Monday (26th June) check out of our accommodation, a 10 minute walk back to the rail station, it’s only 9am but it’s getting hot already. The train was the standard 30 mins late, this time we think the delay is because of works on the track between Bar and Podgorica.
Our reserved seats are in an open seated carriage, rather than a six birth compartment. Again our seats were already taken, so this time we decided to just sit somewhere else. Especially as our reserved seat were facing backwards. A nice chap moved seats so we could sit together. A 10 hour journey returning to Beograd all in one go. Our carriage was a little older than the last one, the windows were mucky and steamed up, so it was not as easy to see the stunning views.
We were about 20 minutes late arriving in Beograd, but our AirBnB host had offered an station pick up (for a price) but this was much appreciated!
Tuesday, we walked through the back streets of Belgrade to the waterfront on the River Sava, the old border between the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman Empires, there is now lots of building work happening, mainly new apartment blocks. We then wandered to St Sava church, the largest Orthodox Christian Church in the world, an impressive building and a beautiful gold interior. We ended the day with dinner with one of our fellow travellers, before he flew home the following day.
Wednesday, started off as a wet day, so we had a lazy start, before walking to Belgrade Fortress and the surrounding park. our fellow traveller had recommended a pizza place, so we headed there for dinner, it was indeed a very good pizza! Made with good quality ingredients by a passionate chef, it was a tiny place, we were the only people there, and Rog watched the pizza being made.
Thursday
So we have a flight from Beograd to London Luton with Wizzair, so arranged a transfer to the airport with our AirBnB hosts, not the cheapest option, but definitely the easiest one, he came to the flat to pick us up.
The take off was delayed due to air traffic control congestion over Croatia (no idea what was happening to cause that), but after nearly an hour the pilot informed us that our flight had been rerouted north to avoid Croatian airspace. Despite Wizzair wanting to charge us for seats together, we refused to pay, and on check in got seat 19D and 34D, when everyone had boarded, the rest of row 34 was empty, so we moved together.
The interrail journey in figures:
10,076 Kms (trains)
90 Days
54 Trains (incl. 2 Sleeper trains)
42 Different accommodations (incl 2 sleeper trains)
30 1/2 Books read (Nic x 30, Rog x 1/2 unless we include the European Rail Timetable!)
15 Countries (England, France, Switzerland, Italy, San Marino, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia (twice), North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro (twice) and Bosnia)
11 Buses
5 Boats (incl 2 where the train went on the ferry to/from Sicily)
3 pairs of trainers (Rog x 2, Nic x 1)
2 hair cuts (both Rog)
0 Work! (Sorry)
Friday, started with unpacking and getting some washing done, we also returned to Beverley to take Rog’s new rucksack back to Millets, as one of the main shoulder straps had started to split, Millets replaced it no questions asked.
Saturday, Rog crewed for his brother, who cycled with a mate from Pocklington to Whitby, 65 miles and lots of uphill! Rog was glad to be driving.
Nic went to a matinee performance of ‘Six’ a musical about Henry VIII six wives in York. We met up later for drinks and a curry.
Sunday, recovered from the drinks, Rog and his Brother went to watch our nephew play cricket. Nic started some of the jobs we had agreed to for family whilst we are around
Travurple 