Europe 2025

juni - juli 2025
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Summer is a better place to get try and reset my mood and vibes. Let's try and rest this mood to something more positive. Læs mere
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  • A Dutch Welcome for “Child of Maria”

    26. juni, Holland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    My first night in Vessem wasn’t the best sleep I’ve ever had, but also not the worst. I don’t get European homes’ aversion to fly screens and air conditioning. I get that A/C is only really needed for a few weeks a year, but without it, you have to keep the windows open—and that means mosquitoes. Every time I was about to fall asleep, one would buzz past my face, then vanish the second I tried to find it. Little pricks.

    I slept downstairs on the couch for a bit to escape the heat and snoring. Waking up stuck to the leather in the middle of the night, I retreated back upstairs for a more comfortable sleep in bed. When morning came, it was time to get organised for a laundry day. The Vans had also been travelling for a while, so everyone needed clean clothes. Peter, Rob and I headed off in search of a roadside laundromat vending machine in the next town over.

    These roadside vending machine-style laundromats are actually pretty cool and convenient. Set in the car park of a local industrial area, we loaded up the machines, started our cycles, and then went in search of coffee. Pete directed us to “coffee” on Google Maps. Alas, it turned out to be a coffee distributor rather than a café. No drama—the Dutch hospitality is warm, and the lady there made Peter and Rob a coffee on the house, complete with a biscuit for me.

    Back at the roadside laundromat, we ponder the cost of setting one of these up while messing around in the photo booth that comes with it. It’s free to use as long as you don’t actually print the photo, so we all get a “most wanted” shot. I’m not sure who’s paying €4 a pop for printed pics, but it’s a bit of fun and passes the time while the washing mostly dries.

    With the washing mission complete, it was time for a nap back at the house before the afternoon’s activities. I needed this nap to be able to tackle the rest of the day. I popped upstairs, put on some calm background EMDR music, and had a solid 1.5-hour sleep. Even after a few restful days in Pula, I’m still pushing my limits—but I felt more up for life after the nap.

    A little family history time now. My mother was born in the Netherlands before migrating with her four brothers when she was about four years old. They’d later be joined by an Australian-born brother, Peter, soon after the family arrived in Australia. I guess Oma knew how to pass the time on the long sea voyage 😉. So Peter is my uncle, and I’ve gatecrashed (aka was invited to) part of their family holiday to meet relatives in the Netherlands. I’ve never visited family here before, and other than one Facebook friend in Ans, I didn’t know any of them—until today.

    Turns out it’s Paul’s 70th birthday party today, and we’re all going to celebrate and meet the extended family. He delayed having the party until Peter and family were here to share it with him. I feel both special to be invited and also a little anxious as large group social settings are not really my vibe. It’s weird that large group social stuff makes me anxious given every family event in my childhood was always massive. Turns out those large family gatherings are not just an Aussie thing - the Dutch side do them too!

    Paul and Ans (a different Ans to my Facebook friend Ans) house is beautiful. It has an earth roof, covered in vines and a beautiful large garden that large south facing windows of the home look out onto. We head out to the garden where the local family are already there. I meet Paul and Ans, and Facebook Ans and everyone else. Many of the women here, plus Paul are my mums cousins on my Opa’s side.

    Even though I was an only child, I grew up with many cousins—most of them more like siblings than cousins to me. It was lovely to see Peter experience that connection with his own cousins—something he missed out on growing up on the other side of the world. I wish I were better at small talk and mingling, but I think (hope) I managed to internalise my social anxiety enough today. Everyone was so lovely, friendly, and welcoming to me—“the child of Maria”—someone they’d never met but embraced like family.

    The food for dinner was delicious and in massive supply! From starters to mains to dessert, Paul and Ans looked after everyone beautifully while we chatted in the garden. Some personalities and mannerisms really do seem to be genetically linked! Dutch hospitality—and their party rules—are something we should take home with us. Parties have a start and end time, and when it ends, everyone’s expected to leave. My overly planned and anxious mind loves this so much.

    With the party over, I reflect on how welcoming everyone was to us. Pete and Jude have visited before, but for me, this was a first—and I felt like, well, family. I drive us back to Vessem, about 30 minutes away—a distance the local family consider a long journey. It’s still light at 9pm, so I turn on the sauna to warm up before heading out for a local walk to close my exercise rings and enjoy some solo time.

    I do a short 2km walk, draft a post, and wait for the sauna to heat up. But after 1.5 hours, it’s still only at 40 degrees, so I turn it off and crash into bed again. It’s cooler tonight, and with the window and skylight open for a slight breeze, I settle in—reflecting on meeting a part of the family I’d only ever heard about, but had never met until today.
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  • Castle, Chicken & a beeping Dutch drive

    25. juni, Holland ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Why is it that car rental companies never seem to have small cars and always upgrade you when you book one? That’s what I was greeted with on arrival in Amsterdam today. Instead of the VW Polo I’d booked, I was given a Nissan X-Trail. For those who are as car-savvy as I am (aka I mostly identify cars by colour), that’s a jump from a small hatchback to a full-sized SUV. Navigating narrow roads in this tank is going to be an adventure, I think, already a little anxious.

    After the awkward moment of getting in on the passenger side and wondering where the steering wheel had gone, I plugged in my first stop into CarPlay and set off. Golly gosh this car beeps a lot! Too fast, not in the lane enough, speed limit change—this car is getting sassy and definitely not helping me adjust to driving a beast on the “wrong” side of the road. Still, I manage to navigate the freeway—complete with constantly changing speed limits to give the car more reasons to beep—and the narrow lanes, until I arrive at Castle De Haar, my first stop.

