“Travels to a Different Time”: 3August1973: Titograd, Kotor and Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia and a Trail of Blood: 34 Hours Without Sleep

What a nightmare bus trip some 7 hours from Skopje to Titograd. I had a hell of a seat at the back of the bus over a hot motor and I was banging to and fro like a ping pong ball. Finally sleep derived and famished I arrived in Titograd and stubbed my toe badly getting off the bus leaving a trail of blood with people staring at me. I bandaged it as good as I could. And I just missed the bus to Dubrovnik! No luck in finding a hotel in Titograd as it has an oceanfront and is a popular tourist destination. No luck just added to my fatigue and then the blood-soaked bandage started unravelling so I had to tape it up. It looked as if my toe was broken. I just recalled on our trip with Fritz on the Russian ship a man who mentioned Kotor was a beautiful spot so I booked a ticket and limped on the bus. At this point no sleep in more than 24 hours. In Kotor I managed to find an expensive room and at the price asked to see the room which was a hole in the wall. I limped out to the highway and snagged a lift to Dubrovnik with a French couple. Finally at Dubrovnik I reluctantly checked into a youth hostel. I went for a swim with a Norwegian dude and bought some food for a meal on the way home. I think I was in bed at 4. p.m. I must have been dead to the world after 34 hours of no sleep as there was a wild party in our room and I slept through it.