Biogradska Gora is a forest and a national park in Montenegro within the Kolašin municipality, one of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves and the last of the three remaining large virgin rainforests in Europe.

Having driven for most of the day, we thought we would find the entrance to the forest and then look for accommodation. With our data router* in the car, I had access to the internet whilst Steve was driving, and looked at the map of the park on my mobile to gauge where the entrance was. I established the entrance, which Steve had already programmed into our Camper Tom Tom, was between Mojkovac (en route from Žabljak, Durmitor – top yellow circle on map below) and Kolasin, As we couldn’t decide which one would be more convenient to choose for our overnight, we agreed we would first find the park entrance and drive into it to get our bearings.

Crossing over a narrow bridge from the main road lead us to the ticket office. Handing over the 3€ each entry fee, the usual fee for any of the national parks, Steve asked for a map and information.  Unfortunately the park attendant was one of the small handful of Montenegrins we had come across who didn’t speak any English. We were on our own and not for the first time.  We drove through the forest for a kilometre or three through the tight bends, each bend fitted with the luxury, we’d not previously experenced, of a ‘view round the corner mirror’, not knowing what we would find ahead. 

Eventually we saw what looked like a car park, for no other reason than cars were parked there, and a small Tourist Shop by the side of the lake.  Set into your imagination that we are now ‘in’ the forest, which is dense with rain forest trees, in complete shade from the tightness of the branch canopies above and bugs, lots of bugs.  I was pleased I had purchased a spare bug spray before leaving Žabljak.  We pulled up at the tourist kiosk, it didn’t look as though we could drive any further, and asked two park rangers standing outside about overnight accommodation. One of them pointed further on and said to ask at the Tourist Information Centre. We saw a gap between two of the three trees below, wide enough to get the Poacher through, so we drove through and parked up opposite facing the lake.  We both looked at each other and simultaneously said what a beautiful setting we were in.

At the Visitor’s Centre, we asked a park ranger standing outside if there were any bungalows or cabins available for the night. She said we should ask at the Restaurant, further ahead. Looking to where she pointed, there was a pedestrian path to the restaurant.  We’d parked possibly as close to where we needed to be.

About to spin on our heels to head for the restaurant we heard a male voice say ‘I also have a question for you’. The voice came from a very good looking Italian man, who was with his wife by his side.  He asked as we had a Land Rover Defender were we also into MG classic cars?  That started off a great conversation.  Amedeo, who is Italian from Rome, currently working in Podgorica at the Italian Embassy there, introduced us to his beautiful wife Giada, also Italian from Rimini, and told us they had booked a Mushroom Art House but were interested in seeing what accommodation the forest had to offer.  Amedeo sent me pictures of their ‘mushroom’ accommodation, even the door key was on a wooden mushroom carved fob. Was I jealous? Yes, a tad.

When I asked Giada to repeat her name for me, she said it means Jade like the gem.  Loving my jewellery, I won’t have any problem remembering. Amedeo and I started exchanging pictures.

This is a picture of Amedeo’s first MG which was used for his cousin’s wedding.

When I heard Midget I got all confused with excitement and showed him a picture of our friend Ian in his Triumph TR3 (1956) in Old English White with Red upholstery, as shipped from the factory.

Amedeo thought Ian’s car was stunning and showed me a picture of his MG Midget + Honda GW = MGY

This is another picture of Amedeo’s MG which was used two years ago for his and Giada’s wedding. We congratulated them on being newlyweds and wished them every happiness. I love Italians, they are as emotional, passionate and gesticulative about life as I am.

He was so over the moon with MG Classics I showed him a picture of of our friend Mark’s car, a 1936 MG SA Coupé.

I met Mark a few years ago when I needed a vintage coach for a Dad’s Army themed party I was producing. He lives relatively locally with his partner Trish, is totally eccentric, incredibly tall and wonderful company. The MG was Mark’s first car and he used it to start off his hire business Ages Past (www.agespast.co.uk/) way back in 1978. The car has since attended over 5000 weddings and other special occasions. It is 16′ 6″ long (that’s six inches longer than three of his Rolls-Royces – any man will tell you how important the extra 6 inches are) and is a full four-seater. Mark proudly told me the record height for a gentleman to be a passenger in the rear seat is 6′ 8½” (1.83m)!

After talking about classic MGs and showing him a picture of Marks car, then a picture of Trevor, which is a Triumph, we established we all had interests in vintage/interesting cars, owned some ourselves and had many friends who were owners too. Steve not to be left out showed Amedeo pictures of his EType.

Then, as we’ve recently lost Steve’s good friend Teddy, we included a picture of Teddy’s car a 1974 MG B GT in white. Teddy had it from 18 months old and its now been being enjoyed by his son Edward.

