Early morning, we feed the station chickens and then set off for Zlatibor.  Within ten minutes, the sunshine disappears and the rains returns. Poor Vin has taken a right old battering of late and this constant change in temperature is causing him to squeak. With different body materials all expanding and contracting at different rates, it gets a little grinding. We stuff sponges in gaps, spray grease on hinges and bash anything else that won’t shut up.  

As we arrive in Zlatibor it stops raining.  We drive through the centre but parking was an issue for any form of transport never mind, a our 7m motorhome. Construction gangs have descended on Zlatibor in droves and on every spare inch of ground there are new concrete structure is in the making.  This typical large ski resort, with playgrounds and activity parks is soon to become a city with no breathing space. Such a shame because it looks a great resort before the concrete blocks arrived.  

We park up and walk through the centre. Couples walk, children scream, men in shorts queue at the tobacco booth and dogs chase after a rolling ball on the side of the road. Kiosks and market stalls are a hive of activity. We stroll over to the mini market and collect a few shopping essentials before heading out of town as quickly as we arrived. 

The only disadvantage of this precipitous location is that there are only few flat places to be  found. Craig follows his instinct and after several miles he finds us a wonderful parking spot. Perched on a hill with Zlatibor lake on one side and the peak of Tormik on the other. Perfect. We let Mac n Tosh outside for a free to roam run and boy do they enjoy it. With so much rain of late they have spent more time inside then normal.  They play bite my tail and nip my nose until the smell of a freshly laid cow pat catches their attention. Then sure enough they roll around in it before I can manage to shout “NO!”  

Dinner is served fresh out the frying pan and straight on to flat breads. Nothing like cooking on an open fire. Tonight we enjoy spicy Mexican fajitas and a couple of beers under the stars. With two smelly dudes by our side waiting to wash the dishes.

flat bread caps for the dudes

Our Bumble wild camping spot Ribnicko Jezero N043.681739, E019.655038

The sun shines through the blinds and we are nice and snug. We have no idea of the time but we are so comfy, we drift in and out of sleep. Until of course, the dudes go crazy. Tosh growls and barks with intent whilst Mac yaps like he’s inhaling helium. We jump to attention and wonder what on earth has stirred them. Outside our door half a dozen inquisitive cows licking Vin like he is some huge lemonade lolly pop. We open the blinds to find cows all around. In the distance, a huge herd with might fine bull is heading our way.  A shake down in the pj’s and we make a swift exit through a landmine of cow pats.

Praying for a morning coffee, we follow the river all the way to Mileseva monastery. The drive is breathtaking with steep gorges and vertical cliff faces. The gorge is very beautiful but scarred with piles of rubbish.  Regurgitated from fly tipping and spilling down to form scummy, foaming pools at the water’s edge. In every country we’ve been so far private cleanliness and public squalor seem to quite happily coexist and we’ve never really been able to work out why.

By late morning, we find ourselves strolling around the colourful Mileseva monastery. Built early 13th century and home to devoted nuns who keep the gardens and picnic areas in pristine condition.   The church was torched by the Turks in 1459 but most of the remarkable frescoes are in good condition. The monastery sent a picture of the White Angel as a symbol of peace in the first satellite broadcast signal from Europe to America. Later the image was sent into space in an attempt to communicate with alien life forms.

As we head west towards the border with Kosovo more stunning monasteries and orthodox churches appear out of nowhere. The landscape changes and everything starts to feel different and unfamiliar. Its like stepping back in time. Along the side of the hill is a series of small, slender headstones, each one containing a small fez on top. Stray dogs and pups sniff around the roadside litter. A herd of cows plods slowly across the front of the road and on into the woods. Cows are king here and allowed to roam free, its part of life around here.

The roads towards the border are much rougher. Tarred but severely pot holed, they ensure a jolting, punishing ride towards our final stop Ribarici. Beat-up old cars and donkey carts and nothing in between. We try endlessly to find somewhere to park but water logged terrain and fenced farmland makes wild camping impossible. The next few hours felt slow and hard going.

Shortly before sunset we cross a small stream onto a grass patch. We are at the start of a narrow and atmospheric gorge with some sort of mini holiday complex on the other side. Everywhere is covered in litter but its a good base for tonight. We park up and after a quick stretch of the legs, we chill with a well earned beer.  As sunsets, the sky darkens and thunder rumbles. Lightening strikes bolts right in the middle of the gorge, its frightening but memorising. Mac n Tosh curl on our knees as one almighty storm sets in for the night.

Our Bumble wild camping spot Pazariste N043.130766, E020.421193