Hungary

My first proper stop was Budapest. After my start in Silesia in the Czech Republic I drove straight through Slovakia and arrived to the Hungarian capital, Budapest. This was not my first time in Budapest. I went once with family long time ago. We were lucky to stayed in the famous Hotel Gellért with amazing thermal water spa and experienced the local Christmas market. I also once visited two amazing Hungarian girls I am friends with that let me see how young Hungarians live, dine, and party. So this time around I wanted something else and based myself on the Pest side to explore parts of the city I wasn't that familiar with.

Budapest really rivals Prague, they both have great river banks, lots of cool spots, and great architecture. A funny thing that happened here is that I accidently met a girl that thought I am my brother. We are twins and sometimes this happens, but it's funny since she met my brother just a couple of weeks back in Chiang Mai. I was grabbing a chair close to her and she looked at me with this weird look I had to go back and ask her what's up. The world is small! We did a fun tour around the city, had a great dinner, and even met with famous Korean YouTubers.

Oh and I almost forgot, I received my first and only parking ticket. They are super quick here, if you take one hour to exchange your money and find some small coins for the automat, you are already fined.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Budapest is always a great stop, but I couldn't wait to arrive to Bosnia as I have never been there before. I have to say that crossing Hungary and Croatia to Bosnia is absolutely the split one would expect. Here start the Balkan. For one, no more amazing Vignettes you just book online. You need to pay for paid motorways as you go. Speed limits are lower. And drivers start to be unpredictable. The good thing was there is a lots of new roads in Bosnia but the bad is they aren't connected. You'll still have to drive on small busy and slow limit roads with everybody else.

One unexpected thing in Bosnia were the gas station sandwiches. There were real good. Most likely best of everywhere. Petrol was also cheapest. In Albania, they don't really have petrol station sandwitches and petrol is as expensive as in Greece, aparently because it includes some taxes that other countries get elsewhere.

Sarajevo

National capital Sarajevo has a well preserved old quarter, Baščaršija. Great and lively place to walk around, even in the evening. If I really like something about the Balkans it's that people are still out and about at late hours. Something we don't do well in Central Europe. I was also lucky to meet great new people while in Sarajevo, so we could explore the city and some food spots together.

I ate some delicious lamb sausages (one of the best ever) and Ćevapi. They know their meat in Bosnia. Buy some dry one on the road too. Sweets have Ottoman influence and are amazing as well. Other more elaborate dishes weren't that much to my liking but perhaps I wasn't lucky. Get stuffed peppers in Albania instead and thank me later.

The downside to Sarajevo and to an extend Bosnia as a whole, is that they are still kind of living in the past. The war is still on their mind it seems (which is sad, but understandable) and service is bad (perhaps related, perhaps not). I live in the Czech Republic, we don't really smile much, but here it's much worse. No acknowledgment whatsoever with your coffee shop or restaurant order. Sometimes plain rude. I just didn't get it.

Mind you, some of the Bosnians will be super hospitable, like people at your accomodation or people you know. It's just the average service you'll get is bad.

Mostar

I left Sarajevo for one night stop in Mostar. Mostar was a nice surprise after the rather grim Sarajevo. Sunny weather, busy old town, and nice views all around the famous bridge (they say Sarajevo is continental and Mostar Meditterean). A girl I met in Sarajevo joined me here to do a day road trip which was fun. Later on I met with Dino who for took me to an amazing dinner with direct views to the Mostar bridge. A special thanks goes to him for this hospitability.

Montenegro

The drive to Montenegro was an absolute pleasure. I finally had a 40km stretch to just myself. A first awesome drive of the trip outside highways. As for Montenegro, it's a small country with busy roads. The road alongside the coast is absolutely scenic, even though too busy at times. Montenegro is one of the prettiest country per square km. Mountains and a sea together cannot be beaten for views.

Budva

I drove to Budva first where I enjoyed an apartment with parking which is one luxury I started to appreciate more and more. And trust me, you actually need one in Budva. It's a small crowded place. The upside to Budva is how beautiful it is and while you are going to pay premium for it, espressos are still affordable even in restaurants facing the water. If you look a bit further uphill, you'll also find reasonably priced food. As for service, it's a bit better than Bosnia but nothing to write home about.

Bar

Since the road to Kotor was under construction and I didn't want to drive it again, I changed my plans and decided to base myself in Bar. On the way there I stopped for one of the nicest swim at Sveti Stefan. Pricy parking, but incredibly clean water and pretty all around. A must stop! In Bar I based myself inbetween the beach and the town which allowed for beatiful walks to both directions. Bar is also a rare place in Montenegro (and the region) with pine trees alongside the beach so you can enjoy the sea without getting burned.

