by John Bryant

Created on: May 13, 2008   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

Croatia and Slovenia of the former Yugoslavia have been back on the international tourist map for several years - and rightly so - but several other former Yugoslav republics are only recently opening themselves to tourists a dozen years after the end of the Balkans war. In a recent June, however, two couples from Tucson were willing members of a guided tour in Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and another area we didn't know we would tour. We were not disappointed!

We approached our trip differently, though, than we had traveling in other parts of Europe. For example, although we had just completed 11 days driving in a rental car through Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary, we were not certain about the safety of driving in these additional countries so we decided a guided small bus tour would be best for us. Following research through the Reise-Profi agency in Germany (www.driveeurope.com, info@driveeurope.com or hrank@driveeurope.com), we chose the Balkan Tour' offered by Atlas Tours of Croatia. This tour offered a small bus, multilingual escort guide, and driver; paid admissions to several attractions; 7 nights of lodging in 3, 4, or 5 star hotels, including breakfasts; all for 850 euros per person, then $1156. We thought that was an attractive package and, after the trip, we still felt that way! That's not always the case, of course!

Our tour group consisted of five Americans, one Irishman, and a French couple who spoke only French. Our very experienced, knowledgeable, and always excellent guide Mirianne and the local guides we often had offered their commentaries in English and, then, Mirianne would follow in French . My high school French was marginally helpful in talking to the French couple but their home was just south of the French-Belgian border - in the Ardennes region - so the husband and I learned we could talk and use hand and arm' signals to discuss the events of World Wars I and II in his home area! Difficult and always frustrating but worthwhile in retrospect!

Our tour began in Dubrovnik, Croatia in midmorning of a Monday with three hours free to wander the streets of the old town, 'the Pearl of the Adriatic'. A beautiful city very worthy of its separate description! Meeting just outside the old town after our free time, we boarded our small bus and drove southward along the Adriatic coast through 30 miles of green farmland to the border near Herceg Novi, Montenegro. Our border crossing gave us a sense of those we would encounter throughout our trip!

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