2018-12-16 Day 96 Sun

It had not snowed during the night but we had big icicles hanging from the rubber seal on the roof. We were enjoying our normal slow morning on the computers and had just finished plotting the areas of land mines on our map when a car arrived and parked between us and the road. John went out to say good morning and was told it was a pig hunting party. About 15 cars showed up as well as a coupe of walkers who decided to walk a different hill! Our peace shattered we packed up in a hurry and left.

A couple of the hunter's group were responsible for having a warming fire for those returning or maybe they were cooking lunch....

Finishing our second crossing of the Papuk Nature park and half way through our third the road became covered in snow the snow plow had turned off. We followed the cleared track and came to the Parks headquarters. A nice small walk was offered with caves and graves. So we paid the entry fee. I put on my Arctic gummies given by a friend on the Stella Australis and John put gaiters on his boots. We followed in others footsteps to the tomb of the local Count in a cave then John had to make tracks in the 20cm snow. We found the graves but gave up on the water fall as our extremities were getting cold.

A really lovely short walk about one hour. I was told that although they have 1.5m of snow a year they do not have many snow days or many days with it on the ground.
 

The road that has not been cleared to the southern half of the park is only gravel. We went back the way we came.

Traveling west we got within one hours drive of Zagreb in Sisak and camped right between the Sava and Kupa river beside the Stari Grad fort. There was a restaurant so we asked permission to camp and had dinner. We had a bass fillet and a catfish fillet both were okay but a basic meal.
 

We are having trouble getting level lately as we cannot get up on our wooden blocks in the ice they just skate away or we just slide off them as they also are icy.

204km

Camp site

 

2018-12-15 Day 95 Sat

Woke to a snow covered earth cruiser. Drove up into town and got some cash from the ATM. Met a local chap who had little English, but chatted none-the-less. He did not like the snow or the modern looking church. But was cheerfully glum!! maybe his German heritage? He knew an Aussie lady here but she did not answer when he rang so we trundled on out of town, towards Zagreb and a Fuso & Webasto service hopefully.

One really different and neat thing we saw was the power line poles out the top of the house roofs certainly made growing trees easier….

It continued to snow throughout the day. We were filling in time so drove over the mountains then back across the high pass 600m altitude and camped at a clearing where they load logs. Not far from the road. It got down to -5℃

 123km

Camp site

2018-12-14 Day 94 Fri

A quiet night beside the river. Checking the forecast again changed our minds we would now head towards the coast and more stable weather. It is forecast for 3-5cm of snow today another 10-20cm tonight, and yet more tomorrow. 

Our minds now made up we headed off NW towards the border with Croatia. Not to Hungary as yesterday's plan was.

As we drove the snow started and got heavier. Not good visibility.

We drove past carrot harvesting in the snow, and there were bags of carrots for sale on the side of the road; with the ubiquitous cabbage.

We made a big grocery shop in Movi Sad at a Roda Megamart and it was the biggest store we had been in for a while. Did not buy meat as was not well looked after, but we bought lots of smoked meat, muesli and enough to spend out last 9000 of notes A$120. The wine had to go on the card. Some of the smoked meat was quiet expensive. A$30/kg

Getting closer to Christmas

These big wells are often used to fill the animal troughs.

Next a little more fuel to get us over the border; we didn’t fill as it is over A$2 in Serbia and a little cheaper in Croatia. We sat in the gas station for a few minutes and did some phone updates and had an espresso (A$2 each getting more expensive).

At our lunch stop I didn't want to put the roof up as the snow would get caught, and then when dropped it, melt and run into the vehicle.

At boarder control, we drove passed the waiting trucks filling our lane and slotted in behind 4 cars. A quick look inside the house door and we were out. Onto the Croatia border passed more trucks waiting and again with a quick look in a locker. Asked about cigarettes and alcohol. Again through very quickly.

It was still snowing and by now quite a few inches had settled. We camped at Aljmas perched on a dock overlooking the Danube.

I had a couple of honey, lemon and brandy drinks and went to bed, with a sore throat and thick head. We had a visit from the police while john was still up; but just checking papers.

164km

Camp site

 

2018-12-13 Day 93 Thu

We drove across the country of Serbia to see the fort and it was closed till next year. A bit of a disappointment. We drove past (or under as the case was) then turned around and headed back towards Belgrad.

