Day 38: Camping Zlokovic to Podgorica, August 8th.

Up at 8, ate my breakfast of a banana and croissant, and off at 9. My tent is gradually falling apart. I might try and avoid using it for a while. I paid ten euros for the night and set off around the bay of Kotor. The going was flat and easy for a while, and the views were lovely. Eventually, around 11, I reached Kotor itself. Here I was slowed by traffic. I paused and headed to a supermarket for respite. I bought some snacks, including salami and bread, and ate a cupcake in a park, then I was up out of the town onto the serpentine roads that led up over the mountain.

Serpentine they were. I must have climbed thousands of feet, but it never felt too hard due to the endless looping of the roads and their consequent flatness. The bay of kotor grew small below me, and soon I could see Croatia. I was passed by a couple of buses of tourists in the early stages and was later caught behind them as they struggled to navigate the thin road and endless oncoming traffic. At one particularly long hold up I navigated around them and never saw them again.

The serpentine continued for hours. Many cars passed me and beeped their horns or waved out of their windows, congratulating me and urging me on. This happened many times today. Around 13:30 I reached what I thought was the top, stopped and ate my salami sandwich with a view. Then I continued on my way.

A short downhill into a flat valley was followed by another serpentine climb which culminated in a wiggly road over a tunnel. I summited this, then saw what seemed to be the whole of Montenegro laid out before me. It was a breathtaking sight. I laughed out loud. I'll remember this view my whole life. After multiple photos and videos I continued on down the hill at last. I alternated between quiet roads and main ones which in this country weren’t actually that main at all. 

I turned off around 3 and followed a smaller road down through a valley to a river. I took a photo of a run down house and a man laughed at me. There was a lot of downhill followed by a little uphill. Then I was back on a main road. I was being passed by cars at 80mph while cycling in the drainage ditch. I considered leaving it but decided to stick to it. Around 6 I reached Podgorica. It’s not a particularly spectacular town but that’s fine. The hostel is very nice. It has hammocks, sofas, a pool, free tea/coffee etc. I’m taking advantage if this as I write this. Soon I guess I’ll head into town for some food. Alone maybe…?

***

I cycled into town and got a gyro. It was okay. After a short wander I bought a beer and some snacks, headed back to the hostel and got chatting to a couple of people. After this I went to bed.

Video of this day