Montenegro - Podgorica to Budva

By Deborah - I was a wee bit scared of biking in Montenegro - the name itself Black mountains! The weather forecast predicted 4 days of rain starting with yesterday and I was wet to my knickers within 2 hours of biking.. it was looking like a mental exercise of ‘just getting through it’.  This morning had cleared up but the ‘bike route’ was nonsense! Trucks drove by and you could feel the heat of their tyres they were so close - trust me I was swearing. At the top of the first hill we turned off onto a small country road - suddenly the sun shone, birds sang haha it was an absolute holiday! From then on it all just got beautiful. Well, up until the last part of the day ending with a massively steep descent for 12km in thick fog into the town of Budva. It got very cold on the downhill so we went into the first pup we saw for some coffee and pizza and look for a guest house. . 
Wow! Just wow.. didn’t know this was here. Skadarsko Jezero National park.
Work continues for the bees beside the lake

Proof I was there


Top end of Skadar lake. If you zoom in those light green areas are all lily plants! I would so love to come here when they’re in bloom - can you imagine how beautiful that would be ❤️


Sitting by the church, changing a flat tyre. Johan mentioned at this point ‘from here on the real climbing starts’... as if the last 3 hours had been a hallucination.


Had to show you all how badass I am... this is the elevation profile of our route through Montenegro. The first flatish bit was the wet and busy ride to Podrica. Then today the first hilly bit through the Skadar Lake valley this morning followed by the 870 meter pass over to Budva. No walking was done to gain elevation here but check out that ridiculous downhill!  I freaking loathed it - super fast, thick fog and wet from sweating uphill.
Anything to stop for a break 🤣 This girl had dug a hole to lay her eggs - right next to the road. I would love to follow these turtles about just to see how they live when they’re not on the road.


The view just above Budva. The mist cleared as we got closer and revealed this wicked coast line. 

We have decided to stay in Budva to explore the coast line for a few days while this weather system passes. 

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