At some point during my 4×4 voyage around the globe I have realized It wasn’t me who was planning the trip but life it self.
From Slovenia to Greece
exhibition- Russia
December 22, 2019
From Greece to Turkey
June 11, 2020PART 1
Journey to the unknown
Always delivering more options and directions to choose from but generally I felt as I have lost the control over my navigation system.
My plan was to visit ex Yugoslavian countries headed down to Greece, make a stop in Istanbul and Cappadocia, continue the route to Mongolia and shipped the car to Australia.
Everything till Mongolia went smoothly with a few ‘hiccups’ now and then but afterwards the journey took it’s own turn.
Instead of surfing in Avstralia I ended up learning long exposure photography in Vancouver, chasing Aurora Borealis all around Canada and discovering ancient ruins around Yucatan and Central America.
Not to mention swimming with dolphins and mantas in Hawaii
with some extra flights to Bangkok to join my photo team and my photography tutor Mr. Gavin Gough as well as finally got an opportunity to meet the legendary Mr. William Albert Allard.
How could this happen?
Mišmaš all the way!
🤷🏼♀️🙅🏼♀️🙆♀️
I started the trip headed to Croatia where a beautiful river Kolpa is ‘crossing’ the border (Slovenia- Croatia) and took the opportunity to visit my grandparents in Kočevje to give me a final blessing before I really power ‘those horses’ and hit the road.
I spent my first night next to the river where as a child I had picnics with my family, so it was a perfect spot for the beginning of my travels into unknown.
My friend Samir from Jesenice, Slovenia one who I consider as an encyclopedia of a healthy humor suggested I should visit his uncle Neron when exploring Bosnia.
So, I did. Do you know what happens when Slovenian and Bosnian people meet?
Not only I was shooting the best landscapes Samir’s uncle Neron suggested and take me to…
…in the end of the day I was drinking Bosnian brandy, singing and dancing as I would never sing nor dance before.
I really felt the gipsy side of me. That is how Bosnia influences on you. It extracts the natural essence out of you.
Yugoslavian brothers and sisters never disappointed me. In fact I always had a problem to leave their lands except this time I had no excuses. I had to be on schedule and not to extend my staying if I wouldn’t want to be stuck in the mud somewhere in Mongolia.
I had a long drive from Bosnia towards Niš continuing the route in a puring rain that was not helpful for my upcoming anxiety nor did it help with the exhaustion I started to feel during the drive.
Continuing the road headed to my next stop- lake Ohrid, a great floods delayed my mission entering the Republic of Macedonia. I eventually set my campground somewhere outside the city of Niš and call it a day when I’ve noticed my mobile home started sinking in the mud.
At first I thought my imagination has no limits and I am only frightened from the futured 4×4 adventure. Very soon I have realized sinking has no relations with my wild imagination and am facing the reality.
This was the first time I was really frightened, it almost scared the shit out of me. (Excuse me for the language, but I am not execrating…)
I almost made ‘a cross’ over my mobile home when the copilot jumped in to the car and saved the mobile home from “drowning.”
What an important moment that faced me with my greatest fear before entering Mongolia. “It might happen quickly without you even noticing and it can be really nasty” as I have heard from experienced off road travelers. I was glad for the uncomfortable experience that served me with all the informations I needed to proceed my mission.
“It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”
I needed the sun, I needed the sea. I needed to hear a worm welcoming and get one more blessing before entering the land of Turkey. Take me to Greece.
Here my friends is where the new chapter begins…
Equipment: Mercedes G Pro, Canon, GoPro, Fuji instax, portable printer, Macintosh;
Mercedesbenz 👉Graz- Austria, Dream team car 👉Martigues- France, ORC 👉Stuttgart- Germany, Mixi caravaning👉Šentjur- Slovenia, 4×4 servis 👉Maribor- Slovenia
MAPS: Ex Yugoslavian countries @maps.me
How did you enjoy the journey so far?
Next stop: Greece 🇬🇷, Turkey 🇹🇷
Destination: Mongolia 🇲🇳