Kandavan, Iran

Another special experience I got during my first trip in Iran.  The team had raced the inaugural Tour of Tehran in Tehran and we were then invited to race the Tour of Azarbaijan a week later (Azarbaijan as in the northern province of Iran, capital city Tabriz).  It was a day trip from Tabriz and a really cool day out, fascinating to see up close and personally.

In the mountains of northwestern Iran lies the village of Kandovan, in East Azerbaijan Province, about 60 kilometers southwest of Tabriz. Kandovan is famous for its extraordinary cave dwellings carved into volcanic rock with a history believed to stretch back around 700 years, though some claim people settled here as far back as 3,000 years ago. Kandovan is one of the world’s few inhabited rock-carved villages, infact there are only two more, one of which is in Iran, the other in Cappadocia, Turkey. 

What makes Kandovan remarkable is that it isn’t a museum or a relic of the past—it is alive, inhabited and thriving in the present day. Around 600 people still call these honeycomb-like stone homes their own, living inside the cool rock that naturally insulates against the harsh winters and hot summers. The homes, shaped almost like beehives, are stacked up the hillside and connected by narrow lanes and stairways, blending perfectly with the natural landscape.

Kandovan is often compared to Cappadocia in Turkey, yet what sets it apart is that it remains a functioning village, not just a tourist destination. Families live, work, and run small shops here, selling local honey, handicrafts, and the mineral water the area is famous for. The village attracts visitors from Iran and abroad, not only for its beauty but also for its sense of continuity—life unfolding today in much the same way it did centuries ago.

Though not a UNESCO World Heritage site, Kandovan is recognized as an important cultural treasure of Iran, drawing both tourists and researchers fascinated by how people have adapted to their environment with such creativity. For travelers, it offers a chance to experience living history, a glimpse into a way of life that is rare in the modern world, yet deeply rooted in tradition.

We were lucky enough to be invited into one of the cave-homes by its owner.  Meagre belongings and sparsely decorated were the most noticeable things but the warmth towards us by the owner was very typical of the Iranian people, and it was really special to spend some time, albeit brief, inside one of these special homes.  

Whats It Like Living and Working in the Falkland Islands?

Last summer I made another long journey south, again for work, only this time to a new frontier for me -  the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory made up of East and West Falkland and about 200 smaller islands.

King Penguins - Falkland Islands

True to my style, I found the job advertised on a Falkland Islands job page I had joined on Facebook — so I applied, got it, confirmed it and off I went after a brief break from my Svalbard contract! The job was for cooking on Carcass Island, a privately owned (like most of the islands there) gem in the northwest of the archipelago. Carcass has no roads, no shops, and no permanent settlement beyond the lodge, which was a farm house in its heyday.  Most of the island offering accommodation in the Falklands have a similar set up, and there's something unique and homely about staying in such buildings.  The Falklands are known for incredible wildlife, both bird and mammal, including 3 types of penguin, caracaras, albatross, elephant seals, dolphins and whales — and sweeping, untouched beaches with crystal clear waters and rugged coastlines.  Carcass has large elephant seal populations, megallanec and jackass penguins and plenty of birds from geese, to ducks to wrens.  Its one of the few islands thats never suffered the presence of cats, so not only are there plenty of birds, theyre also not afraid and some will get close and comfortable enough to even land on you.

Gentoo Penguins, Sunrise

The rugged coastline, South Atlantic Ocean, FI

The summer season runs from October to April, when cruise ships bound for Antarctica stop by and small groups of nature-loving tourists fly in. Most visit specifically for the wildlife: and many make return trips. Some of the cruise ships even anchor at Carcass Island for a few hours so that their guests can explore and if their booking includes morning or afternoon tea - then well get up to 300 people visiting us in the lodge for morning or afternoon tea - which I cater for.  

Cormorants, Carcass Island

Elephant Seals, Carcass Island

Most non-cruise ship guests, the bulk of visitors, stay 2–3 nights at the lodge, and we can host a maximum of 16 people at a time. Breakfasts and dinners are catered for by me and a packed lunch prepared for them to take out on their day of exploring - hiking, birdwatching, and photography. Everyone arrives and departs with FIGAS on their little 8-seater planes that connect the islands.

