J45 – 1/31/2006

Macedonia is a mountainous country.  Serge is rather fed up after passing two 1200 meter cols at the top of this long, very long climb.  Especially because he makes it a point of honnor to arrive before nightfall, to avoid the stress he has felt since the beginning on roads with such heavy traffic.

We are still in the same time zone as France, the only difference being : sunrise is at 6H15 and night falls at 17H00.

Christian has taken the wheel of the 4×4 and begins his role as feeder.  He is a bit lost because Eliane and René give specific feedings which follow a schedule and at the same time the rules aren’t too strict.  In short, it’s a job be learned under the attentive eye of Eliane.

As for Fulvio, one would almost believe he speaks Macedonian.  At every stop he is able to converse with the locals who happen to be present: apple vendors, policemen, the grandmother who is doing her shopping; and he always has his camera in hand.

The city of Bitola is full of snow and the day before yesterday the temperature was -20°C.  This evening is just a few degrees below freezing, bearable.  Tomorrow we will leave Macedonia for Greece.  Our adventure goes on.