European Transit - Serbia

Back on the road it was another cold day, the temperature was sitting on 4 Degrees. I stopped at one border booth window to exit Bulgaria and entered Serbia with a one booth stop. Apart from being cold the ride was pretty good, passing through many small villages scattered along the winding forested mountain road, many of the higher surrounding hills were shrouded by very dark looking snow clouds. A lot of the ride was slowed by the construction of a new dual lane road close to the existing road, but with little traffic there were no major hold ups.

My first stop over in Serbia was in the City of Nis, situated on the Nisava River, Nis is the third largest city in Serbia and one of the oldest cities in the Balkans and Europe. I unpacked in my accommodation then set off on foot along the river front visiting the city centre, market area and Nis Fortress. The remaining sections of Nis fortification were built by the Turks, and dates from the first decades of the 18th century (1719–1723).

The next day more beautiful country side provided another great ride as I continued through Serbia, numerous hunters walked the fertile road side farm land with shotguns over their shoulders scanning the crop waste and creek side over growth for rabbit and foxes. I rode under clear blue sky while the temperature fluctuated between 4 and 6 Degrees, it was cold. I had pencilled in a stopover in the town of Uzice but on arrival the only accommodation in town was closed, I continued a further twenty (20) kilometres to a small village on the edge of a forest where I stayed in resort style hotel accommodation.

 

After the pleasure of a blue sky day I had a fair idea I would wake to a cold frosty morning the following day, and I certainly did, my motorcycle was covered in a white ice blanket and while riding to the border to exit Serbia the temperature sat on 0 degrees.