Visitors came from all over the globe, but mostly the UK, US, Germany, and a few adventurous South Americans.
The Falklands themselves have a tiny population of just over 3,500, sustained by fishing, sheep farming, and tourism. Due to the invasion from Argentina in the 80s, there’s also a strong UK defence presence. To get there, you can fly once a week via Chile (Santiago → Punta Arenas → Mount Pleasant) or on the RAF airbridge from the UK.

Vultures

Kelp Goose & Chick

Upland Goose at Sunrise

There's something very special and unique about the Falklands, so much so that Ill be returning for a second summer season this October - bring it!

5th Summer as a Chef in Antarctica!

I can't help but feel a rush of excitement surging through my veins with the fifth summer in Antarctica ahead of me!  Again with Antarctica New Zealand, ready to dive into another four-month contract filled with who-knows-what adventure and experiences.

Returning to Antarctica feels like coming home in a way. Having been here already with New Zealand and three times with Australia, each trip holds its own special memories and challenges.

The application process for this role is no walk in the park. It involves various screenings including interviews, psychometric testing, and a comprehensive medical examination, so its always a relief to pass all of them.  

Once on the ice, my role as a chef will be familiar - different kitchen than last time due to its upgrade since I was last there, but working alongside other chefs, we'll cater to the diverse palates of up to 130 individuals, comprised of staff and scientists. Despite the remote location, our kitchen buzzes with activity and we'll prepare meals that fuel both body and soul with frozen veges, a variety of proteins, pa

ntry staples and select 'freshies' when fresh fruit and vegetables arrive on inbound flights.

It's not all about the kitchen hustle though. One of the perks of working in Antarctica with New Zealand is the opportunity to explore what's outside during downtime. From walks to  activities like skiing and fat biking and, luckily, arranged 'fam trips' in a Hagglunds vehicle to historic sites like the iconic huts of explorers Scott and Shackleton, or, simply make the 3km trip over the hill to Americas McMurdo station.  With upwards of 1000 staff its akin to a mining town and has everything from gyms, to a chapel, yoga, a hair salon, store and alcoholics anonymous.

The landscape down here is nothing short of amazing. Glaciers, ice caves, mountains, ice shelf,  sea ice and the charismatic residents of Antarctica – seals lazing on icy shores, the occasional adelie or emperor penguins in the distance, and the majestic Mount Erebus dominating the horizon in the background.

Living in Antarctica comes with its own set of unique quirks. With the sun not setting during the summer months, darkness is a luxury reserved for our cozy sleeping quarters. Staff and science alike share all facilities - bedrooms from 2 to 4 in a room, bathrooms, a big laundry with 4 machines, kitchen area, gym, movie rooms, 2 libraries and a bar.  

As my time in Antarctica draws to a close, I reflect on the incredible journey I've embarked upon once again. Flying home on the NZDF 757, I can't help but feel a sense of awe at the vast expanse of icy terrain stretching beneath us. Touching down in Christchurch, I'm reminded of the stark contrast between the frozen wonderland I've just left behind and the bustling world awaiting me beyond its icy borders.

Until next time, Antarctica. You'll always hold a piece of my heart, and I'll forever cherish the memories forged amidst your frozen splendor.

Bali, Indonesia

 Hey again, 

Wow! Its done, Ive made it, Im traveling again! After 29 months grounded - the longest of my adult life, and having the same job for 19 months, another first.  It feels so good to be up and away again let me tell you.

Why Bali? I looked and looked at options online, I dreamt of where I could be, while I was still in the hot, dry and fly-filled outback - and while I was convinced it would be Thailand again, I settled on Bali.  Its a 2.5 hour flight from Darwin, big selling point, and I am familiar with Indonesia as its not my first rendezvous over this way.  

As per previous experience, it was fantastic to leave the outback.  I had two very low key nights in a suburb in Darwin and on Friday 9th September I got up early to get ready for my departure.  It was about 4am and I was never going to get back to sleep, so why not have a slow, relaxed start to the day.  There was an enormous, flat-screen tv in my room so I put the early morning news on and found out the Queen had passed away while I slept.  I showered, coffeed, packed up and called an Uber, it was the first time Ive ever used the service and my host recommended it over taxis as they're too unreliable.  Don't let my first Uber being in 2022 surprise you, lets keep in mind the places I live and work! 

