And Stella came too!

Yesterday’s News

Strops, Hissy Fits and ugly, ugly Walking boots

Today’s News

Waking up on our second morning in Žabljak , if I thought yesterday’s body count on the floor was impressive, today’s of varying colours and sizes was darn right revolting. Urghh, yuk, going to buy another can of bug killer asap. Swinging my feet out of bed, before they hit the floor I put on a pair of flip flops and walked from mat to mat, avoiding the actual floor space like a giant game of draughts. If I misjudged, I felt I would be eaten up by the ugliest bugs on the planet so I moved as though I was adept at getting through laser rays. I didn’t look for a broom as I was too excited about our White Water Rafting experience that morning and wanted to get showered, dressed and ready as quickly as possible which included packing a bag for all three of us with essential bits and pieces we might need through the day.

Leaving early for our 9:30 transfer, we walked the short distance from our apartment to the Summit Hut which was our rendezvous point for the transfer to Tara Bridge. We had no idea how many people would be meeting up that morning, as yesterday’s collection was only for one person. Walking towards us, having just parked their car, who should we see but our new Hungarian friends Laci and Klara with their daughters Adel and Emma. We pointed out how close our apartment was to the Summit office, the three restaurants across the road two of which we’d already frequented and the one earmarked for that night. We excitedly chatted away continuing the various conversations of yesterday, delighted to meet each other again, especially the girls who have fallen in love with Stella – who doesn’t.

White water rafting has been an activity I’ve always wanted to do since I can’t remember, in the days when I was fit (didn’t have those knees then) and without any conception of fear or mortality.  The mini bus arrived and, having been given assurance that the experience was family friendly AND Stella could come too, we got ready to board when this young woman almost flung herself at me calling my name. It was Tamara, of Tim and Tamara, who had been neighbours of ours for a few days at Camp Naluka. Talk about RPRT (right place, right time), their van had a couple of issues that needed fixing which caused them to have a three day delay in their travels otherwise we wouldn’t have been in the same place together that Friday morning. We all boarded, Steve chatting with Laci and Klara, Stella at his feet, and I was catching up with Tim and Tamara. 

Tara Canyon is definitely impressive. It’s the deepest canyon in Europe and the second deepest in the world after the Grand Canyon in Colorado. It’s 78km long, up to 1.300m deep and its river is called the “tear of Europe”. It’s a phenomenal natural tourist attraction. Driving over the Tara Bridge we could see at either side kiosks full of tourist paraphernalia for sale and ticket offices selling rafting and zip line experiences.

That day’s rafting adventure packages were either half a day through the morning with lunch in a restaurant, which our Hungarian friends and we had booked, or a full day with picnic which Tim and Tamara, being the young and fit adrenalin junkies they are, of course went for.

With wet suits and shoes handed out according to our height and size, and lifejackets and helmets laid out on a lawn, already wearing our swimming cosies, it was fun getting into the ‘gear’ in the open air communal changing area.  We laughed at each other, some of us sitting down to put on our boots, others toppling over trying to get into their wet suits. We decided not to take our phones or cameras as we didn’t have any waterproof pouches and were delighted that Klara and Tamara would take as many pictures as possible on our behalf and share the images with us. Any excuse to keep in touch.

Served coffee and Montenegrin Schnapps before the ‘off’, Steve was the only one brave enough in our group to down the schnapps, we prepared ourselves to get back into the transport to be taken down to a boarding place for the rafts. I could hardly get in wearing my Mae West. Stella settled down, as she does, and we agreed with Laci for the six of us to share a raft. The day just got better and betterer. Passing over the Tara Bridge again, and also overtaking a friend of our driver, driving his oxen, we arrived.

The excitement was running through everyone, even me despite being a non-swimmer.  I just love being on a boat, any boat, so long as its fast and the water is deep.  Four rafts set off with their excited passengers, each raft manned with an experienced guide at the back who used their oars as rudders as and when if we got too close to any rocks.