Albania

Crossing the border to Albania I stopped at a first petrol station after the border. Espessos are no longer served automatically with water (this was a really good about Montenegro), but they also cost $1 so I am not complaining. I see more smiles from the service workers. The vibe is as good as I remember it as this is my second time in Albania. The only change is me coming with a car and noticing lots of gypsy beggars walking on the road. The first time I came here to escape Covid and was still writing my first book Deployment from Scratch. In fact, I had a pivotal moment in the process when I started selling the pre-release and getting my weekly Gumroad payouts. I now receive them to this day.

Tirana

I decided to stop again in Tirana as I really like the city first time around. I was sad to see that my favourite sea food burger place pivoted to be a more traditional restaurant. But even more, I was surprised that taxis in Tirana are now all kinds of electric vehicles instead of the old and trusted Mercedes cars. But don't worry, you'll still meet these old beauties while travelling in Albania. I met a Brazilian girl that actually dances Zouk, a Brazilian dance I used to learn and loved (but failed to meet Brazilians that would know it). I also met French and Malaysian girls which I later picked up in Durres and travelled with to the south. I guess these girls were my first real hitchhikers even thought they didn't stand on the road with a sign.

Vlorë

Since the first time around I haven't seen the south, I was mostly excited to see how Vlorë and Sarandë compare to Tirana, and perhaps if they are places I could see myself spending more time. Vlorë is the bigger of the bunch. There is a huge promanade going through the city and continuing around the long stretch of beach. Great vibes and I found here the best local restaurant. Love Albanian food, although sausages are a far cry from Bosnia. Funny how that's reverse for me. I booked a nice hotel here with parking just in front of it which to me is the peak car travel. I love bringing only essentials to the room while leaving the rest in the car. Some people cannot bring themselves to that, even in the Czech Republic. But I treated my car as my safe and everything was fine in every single place I went to. Since Vlorë was the first place with a sandy beach my car become more and more covered with sand as the days went. And speaking of beach, the water here is unfortunately on the shallow side.

Sarandë

Sarandë surprised me. I thought it will be too small, but during the peak summer season it's very much alive. It also features a city beach which I found quite a bit nicer to Vlorë. Himarë, another (even smaller) town on the way where I stopped for lunch also features a pretty city beach, perhaps the nicest out of these three. Most people travel out to other more beautiful beaches, but it's always great to have one directly in town. I could certainly stay longer here as I absolutely loved the vibes and found myself very affordable places for coffee.

Greece

I would easily stayed longer in Albania, but I had to leave for Greece to meet my old-time fried who was flying in to Corfu. My Greek adventure started in a hotel in Igumenica, a surprisingly nice little port town. We agreed in the end it would be easier to meet in Greece already so I planned on taking a ferry from Igumenica instead of Albania (which would be faster). Igumenica was pretty lively or least a bit more than expected. Nice coffee spots, ice cream, and a town square with beautiful bars. I tried Greek fast food chain for the first time and later we have also seen a local folk concert here by accident.

Corfu

I was set to meet my friend in Corfu so I took a morning ferry from Igumenica, had a fredo espresso on arrival (a common theme for me in Greece) to wait for this landing and we met at a scooter rental nearby the port. We only had a day here, but driving scooters together was fun and we have seen some crazy scenary. Our main stop was a Gyali beach that's a bit hard to access. Since we had scooters already it was a perfect opportunity to go. Apart from the location, you also have to go a bit on foot, but it was absolutely worth it. Water is cold on the west side of Corfu, but the water is 10/10 clean and surrounding is beautiful. Not surprisingly it was also a beach looked for by naturists although most still kept their swim suite on.

Meteora and Mt Olympus

After Corfu we hopped to my car and went east across the mainland Greece to see stunning Meteora. There is a path you can take to have a bit of a hike around. After the hike we still took the car and went to see all the remaining templates at least from the outside. They all close soon, so we decided to see 2 first, hike, and rest of them with the car. Then we based ourselves in Leptokarya to dip in the water on the opposite side and relax before climbing Mt Olympus. We decided to climb Mytikas, the highest peak with 1917m height, in a single day. Arriving to the parking lot early during the night, we managed to do so. I have to say that the last part to Mytikas is quite technical and I wasn't equipped for it at all. Greek gods were with me that day (would not do this again).

Thessaloniki

The last Greek stop was Thessaloniki to enjoy a little bit of a city life and rest after the climb. Been to Athens before, I was curious how it compares. Thessaloniki is the food capital of Greece. The vibe is also great, especially because the city is on the water (unlike Athens which has originally a distinct harbour city). I found great places to eat or have coffee, but remember we are in Greece in summer season and it's not the cheapest stop. Suprisingly it's not actually overcrowded in summer. But it's very hot! After one more road trip to a beach in Halkidiki, I said good bye to my friend, and stayed a bit longer in the city on my own.