    Designed as a showpiece to entertain the rich and famous in the 14th century, Castle De Haar was later restored by architect Pierre Cuypers for the wealthy Van Zuylen family. It still packs an impressive punch today. I got excited thinking the old stables and staff quarters were the castle itself—nope! The actual castle is tucked behind a line of trees, surrounded by lush gardens. And what a castle it is.

    Like all good castles, it’s surrounded by a moat and has a proper drawbridge. You know you’ve made it when you can just pull up your drawbridge to keep door-to-door salesmen out. My ticket is for 3 p.m., but it’s quiet enough that they let me in early. If I thought the outside was impressive, the interior completely blew me away. The multi-story main hall makes a powerful first impression—and that’s clearly the point. “You’re in my house and I’m richer than you” seems to be the intended vibe. Stained glass, intricate woodwork, sculptures on every pillar, a vaulted ceiling, and tapestries bigger than my apartment all add to the drama.

    Room after room keeps the wow factor going. I honestly feel like I could grab my case from the car and move right in. Max and Louis would love the grounds. I read that the original family sold the castle to a Dutch heritage trust in 2000, but with one condition—they retain the right to occupy it every September. That’s some deal. A permanent September house party for every future Van Zuylen descendant? Not bad.

    Tempting as it is to move in, I suspect the volunteer guides in every room might notice me unpacking. Somewhat refreshed by this very extra castle visit, I wander the gardens, stop to smell the roses, and then head to the old stables—which now house a restaurant—for lunch.

    I make it just in time, with five minutes to spare before lunch service ends. I order a chicken sandwich and moments later, a real live chicken walks up to my table, pecking around for a snack. I like my chicken fresh, but that’s a bit too literal. I wait patiently for the kind Dutch waiter to deliver my actual meal. It feels a little strange to eat chicken while being watched by one, but it’s delicious.

    Satisfied and just slightly weirded out, I consider marrying into the Van Zuylen family so I can stay here every September. If anyone has connections, please let me know. Feeling a little less anxious about driving the SUV now, I set off for Tilburg to grab some supplies before catching up with the Vans family this afternoon.

    The narrow, tree-lined roads edged with canals and flanked by green fields soon give way to the freeways. It’s only about 80 km but takes nearly 90 minutes thanks to traffic and those constantly changing overhead speed signs. My car is still beeping like mad, especially as I hug the right shoulder and the lane assist freaks out. By the end of the day, I’m more aware of where this thing begins and ends, but I haven’t figured out how to turn off the alerts yet.

    Grocery shopping is annoying at home, but overseas it’s kind of an adventure. I lose track of time exploring the aisles of the local Lidl, laughing at “Slagroom” (Dutch for cream) and definitely buying more than I need. Including spending nearly $20 AUD on a pack of M&M’s. I was asked to bring red wine, and since I don’t drink, I just grab the most expensive bottle I can find—€6!

    The drive from Tilburg to Vessem—where I’ll be joining the vans—is lovely. The roads are narrower, often lined with trees, and surrounded by farmland. For such a small country, the Netherlands is the most efficient agricultural producer in Europe. Here are some nerdy stats I looked up after driving through all that farmland: it’s the second-largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, just behind the US, despite having less than 0.5% of the land mass. Every inch of land seems to be used for something, yet there are still pockets of forest everywhere. It’s so green and beautiful, even if it’s flat as a pancake!

    I follow Google Maps and arrive at the house the vans have rented. It’s in an adorable little cluster of homes a few kilometres outside Vessem. Behind the house is a patch of forest, and farms stretch out in every other direction. After being solo for a while, it’ll be nice to have some company again. I spend the evening with family, play a few games of Uno with Robbie (even winning two in a row), and settle in for a warm night—ready to explore the area and meet distant relatives over the coming days.
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  • EasyJet: My Airline TV Debut

    25. juni, Holland ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    While I have — less than kindly, mind you — been called an “elitist prick” to describe my obsession with flying in the pointy end and collecting my points and status, today there will be none of that as I pop a cherry that’s been waiting for years: flying EasyJet. The star of the avgeek gold TV series Airline back in the early 2000s.

    I’d booked a Bolt the night before to take me to Pula Airport. A bad sleep and early wake-up weren’t great, but the speedy service at the airport was. No waiting for check-in here, even without paying extra for a speedy boarding pass. The airport is super dated but it works for the dozen or so flights a day it gets, mainly from low-cost carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet.

    Having already eaten a homemade breakfast in the apartment, I opted for overpriced water and a muffin while waiting for boarding. The terminal wasn’t busy — two Ryanair flights had just finished boarding, clearing out most of the crowd. I was pretty tired, so had a micro nap at one of the tables before waking up and discovering a rooftop terrace overlooking the apron, where I watched my plane arrive between the two military cargo planes already parked.

    Boarding was called and we all shuffled into a holding room to let the other Eurowings flight board while we waited. Most of the passengers were queuing at the gate, but I took a more relaxed approach and grabbed a seat — which turned out to be a smart move. Soon the captain of our flight appeared at the gate to address the crowd.

    “I’m sorry to say that the aircraft has a very minor fault that we need to fix before we can depart for Amsterdam,” he announced, with extra emphasis on very minor. “Unfortunately EasyJet doesn’t have a contract with any engineers in Pula, so they’re phoning around trying to find one who can come take a look.” At this stage, that meant an indefinite delay. Sigh.