After a good 20 minutes, we strolled to the restaurant together to ask if we could view the log cabins. A young girl lead us uphill, the cabins being higher up behind the Tourist Information Centre, we were puffed out when we got there. We were, the young girl unsurprisingly wasn’t.  It wasn’t far, just steep. The log cabins were basic without any en-suite.  The shower facilities were close by in another building.  Generally, I would have worn a face similar to Giada’s and insisted on an en-suite but Steve and I were hot, tired and as Steve had driven so much that day I decided that I could give it a go. Whilst we went back to the Poacher for our bags and Stella’s bits, Amedeo and Giada returned to the restaurant for an evening meal and I had a day dream about staying in an Art Mushroom House.

When we got to the restaurant, Amedeo and Giada were still there. We asked one of the waiters to take a group photo of us with our dogs, as you do, on each of our phones and exchanged contact details.

After the photo session we said our final farewells to Amedeo and Giada and made promises to keep in touch, each of us offering ‘la mia casa la tua casa’.  Amedeo said they would be in Podgorica for another two years, we told him we have no idea where we’ll be in two years’ time, but we’ll keep each other updated. What a wonderful invitation to meet them again either in Italy of the UK.

Whilst Steve and I were enjoying dinner, Amedeo sent me a message ” Dear Blanche & Steve, your LR is fantastic. Only vintage cars lovers like you, can travel so much using an almost 40y.o. british classic! 👏🏻 And what amazed me is that Giada told me when going back: “why don’t you change your 1967 Fiat 500F with a beautiful Land Rover like this one? I like it” 😁 she gave me a nice idea! 🙌🏻 Apart from that, it was nice to meet you too and we really want to come in UK but who knows when… anyway we keep your # so please do the same because we wait for you in Italy (we return in two years) and show you part of the Italian Motor Valley… “never say never”, Sir WS wrote 😁. Ages Past is great! The MG SA and all the vehicles there are fantastic! Mushroom was nice. Send you some pictures… Yes, waiting our paths next cross, best wishes from us too! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 Amedeo Giada e Agip! Ciao! “

At the end of our early dinner (the restaurant closed at 7pm), we decided to walk the 4kms around the lake before it got dark. The Lake, with its crystal clear water and ripples from water birds and fish, was stunningly beautiful to admire from any of our stand points.  No need for ugly walking boots, no inclines or steep drops to negotiate, just a torch and camera. We had been told there are lots of snakes in the forest, most non poisonous but despite eagle eyes we didn’t spot any. There was almost no one else and we took time to read the sign boards, sit on benches to admire different views and take pictures. As the sun began to set we heard lots of bird song, admired the water plants, and thought we’d found another paradise.

Retiring to our cabin, I got out my bug spray for the room and repellent for between the sheets. We chatted about our day, the coincidence of RPRT (right place, right time) of meeting Amedeo and Giada, the interesting conversations with them, the mutual interest in classic cars, the much appreciated invitation to visit them in Italy and beauty of the forest. Saturday 26th June was a good day.

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The next morning we woke up to find we had both been bitten.  Steve told me I should have gone to Specsavers as I’d bought a 3 in 1 aerosol spray for cockroach, silver fish, and earwig instead of Mosquito spray. That day was Sunday. Shops in Montenegro are closed on Sundays. We know, we visited several supermarkets to try to buy Mosquito Spray Damn, I would build my own mosquito hide that night! The rest of the day was spent with Steve hiking up to a beauty spot and I was in the forest enjoying my own company writing up my notes for this and the past few posts. When Steve returned he told me he’d come across a snake which was eating a frog but spat it out when he saw Steve and had different ideas about dinner. Steve showed his picture to a ranger who confirmed it to be a poisonous Shark Snake.

Sometimes less is more, and just sitting in a forest with butterflies and bird song for company whilst I wrote some notes was total bliss.

* Data Router – It’s a technical thing, ask Steve.

View from the Cockpit

It’s amazing the people we have met, just by chance, Fortress Bernie in a car park, Amedeo in a forest, Ivana in her garden, that stranger who sat us down in Croatia, offered us a drink, and invited us for dinner, and so many others. We have a whole host of new Facebook friends and WhatsApp friends on their travels as well. A small bunch of us are crossing paths regularly, exchanging border experiences, campsite reviews and latest restrictions etc. Fair to say that without us, P&A would not have gone to Croatia, or R&C not ventured to Montenegro, Without R&S we would not be sitting in Albania right now. The list goes on. This is not a holiday it is a lifestyle which we have dipped our toe in for 9 months now. Of course we miss friends and family back home, our neighbours in Salamanca and “everyone else that knows us”. We miss some of the materialistic stuff, my vinyl collection, my PA system, Blanche’s cooking pans and a big kitchen worktops, but we’ve done without them up until now in this interconnected internet world, we can do without them for a bit longer.

Before we left on our adventure our friends fell into the category of “I wish I had done that” to “One day I will do that” , and we would encourage everybody who has followed us this far to give it a go.