I arrived to Darwin Airport with a good 3 and a half hours to spare, exactly my intention given the airport dramas that have been continuing in Australia.  I needn't have worried, Jetstar check-in wasn't open and when it did the queue was quite bearable, although it grew quickly - I was pleased to be up at the front of the line.  I also found out at check-in that the plane was now almost full, so I opted to change from my chosen window seat back to the seat on a plane I always like - last row, aisle on the left hand side if you're looking at the tail.  And I can confirm, if anyone is going to experience turbulence it will happen as soon as I lock the toilet door, without fail, every time, that has remained unchanged during covid.  

The immigration process at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport was fairly straight forward.  First stop was the proof of Covid vaccination check, which I had screen shotted into my phone, second stop was to pay for the visa, and I cant even remember the amount now! Lol.  But you can pay by cash or card, I must have used Australian cash (gimme a break, Id been awake since 4am!).  They give you a receipt at this counter and then it was onto immigration.  I was asked about when I will leave and the ticket I bought was to return to Australia in two months time, so clearly I will need to get a visa extension or leave Bali and then return.  Still haven't decided which option I will do but have since learned that a visa extension requires a trip to Bali capital Denpasar to get one photo taken with immigration there.  Apparently its a new post-Covid requirement.  

I grabbed a Telkomsel sim card on the way out of the airport and met my driver, who I had booked via booking.com pre-departure.  It was an offer I got from the website when I booked my accommodation.  Note - they assume / expect you to land with a working sim card using the same mobile number from your original booking, like they haven't heard of 2022 - but I found my driver fine, although he said he'd been calling me, which is also ridiculous given they had my flight details, like, chill and let me make it through the airport already.  He also couldn't find my accommodation, so I told him not to bother about it and I would find it - because I had an Indonesian sim I could send a message and someone came to meet me and walk me back to the house.  Turns out we'd driven straight past the little alley way where it is situated - definitely didn't notice the sun-bleached sign roadside. 

My accommodation is quite typically quirky of what you find in Ubud and the location was a good choice.  

Lets see what this magic island has to offer! 

How Do You Know What To Cook For Pro Cyclits?

Hey,

Well that's kind of an easy question, for me - because I raced on the road and track years ago and understand the world of cycling. The ups the downs, the potential issues or unforeseen things that crop up, meat creep, coffee high, gas, sugared out, hitting the wall..

Cyclists eat a lot, this is for sure. It's funny because working with pro cyclists has warped my serving sizes for normal people somewhat, and, cyclists are always hungry (well it seems that way).

Let's look at some of the finer details. So in my other life I work as a soigneur - this is a person who looks after cyclists on the road or track - massage, first aid, laundry, hotel rooms, food, race food, feed zone hydration and food, driving (depending on which continent you're in, at races in Asia you get given a driver) and general organiser. The aim at a race is for riders to get out of their bedrooms, do their job (race) and then relax again - everything else is the finer details that they're not involved with. Yes, it"s busy!

But, I'm going to keep this food related. I've cooked for an awesome domestic team in Australia (Budget Forklifts) at their training camp one year, and then during National Series Tours if I needed to. I worked with Australian Track Cycling at the Oceania Games one year in Invercargill New Zealand - and I did that with two electric pans and two rice cookers, in a small hotel room. Legend! I have worked with a Women's team for one of the Belgian Classics (oh no, I've done so many European races, I forget specifics) but I was also doing massage - those are busy days indeed!

In weird and whackier places (Iran, Indonesia and France when it comes to the coffee) those organised riders who know their particular likes will sort out their own things for breakfast. In most instances, races are fully catered for with hotels we stay in providing buffets. In parts of remote China for eg, Iv seen teams with their own rice cookers so they can bulk up on food they know, like and are involved in the preparation thereof, but generally, you're going to be ok in most instances.

