Podgorica

Last night wasn't as bad as the previous one - 3 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. - but unfortunately, a sleep-in wasn't an option today. I had a hangover that seemed to be accumulating from the day (or weeks) before, and with a 10 a.m. checkout, I had to drag myself out of bed. I packed my stuff, and in my hungover state I somehow managed to leave behind my favourite - and most expensive - shirt. Definitely not one of my better packing efforts. I hung around the common area for a while, slowly preparing myself to make the journey to the bus station. Eventually, I said goodbye to some of the British guys I'd met and headed off.

Because the hostel was booked out for the next couple of days and the hostel I wanted to stay at in Žabljak was also full, I needed to find somewhere else to spend a couple of nights. I eventually settled on Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. I'd heard plenty of people say that Podgorica wasn't particularly exciting, but I was curious to see it for myself. The bus ride there was incredible. The views along the coast were spectacular, and it made for a pretty impressive journey.

When I arrived in Podgorica, however, I quickly understood some of the negative reviews. It was obvious that the city was much more of a business and economic centre than a tourist destination. There wasn't a huge amount of history or culture that stood out, and much of the city seemed to have been built around business – though not surprising for a capital city. That being said, the food was cheap, and the hostel was quiet when I arrived. After several huge nights in Kotor, I actually needed a couple of days to slow down and recover, so it worked out perfectly.

I spent most of the afternoon sitting around the hostel and relaxing until I eventually got hungry. I then headed out to explore the city and find something to eat. This was when I discovered a livelier side to Podgorica. People were out in the city centre drinking, talking and catching up with each other. Everyone seemed incredibly friendly, and it felt like half the city knew each other. It was a completely different atmosphere from what I'd experienced earlier in the day and made me realise there was more to Podgorica than my first impression suggested. After grabbing a pizza near my hostel, I headed back for the night.Read more