The Ham Nomads

11 Apr 2015. <HR> Neum, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Dubrovnik; Neum, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Komarna —

Today started out as a drive to the largest city of southern Croatia, Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik has a long history, and is very much worth the visit. Our plans were changed, however, when we found that the Autocamps that were open this early in the season were really not worth the visit — difficult to access, and with little to offer. Later in the season, more opportunities would open up — but we will be long gone. So we made today a very pleasant, if long, day of driving, down to Dubrovnik and part-way back!

For any other tourists, our suggestions are

• arrive later in the tourist season, or
• come by cruise liner

We stopped here for lunch
(and some internet time!)

While we were at Dubrovnik, we were able to look down from the road that passes by near the top of the cliffs behind the old town, and we watched a large cruise liner making preparations to depart. We were fascinated by the way cars found parking on the rooftops of the clifftop dwellings!

The drive down involves border crossings in and out of Bosnia-Herzegovina — only 6km driving between them, and the border control seems rather relaxed as presumably the vast proportion of transiting vehicles are simply travelling from the northern section of Croatia to the southern, or vice versa. On the road map we have, there is an indication of future major roadworks that will take the road from the north out onto the island of Pelješac, which is already connected by road to Dubrovnik — and then the Bosnians won't get a leg in! It's a friendly crossing now, but probably a nuisance for regular travellers.

While we were travelling the short stretch through Bosnia-Herzegovina, we noticed that virtually all signs written in both Bosnian and Serbian (Cyrillic) have had the Serbian obliterated.  Obviously the Bosnians don't currently appreciate the interference Serbia has had in their recent history — don't say that we blame them!

On our way back north, we again passed through Bosnia (with just a wave at the checkpoints this time!), and settled in for the night about 5km north, in a viewing point overlooking vineyards just below us, and across the water, Pelješac. While we were there we were treated to the most subtle of sunsets!

Distance driven — today, 180 miles ( 290 km ); to date, 17,754 miles ( 28,573 km )