Bihac (Bi-ach)

Hop on the bike and it's exciting to visit a new country. Finally, I'll see the amazing hospitality and friendliness of Bosnia Herzegovina. Sure, they don't use the Euro and no free roaming. Sure, it's been impossible to find any hosts on my route through this smallish country. But how hard can it be? Bloody, it turns out. 

The weather turns and clouds gather overhead. Pathetic fallacy, omen or just pure coincidence, I simply know that it is not the best way for a country to welcome a cyclist. 

Gotta get off this major road as soon as possible, as it seems Bosnian drivers are so curious about my bike they have to pass me extremely close. Doesn't matter if you are driving a tiny car or a large van, 10-20cm is sometimes all the clearance I get : a nerve wracking experience and worse than any other country I have ridden through. 

Aha, here's a quieter and more direct road. The catch? It's a mixture of pure mud and elevation, sometimes necessitating pushing my bike through the loose gravel and rutting trails. 

Then it starts raining. 

I am sure it's am interesting country: three religions (Catholic, Muslim, Orthodox), three ethic groups (Bosnian Croats, Serbians, Turkish), beautiful scenery and rich history. In this northern part, each village has its own minaret (Muslim tower) and I hear call to prayer chanting frequently as I ride by. 

Hard to appreciate all this when there are so many cars and large trucks all trying to run shoulders with my bike. And I am supposed to have at least five more days heading south through this country? Maybe I need another course of action. This is not simply physically tough, but mentally exhausting, and probably life endangering.