    It’s one of those situations where, if I wasn’t extremely tired, I would’ve been more like “bring it on, make it last three hours so I get some compensation cash!” But this morning, I just wanted to get on the plane and sleep. A minute or two later, the captain was back: “EasyJet just rang me back, they’ve found an engineer who’ll be here in 30 minutes. I expect we’ll board maybe 30 minutes after that.” We were all shuffled out of the gate area and back to the terminal, where I found a table and set up for another micro nap.

    Despite my avgeek love of the pointy end, finally flying EasyJet was exciting — and it looked like I might even get the full TV show experience with a delay and all. The Dutch crowd flying up to Amsterdam weren’t yelling at staff like their British counterparts on Airline, and the crew handled the delay much better than the TV show ever seemed to.

    We boarded pretty much when the captain estimated. Onboard the Airbus A319, I found fabric seats that reminded me of travel years ago, before slimline seats became the norm. For a low-cost carrier, the seats were super comfortable and the legroom sufficient for this 1.5-hour hop to Amsterdam. It helped that the middle seat next to me was empty — more room to stretch out.

    We waited another 15 minutes while the paperwork for this “very minor technical fault” was written up and sent off to EasyJet head office for final clearance. Then, plane released and zooming out of Pula, we made up some time flying across Italy, Austria, and Germany en route to Amsterdam.

    The scenery over the Alps was amazing. Even in summer, some mountain peaks were still snow-capped — a beautiful white contrast to the green valleys below. I spotted Innsbruck beneath us, a place Thom and I zipped around on scooters during our final Europe trip together in 2019. Ah, good memories. I also saw heaps of other planes in the sky. Those heading the opposite direction flashed past in the blink of an eye, while those on similar paths gradually crept up, flying above or below us. I rarely see other planes this close in Australia — I love how easy it is to plane spot from the air in Europe.

    On approach to Schiphol Airport, the captain announced we’d be landing on a centre runway, making for a short taxi to the gate. The view from above was beautifully orderly — so very Dutch. Straight lines of farmland, wind turbines in neat rows, and plenty of solar panels too. This below-sea-level country takes its role in reducing emissions seriously. I wish we had more offshore wind farms like they do.

    We landed, made a short taxi, and parked at the last of the EasyJet gates at the very end of the terminal. It was a bit of a hike to baggage claim, but my bag arrived quickly — no lost luggage drama today, thankfully. Happy and a little refreshed from my own EasyJet experience, I made my way to the car rentals to start exploring my ancestral homeland.

    Welcome to the Netherlands.
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  • My Quiet Chapter in Pula

    24. juni, Kroatien ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Well, here I am in Pula, but I’m not really feeling it. I think my trip around the Balkans was rushed — even for me. I’m not mad that I gave it a go, but I think future me needs to learn that one-night stops, especially when they’re stacked back-to-back, are just a little too much moving around. Sustainable for a week or two, but by week three it’s worn me down more than usual. I had a remote rehab session on my first morning here and had a bit of a chat about effort versus capacity as a way to describe how I’m feeling.

    I feel like I’m not putting in enough effort on this part of the trip. It was pointed out to me that perhaps a kinder way to frame that is by thinking about how much capacity for effort I have at this stage of recovery. It’s not that I’m not trying — I just don’t have as much to give right now.

    Luckily for me, I felt this coming a few days ago and changed my plans. The original aim was to continue my fly-through pace and be off to Berlin after two nights, for just two nights, before moving on to Brussels for one night — you get the idea. A lot. Instead, I’ve extended my Pula stay to three nights, giving myself a little breathing space. Arriving, I took a Bolt — glad they’re available here because I’m well and truly over getting ripped off by taxis. The driver was friendly, dropping me at the closest point to my Airbnb. A man approached me as I grabbed my bag from the boot.
    “Carl from Australia?”
    “Yeah…” I replied, a little confused.
    “Ah, my wife is waiting for you in the apartment. I saw you get out with the bag and thought it must be you. Welcome to Pula.”

    The apartment is just what I need for a few nights: a big couch, a kitchen, and hosts who kindly walk me through how everything works. “Narh don’t worry about that,” I say in full Aussie accent when they show me how to use the stove. “I won’t be cooking. I’ll go out for dinner.” There are 1.5 bathrooms, so I have a choice of toilets this trip. I’m shown how the TV and aircon work, how to leave the keys when I go, and then they head off to holiday in the mountains. I’d like to believe they live here, but it feels more like a rental — though they are a lovely couple. The rest of the building seems empty, but later I meet a lady with a little dog upstairs. By the end of my stay, the dog even stops growling when I approach.
    The dog reminds me of Louis at home barking at passersby from his balcony throne. I miss my boys right about now.

    Already feeling more relaxed, I make grand plans to do it all while I’m here. I’ll spend tomorrow morning in the old town, exploring the underground World War tunnels and then off to the Roman theatre. That evening I’ll take a kayak tour and cliff jump into the refreshing Adriatic Sea. The next day I’ll take the bus up the road to Rovinj and explore that town before returning for dinner in Pula.
    Alas, that’s as far as my energy levels allow — planning it out. I go for a walk to get some snacks, but it’s Sunday and everything is closed. I retreat to the couch, put on an episode of Designated Survivor, and nap. I think I’ll be doing a bit of that in Pula.