Our thoughts had been to go visit the capital, maybe grab a hotel for two nights, and just have a look at the city. However as we got closer this held less appeal and we changed direction to “miss” the capital.

100 km south east of Belgrade, between Ralja and Radinac were lots of rail lines marked. It turned out to be a very smelly dirty area with several smoke stacks and piles of coal (hence the rail lines). A coal power plant. Not a nice feeling about the place

To market to market....


We crossed the Danube again and headed on North. The idea was to head north to Hungary’s capital Budapest before heading for the coast.

After a few circuits of the back streets of Titel, John finally found us a camp on the West bank of the Tisza river. About 10km north of the Danube. We had camped on the Tisza river our third night in Hungary on the 27^th October. And another time

in Ukraine on November 11^th. A much visited River. 

196km
 

Camp site

2018-12-12 Day 92 Wed

John ventured out in the morning to replace our drinking water filter and before too long the local farmer was down for a chat (with his minimal English and Johns total lack of Serbian). The two of them headed out to a field to investigate the small mounds of earth that we had been wondering about. The farmer watched on with obvious amusement as John dug up one of the mounds to find no burrow beneath. Apparently the industrious little animals construct the mounds then scurry of somewhere else to sleep.

We were treated to a thorough and enthusiastic tour of two local farms and were most interested to see the half dozen milking cows in their stalls, each with a dedicated drinking fountain. Dragana was a pretty creative chap - having fabricated a tool to rewind burnt our electric motors. We were also proudly shown the tiny local wooden Orthodox Christian Church.

It was midday by the time we bid farewell to our new Serbian friends and departed with fresh milk, eggs and preserved chilies

Headed for the castle fort at Goublac and the Danube. Most of it was on Orange road and although not much traffic was still quite slow as it had an uneven surface and lots of villages.

The decision was made to push through to the castle and if a camp was not available we could park in the forts car-park over night.

Just before arriving at the fort we noticed a car parked to the side under the cliff on a track. The forts car-park was well lit and locked. End of that idea. Back to the cliff face and the other parked car, which happened to be 3 fishermen who had a 3 hour drive ahead of them after a 3 hour fishing expedition with no fish.

 
It was just light enough for John to take some camp photos. We assume it will be foggy in the morning.

137km 

Camp site

2018-12-11 Day 91 Tue

The road was down hill from here and out of the snow. We visited the monument called two hands which was really quite impressive close up.

While trying to find a lunch stop we came across this quaint little church.

We found our way to Sveti Veilkomucenik Georgije and paid our entry fee of 400 (A$5.5). Absolutely astonishing - the pictures are all done in mosaic. About 40,000000 tiles and 15,000 shades of colors, Then we visited the crypt beneath ……

The King of Serbia had it built in the 1920’s with marble floor and his son when he came to power a few years later had the mosaics done with Venetian glass tiles.

A quick visit to the museum the guy had good English and told us the history of the church.

By now the day was done and we had 30min to find a camp. Into some back roads, but our through road had a piece missing at a culvert and not suitable for us. We turned to camp on a rough section of grass. I noticed a nearby farmer watching and John walked over for a chat. Friendly chaps came over to look at the vehicle and all was well.

192km

Camp site

2018-12-10 Day 90 Mon

It snowed a couple of inches over night. John made a little mess getting EC out of the camp site!! The roads were not at all slippery as the snow plow had been through with his blade and sand. We nearly decided to by pass Bajina Basta and the Raca Monastery as the last few we had been in were a bit disappointing.

We stopped in Zlatibor to do a quick shop. Quite an interesting process, The roads were all dead ends or blocked off and only one way in and out.

Arrived at the Raca Monastery and were not disappointed. Some great paintings and no other visitors.

Next onto Bajina Basta township for some lunch. We drove around and couldn’t find a place to eat, So drove on. Just out of town perched above the banks of the slightly flooded Drina river we found a restaurant. Shared a mixed grill and chips. Mostly different pork cuts and sausage, was OK but nothing special. A$15

Up the hill on Yellow to find a camp over looking the river – was not to be. We ended up 4km’s down a  snow cover track perched on the side of the track with views . A few houses around but seem empty maybe summer farmers?? Two vehicles drove past late evening

167km

Camp site