Travel Through Bosnia and Herzegovina on a Harley-Davidson
By Peter & Kay Forwood
Bosnia-Herzegovina on a Harley (11/12/97 - 13/12/97)
Distance 410 km (78350 km to 78760 km)
This is part of the third section of our around
the world trip.
Complete Trip Overview &
Map
Coming from Yugoslavia
11/12/97 A 2 km line of trucks awaited the
ferry across the Sava River to Bosnia. With a short wait we were in
Bosnia almost before we realized. All border crossings very informal
and quick. No payments required for us or the motorcycle as we already
had Bosnian visas. We had been advised in Yugoslavia that it was DM
50.00 per head for a visa at the border. The road through Yugoslavia
was flat rich black soiled breadbasket country,
Croatia was heavily forested. On entering the "corridor" between Muslim
and Serbian Bosnia the most dominating features were of shot up and
destroyed
buildings. Reconstruction is zooming alongside destruction and
capitalism
is growing with the steady flow of trucks bringing imported goods.
12/12/97 This morning we headed towards Tuszla and
onto Sarajevo. The good road worn smooth by trucks and covered with a
thin film of clay from vehicles entering from side roads was
particularly slippery in the light drizzle. Great concentration was
required in some areas and even
to break slightly meant loss of control of the motorcycle. Tuzla seemed
an
industrial centre with smoke pollution coming from the power station
and wood fires in homes. It wasn't till about 50 km from Sarajevo 
that the
total destruction of homes and entire villages became the dominating
feature of our attention and once in Sarajevo every building had bullet
marks in the walls. Most hotels are still gutted and we stayed in
private accommodation. But it is two years since the war finished and
the streets are thriving
with businesses, the rebuilding is rapid and the shops well stocked
with
imported goods. SFOR troops are apparent everywhere in the city but as
consumers not law enforcers obviously helping the economy recover.
13/12/97 Not wanting to impose an extra burden on
Sarajevo's infrastructure problems (water only 6 hours a day) we left
for Dubrovnik in Croatia. A magnificent road winding through hills then
down a river valley past a series of dams. A drizzly start clearing to
a sunny day marred only by the totally war destroyed villages along the
way.
Move with us to Croatia
or go to our next visit to
Bosnia and Herzegovina