At races I will take care of pre race, race and immediate post race food options. Cakes, more cakes, cakes things, with more savoury stuff for afterwards. It's not all cakes, but it also depends where you are, trust me. And at least cake like products are easy to eat, quick to digest and travel reasonably well on the bike in any weather.

When I can I make killer rice cakes. I really got into these in Australia and perfected some awesome flavours like pear and espresso, vanilla and blueberry, cheese and ham, trio of apricot.. you have to keep in mind that someone racing a bike needs easy access to food too, rice cakes are easy to eat and quick to digest and theres an option to rip the wrapping in one corner (with a bite) and squeeze the rice out of it.

So if I am doing the catering, then every day, or every second day, I will go early morning to the local supermarket for supplies. The team has generally gone training fairly early in the morning with a bit of cereal / toast and coffee as fuel. Lunches and dinners are always colourful, fresh, different, maybe themed to a particular cuisine, look pretty and served on time! Timing and presentation are just as important as the execution of the food itself. When any of your clients come in to eat your food, you want them to drink in what's on offer first, while they're deciding what to eat. And cyclists are always ready for a feed, so be on time!

So if I might normally have one starch option, for athletes I will do two. One might be a straight up starch, for eg potato and the second option will be quite different, whether its a salad done with starches or a pasta dish.. Proteins tend to be on the leaner side with white meat most popular and beef mince a close second. Steaks and hearty big meat dishes tend to feel heavy in the gut and don't sit well. The meals and menu plan takes into account what's on the agenda for the next day, how long we have, if they're racing or not.. With cycling as my background in sport, I understand factoring these nuances into the end product.

Vegetables, lots of them! So they're always really varied too, salads, steamed, stir fried etc. Theres so many ways to prepare both fruits and vegetables, and Im never short on creating something. Its the same with desserts actually which I can make them on the healthier side too.

I noticed a big movement in pro cycling a few years back favouring low carb(ish) and gluten free, so that's something else I utilise also. Plus, most of what's available as 'sports fuel' is sweet, or sweet tasting. It does get a little much for athletes so I purposefully steer away from anything really sweet when Im catering.

I have to be honest, I have yet to cook for a pro team and Im dying to! It is completely up my alley and something I know I'd thrive doing, and although I have come close in the past, it hasn't eventuated, yet. I'll be sure to publicise it when it happens (no 'if' here)

Where would be a country I'd love to be cooking for cyclists in? France, for sure! I got to the point from so many races in France, where I felt I could be blind-folded and put into any Carrefour supermarche and I'd manage to find my way around, that's how used to the layout I am! I do recall once, working with Australian Women's cycling and being at a race in France, and I did a supermarket dash (to Carrefour) for some pre race and post race food - one thing I got was baguettes, and because I had put them into my trolley first, they were under everything else when I got to the check out, a slight over sight on my behalf but I did my best to protect them. (To be fair, they were also at the front of the store as i entered) However, they were broken in places and as I pulled them out to get them scanned it was like in a movie where the whole room stops because of something completely outrageous that someone says or does, it felt just like that because I had committed the ultimate crime, I hadn't baby sat my baguettes. Sorry! Lesson learnt!

Happy eating guys!

World Famous in Rishikesh - The Beatles' Ashram

 Namaste peeps,

 From a hotel in Darwin city, 9 days til Christmas and still no travel in sight.  Im still grateful for the basics though - income, food, shelter, yoga.. But roll on with a vaccine already.

Around this time last year, I ventured forth from Tapovan to the well-known Beatles' ashram, with a friend in tow and google maps.  I have to firstly address the fact that given all the stories I heard from others about the ashram being 'deep in the jungle', 'impossible to find' and taking 'hours' to reach - none of them were true for our experience.  We walked there from Tapovan, which is a beautiful walk, let me guess that it was about 1.5 hours, given some window shopping and then haggling to buy, oh and finding a tiny, well hidden temple complete with contemplative, orange clad bubba nestled inside, who we didn't really want to disturb and so we very quietly left again.  That tiny temple is on the hillside of the main road heading down towards Rum Jhula, you have to look hard to find it! 