    Eventually, I get up — fortunately the sun sets late so there’s still daylight. I go to a burger place, order the chicken burger, and regret it. It’s not great. The chips, however, are lovely, so I demolish them, hide the half-eaten burger in the packaging, and go for a quick explore. The Roman Theatre, or Pula Arena, is like a mini Colosseum. I know Italy’s nearby, but have I accidentally landed in a mini Rome? Built between 27 BC and 68 AD, it’s one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres. It’s smaller than the Colosseum in Rome but pretty cute. I later find out Tom Jones is playing here on my last night — I didn’t even know he was still alive.

    The rest of my stay in Pula is pretty quiet. I wake up feeling rubbish and eventually make it out for some food — vegetables are what I’m craving, but it’s all pasta and pizza here. Unsure if I’m in Italy or Croatia, I settle for a risotto-style meal with some spinach and pumpkin — the closest thing to actual veggies I can find. Then I nap the afternoon away, followed by an early dinner. This time I go for a Wiener schnitzel. It’s a little average, but it hits the spot. My mind wants to explore more in a flash of FOMO, but my body says no. I listen to the latter and reward myself with a Jaffa vegan ice cream cone.

    My last full day in Pula is much like the one before — naps, chilling in the apartment, and the occasional wander around town to fight off the FOMO. I consider going to the beach, but even the 10-minute bus ride feels like too much effort. Instead, I head underground and wander through the cool air of the World War I and II tunnels beneath the fortress. I skip the hill climb by taking the elevator straight from the tunnels up to the fort. That express under-and-above view ends up being all I really see of Pula during my three-night stay.

    Feeling a little like I’ve wasted my time here, I try to remind myself to have some self-compassion. We all need downtime — something I haven’t been giving myself nearly enough of lately. I take an evening walk to the arena for one last look and find it filling up with Tom Jones fans. Then it’s back to the apartment. I decline several invites for evening rendezvous from faceless “discreet” guys on Grindr, watch some TV in bed, and fall asleep — ready to head to the Netherlands in the morning.
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  • Zagreb’s 1980s Yugoslav Time Capsule

    21. juni, Kroatien ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    A slight hangover after one beer last night — soft, I know — I grabbed a burger for lunch, watching some Croatian singers across the street perform the longest mic check in history. Feeling less seedy with the greasy burger on board, I went off museum hunting in Zagreb for my first full day in Croatia. There are a few museums and galleries I’m interested in here, and while on the way to one, I came across another goodie — *The Museum of the 80s*. It felt worth a post in itself today, so let’s go back to the 80s.

    A little hidden up a winding staircase, a couple — probably just a tad younger than me — were looking after the museum today. I paid my €5 entry fee and got a rundown on what the museum is about and what I can do. “Everything is interactive — you can touch, put on music, play games, try the clothes,” the lady explained to me. “We want you to get a feel for what life was like in a typical Yugoslav household in the 80s. We call it the good decade — no war, normal times.” She left me in the living room of the first-floor apartment — a time capsule of the 80s in Yugoslavia.

    Or was it just in Yugoslavia? As a child of the 80s myself, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia coming over me. The velvet sofas, the dark wood furniture, the lack of minimalism everywhere, the ashtrays! This could have been a house in Australia in the 80s or early 90s too. I felt somewhat at home here. *Terminator* on a VHS tape sat with a stack of other tapes — some in cases, some loose, not yet rewound or put away — a hallmark of the 80s and my 90s. A cassette player with tapes scattered beside it — no mixtapes here, just original releases before CDs and streaming were invented. And of course, an obligatory piano in the corner. So many houses had a piano, organ, or keyboard back then. And that’s just the living room.

    Into the kitchen, a sewing machine is set up, beside which is a book of dress patterns ready to be made at home. While my mum was definitely no dressmaker, a few of my aunts were. I remember visiting Canberra as a kid and being taken to Spotlight on shopping missions to get fabric that Moya would then turn into clothing from a book not so dissimilar to the one I saw today. The brown kitchen crockery — quite the rage back then — reminded me of visits to family. At home we had those blue and white print plates I thought were hideous at the time, but they were all the rage too.

    I spent most of my time, just like I did in the 80s and 90s, with the games. They had a Commodore 64 and an arcade version of *Space Invaders*, which I played for a while. The shoot button was sticky and didn’t always fire, meaning I lost lives way too fast — but playing this game was worth the entry fee alone. Even the books on the table brought back memories — *The Muppets*, posters of *Pac-Man* on the wall, and movie and band posters too. Every kid back then had posters on their walls!

    In the entryway, they had a cute little yellow car with luggage strapped to the roof — presumably ready for a summer getaway to the beach. The guy tells me, “Get in, I take a photo of you driving.” I hop in and am taken straight back to the road trips of my youth. While I was always the passenger back then, the feel of the car seats, the roll-down windows for air conditioning, and that stiff, hard steering wheel all brought back memories of drives with Mum in our own little Mazda.

    And with that, my trip back into the 80s was complete. Such a great museum — and while it aimed to depict a typical 80s home in Yugoslavia, was it really that geographically specific? Getting access to information back then was harder — partly because I wasn’t even ten yet, but also because of the slower pace of the news cycle. But if this is what Yugoslavia looked like in the 80s, triggering so many memories of my own Aussie childhood — were we really that different after all? I knew nothing of Yugoslavia in the 80s, and only saw the terrible glimpses of war in the 90s, but it seems the Yugoslav 80s looked a lot like mine. What a great little museum find.
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  • Kotor Island Hopping: Perast Speed Date

    19. juni, Montenegro ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Refreshed, albeit also bruised, from my pick-me-up swim, I headed to the marina to meet my speedboat tour to Perast. The rule follower I am, I arrived 30 minutes before the departure time—only to be told to come back five minutes before. I wandered back into the walled old town to kill some time. The place was still packed, although it seemed people were starting to return to their cruise ships for evening drinks onboard. I’d come back here for dinner later, but first, time to visit Perast.

