Montenegro > Over the mountain ridge to Vranjak

It’s not so bad if you go to bed early, but then you also have to get up at night to use the toilet. I gather my courage and cross the little field to the toilet. In the distance, a dog notices my presence and starts barking. Above me I see a beautiful starry sky. In admiration, I stand for a moment looking up at the sky. Then I quickly dive back under the warm blankets.Around eight o’clock I wake up again. Ranco is already walking around outside. The sun is shining brightly. I think it’s going to be a beautiful day.

Montenegro - Stunning view over the wide surroundings

I have my breakfast in the sunshine. Nicola arrives to pick up my luggage. There is still no news about my main baggage. Most likely, it is still in Italy. Vlado keeps me informed about the progress every day, but so far he hasn’t had any positive news. Unfortunately. I hand over my plastic bags to Nicola for transport. I almost feel ashamed that he has to drive just for these.After breakfast I leave the eco-lodge Goles. Ranco waves me off. I follow the route Ranco has indicated uphill. This matches the explanation Bosco gave me yesterday. At a small monument I have to turn left. I see only a faint track of a motor vehicle. This must be the path. I follow the track into the forest. The trail climbs steadily. After about forty-five minutes of climbing, the track ends. I continue a short distance further through the tall grass to the top of the ridge. From here I have a beautiful view over the wide surroundings. Down in the valley I can just see a small part of the lake. It lies almost a kilometer lower. I have to keep following the ridge, but I can no longer really distinguish a clear trail. I walk through the grass to the next mountain top. Every now and then I spot a red-and-white mark on a rock as a sign that I am on the right route.Suddenly I hear two dogs barking and growling at me in the distance. A girl rushes over and calls them back. She is herding a flock of sheep. Soon I see sheep all around me. I greet her and try to make small talk, but it is difficult because of the language barrier.

Montenegro - Through the tall grass to the top of the mountain

As I climb further up to the viewpoint on the highest peak, I suddenly hear Dutch. Two Belgian women approach me from the other side. They left this morning from Vranjak, my accommodation for tonight. They plan to continue hiking down to the lake today. Quite a strenuous trek.Around two o’clock I see the village of Vranjak in the distance. I can also see the eco-lodge. I follow the trail until I reach the campsite. I am welcomed by Tamara. She shows me the accommodations. She leads me to a tiny hut, not even one and a half meters high. I had already wondered what it was. Inside there is just enough space for a double mattress. I can also choose a larger hut, which I prefer. A little later I open the door of my hut. On the ground floor are three beds and upstairs two more. A fine place to spend the night.In the evening I strike up a conversation with a Montenegrin man. He speaks excellent German. He lives in Žabljak and is on a day trip. He offers me food because he has far too much. Before I can tell him that I’m also going to have my own dinner, there is already a plate in front of me in no time. Montenegrin hospitality. I thank him kindly.When the sun sets, it immediately turns chilly. I am already wearing two T-shirts and have nothing more with me. I sit inside the dining room and grab an extra blanket from my hut. My meal is served here. During dinner, the other guests also come inside because of the cold: three French families and a German couple. Fortunately, everyone speaks fairly good English. When I start to feel cold here as well, I head back to my hut and go to bed. It is not yet nine o’clock.