserted track that started by climbing out one of the old wall windows. It lead down into this area below.




 The path was very clear and well marked, (you can see it if you scroll up to the picture with me in the window and the cloudy mountains in the background) There wasn't anyone on the track so I began following it and a few hundred meters I came across these donkeys. I started climbing around them, tearing up my legs and hands on some dry gorsy bush, and then carefully wading through some long grass watching out for snakes. I climbed down onto the track again bleeding a little and pulling the thorns out of my skin.



 50 meters onward I come across this crazy-eyed animal which I thought was sick but seemed to get a bit annoyed at my presents. I soon fell over and then was bombarded by a swarm of flies trying to eat my cuts and scratches. I think this was a sign not to do this track, not to mention I hadn't brought any food and was almost out of water. A no-brainer I headed down the hill back to the hostel slipping over a few more times on the gravel patches.





Well I think you are all up to date now!!! Wohoo! but I'd still like to post about the week leading up to Hvar. After my walk I had planned to spend the whole afternoon from 3pm onwards on my blog. It is now 9.30pm (6.5Hrs of blogging, that can't be right?!) and I have been sustaining myself with a pottle of cheap Nutella like spread using a spoon and sitting on my bed. I was trying to be subtle about my guilty pleasure when a Brazilian guy checked into the bed next to me. I saw him eating chocolate spread and bread with the ratio leaning towards the chocolate. We both agreed, it is a delicious snack. But I'm almost finished my 450g pot...time for some real dinner. Tuna pasta!!

Tomorrow I'm off to Budva which is on the coast, before catching and overnight ferry to Italy and tackling Rome. I'll then head into central area to work on a farm (I think the works going to be a bit more intense than the hostel). I would really like to explore more of eastern Europe including Albania, Macedonia and Serbia, it's much cheaper and has a great edgy-ness to it. If western Europe isn't any good or too costly I'll come back, and I'm toying with the idea of Israel, Egypt and Thailand. But we'll see how things go. 

P.s please harass me if I get behind again. It's motivating. 
"May the fourth be with you"

4 comments:

  1. That was one crazy eyed cow!!

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  2. Harass harass harass....
    Seriously, well done on such a great update! Will be good to hear the week before sometime - as much for you to look back on as our benefit.
    I thought the cow had a swollen face at first look - but it was a back leg behind it. Was mad looking though! Think those donkeys might be half horses... Jenny's possibly.

    Anyway - enjoying the architecture and wine appreciation. Very inspiring.
    Perhaps you should consider being a travel writer.
    xxx

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  3. Wow. Legendary blogging effort - 6.5 hours! It's great to hear what you've been up to over the last few weeks. The photos are outstanding. Well done ;)

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  4. I am thrilled to see the town and area through your lens. Thanks. My son Gaz was there last September and posted a few photos (http://synflame.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/kotor-montenegro.html) and that is all I saw of the place.

    I'm pleased you took the decision not to proceed upwards. So many ignore the no-brainer decisions.

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