    There were seven of us onboard our two-hour speedy tour of Perast and the islands off its coast. Our sun-kissed captain welcomed us on board before quickly pushing us off the dock and speeding out into the bay. I get a bit seasick at times, so I took a seat in the front. The cool, salty breeze and the super smooth waters made seasickness a non-issue today.

    The coastline on each side of the bay is flanked by tall, steel-grey mountains. There’s a single layer of buildings hugging the shoreline, maybe stretching to two houses deep at most, as the landscape doesn’t leave much room for development. Church towers rise above these tiny towns, pointing skyward over the rooftops and out to the bay. You wouldn’t have to travel far for God around here.

    Our captain was speedy and followed between the wake of the boat in front of us, only darting out—bouncing over the waves—for a quick overtake. It’s a two-hour round trip and he clearly wants us to have the most time off the boat to explore.

    We stopped at Our Lady of the Rocks, a small artificial island built over the centuries by local seafarers who threw rocks into the sea and even sank old ships to build it up. It’s the only island of the two that tourists can visit—unless you're clergy or getting wedding photos taken. The island is home to a Catholic church, which unfortunately slammed its doors shut just as our boat docked. No prayers from me today, it seems. I contemplated sneaking in through the back door I found later but decided breaking into a church might require more penance than I’m up for.

    The captain suggested a 15-minute stop instead of the scheduled 20, to allow more time in Perast. Fifteen minutes felt a bit long with the church closed, but I circled the island, snapped some photos, checked out some topless sailors on other boats, and found a small patch of shade to sit in while I waited.

    We passed by St George Island next—off-limits to tourists, yet seemingly occupied by a group of shirtless men and bikini-clad women anyway. Unless the church has changed its dress code, it seems if you have your own boat, you can get to St George—whether technically allowed or not. It was under five minutes to Perast from there, its towering church steeple the picture-perfect centrepiece of the view. We docked, and our captain gave us 45 minutes to explore.

    He explained that Perast is the oldest town in Montenegro, and while I haven’t fact-checked that, it does seem plausible. He also claimed it’s a seasonal town, abandoned in winter—something that makes more sense. Then came a slightly confusing line: “Each house used to also have its own a church in the house.” That seems unlikely. More likely, he meant each household was Catholic, or closely linked to the church.

    I walked the shoreline road and tried to climb higher via narrow stairs, only to hit dead ends. It seems to be a one-street town—but what a street. A luxury five-star hotel took up a big section of the foreshore, its guests shuttled around in electric golf carts. Sunbathers lounged on private decks before strolling across the road to shady courtyards in their White Lotus–esque bathrobes.

    Many buildings looked abandoned, with vines creeping in and nature slowly reclaiming them. But it all added to the charm. There isn’t much to do here—eat, sit, sunbathe, repeat. And if I’d had more than 45 minutes, that’s exactly what I would’ve done. Instead, I settled for a cup of sorbet and a sit on the seawall, soaking in the view and the stillness.

    When time was up, I boarded the speedboat for one last glance at postcard-perfect Perast. The cruise ships were also starting to leave, taking with them the thousands of people they’d dumped in the old town of Kotor earlier. We zipped past the final two on our way back to a noticeably quieter town. With the towering mountains starting to block out the sun, the light was perfect for dinner in the old town tonight.

    I remembered to eat—always a win—and had a delicious Wienerschnitzel at a little pub in a square facing a church. Very European old-town vibes. As I finished, church bells rang out and a procession of clergy, nuns, and churchgoers wound their way through the streets, trailing the thick, unmistakable scent of incense behind them.

    After dinner, I took my own little one man procession around town, stopping in a tiny square to watch an impromptu orchestra. I think it was a rehearsal—the conductor wore shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt. Not something you see every day. The sounds echoed off the narrow stone walls. It’s these little things—moments of art and atmosphere—that give towns like this their soul. Full of food and good vibes, I headed to bed, feeling a bit better for having done something today after all.
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  • Kotor’s Waters: Cool, Clearing, Needed

    19. juni, Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    It was another day of not being in the mood for travelling today. I had a remote psych session this morning, rescheduled the last part of my trip for some much-needed downtime, and was in a bit of a mood. It’s that combo of FOMO and exhaustion. I decided I needed to do something easy to deter the FOMO, but not too much to further exhaust me. The photos of Perast are what drew me to Kotor, so I thought I should at least give that a go.

    Waiting for the local bus to take me the 30 minutes around the bay to Perast felt like an eternity. There aren’t printed timetables, but the internet suggests they run hourly at about 18 minutes past the hour. I arrived a little early, not knowing how accurate Google is. I wait half an hour and give up. I instead book a 5 pm speedboat tour instead. Slightly more expensive, but running to a schedule—and less effort. I’m hot, tired, and just can’t be bothered with waiting and going with the flow today.

    I’ve got a couple of hours till my new departure time, so head back to my Airbnb, change into swimmers, and head for the local beach. As an Australian, I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches—we literally have long sandy beaches along our 66,000 km of coastline. The city beach in Montenegro is a little less fortunate when it comes to sand, but it makes up for it in beautiful mountain views and crystal-clear water.