Let me digress.  The Beatles' ashram is actually called 'Chaurasi Kutiya' (which means 48 caves in english, and that alludes to the stone igloo like constructs that were used for disciples to meditate in).  Maharashi Mahesh Yogi first visited the ashram site in 1960 and was so blown away by the tranquility that he leased the necessary 15 acres for his dream and set about establishing the ashram.  Maharashi was a guru who advocated and taught Transcendental Meditation (TM) and his ashram was visited by spiritual seekers from far and wide, like The Beatles' who are said to have been so inspired by visits here they were able to compose and write some of their many hits while here.

So, cross the bridge at Rum Jhula and then turn right onto Geeta Bhavan Road Number 3, its the main thoroughfare along that section of the Ganges.  Theres a hustle of stalls selling the usual - herbs, clothes, food and drinks, plus some temples to take in and it continues right down to where you will get to pretty much a dead end, if i recall correctly it petered out onto dirt, slightly around to the left - look straight ahead and you will see the gates to the ashram about 40m further on, on the right hand side. 

Once through those main gates, the ticket office is on the left, and its 600 rupiah for foreigners.  This covers the entrance as well as a leaflet showing a map and a little about the place.

From Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of 'Ashram' is  1 : a secluded dwelling of a Hindu sage also : the group of disciples instructed there. 2 : a religious or spiritual retreat, not, as I always thought, a spiritual building of some description.  My yogic experience in Rishikesh was that most yoga schools or studios for yoga practice, are called ashrams, however, going to CK was a sharp lesson in the sprawling nature of an ashram.

The map you get given at the gate walks you through, but my friend and I didn't really go by that, we just enjoyed the experience, history and wonder.  Things to note, theres still plenty of meditation caves dotted about the place, and we did get some cool photos inside, the other, theres so much art everywhere on the walls.  Well, some of it is vandalism but aside from that, theres actually some pretty cool paintings - most of which gives reverence to The Beatles or some form of spirituality synonymous with India.  

On reflection, the whole site is in total disrepair and for sure the Indian government missed a great money making opportunity by not maintaining CK, so many visitors would have loved to stay there, Im sure. It makes you wonder what the steep admission fee is used for or goes toward.  

So, that being said, enjoy the photos because Im on the fence about visiting here.  It was cool, yes, but not spectacular or overly special.   

Namaste

Covid and my swift exit from India

Hey hey again,
From my room in the Northern Territory, Australia.  I have the air con on low, yes, i still use it in winter, and can hear a flurry of bird activity outside - from screeching cockatoos to the crowing crows.  Theres a slight breeze and some high level cloud, and aside from that, a whole lot of space and quiet! 

Iv been back in Australia since the start of April, after making a hasty exit from India, and to be honest, I think I underestimated just how badly this was going to pan out for the world in general.  Here we are now in July, and theres no sign of a let up or recovery - health wise or economically.  People are asking, demanding, when will we go back to normal - when the truth is, we're here! This is the new normal, of fist bumps and masks, social distancing guiding us in activities outside the home - and of course, in travel, both domestic and international, which for me, an active, passionate traveller, is the scariest part.  What about my future plans? What about the Americas I haven't visited yet, and on it goes.  The flip side is, Im grateful - grateful I got out of India and came to a secure job, one that doesn't rely on tourism or that is not affected by social distancing.  In my remote bubble, I work,  practise yoga, exercise, read, cook, create and keep an eye on the news.  My new normal is starting to feel very normal. 

When I made the kinda hasty decision to leave Rishikesh, there was my Australian job offer involved too - I had been waiting desperately to hear from a possible job opening on the island of Svalbaard, and when that came through as a negative, because of potential virus impact (boy did it ever impact!) I said yes to Australia.   