I had to find a better parking since the 25 euros/day parking in the center was killing me (and it was one of the better ones, they were worse). Luckily I did. I also found an interesting Brazilian guy who lived in Prague previously but just escaped a Korean religious sect with his wife to Thessaloniki while actually separating from her. Crazy stories and that's why I love meeting people on the road. Before leaving I was also having a big group dinner where we could order like half the menu for everyone to taste. A Greek group next to us even bought us an extra litre of wine. One guy had a story that should be a Netflix comedy special. I couldn't stopped laughing.

Türkiye

My trip was completely open-ended, but I wouldn't dare to dream I am going to include Turkey and take my car all the way to Asia. Since I received an invitation for being hosted at my friend's family I said why t f not. I planned to split the way in half by booking a hotel just after the border and this was a good call. The border had the longest wait so far (in fact it was the only problematic border) and that was just the beginning. I was checked twice before being asked to scan my whole car. The trouble is that you need to leave all your stuff at a windy bench next to the building with the scanner. I haven't really packed having this in mind. Luckily I was let go shortly after that and could go check-in at my hotel.

This hotel had a weird vibe that's hard to describe. It was a big hotel, but empty. I was tired so I even skipped restaurant hunting (I had a car after all) and just called a room service. Interestingly they had all-night room service which is even weirder. This hotel couldn't be making money. At breakfast I met a retired American running a whole way across Europe finishing in Istanbul where his wife is waiting for him. What a legend. And yes, we were the only ones at the breakfast. I said good bye and was ready to drive to Istanbul.

Istanbul

The road to Istanbul from Greece was pretty easy. Spacious two-lane road, not much traffic. What surprised me was the road signs. You see, we have lots of them everywhere. You always know what the speed limit is. But not in Turkey. The speed limit is assumed and only changed at a time. Once over you'll see the cross sign but not a new one. Since my car's sign reading doesn't work in Turkey I honestly didn't know if I am not speeding. There were countless signs that you are being monitor, but not one to tell you how fast to drive.

I think I was a bit afraid to drive in Istanbul, but I don't think it's really worse that what I was already being through. Well, at least the parts I drove. I didn't have to drive in the European side and apart from arriving and leaving I could leave my car in a fenced parking lot. This was my third time in the city, but I always spend my time around the tourist locations on the west bank. So I was curious how a more local life in the east part looks like.

I was joking that I came all the way to have a kebab and partially this was true. You see, I was few times in Turkey but always had just random kebab on the street. But this time I was determined to taste something good. The best kebab shops won't serve you meat with a sauce. It sounds dry, but it really isn't! The meat is just that good and mouth watering.

I have discovered completely new neighbourhoods. Some hipsterish like Kadıköy, some fancy ones further east. You can have things more Turkish style but you'll also find plenty of modern coffee shops with super tasty sandwitches (some of the best of the trip). There are long promenades along the coast. Fast and convenient trains. I finally experienced the proper nightlife which I was bit hesitant to do on my previous trips. It can get pretty similar to Europe with lots of bars, coctails, and dancing.

Living with a Turkish family was really cool. I learned to make proper turkish tea and coffee. Turkish people can be very particular about their tea, I literally seen my host mom not to touch tea at a kebab shop I took her to. I was able to taste lots of homemade food. But it wasn't just about food and drinks! My friend took me to a tennis leason and we also went carting. I am happy to report I won despite my friend having an actual racing license.

Bulgaria

I decided on the night drive to the Turkish-Bulgarian border. Leaving early in the morning I drove almost alone on Turkish highways all the way to Bulgaria. Night drives can be annoying but they can also be special if you treat yourself on occasion. It's the time to enjoy my cabin with ambient lighting and light road traffic. One last stop at a gas station as they clean your windows in Turkey as a courtesy (and my windows needed cleaning!). Espresso is not always available but I was lucky this time and ended with a nice cup of coffee before leaving.

Coming at 7am in the morning to the border was a good call. Unlike entering Turkey, leaving was without any delays. Bulgarians only asked me about my Turkish sauces and pickles that got as a gift. One warning though, a toll road immediately starts here, so it's better to buy a vignette beforehand. And speaking about Bulgarian toll roads, they aren't always highways like in other countries, they can be just regular main roads. Drive from the border was now with the sun rising and I could once again enjoy pretty much empty twisty roads to myself (which wasn't necessarily the case later in Bulgaria). Highways maximum speed limit is 140 km/h which was very much welcome.