    It’s only a five-minute walk to the pebble and stone beach. I walk past all the deck chairs and umbrellas, opting for the free section of beach with all my fellow cheapskate beachgoers. Paying for the beach is a new concept for me and not something I want to try for this quick swim.

    I throw down my towel in the pebbles beside the sea wall. The beach is only a few meters deep—room for two people per row—with others sitting on the sea wall and just watching. I strip down to my funky trunks and make the walk to the water. Entering is difficult. While the rocks on the beach are small pebbles and crushed shells, under the waterline they are larger, moss-covered, and slippery. I make it a few steps in—this is hard.

    Spotting a small platform, I retreat from the beach entry and walk to the end of the jetty, making an undignified entry into the cool, fresh Bay of Kotor waters. It’s the refreshing hit I needed. It’s neither hot nor freezing—the perfect temperature to feel revived without going numb.

    Swimming around for a while, I feel some seaweed brush my leg. I’m not a huge fan of swimming in the ocean—the fact we know more about planets and moons than the depths of our oceans scares me. I call it time to relax on the beach—time for the disembark up the slippery rocky beach. Floating as close to shore as possible, I drag myself upright in shin-deep water. There is no graceful way to do this. Stumbling like an adult-sized toddler, I eventually make it out.

    Laying on the beach, it’s more comfortable than I had imagined small pebbles to be. I’m pretty white, so I can’t take the sun for too long, but I enjoy the warmth it brings. It seems less harsh and packs less burning punch than the Australian sun. I lay here for a while, looking at the water, the mountains around the bay, and the occasional topless muscular guy swimming or walking past.

    I move to the sea wall and sit there for a bit when a couple of Aussie guys come and set up their towels in front of me. “Sorry, we’re probably ruining your view,” one of them says as he slowly removes his T-shirt and stretches out on his tiny beach towel. My internal dialogue replies, “Nah, you’re alright—you’re improving my view.” Fortunately, by the time that reaches my mouth, my internal safeguards have cut the last part out.

    I overhear them chatting with a younger girl beside them. They’re Australian, met in Sydney, and have been travelling the Balkans together. She’s from Colombia, and they talk about visiting there. It’s a novelty to be able to eavesdrop on a conversation—most of the chatter around me lately has been indecipherable. A British girl a few towels over chimes in, “Are the spiders bad in Colombia? I’ve wanted to go but I’m too scared of the spiders,” she hollers. The guy closest to me replies, “Nah, it’s fine—you won’t even see them,” before his friend interjects, “He’s an Aussie though, so spiders aren’t going to bother him.” Fair point. The British girl seems satisfied that Colombia is now safe for her next vacation and returns to reddening her white skin on the pebbly beach.

    Observing her sunburn, I decide it’s time for my own pasty white flesh to return to some shade. I get dressed and find that getting rocks off your feet and towel is much easier than getting rid of sand. I make my way back to the Airbnb. By the time I get there, it feels like something is stuck under my left foot. Undressing for a shower to wash the salt off my skin, I discover there’s nothing stuck—it’s a large bruise and bump forming on the sole. Looks like my first rocky beach swim in Europe has left its mark. I’ll try to find some swimming shoes before attempting that again—though the refreshing water was the mood booster I needed, even if it left a bruise to prove it.
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  • Belgrade: Big Cities not Quite Clicking

    18. juni, Serbien ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    I woke up in Belgrade with a sense of loneliness today. I’m an introvert, so I like and need my solo time, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy interactions with people when I’m in the mood. Maybe it was the missed chance of a late-night walk through Belgrade with the cute guy from yesterday’s airport bus ride—or maybe just exhaustion from being on the move. I just wasn’t feeling it today.

    I ate an overpriced breakfast downstairs, mostly just to say I’d eaten, then napped the morning away. I tried catching up on blogs or Instagram posts, but the mojo wasn’t there. Sleep seemed useful, but also elusive—coming in broken chunks, interrupted by distressing mini-dreams centred around loss.

    Checkout time came, and I left my luggage with reception. I discussed airport options by bus with the receptionist. Given the nearby road closures, all the bus routes were diverting—making it more hassle than it was worth. We agreed that a taxi would be easiest. It didn’t take much convincing, and he booked one for later that afternoon. Now I just had to fill the next 3.5 hours.

    With no pins on my Belgrade map, I followed last night’s receptionist’s advice and walked down the main pedestrian street, beyond which was a park, the rivers, and a castle. Along the street, the architecture is a mix of mass-produced postwar Soviet-style buildings and some older, more striking ones that I associate with Russia—despite never having been.

    The Hotel Moskva is a striking example of that older style of architecture I’ve only really seen in Soviet spy movies. I found myself wondering what deals and missions may have unfolded within those walls. I assume there’s some truth to that kind of history, but honestly, I have no idea. I came to Serbia far less prepared than usual. Unlike other cities where I’ve read or researched in advance, I feel like I’m wandering blind through Belgrade. I’m looking at buildings, observing life, but not really understanding how the city became what it is today.

    The main pedestrian street feels like a copy-paste of so many others around the world—Zara, H&M, designer brands, McDonald’s, and then a few local stores sprinkled between the bars and restaurants full of diners. It doesn’t feel unique. I could be anywhere. Without a sense of purpose, I feel like I’m walking just to walk—not really seeing anything that makes Belgrade *Belgrade*, because I don’t even know what I’m meant to be looking for.

    I often feel this way in big cities—like the identity that once gave them character has been smoothed over. That’s why I’ve started favouring smaller places. Sure, there are still global influences, but smaller towns and cities usually hold onto something that makes them feel distinct. Plus, they're easier to navigate. Everything’s closer. Walkable.

    Leaving the pedestrian street behind, I enter a park that borders the river. I’d been told there was a castle in the park and that it was free, so I headed in that general direction. After weaving through the souvenir stalls at the entrance, the fortress walls appeared.

    Built at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers, the fortress walls surround the complex with a deep dry moat. I follow the river along until I find an open gate—right at the spot where I assume they would have monitored river traffic back when it was built. Standing tall on a column is a copper statue of a man—unflattering in the manhood department, but with a surprisingly peachy bum. His name is Pobednik (The Victor), a symbol of Belgrade that commemorates Serbia’s victories in the Balkan Wars and World War I.

    Since the castle is free, there isn’t much guidance on where to go or what there is to see—just a few signs here and there. It mostly feels like a park that just happens to have fortress walls and the occasional tower or building inside. In what I assume is the centre is a military museum—not really my thing. Still, I enjoy watching a few guys posing with the missiles and tanks in the forecourt between two inner walls. A kind of convergence of old and new warfare. I take a quick photo too—it seems to be the thing to do.

    Through another inner wall—or maybe I’ve looped back to the outer one again—I come across a dinosaur world. Odd, but okay. I wasn’t expecting to see dinosaurs today. I don’t pay for entry since I can see enough through the fence, and I think it’s mostly for kids anyway. Just beyond that final wall, there’s a children’s playground and some pickleball courts filling in the moat area on this side.

    It was a nice walk, but I just wasn’t feeling it. That kind of aimless exploring where you hope to stumble on something interesting, but nothing quite lands. I decide it’s time for lunch—maybe food will help lift my energy and give me a chance to look for something that might spark my interest for the rest of the afternoon. Lunch is average: a beef tortilla wrap with some chips. But I use the time to find a museum and a gallery to fill in the hours.
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  • Flirting or Just European?

    17. juni, Serbien ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    If I’m honest, when I was planning this trip Serbia wasn’t really on the cards. I had no dots on my map within Serbia to see, yet here I am. Why? Well, instead of being logical and just buying a normal connecting flight on one airline, I wanted to try a new airline—Air Montenegro this time. They had a flight from Belgrade to where I did have dots on my Google Map: Tivat. Alas, it would mean an overnight connection in Belgrade. Welcome to me flying to country number 56 to get to country number 57.

    Leaving Sarajevo after a blink-and-miss-it visit via taxi from the bus station to the airport, I arrive at a flash new terminal—a stark contrast to the city I’ve just driven through. I check in, pass the friendly border control, and relax while eating overpriced Mentos that I use my remaining Marks to buy. This trip has given me a small taste of pre-Euro currency times—using up those excess coins and notes on stuff I don’t really need, before needing a new currency tomorrow. I’ll be doing a bit of that in Serbia too.

    To get to country 56 I’m flying on Air Serbia—an airline not aligned with any of the major alliances, so no lounge access for me. I’m on an ATR72-600 on a sold-out flight. I track the inbound plane—it’s running slightly late but nothing compared to yesterday’s 20-hour delay. We board via the tarmac and through the rear door. ATRs are unique like that, boarding from the back, with row 1 being the furthest from the door. I’m seated about halfway down with a view of the engine and glad that the person beside me is a petite woman, unlike the customer of size in the row in front.

    It’s hot and stuffy until we get airborne and the airflow kicks in. It’s less than an hour to Belgrade, yet the crew still manage to serve everyone a bottle of water and a little snack. You can buy more onboard, but I don’t think anyone bothers. The snack—“Plazma”—is kind of cute and hits the spot. From what I can tell on the packaging, it’s vitamin-injected wheat. Healthy?

    The overcast skies clear up as we zoom across Serbia toward Belgrade. The fields below stretch out in long stripes of brown and green—a linear patchwork of agriculture. I get a great view as we approach the city. Two rivers meet in Belgrade, forming a broad swathe of waterfront scattered with boats, docks, and what looks like a stretch of parks on both banks. It looks like quite the place to be on a summer day.

    We touch down and taxi to a remote stand—the only aircraft parked out here. But as we disembark, ATR after ATR rolls in beside us. By the time we’re on the bus, there are seven parked out here. Seems Air Serbia runs quite the hub operation in Belgrade. Immigration is fast, and my bag is the only one on the carousel—circling solo like it’s been waiting just for me.

    Assuming there’ll be ATMs outside, I skip the row of them inside customs—a rookie mistake. I spend the next 10 minutes wandering the terminal looking for one. Eventually cashed up with a new currency—the Dinar—I head outside to the spot Google Maps claims the city buses depart from. I wait around until a cute younger guy—who I later learn is a Russian living in Germany—asks me for directions. “I’m looking for that too. Google Maps says it’s here,” I say. “Mine too, but is it this level or downstairs?” he replies. Is Google being vertically challenged again?

    Turns out it’s downstairs. So me and my new friend head down to wait. The A1 bus is the official express transfer to the city—but it’s a mini-bus and no match for the crowd waiting. We jump on the 600 instead—a full-sized city bus and free, unlike the A1. We board through different doors, but my new friend waves and signals that he’s saved me a seat. It’s backwards-facing, which I’m not a fan of, but he’s cute, so I suck it up.