I have a one room place I use in India, which is common for accommodation, but had acquired a few more things than I realised, so felt the need to start packing.  A friend who was studying yoga there at the time, messaged me to say health officials were at her ashram temperature testing, an Indian friend confirmed they were going through ashrams and accommodations in that whole area testing.. ohhh ok, so this was getting real.  I met an Aussie mate for coffee and told him how it was looking, oh and that by this time, my brother was messaging me from NYC telling me to get out of India asap - that he was going to do the same from USA.  So I decided to leave, took a couple more days to pack, and my mate ummed and ahhed but finally decided he would leave too, about ten days earlier than he was booked for.  I didnt book a flight out of Delhi though, I wanted to wait til I was actually IN Delhi because I know how hectic the taxi there can be for starters... so the night before we were going to leave, I went to book us into a hotel for a night in Delhi but was told we'd need to have certificates saying we didnt have CV, and there was only one hospital in Rishikesh doing those and it took four days for results, and my brother was still pushing me to get out... air bnb!  I messaged a host Id used previously and she told me she wasnt taking bookings because.... CV..  ugh! Ok, this is getting real now, really real!  Anyway, I did manage to find place in Delhi and it was not too far from the airport - score!  So the next day, we would taxi to Delhi - a trip of250km that has taken 10 hours before, you can never estimate an arrival time!   With final packing done, sort a taxi - theyre a dime a dozen, and with friends, I can get a good rate... n0 taxis.. WHAT! Omg!  But wait, a friend called the brother of a friend.. we got a taxi, and it was only 2 hours late - see why you dont book a flight for the same day! 

So we had one night in Delhi, at a great place with lovely hosts and left on our separate flights, mine was ten hours earlier than my mates - I landed in Darwin with 8 hours to spare before mandatory 14 day quarantine, meanwhile, my mate wasnt so lucky, he just missed the cut-off and had to quarantine at home in Queensland.  My new job wanted me to do two weeks in Darwin, and they paid for that, and I basically sat and watched the world close down via tv and the internet.  I cant believe how lucky I had been to get out of India and back to Australia when I did! 

Fast-forward to August 31st and now its looking unlikely that I will get to NZ for christmas at all, Australia is still locked down for all outward travel, with inbound passenger numbers and flights capped, and only certain airports receiving, oh and Melbourne is still on level 4 alert, I mean....  Sometimes I get hopeful, and other times I realise the futility of dreams about travel in the near future.  

As I write, the Tour de France is underway, and I haven't even watched the first stage - I did see a headline though stating people believe as soon as a French rider is in yellow, the Tour will end.  Its also the only large sporting event on, anywhere.  

I splashed out and got myself an apple watch during winter.  And took the bait to sign up for some of these virtual challenges that seem to be the in thing now - walking / running / cycling etc set distances and tracking it all with a device.  And its been great!  Winters in the outback offer respite from both heat and flies, and Iv seen shooting stars, amazing moons and plenty of sunrises.  And now, the medals for my efforts are starting to arrive in the mail.  An average day at work can get me up to 9km, and my morning walks were up to 12km - its been a lot quicker churning through the distances than I imagine.  I am still feeling a bit of the covid curse - weight gain, but I keep on keeping on, and am getting more and more into my groove again.  It seems to be one of the biggest side-effects, on and alcohol consumption, which also includes me but only here and there, it will never be a large part of my life!  

I ended up stopping searching for updates on India and how its going during the pandemic - so much conflicting information, even from friends that are still there!   Like anywhere else, no tourists incoming, state borders have only just reopened, masks are mandatory etc etc.  A large number of the yoga schools in Rishikesh jumped into offered YTT courses online, but of course, the knock-on effect lockdowns and job losses is less income.. a never ending circle, that is what it is.  

Bosnia and Herzegovina - what a place!

On January 2016, I set off on a long-awaited Balkan adventure.  It was anti-clockwise and went: Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania finishing in Moldova.
Some places stood out more than others, for various reasons, and Bosnia and Herzegovina has stayed in my mind - allow me to introduce my experience to you.

I used buses to travel within the Balkans, which is how I went from Belgrade in Serbia, to Bosnia's capital Sarajevo.  I remember the border crossing, not much happened there, but I do recall it.  And beautiful green country side, which was typical of Bosia - it reminded of Georgia and parts of Armenia.