When we got into our raft we were told to sit on the sides, not safely inside on the floor like 12 year old Emma. I noticed lots of machined on straps on the bottom and thought perhaps they were for storing the oars. Wrong! They are for the intrepid paddlers to anchor their feet within, against being bounced off the raft going through rapids. As soon as I was told that, I couldn’t put my feet through two of them quickly enough! Steve was at the back with plenty of room for Stella who wasn’t quite sure what was happening. I remembered the phrase ‘family friendly’ and with Stella allowed on board knew our trip was going to be exciting and safe. We heard during the trip that dogs on the rafts are not uncommon and can be comical entertainment for the guides. On one trip a handbag sized pooch had actually been bounced overboard, but it’s owner simply whipped on its lead reeling it back into the boat. The description was vision enough for me to imagine and I giggled. Putting my black humour to one side, I quickly checked to see if Stella was on her lead. She was. A strong one tied to a solid collar. I wondered if I should be similarly secured?!

After being in the raft a half an hour or so and having experienced some rapids, albeit baby ones, we pulled into a bay to walk to the base of a massive waterfall which had been the cause of the minor rapids we had just negotiated.  Excitement in the air, we posed for photos, took photos of each other, everyone wearing a grin. 

Passing under the Tara Bridge we all agreed we got a much better view of the canyon, especially the perspective of its size and depth. Luckily for us not having a waterproof camera with us, Klara clicked away throughout the journey.  She also took some terrific videos of us riding white water, one including screams of excitement with water showering into the raft, but I haven’t yet figured out how to upload them!

What stood out for me about the Tara Canyon is how the water appears. Wherever you look its aqua marine and so clear. Steve told me it was probably the result of the blue sky and the pine covered mountains. Finishing our rafting on the Tara Canyon, which we all thoroughly enjoyed, there was time for a quick swim before the transfer back to the rafting meeting place. Steve and Stella enjoyed the dip in the river. I dipped in wearing my wet suit and feeling the crisp cold of the water decided I preferred watching them from a distance. Back at the meeting place we had a delicious lunch, said our goodbyes and made our way back to our apartment. Leci and his girls decided to try out the zip wire and Klara decided to be the one to take the video. It’s a good video. It made me smile and I have wonderful memories of our two adventures together.

We had time in the afternoon to visit the Stecci at Žabljak – Google says: “In the village Novakovici, in an area of around 500m2 lie 49 stecci. Stecci are medieval tombstones, rich in various ornaments, most of which are well preserved. One of them especially stands out for its clear depiction of a hunting scene”. Well, you could have fooled me. They just looked like a jumble of old stones in my eyes! In consideration of Steve’s photographic efforts and my consideration of you, I have whittled down his favourite 500 images.

Dropped off back at the apartment, we were a very happy tired looking forward to our evening meal at the third of the three restaurants opposite our apartment.

Sat over a glass or two of wine for me and beer for Steve, before heading back to our apartment for our final night, we planned that we would leave Žabljak the following day and drive around ‘The Ring’ before heading to the fourth National Park, Biogradska Gora.

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this before, but to travel in a ‘box’ a couple has to get on really well. Because everyone we meet has good relationships, as do we, we only meet bubbly, happy, bon-viveur characters. What a life style!

View From the Cockpit

Let’s write about Stella for a change. She’s 10 and 3 months, in good shape for a chocolate lab, and still learning, still chasing balls, always carrying her duck around and generally acting like a settled puppy, when she’s not sleeping. We have routines, some are by command, for example “Crouch,Touch,Pause,Engage” preceeds any  mealtime, “Sit” and “Stay” are immediately enacted. Other commands I have only recently realised are commands. For example; “Settle Down” or “That’s enough!”. Let’s go to the Pub” is one of my personal favourites.

Commands we haven’t needed up until now  are, “don’t move I’ve just seen a new bird”,  “hold on tight, – it’s going to get rough” , “It’s only a 10 m rockface you wimp”, “don’t you dare touch that snake” , “jump on board before the boat leaves”, “don’t get too close to that edge”, “It’s a festival, it’s noisy but get some sleep”. Yes …. we and Stella are experiencing a whole new culture of sights, sounds and tastes, – or scents if you’re a dog”.

Well Stella’s not quite a dog, she may look like one, but we talk to each other, we understand each other, we look after each other. Mercifully she hasn’t learnt “are we there yet?“

But then again, maybe we are.