I did not get good sleep last night as few of the hostellers were making a lot of noise. In the morning I shifted to drawing room. Then I got ready leisurely. Internet was also not working. I went to the green market which is nearby and bought some fruit and bread. Zarko came to the hostel at 12.30 p.m. and we went to his office. He did some more internet work. I could speak to Robert from Mecedonia Association. From Zarko’s office, we went down across the street to a good restaurant. Nicola was also with us. I talked about sending Trekkers group to India next year. I gave some more details. Nicola spoke to Goran in Croatia and he spoke to me also. Lunch was large. First Raeka drink and then fried Pepes followed by a large plate of fried meat of various kinds. It was more than enough. When we were going out, some girls were distributing orange juice bottles for publicity. Zarko took two bottles and gave them to me.
4.20 p.m.: I am sitting in the bus for Pristina which will leave at 4.30.
6.00 p.m.: Bus is going fast on a highway. There are 20 passengers in all. 3 have just come in when the Bus stopped near a factory. Road is comparatively good. I fell asleep the moment bus started with the ticket in my hand. Bus conductor checked the ticket and left a small packet of cake which is for early passengers.
There are maize fields on both the sides and then some other plantation. There are very few homes in the sight. We have crossed a small river and far off is a nice and wide looking village.
Now from flat field, we are coming to a hilly area. Bus is good and air conditioned.
6.30 p.m. : Bus has stopped for 15 minutes break. There is a restaurant and a restroom to freshen up.
I have finished all my Dinar (Serbia) money. Whatever was left, Zarko changed to 5 Euros and rest in the phone.
Bus has taken a turn from the restaurant from highway and we come to a smaller road. There are rice villages and a town. There are neat and clean houses, shops and restaurants in this town. We are proceeding to the border. Conductor noted down passport No. of all the passengers.
8.30 p.m.: We passed through some very scenic beauty. The landscape was slightly hilly. There are some small towns also.
9.45 p.m.: The bus has stopped at the border and passports are collected by the conductor. For the last 1.30 hrs, the journey is through small hills and thick jungles. A few houses in villages have bulbs hanging outside. Road is narrower and it is difficult for two trucks or buses to pass each other.
10.45 p.m.: First we stopped at some border port that was Serbia. Then at a little distance was Kosovo Post. An immigration Officer come in the bus and collected all passports or ID cards. I was very apprehensive from the morning how Kosovo immigration will treat me as India does not have diplomatic relations with them. I had made a return plan also in case they don’t allow me to enter. But nothing is of that sort happened. Conductor brought the passport and ID cards back to the Bus and distributed. My furious self escaped a sigh of relief.
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