My holiday for the 1st half of 2011 is likely to be the one in May – to Serbia & Macedonia. It’s for the VT Euromeet, an annual convention of travel junkies. Lots of new faces, and a few friendships (Hansi & Lori from Ontario; Giampiero from California) to be renewed.
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/13c530/
Flights were booked months ago – with KLM & JAT via Amsterdam to Belgrade. Out on 21 May and back the 31st.
Now the hotels, trips, dinners and so on are starting to fall into place. It’s getting exciting.
4 nights in Belgrade to start – the hotel looks amazing. Make sure your sound is on if you click on the link.
Monday is for meetings – already fixed up to meet someone at the UK Embassy – but the rest is just fun. Spending Tuesday afternoon in a rakia bar has to count as letting the hair down.
Next is Bitola in Macedonia – but I have to choose between a night in Niš (Serbia) or Skopje (Macedonia) on the way, to break the 6 hour drive.
Just 2 nights in Bitola, but the hotel seems good again. €60 per night for a 4 star place is hard to argue with.
www.milleniumpalace.com.mk/bitolaang.html
Then 2 nights in Ohrid, on the spectacular Lake Ohrid.
www.hoteltino.com.mk/enindex.html
I believe its possible to drive right around the lake, through Albania, if I have the right papers for the car. Tempting!
After that, a day for meetings in Skopje on the way back to Belgrade and the flights home.
Only 5 weeks to go!
© iain taylor 2011