Thursday 12th July 2012…yet another new country!!!

Well I was packed and ready to go by 9.30am and got a ride to the bus station with my host’s son who then turned around at the station and charged me 50 Kuna…I had a choice here not to pay as it was a given they offered  me a ride or just pay smile and say thanks and get on with my day which is what I did.

So I had already bought a ticket for Kotor two days ago for the 10am bus and I even had a reserved seat……so it was here I learned bus etiquette…there is NONE!!!!  Every man and woman for himself….I was about second in line to get my back pack checked for the underneath luggage compartment when the mad throng of people came pushing in front….. but this Pearson boy has big elbows and a ready smile..I eventually got the pack checked and then went on the bus..there was an old lady sat in my seat so I just sat in the row behind, no harm no foul right?? Wrong..the bus filled up really quickly and the bus driver and his helper absolutely lost their cool screaming in Croatian that small back packs were not allowed on the bus…I had mine hidden underneath my legs….so then there were too many people on the bus so they had to be off loaded then this British couple got on and told me I had their seats..so I had to get up and ask the woman in my seat to move and so it went on..she did move but not too happy.  So the lessons learnt buy a reserved seat and go to that seat and stay put!!!

The journey was uneventful until we got to the Croatian border where a guard came on and took all our passports, yes 50 of them in his hand and walked off the bus… we waited about 15 minutes and then the bus driver got back on with all our passports and kept them up front.  He drove about 200 yards to the Montenegro border and he got off with our passports and ten minutes came back on and immediately handed all the passports to the lady on the front seat and the motion was she was to give them out!!!  An American lady helped and walked up and down the bus and handed us our passports…..never quite seen anything like it…Anyway into the country of Montenegro!!

About another 40 minutes and we were at the bus station in Kotor.  I had booked accommodation last week and knew the apartments were about 7 km out of Kotor so I hired a taxi and he dropped me right outside!!

My hostess was outside in the yard and she seemed happy to see me and took me to my apartment and I was pleasantly surprised ..a very nice new bedroom, a fully equipped and separate kitchen and my own very clean and modern bathroom!!! 

Behind the apartments these wonderful high hills..

The church and ocean a 100 yards away!!

The supermarket is by the church and as luck would have it next door a bakery…eating a slice of fresh hot bread as I type.

Also right across the street is the bus stop that will take me in and back out of town.

So for all of this I am paying 30 Euros!!!   Sorry we are back on Euros again… a quick lesson one Euro is about $1.25..a great price!!!

I got sorted and then took the bus into the town again it is a walled city with everything happening inside the walls.

Tomorrow’s hike!!!

The guide book tells me only 1250 steps up!!!!!

The inside of one of the many churches, really beautiful..

I took the bus back and was home by 8pm and had a light supper and a shave and shower and the room has air conditioning so I left it on full blast went I went out and now it is turned off and the windows open and perfect for sleeping.

I had booked here originally for 2 nights but extended it to 4 nights as I have lots planned for the next three days…not telling what you will just have to wait and see…..

The only problem I am having is trying to figure out how to get to Greece!!!!  I have to be there next Wednesday and having a hard time finding if buses go from here through Albania into Greece so far I have had no luck so I may have to go through Macedonia…any of you travel experts out there offer any suggestions???

 

Anybody else miss seeing these two on the blog????

Yashi Kochi!!!