Road Trippin' in Serbia.

Morning starts early. While other bohemians like me are sleeping I’m leaving already this inspiring environment located in an apartment somewhere near city center of Belgrad, wishing great time and seeing in future again. Yeah, you know – this White City is something truly mine! Slavia is reached and the bus is missed. But soon should appear next one No.31. The bus goes the right direction but that wouldn’t be me if I wouldn’t gone at least 2 stops more than needed. So I did. But not a big trouble… fresh morning walk to the bridge with blue railings, then down the stairs and here the hitchin’ a ride starts… Amazingly, first car stopped, so I’m going in a little truck with nice old man inside in direction to “Niš” 70km/h. Serbian-Macedonian discussions how pretty city is, where are we from and what we are doing, but anyhow way is quite long, so it mostly turns out to be a silent drive with exchanging cigarettes time to time and short interruptions on themes of unemployment in the country, recycling and cities in Serbia “you should see before you die”. Niš is reached. I stay on high-way and here the great adventure No.1 starts. Beside police car suggesting me to travel by bus, I stop the truck with Turkish guy inside and with no knowledge of English. So I guess, it didn’t matter, where actually I’m going or maybe “Skopje” and “Sofia” sounded pretty similar for a Turkish ear? Yeah, you guessed right – he was going in direction to Sofia. And as far as he drove I had a feeling that I won’t be in Macedonia anyhow, so asked to stop in the middle of nowhere where I was currently situated, and thinking to go back to “Niš”. Well, at least there always appears some hope inside image of a car to take you back to civilization. Small truck, nice guy with wish to go out of his country [huh, everybody has this dream???] and 2 small kids at home, same Serbian-Macedonian conversations about unemployment and pollution in Serbia and Macedonia. Yeah, all depends on culture of people. He drops me off near the sign showing Skopje and as well Belgrad [which is the opposite direction, huh?], so it makes whole this affair more complicated. But it’s not that hopeless, there’s one guy standing and making swan-fly dances on the road! Yeah! Another hitch-hiker! And actually my savior – at least 10 minutes of waiting turns out to be fun and helping hand from his side – explaining local lady who stopped where she should drop me off. I’m on the right road, sun is hiding beyond the clouds and I keep on telling myself that I will be today in Skopje, but there’s no sign that it could happen… as mostly all cars turn on sideway or just pass. But suddenly appears not-Turkish truck (Turkish trucks from my previous experience I am trying to avoid. And there are more intimate matters than just misunderstandings about directions) and it stops as finally sign “Vranje” works better than “Skopje”. Two guys inside – older one and other in his 30-ties (probably. Here in Balkans everyone for me looks older than they are). Same Serbian-Macedonian discussions about unemployment, weather… proposal of marrying a son of the older guy. To skip the love affairs I’m telling to have a Serbian boyfriend [so since now – I have artificial one for such occasions] whom I was visiting in Belgrad. Vranje is reached and trip continues. One older guy picks me up till bordercity, so just 30 km left till the border. And here starts great adventure No.2! A local car stops, I ask if the car goes in direction to border, driver tells to jump in, we start to move and I ask, where actually the guy is heading to – the answer surprises me: “I’m bringing you to the border!” Well, the things proceed in the manner that guy asks me to have a coffee with him, I refuse… he tries again… telling how pretty I am [hey, I looked like a shit that day – and that was on purpose!] and even the fact of having artificial Serbian boyfriend doesn’t help much… after refusing having a coffee, a guy offers 20 Euros, then 50 Euros… level of extreme raises, but still I keep calm wishing that border comes sooner. Well, I had to have a coffee with the guy at the Serbian border and luckily there the story ends. “They hugged each other and lived happily ever after separately!”

Have you ever felt like a vehicle? I did. On the border of Serbia there was a little row of cars, I will count them down: 1st car already having a passport check, 2nd car waiting, ME and 4th car on the row. Huh, strange and at the same time amazing feeling… the border-guy smiles and wishes “Good luck” and there I am… out of one country and not yet in another. At least this space has just straight piece of tarmac [more amazement gets one of Bosnian-Serbian borders – when “out of space” territory is held on a bridge]… “Dobrodojdovte vo Makedonija”- another border guy smiles, asks if he’s right about European Union as my passport is not really red as it should be – yeah, yeah, already 5 years… and I go… I go home… feeling so free… playing with a dog [this one I already know from previous trips to Serbia – as he’s all the time passing the same territory. Probably he could be called a “Border puppy”]

This time without even leaving Border territory, one car beeps to jump in and drives towards Kumanovo. Mind becomes much brighter, as the sky just starts to grow in dusk, but I’m already almost in Skopje. Last car stops with Bulgarian number, but guy inside speaks Macedonian. To my amazement or by today’s all-day practice all way to Skopje was fulfilled with chatting in Macedonian! [huh, I see that impossible is nothing! Just right circumstances are needed!] The car drops me off in Kisela Voda… and it’s already dark, in spite it’s just 5 PM… and I’m happily moving my feet in direction to EVS Palace with hope that there will be somebody to give me a shelter and warmth, which EVS volunteers always have… and I’m not wrong about that, while sitting on the stairs and feeling happy of no more movement for today! By the way – it’s Spring outside!