Today was a day principally of bus travel with us leaving Belgrade in the morning and arriving at Sarajevo late in the afternoon.
Our bus is only just big enough for our group of sixteen plus our guide although the size limitation is partially overcome by the bus having an attached rear luggage compartment.
We left Belgrade at 09:30 and travelled south westwards towards the border with Bosnia Herzegovina passing through flatlands where corn and sunflowers were still the main agricultural production crop.
Farm en route to Bosnia
Mill en route to Bosnia
We reached the border crossing at the small town of Sepak on the Trina River which flows into the Sava River which in turn flows ultimately into the Danube.
Trina River at Serbia Bosnia border
Bosnian side of border from Trina Bridge
The Serbian customs officials collected and checked passports on the eastern side of the river and then we drove across the Trina Bridge to the Bosnian customs people who were very slow in processing our travel documents.
Eventually we were on our way heading for Sarajevo some four hours away. The route we took involved a steep climb through dense forests with occasional areas where small farms with sheep and a few cattle were sighted.
Haystacks en route to Sarajevo, Bosnia
Scenery en route to Sarajevo, Bosnia
Scenery en route to Sarajevo, Bosnia
Scenery en route to Sarajevo, Bosnia
The number of sawmills and log hauling vehicles we saw was amazing and led us to believe that the forestry operations here may not be sustainable for much longer.
At the highest point on the road we stopped for some lunchtime snacks and coffees and to ponder the significant number of dangerous driving practices we’d observed on the steep and winding road. Overtaking on blind corners seems to be a standard risk taking procedure.
Our bus at Pogleg Restaurant, en route to Sarajevo, Bosnia
Farm en route to Sarajevo, Bosnia
As we commenced our descent the rain started and we had an impressive thunderstorm that lasted all the way to Sarajevo. At Sarajevo the road outside our hotel was awash and small waterfalls were cascading in the roadside gutters.
Within half an hour it was clear again and having rested adequately, our group reassembled and we walked one kilometre down the hill to Bascarsija Square with its central fountain.
We then had an excellent meal in a small side street café although the fact that other people were smoking at a nearby table was not appreciated.
Meal, Sarajevo, Bosnia
Tomorrow we explore this famous cobblestoned city where sadly war has played a tragic and recent role. On a brighter note it was the scene of the Winter Olympics in 1984.