July 14: Hot but Happy in Bosnia- Herzegovina
With severe high temperature warnings in place throughout the region, I probably should have taken a closer look at my route this morning before leaving Sombor, Serbia for Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It turns out the most “direct” route also had me going through at least four border checkpoints. Good thing an impromptu stop at a Bosnian Harley Davidson shop perked me up.
Leaving my gracious hosts in Sombor this morning, I reflected on how lucky I was to have found yet another charming town and perfectly situated lodging in the Balkans. After parking my bike in the paved, level, and gated lot attached to the Garni Hotel Andric the previous evening, I was able to walk the cobblestone streets of the charming pedestrian area filled with local cafes, restaurants, and shops. At night when the weather cooled, visitors thronged to the colorfully lit up promenade, enjoying food and drinks under large umbrellas at the many establishments with outdoor eating.
Heading out of town on the tree lined streets, I anticipated a straightforward ride south, thinking that I just had one border crossing to navigate. What I hadn’t realized is that I would be entering and leaving Croatia on my way to Bosnia. Oops!
While the border checkpoints themselves are rather straightforward, they can be fairly draining in intense heat on a motorcycle because you end up waiting in line in the hot sun with no shelter. Since the vehicles move a little every minute or two, there really isn’t enough time to take off your jacket or helmet. Some border crossings involve a checkpoint when you leave one country and another one when you enter the next. On occasion there will be two stops at one checkpoint – the first to show your passport and registration and the second to potentially have your vehicle searched.
Although I had left right after breakfast and the lines at each crossing were relatively short, by the time I was waiting for my turn at the fourth checkpoint I could feel the rivulets of sweat running down my face and neck. My head felt dizzy, my heart was racing, and I could smell the perspiration pooled all over my body.
The good news is that most of my route between checkpoints took me on delightful small backroads in rural farm areas. With almost no traffic and one stunning sunflower field after another, I flipped up my face shield, breathed in the scent of the fields and farms, and enjoyed the scenic view.
As I passed through Srebrenik about 20 miles before my destination for the night, I noticed a Harley Davidson dealership on my right. It turns out they had cold water to offer me as well as some chain lubricant that I needed for Adventure Baby. After some pleasant conversation with the manager there, I headed off for Tuzla feeling re-energized. I won’t need to cross any borders anytime soon as I’ll be spending several days enjoying Bosnia.
