When we left Greece we were on the road for almost two months. That was two months of amazing and unforgettable life experiences including learning about history, enjoying natural beauty, and meeting beautiful people. We gave ourselves a lot of freedom on the road. We had a general idea of where we wanted to go geographically, but we made no concrete plans until usually two days before. We could follow our whims. We could go to the mountains when we got tired of the cities or of driving. We could go detour to any village and stop at any cheese or fruit vendor along the road. And many people we met, and probably many reading this, would say: “That is the best way to travel, just go with the flow.” But that was also two months of living out of 40L backpacks and changing our bed and our bath every second or third night. That was two months of encountering different cultures, languages, religions, customs, and food as well as different currencies and exchange rates, different road rules and vignettes, different public transportation every couple of days. Most people (including myself prior to every previous vacation) spend weeks, if not months, planning a trip to a different country and learning about all of the nuances. I spent close to zero days planning for a dozen countries. Going with the flow, especially for type A (well, honestly more like A minus but probably B plus) people like me, can be nerve-wracking as well. But I survived, and dare I say enjoyed, two months of no plans. At the end of two months, however, I was feeling a little tired of the unknown. And a little homesick. I needed some familiarity.
And then we arrived to the country of Macedonia! Macedonia, which welcomed us with people who treated us like siblings. With shared history and mentality. With ex-Yu Rock music. And, most importantly, with burek and yogurt. And I felt like we were home!