Day 36

Sleeping location: Hidden in the woods near Vojnik, Macedonia
Distance (km today/total): 57 / 3630
Estimated climb (m today/total): 700 / 28400
Average size of dogs involved in chase: spaniel
Day in three words: Fed and watered

I spent the majority of my 20 hours in Skopje eating, drinking and lying in bed, which was absolutely great. Food in particular has been something I’ve neglected at times on this trip, so I’ll take any opportunity for a proper munch (or in this case, three opportunities). I had a little cycle through Skopje centre but it’s still the same combination of weird and unremarkable that I remember. I did get a fist bump from a guy selling paintings though.

Set off about 2.30 (or twenty past kebab) for a short day towards a wild camp spot I’d seen on the app iOverlander, as from google maps it looked like pretty difficult terrain to find anything good. This hypothesis was proved correct by the 50km of semi-rural scrubland and run down towns I went through after leaving Skopje. The whole journey was pretty unremarkable, apart from one point where three (not very big) dogs got very excited and started chasing me. I think they were being playful rather than aggressive, but it was quite scary as they were with me for a few hundred metres and I kept expecting a chomp on my calf.

The camp spot turned out to be one of the best in a while, nice sheltered woodland with a soft leafy floor and evenly spaced trees, so I slung my hammock and headed back to a nearby petrol station to use their wifi and loos (hehe). Nothing else to talk about really. Tomorrow starts with a long climb up to the border with Bulgaria, which I should hit by lunchtime. I can’t wait for some shopska salad, grilled duck hearts and a crisp NNPNCKO*

*Total in-joke, sorry






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