Burgas

I picked Burgas as the main city to visit in Bulgaria. Having been to Sofia and Varna before, I was curious how it compares and I wanted to meet a new friend I met this year at a surf camp in Sri Lanka. My Airbnb promised a free parking on the street in front but as it's often the case the free spots were taken. Luckily I still found a free parking. Well, at least somewhere where it looked like the locals park too and the police doesn't care. Wasn't a parking parking if you know what I mean. Burgas is a small place, but very lovely. Similarly to Varna the beaches are surrounded by a huge forested park. The main joy was finding two good coffee shops to work from.

Varna

I decided to revisit Varna since it's a bit bigger, but I couldn't shake a feeling I made a mistake. I had to park on an expensive parking lot and the coffee shops weren't as good as in Burgas (you realize this where you find yourself second time in Starbucks). Still, Varna is a great place, bigger, more grand, and with more beach clubs. I just felt that on this trip I could have rather stayed longer in Burgas. As for food, I found great options in both. I even had an idea to just eat Shopska salata to save money and lose weight. Unfortunately I realized the salad is no longer really cheap.

Romania

Romania was the last main stop of the trip and where I stayed the longest time in the end. I was always curious about this country as there seems to be some kind of mystery around it. Perhaps it's the vampires or a poor reputation the country had in the past. Perhaps it's me falling in love with a Romanian girl long time ago in Malta. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but I was really curious. It was the biggest wildcard of the trip. I started in Bucharest, continued with a circle driving across Carpathian mountains, and finished in Cluj-Napoca.

Bucharest

The capital city is really grand with big avenues and squares. Beautiful old town. Some excellent parks. But I have to say the emptiness of the main square in front of the parliament with lots of construction and a closed mall was really disappointing. I had to walk around it every day as I was usually heading north from my aparment and it just need fixing. Luckily I wasn't here just for the city, but I also met visited Friendly.rb conference and visited some online friends. On the way out to Brasov I also had a lovely stop in Therme Bucharest. I am regular to saunas, but this was a first sauna cinema I have seen.

Transfagarasan and Transalpina

The best drives on the trip happened on the famous Transfagarasan and Transalpina mountain passes. I had Transfagarasan in my mind thanks to Jeremy Clarcson who called it the best road in the world. My Romanian friends suggested that Transalpina is even better and I am so glad I listened and went to drive it too. Although none of the roads feature a sea view, you get deep forests, lakes, and mountains. Perfect twisted roads that are perfect for driving. I finally used my paddle shifters as one should! If you are lucky you can see bears on Transfagarasan which was certainly one of the highlights. On Transalpina, I have seen full traffic of sheep.

Cluj-Napoca

I decided to finish Romania with a week-long stay in one of the countries best cities. Cluj-Napoca is a university city which reminded me of Brno. Similar size, similar vibes. I found a free parking immediatelly and met people I had lots of fun banter with. One disappointing thing was what I call a cafe mafia where many coffee shops in the center don't allow laptops on weekends. To me it looked quite silly, especially since they were all empty. Luckily I could still find ones that had no issues with a laptop whatsoever and they are the once that got my money (and not only on weekends). I visited the student party street which was quite disppointing at the end of summer, but perhaps more alive once semester starts. Some bars in the center were a better visit. You can find fun shots and coctails.

A special thanks goes to Lucian Ghinda, Florin Pop, and Catalin for their Romanian hospitability.

Slovakia

My final stop was a short visit to Košice so I can split the road to home in half. I was curious about it since a lot of students from there study in Brno, a popular Czech university city where I also studied. I also rarely visit Slovak cities. You see, Czechs always come for mountains or thermal spas, but not really for cities. I was certainly surprised how lovely and pretty the city center is. The advantage of being in Slovakia is that you kind of feel already at home. I was born in Czechoslovakia after all.

Final thoughts

I never ever did such a long road trip. I guess most people never have. Having your car and being able to pack some extra stuff is the comfort I didn't know I needed. The freedom to go from any city to any city or beach or mountain is just hard to put into words. Most people might think about the freedom, but for me it was also the drive. I wanted to drive badly, and I was fortunate to drive some of the most scenic roads in the world, often alone. Priceless.

Parking was certainly the most annoying part of the whole trip. Every single city is different and you need to learn where to park. Once you do, things get easier. You also have to be able to drive back if anything happens. But after the first two legs I stopped worrying too much and just enjoyed the experience. I certainly learned a lot.

I was also curious how this compares to travelling on months on to Southeast Asia which I regularly do. Basically, I was able to spend the same amount of money if we don't account for the depreciation of owning a car. The petrol bill for these 6500km was less than the price of one long-haul flight to SEA. Balkans is the last place in Europe where I feel you can attempt something like this (and also super interesting to do so).