Today we left Croatia and headed inland about 10 – 15 kms until we hit this queue at the Bosnian border … we were there for nearly an hour and then they just waved us through when they saw the Australian passports.

This was the first sight after we left the border, so it augers well for an interesting trip. Mostar was only about an hours drive inland along the river that we had jumped in earlier in the day. We were very glad that we were wet while waiting in the border queue as the weather was 41 plus.

By the time we got to Mostar it was seriously hot. There is a great car park just near the famous old bridge. Unfortunately, the first people we encountered were beggars. Not a good advertisement for a town that is trying to gain tourists.

It was really very interesting, although I have to whinge and say that they had the worst cobble stoned streets that I have ever had the misfortune to have to walk over. I wouldn’t have minded if they were really old, but they clearly were not. They were just dumb. Lovely smooth stones sticking out of cement so you either trip over or slip over.

This is a shot of the bridge as we came into town. In retrospect it really is very beautiful … but am very over touristy junk shops and it was so hot … 41 plus plus that I found it hard to enjoy. We wandered over the bridge and to the east side where the war was waged. John went for a walk and I just sat at a cafe with some lovely local men, bought a bottle of water and tipped it over my head. Then they gave me another one for free … which of course I paid for later.

Then we headed down to the river … it was very cold but oh so refreshing and I think saved me from getting heat exhaustion. John jumped in from the rocks a couple of times … there was quite a current … the water was running pretty fast. He met a young kiwi guy who had jumped from the bridge that morning … he split his lip and had a huge bruise on his shoulder.

In cooler weather I am sure I would have loved Mostar.

After Mostar we headed inland for about an hour along a beautiful river, through a very rugged mountain range. I was just pleased that we didn’t have to climb them!

We spent last night next to a large restaurant on the main road. We had drinks and dinner and used their internet for several hours last night. Back there again now.

Fortunately the weather cooled down dramatically last night and we had a good nights sleep … thank god for earplugs!

We will be heading to Sarajevo today … hope it isn’t too hot … don’t think there is a very nice river to jump in there …. according to Michael Palin it is full of rubbish! We will see!

Photos John took of the remnants of the war.