Smith's in Sarajevo: An Adventurous Week of Travel

Sorry this week's post is late. When we arrived in Montenegro we realized we both forgot our computers so we had to wait until we got back to Sarajevo to make this post

This week we spent a couple of days getting our visa application submitted. Here in Bosnia you are required to get a blood draw to make sure your blood is clean along with a mental examination ( I was very worried about that test - lol). I was sure they were going to determine I was crazy. But we passed and they accepted our applications. Because of the blood draw we are told we won't be able to donate blood back in the US for 10 years. After 10 years I'll probably be donating organs instead of blood.

Once we submitted our visa applications we could leave the country, so we decided to go to Montenegro to visit the other Branch with whom we are assigned to work. Bosnia and Montenegro are quite different from each other in many ways; culture, economy, ethnicity and terrain.

Whenever we asked people the best way to get to Montenegro, they just laughed, which wasn't real consoling to us. Once we started on our journey, or I guess adventure would be better stated, we understood way they laughed at us. What we thought was an international highway between the two capital cities turned out to resemble a goat trail. We went over two tall mountain ranges and crossed the 3rd deepest canyon in the world, all over a one lane narrow goat trail, which came fully stocked with goats.

Border crossings are usually pretty established facilities. This one left some room for expansion. This is the bridge we crossed to enter Montenegro.

Once in Montenegro the road got better because they have EU money to help with road construction. But that comes with it's own problems. We were enjoying the better road until we encountered this sign. Which was followed by the machine blocking our way. The sign says road closed for 2 hour intervals and just our luck we got to sit for 1 1/2 hours waiting for it to open again.

Once we made it to Podgorica, Montenegro we couldn't find the church where we were supposed to meet the other senior couple, as you have to buy a new SIM card for each country. We were able to find our hotel and check in and then we had Wi-Fi. The next day we met up with Elder and Sister Allan, who are serving as Humanitarian couple. They were gracious and gave us a tour of the city before going to the church to set up for the Branch Christmas party to be held that night. They showed us some Roman ruins from the first century. That is amazing when you think that is the time that the Apostles were still on the Earth.