It was cold in Sarajevo, there was still snow on the ground and grey skies above, it was late winter after all.   I taxied from the bus drop off to my accommodation which I'd booked through Airbnb.  It was 'out' of town, but not by many kilometres and certainly not by Australian standards, and tricky to find as there were a lot of apartment blocks in that area, but eventually we found it.  It was well connected to the public tram system being only a few minutes walk from the tram line, had a good supermarket across the road and was actually a really nice apartment.  It was a studio, so I was staying solo but the hosts mother was there to greet me and show me whats what, albeit it in broken English.  She ended up being quite pushy, wanting me to book trips to explore Bosnia with her son as my chauffeur, to the point it got too much.  I was really keen to go to Srebrenica and almost relented to her pressure,  but thankfully I didn't because at this time of year the museum is shut and the memorial site has limited access.
Srebrenica is where the July 1995 genocide of more than 8000 Bosniaks took place during the Bosnian War.  I have a close friend who worked for the UK police at the time, and he was part of a team that went over there to help with the clean up.  To this day, he still won't talk about what he saw or witnessed while he was placed there.

Sarajevo.  What a gem! I like to get up and head into towns / cities and just walk, exploring at my own will.  I don't pre plan things, I just walk and walk, find a nice place for coffee, another for food and get the feel of the place.  Sarajevo was no exception, however, given its history and the scars of war that still dot the town, I'd recommend finding at least a little out about it before you go.
Its' sometimes referred to as the Jerusalem of Europe / the Balkans because it's one of only a few European cities to have a mosque, a catholic church, orthodox church and a synagogue, all within the same neighbourhood.  I don't recall noticing this and it wasn't something I was aware of when I went.  There's beautiful cemeteries sprawling across the rolling hills around the town centre, and I did wander up through them.  They offer amazing views and there's headstones almost as far as the eye can see.  It was peaceful and serene.
Sarajevo is not a big city, with a population of only 275 thousand, but that was part of the charm - you can wander narrow lanes, cobbled streets, amongst and past colourful, ornate buildings, very much like in parts of eastern Europe and whatever Id been expecting before arriving, this wasn't it!

I went to a cafe in the square one day and had a beautiful lunch of a type of kebab with the all the trimmings.  Everything was fine but I was aware that theres possibly not a huge number of tourists going into Bosnia, I had the feeling I stood out as an outsider, I could feel the looks of curious eyes.  I found outdoor markets and haggled for a warm hat off one seller, I think I bought a scarf as well and just kept on wandering the streets.
Sarajevo has a particular war reminder with the 'roses of Sarajevo' - splashes of red paint marking places on the ground where bombs hit.  I didn't find many, I wasn't looking for them, but its still freaky to see them.  I was alive during this war and remember it being on television etc.  Hard to believe it happened on these very streets I was walking on.
I wandered and wandered, looked, took photos, observed the goings on.. I remember trying to find a cafe that had decaf coffee as I was doing my best to lay off caffeine - I can confirm, it was impossible to find! Dammit! Also, there was heavy rain one day and as I always keep my passport in the outer pocket of my daypack, I panicked when I realised my bag was getting saturated.  Two weeks earlier in Greece, Id washed my pack and my passport got laundered in the process, so the one I had in Bosnia was actually the new replacement one, and it was getting wet again!  Luckily I salvaged it and there was no real damage, aside from slight ripples in some of the pages as they dried.

I remember going to a museum, but now I cant remember which one it was! There's actually a lot of museums in Sarajevo that I noticed, and the one I went to had war memorabilia plus national history - and it was a disappointment.  I don't like to judge, but I didn't rate it, I was disappointed.  Of more interest to me was the Srebrenica museum in the heart of Sarajevo - Gallery 11/07/95.  It's interactive, with computer screens set up along desks in a room, that give you choices of which footage to watch, in whichever language you require.  In other rooms there were movies and photographs showing plenty of and about the massacre, perhaps a little too much to keep my concentration with so much history, detail and information, but Im still pleased I went.  That massacre was a bloody streak in Bosnia's history that still haunts the country today.
I found a large vegetable and household market in the inner city, and though I didn't buy anything I wandered around to get a feel of local life.  Walking up and out of Sarajevo, along the hillsides be it in the residential area or up amongst the cemeteries,  gives amazing views of the city and its surrounds.  And it suited the grey, wet and cold weather, I loved it. 

No trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina would be complete without heading south to Mostar - its a must.  I took a minibus there from Sarajevo through beautiful, green rolling countryside, absolutely beautiful.  In Mostar I was met at the bus station by the young couple I was to be renting my accommodation from for my stay - a small apartment that I'd found online, perfect.  They were friendly, helpful and got me settled in - then they offered me a private tour in their car to some points of interest south of the town,  if I was interested. I was! Let's go!  I'm so pleased I went, not only was the price right but its so good to do side trips with locals for many reasons - this was no exception.  First stop a short drive south of Mostar was Blagaj Monastery.  It's small and quaint, resembling a cosy house more than anything else and today functions as a restaurant.  It was built in the 16th Century by Dervish monks, there is no mistaking the classic Ottoman architecture.  A river runs by right outside, and I was told it can flood and make some of the restaurants on the river bank opposite impossible to eat at.
They also took me to see the open air museum of Pocitelj, which was awesome.  We had a good wander around, and I got a lot of awesome photos.  While the construction date hasn't been able to be made offical, the general consensus is that it was built by King Tvrtko sometime in 1383.  Two stages of evolution are evident within the fortification - medieval and Ottoman.  Fascinating. 
My hosts dropped me back to the apartment and left, but they'd told me stories about the war that have stayed with me to this day.  They were teenagers then, so have vivid memories and recollections.  He lost both his parents and then became the youngest fighter in Mostar, fuelled by anger no doubt.  And she told me of a friend of hers returning home one day to find the body of her father on the front lawn, he'd been decapitated, she was 14. 

Next morning I got up and set off to do what I love, walk!  I had my day pack and, thankfully, the warm hat that Id bought in Sarajevo was in my pack.  I had to pull up to put it on, I didn't want to stop, take off my pack, find the hat and then put it on - the wind was biting cold, my ears and face were burning and I was hunkered down into my jacket trying to defend myself from its wintery brutality, but stop I did. The hat was awesome. 
You can't visit Mostar without seeing the infamous Old Bridge, or Stari Most in local language.  It is a rebuilt Ottoman bridge from the 16th Century, crossing the Neretva river that dissects the town.  It is a UNESCO site and really quite something to see.  The walk towards it was just as I'd expect - tourist shops.  I kept walking, crossed the bridge and then turned sharp left and went down to a cafe.  I went inside, it was big and empty, I was the only customer.  There was one male staff member there, he was sitting at a table reading when I entered.  I asked him if he had good coffee, he said he had the best, I believed him and ordered what was easily one of the worst coffees Iv ever had.  I lied to his face and told him it was delicious - I mean, at least it was something warm to drink, plus I had amazing views from the windows and the cafe gave me a welcome break from being outside in the wind.  I paid and as I went to leave I lied to him again and told him I'd come back another time.  I never went back.
Further on from the bridge past more shops on cobbled streets, is the small 17th century Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque.  Not only open to the public there's the chance to climb the tiny narrow staircase up to the top of a minaret and get stunning 360 degree views.  I was so close to the speaker up there that if an Azan had started Id have been deafened, luckily it didn't. 
Behind the historical parts of the town I found more urban areas, quaint and picturesque.  I wandered, took photos and just absorbed the feel of the place. 

Next day I did much of the same, this time taking more of a closer look at the reminder of war - and theres evidence everywhere, from bullet holed buildings, to craters, buildings in ruin.  It's bizarre to walk through the history of a war, especially one you can remember.  For lunch, I decided to check out a restaurant that Id heard about, but when I got there it was closed.. I was disappointed and stood there waiting for a plan B to come to mind - I didn't have to try, a local woman asked me what I was doing, what did I want etc.  So I told her I wanted Bosnian food - 'follow me!' she said! We set off, the footpath was narrow so I fell into step behind her.  She walked quickly and talked the whole way.  She told me about being shot during the war, in the back and in the head.  What a stroke of luck to survive one shot, let alone two, and in the head also!? She spoke to light heartedly about it, just get on with life, right?  I wasn't disappointed with where she took me to find good national food, plus they had free wifi

And that was Bosnia.  Forever in my heart as one of the Balkan highlights.  Next stop was to be Dubrovnik in Croatia, and again, it was a seamless trip by bus.  Take advantage of using buses to get around the Balkans, its a great, well-connected network.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostar