Mountain Passes and the Road Ahead

View from Loibl Pass, Slovenia

Our chatty neighbours happened to go to see their neighbours 2 tents down from theirs - and they chatted well into the wee hours of the morning.  We were not impressed.  Needless to say I was a bit ratty when I got up this morning.

Yesterday's sun had taken its toll.  I am very red and sore, and tiny blisters have appeared all over my front torso.  Paul fared better because he has a different skin tone to mine.  I did have a good laugh though - seeing the scorch marks from the sun vz parts that didn't get burnt look really funny, eg. white skin where my boobs touched my skin!  Oh ...  and ladies - those nipples did get sunburnt too!  Having a t-shirt on today was painful enough let alone having my nipples chafed against material.

Despite being sunburnt - I still love the clothes-free environment, being closer to nature; feeling the sun, wind and water on the skin. I feel much more relaxed too.  This is a family-friendly campsite so there are people of all ages here, from babies to folk in their 80's, all without a stitch on (except in the campsite shop) unless they are going out of the camp.

High temperatures were predicted again today and are due to remain high for the rest of this week.

Looking back at the former Slovenian border post.  Austria is
 on the other side of the mountain pass/through the tunnel.

 As the morning's temperature rose we decided to see the cool of the air-conditioned car and go for a scenic drive into Slovenia and then see where the road took us.  We went to the start of the old road over Loibl Pass and discovered that the road was closed, being only open to walkers/one way track back towards us.  We ended up going through the tunnel into Slovenia then decided to go back into Austria via the old mountain pass but discovered that Slovenia side of the road was closed too.  Unfortunately our hesitancy on the road drew the police's attention and we were motioned to pull over into the car park (former Slovenian border post).  A friendly policeman asked us if we were ok and, after we explained that we were trying to find the original pass road, he confirmed that it was indeed closed to vehicle traffic and had been for some time. He did have a bemused look on his face - seeing us with our maps and satnav:  mad silly 'tourists'.


We saw some gorgeous views on both sides of the Loibl Pass, Austrian and Slovenian, although the Slovenian side of the pass had some very dramatic landscapes. River water was ice blue - a really pretty colour and not something that we have seen before.  We were pleasantly surprised to see how pretty Slovenia was - the parts that we drove though.  We came across the Vršič Pass (also called the Russian Pass because it was built by Russian WW1 prisoners of war) and decided to go up it. The scenery was gorgeous and the hairpin bends just kept coming!!  50 bends in total, not to be ventured on if one has a tendency to be car sick.  Going up the pass there was a memorial chapel in memory of the Russians POWS who got caught in an avalanche, R.I.P., whilst building the road.   We stopped to have a look and to also reflect on their hard work in the beautiful peaceful mountains.  There were roadworks on the narrow road and it caused a bit of a problem now and then for campervan drivers or those towing caravans, slowing up traffic behind them ('the great following'!).

You can see my pictures via this link:  Slovenia

From Slovenia we went over Passi di Predil into Italy and from what little 'smidge' of it that we saw on our way to Austria via another route, we didn't like what we saw.  It seemed messy and unkempt.  But that was only that tiny part of what we saw.  I believe Italy is a beautiful country.

We made it back to the campsite and because it was still very hot, had time for a swim in the lake before having dinner.  I was quite relieved to dispense with my shorts and t-shirt.  T-shirts and sunburnt nipples/stomach do not go very well together.

Tomorrow is another day.