kotor, montenegro

On a rainy morning we left Tbilisi on Turkish Airlines enroute to Istanbul, where we were able to enjoy a long layover. Our Priority Pass allowed us access to a lounge that was over-the-top, definitely the swankiest we have seen! Unlimited Turkish food? Yes, please.

Next, we flew into Tivat, Montenegro, which is a beautiful coastal town on the Adriatic Sea. Although we originally planned to fly to Croatia, we found a cheaper flight into Montenegro. We are so thankful to visit this gorgeous place! Another unexpected country to love. We arrived to warm blue skies, few tourists, and a cute apartment in the fortified Old Town. The cab ride from the airport to our hotel was a huge price gouge but, well, I guess we are in Europe now? (The buses weren’t running since we arrived too late in the evening). Nonetheless, we were so thrilled with the weather and the gorgeous views that we didn’t care. We have been discussing non-stop: how did we not know about this place??? Is it a hidden gem??

What to do? First, laundry. These were the only instructions on the washing machine…

Next, we wandered the cobblestone streets and happily ate over-priced gelato-pizza-wine and experienced major sticker shock (18 euro for a sandwich??). Ken climbed the 4,000’ vertical ascent up the “Kotor Walls.” What a view!

Most of our days were spent at the seaside kid’s playground with a kid’s zip line of enthusiastic riders - pleasantly surprised to find so many kids (both locals and tourists). Everett made friends and, fortunately, a few spoke English. Several boys invited him to the basketball court and they spent the afternoon playing. At the end, Everett, walking barefoot after the game, unfortunately, stepped on a glass bottle. So much blood everywhere! I called Ken in a panic and he ran our medical kit over a mile from the hotel to the court where Everett needed medical attention. What a hero! The kids were some of the kindest we’ve met – shout out to Montenegro!

Ken is now a sherpa with his backpack plus Everett’s; our poor kid is hobbling along like a champ though. We rode the bus a few hours north along the coast to the border of Croatia. The border crossing was simple and soon enough we found ourselves at the bus stop in Dubrovnik, Croatia in the 80-degree sunshine. Wow, the city was gorgeous and we had major FOMO realizing we should have spent a few nights exploring. Instead, we hopped onto a 3.5-hour ferry to the island of Hvar.

Shout out to all the moms who buy snacks in preparation for a long travel day, only to find out someone (!!!) ate them last night, and now we are hungry!Read more