Balkan Trip from Germany to Albania - From Mostar to Herceg Novi

Montenegro – Where roads sing arias and cows greet

After we said goodbye to our charming landlady Moni with one last coffee yesterday morning, we set off for Montenegro, specifically Herceg Novi. The adventure beckoned, and an accommodation for only 89 euros for two nights including a pool had caught our attention online – we thought it was a real bargain!

The wondrous world of country roads

Our journey took us along country roads, and that's where the fun begins. Anyone who has ever complained about the quality of our local country roads should definitely take a road trip through Bosnia and Montenegro. Within ten minutes, the road surface changed from beautifully paved to uneven (which caused our tires to produce loud arias) and then to a state that suggested no repair had been made since 1915 (beware, sarcasm!). Potholes that could easily swallow small cars (a slight exaggeration, but just slight!) provided constant entertainment and ensured that boredom at the wheel was a foreign concept.

A culinary adventure of a special kind

Since we didn't want to just rush through, we made an impromptu coffee stop at a small restaurant next to a bus stop. The place was so inconspicuous that it wasn't even listed on Google Maps – a real risk, but hey, we just wanted a coffee! Yet, as often happens on this trip, everything turned out differently. The super nice lady, who spoke hardly any English, handed us the menu and poof, coffee turned into a full-blown lunch. I bravely stuck to my diet (wink, wink) and opted for a seasonal salad, while Bianca chose an omelet with ham accompanied by dough balls with sugar. However, I couldn't resist the dough balls and treated myself to the savory version with two different types of cheese. Everything was simple, but the view of the surrounding mountains was phenomenal.

When I asked my obligatory question about homemade drinks, the shy son of the owner explained that they had homemade fruit juices. I didn't quite understand which fruits exactly, but the drink was absolutely insane! Strengthened and with a pleasant 34 degrees Celsius, we continued our journey.

Wild encounters and curious border controls

Along the way, we encountered not only countless (living and dead) lizards but also snakes on the road. I believe I've never seen so many snakes in my entire life! Just before the Macedonian border, the roads deteriorated drastically again. I could only drive at 50-60 km/h while the locals zoomed past me. Ironically, I saw some of these speedsters shortly thereafter at a police checkpoint – they waved us through, but stopped the rapidly approaching locals behind us. This proved once again: The fastest doesn't always arrive at the destination first!

At the obligatory border control, the Bosnian border guard looked puzzled when he saw my ID. He read 'Erdogan' and saw a German ID card. His raised eyebrows and the surprised look were delightfully slapsticky. Off we went to the next control in Montenegro. The border guards here were a bit grimmer and succinctly demanded my vehicle registration. Once he had everything he wanted, he handed back the papers, and that was it.

The roads remained poor here as well, and suddenly there were cows on the roadway. Deer, hedgehogs, foxes – I'm used to those in Germany, but cows? That was new!

Arrival in paradise (almost)

Our landlady had already called us and informed us that she would be waiting for us in front of the accommodation. We arrived in Herceg Novi through the mountains. The view of the city wasn't as impressive as in Mostar, but still not bad. As soon as we entered the city, I quickly realized that I needed to change the settings on my navigation system. A tip for everyone: Never, really never, set the option 'shortest route'! My GPS guided us through streets that were only 2.1 meters wide, had inclines of 25 percent, and were in a desolate state. I had to maneuver several times just to be able to turn without wrecking the car. Fortunately, we only encountered someone coming towards us once, who could pull into a driveway to avoid us. Bianca had her eyes closed waiting for the impact!

With a 15-minute delay, we finally reached our 'place'. Our landlady received us warmly and showed us the accommodation and the holiday resort with pool. We were totally thrilled – once again lucky! We were completely alone at the resort, the pool belonged only to us – we did everything right! The only downside: there was neither a restaurant nor a supermarket in sight.

Evening program: Shopping, pool, and spaghetti

So back in the car, this time with adjusted GPS to the nearest supermarket. And behold, there are somewhat normal roads here too! In the supermarket (many locals), we immediately noticed two things: First, the people here were more stressed than in Bosnia, and second, the prices (all in euros) were relatively high. Considering how little the people here earn and pay the same at the checkout, I find it rather expensive here.

After our return, we went straight into the clean pool, and afterwards we ended the day with spaghetti and a glass of wine. For the next day, we have planned a 'do-nothing day': hanging out by the pool, relaxing, reading a book…

So until then! Tomorrow we’re off to Albania.