    He works remotely and has flown to Belgrade for a friend’s birthday. “It’s good working remotely—I worked on the plane,” he says. He works in medical tech and lights up when I say I’m from Australia—his company is doing projects there due to our advanced medical systems. As we talk, we compare notes on where to change buses. He needs the 37; I need the 23. Google gives us different transfer points, but we both agree on switching at Mostar—no, not the one from this morning.

    We chat about our travels, plans, the free public transport, and other small talk—but is there a vibe here? I feel like I’m playing a round of Gay or European. His glances, the way our legs brush, and even the way he moves his lips—it all feels flirty. Or is it?

    This continues for the 20-minute journey to the transfer stop—just before which he asks for my number. “Do you want to maybe take a walk in the city later tonight with me?” he asks. I’m exhausted and know I probably won’t have the energy, but I say yes anyway. He’s cute—slightly younger than me, but done with university, so no cradle snatching. He still has a few zits—one eager for popping—but he’s got a real charm to him. How he’s managing a hoodie and jeans is beyond me. I’m sweating in just a shirt.

    Just as we leap off the bus, he runs to catch the 37. Before he goes, he snaps a photo of my WhatsApp. “What’s your name? I’m Carl,” I say. He shouts back something like “It’s the Russian for Michael—I hope I see you tonight!” as the bus door closes behind him.

    I wave goodbye and look at my phone. Rookie mistake. While the 23 was the preferred route, the 37 goes the same way! I could’ve continued the game a little longer. I check Grindr—just in case—but no dice. I guess whether the game continues is now in the Russian-for-Michael’s hands.

    The 23 isn’t far behind. I hop on, only to find it veers off course—apparently some roads are closed. When I realise I’m as close to my hotel as I’m going to get, I bail, cutting through a park and checking into my chilled, upgraded room overlooking the national parliament.

    The receptionist recommends a restaurant nearby, where I’m served by a waiter who seems to have studied Mr Bean’s mannerisms but with the personality of someone for whom everyone around him is an inconvenience. I enjoy my dinner, then order dessert while waiting for a text that never comes. I’ll never know the outcome of Gay or European today—but it was fun playing, even if it may have been a single-player game all along.
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  • Bridge to Border: A Glimpse of Sarajevo

    17. juni, Bosnien-Hercegovina ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    The 20-hour delay in getting to the Balkans has really thrown me into a bit of an exhaustion spiral. Getting up this morning was a challenge. I did it, but honestly considered flying ahead and skipping Serbia. Alas, the flights to do that take over 24 hours, so not much point. I pressed ahead with Plan B from yesterday.

    Breakfast at the hotel is served individually and is massive. I don’t need or want most of it, but manage to get through the cheeses and breads, as well as the omelette. I really hope they just give the many small bowls of things I don’t even touch to the next person—it feels so wasteful. I go for a quick wander and get some water for the bus ride.

    I’m not really a bus person, but it was the quickest and best-timed way to get back onto my itinerary. I paid for my ticket online and took a taxi to the bus station. It seems that despite already having a ticket, I need to exchange it for a paper one for another 1 Mark. I do that, then have to pay another 2 Marks for my bag. I’m sure that was already paid for, but for AUD$3 I can’t be bothered arguing.

    Onboard, I take the front row with prime window viewing access. I generally get motion sickness in cars and buses if I can’t see where I’m going—or sometimes even if I can. I’ve got some sweet and salty snacks with me just in case, but I’m pleased to say neither were needed on this trip. The scenery distracted me for the first half of the journey as we wound along a river, then later a series of lakes filling the space between two mountain ranges.

    Through tunnels and over bridges we crisscross the valley. My photography efforts are hampered by the dirty front window—and trees always appearing the second I lift my camera. Occasionally, I spot a rail bridge or train track, but not that often. The train journey was supposed to be the scenic option, but this bus ride is exceeding my expectations. The journey from Mostar up to the capital, Sarajevo, is stunning.

    It’s a different kind of landscape to what I’m used to at home (for starters, there are mountains), and to places like Switzerland or Canada. Instead of green fields or densely packed forests, it’s a mix of greenery and bare rock. It looks both dry and wet at the same time—hard to explain, but striking. Being a local bus, we stop in small towns, unlike the tourist coaches that seem to pause at scenic lookouts or attractions.

    We pick up locals and occasionally receive small packages via the driver’s window—later dropped off at underpasses and street corners where someone is waiting. The scenery disappears as we arrive in Sarajevo, replaced by mid-level high-rise apartments in that stark, concrete style that screams, “we’re behind the Iron Curtain.”

    Geographically we are behind what was once called the Iron Curtain, but Yugoslavia—the precursor to today’s Balkan states—was socialist, not aligned with the Soviet Union. I wanted to visit Sarajevo to understand more about what happened here in the 1990s. I remember seeing news footage growing up—bombings, conflict, war—but I was too young to really take it in. That history lesson will have to wait, as I get off the bus and head straight to the airport.

    Even on this short drive through the city, the signs of a tragic history are still visible. Buildings bear the wounds of what must have happened here—bullet holes in the walls and some larger scars, presumably from explosions or rockets. Some buildings have been patched up, but the mismatched tones of faded paint make the damage easy to spot. There are newer builds too, but that heavy socialist vibe still lingers. It’s a shame I couldn’t explore more or learn firsthand—maybe a deep Google rabbit hole and a documentary will have to do. Bus trip complete, I wait for my flight to Serbia, a little disappointed that my time in Bosnia was so rushed.
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