Matilda on Tour - Borders, Bays and a Few Surprises Along the Way

Tuesday 7 April — Trebinje

Day 38 — On the move again
Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦

Another glorious day here — blue skies, sunshine, and warm.

Not the easiest journey. Incredible scenery, but the roads wound their way over the mountains, often barely wide enough for two vehicles.

Definitely a bit white-knuckle at times, especially from the passenger seat in the middle.

We stopped for lunch high up in the hills — no view, but a very welcome break.

Trout for me, spiced sausage and eggs for Richard.

Bosnia is quickly turning green. Blossom is everywhere now, and it all looks so pretty. Each day the buds on the grapevines seem to get bigger — harshly pruned back in winter to what look like short sticks, and now slowly coming back to life.

We arrived at the campsite — and, if I’m honest, our hearts sank a little. Concrete everywhere.

After driving through one of the most incredible valleys, it felt like a bit of a jolt.

Unknown to us, it’s attached to a water park, part of a large complex of hotels and holiday accommodation — completely unexpected in the middle of such a beautiful, desert-like area.

That said… first impressions aren’t always the full story.

Checked in, bikes unloaded. we set off in search of the town. The first views were of apartment blocks and tower buildings, but we soon found the main square — and it was worth the pedal. A large open space with old London plane trees filling the square, a really nice feel to it.

We stopped for a beer and sat for a while. I took a wander and, just around the corner, found the old town.

What a contrast to Mostar — not a cobble in sight. Everything paved in bright white stone, clean and polished — quite a surprise.

We wandered into the old town, easing into the evening. There was a relaxed feel to the place, and we soon found ourselves stopping for a beer, with music playing and a really nice atmosphere building around us.

At one point Richard managed a small tumble — nothing serious, just a few scrapes and bruises — and we carried on, a bit more carefully after that.

As the afternoon went on, the town began to gently come to life, a soft buzz of people, light and sound.

We left as it started to get a little chilly, with a steady half-hour ride back to camp.

That night we had the campsite to ourselves. The sunset was beautiful — the sky turning a deep orange, with planes criss-crossing overhead, leaving soft white trails behind them.

A simple, easy kind of evening in a really lovely spot.

In a few years time this will become a lovely little oasis, there are small trees planted on the site which will , I am sure, make it feel completely different.

Wednesday 8 April — Kotor Bay

Day 39 — All’s well that ends well
Montenegro 🇲🇪.

Woken early to the sound of diggers and voices — the campsite is very new and clearly still a work in progress.

We crossed three borders fairly quickly — Bosnia into Croatia, then on towards Montenegro, where things slowed a little with queues.

The views as we headed towards the coast were incredible — that deep blue of the Mediterranean and tall, thin pine trees everywhere.

It turned into one of those days where plans kept changing. Closed or non existant campsites, narrow roads, and busy traffic meant we had to keep adapting as we went.

Finally arriving at Kota - the last option of my friend George’s recommendations for camping place for the night - the gates were padlocked, it was no longer a camping carpark.

The town was bedlam, cards, buses, pedestrians everywhere. Eventally we managed to stop and take stock.

With no wifi we reverted to the camper sat nav, we found a site just out of town. OMG it sent us up towards an old fort, saying there was a camper contact car park at the top.

The road up twisted its way through tight switchbacks, the final stretch single track with no passing places — definitely not Matilda roads.

But what a spot when we got there — high up, with views that made it all worthwhile - but there was no campsite!!!

A very simple but rather memorable meal of pot noodles, crackers, and a beer each while we took it all in.

Then the drive back down — surprisingly, I was pretty calm on the way down, the opposite of how I felt on the way up.

And now we’re parked up by the sea, just a stone’s throw from the old town.

Definitely a day I will always remember.

Thursday 9 April - Kotor

Day 40 — Old Town, Sea Views and Moving On
Montenegro 🇲🇪

The wind picked up again overnight and we expected a rough day, but by mid-morning it had dropped and the sun came out.

We headed into the old town — Stari Grad — and it really is a stunning place. The town walls climb high up into the mountains, quite spectacular, with a path running alongside them all the way up.

We found a quiet square for lunch and let the time drift by.

Two large cruise ships were docked, and the town was noticeably busy. You can see how much they bring to the place — the restaurants were full and there was a real buzz about it.

Later in the afternoon we moved about seven miles down the coast, ready for the ferry in the morning. We ended up at a different site than planned — one of those “we’re already in, so this will do” moments.

Simple, but it does the job.

I took the bike out for a solo ride back towards Kotor — a lovely stretch along the bay, with both cruise ships slowly making their way out. Its a shame I forgot my phone.

Montenegro really is a spectacular country — the scenery is incredible. The roads, though, are not my favourite. It feels like one big mountain range, with steep, winding roads and changing surfaces.

We’ll start heading back up the coast tomorrow, hoping to stop in Dubrovnik before making our way back into Bosnia — and hopefully finding a place to stay put for a few days.

10 April — Molunat, Croatia 🇭🇷

Day 41 — Blue skies, long waits, and a peaceful ending
Croatia 🇭🇷

After an exceedingly noisy night, with barking dogs and passing traffic, we woke to blue skies and warm sunshine.

Once we got moving, we headed for the ferry.

It was all wonderfully straightforward — tickets bought, straight on board, and within 15 minutes we were off again, heading back along the coast.

The drive itself was short, around 25 miles, passing quickly through Montenegro in the sunshine — and of course, superb views.

Then we reached the Croatian border…

Six hours later, we finally crossed. Painfully slow, and not quite the relaxed afternoon we’d imagined.

We arrived at our planned campsite around 18:30. It wasn’t open — the place was completely deserted, but we settled in anyway.

And what a spot — parked lengthways with a beautiful view stretching out from the van as we cooked dinner.

Best of all… no traffic, no barking dogs tonight.

🌿☀️It’s been one of those stretches — a few challenges, a bit of uncertainty, and more than the usual amount of patience required. But we’ve kept moving, kept adjusting, and found some really special moments in between. Not always smooth, but still very much worth it.🌿☀️