Kotor Archives - Kayla Smith

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Anxiety and the Extreme Sport of Balkan Bus Travel

December 2, 2022

Anxiety and the Extreme Sport of Balkan Bus Travel

Kotor, Montenegro, and the Ethics of Tourism

November 15, 2022

Kotor, Montenegro, and the Ethics of Tourism

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During the 24 hours I was in Sarajevo, it stormed,

During the 24 hours I was in Sarajevo, it stormed, I twisted my ankle, a tour I wanted to do was canceled, and I lost my debit card. But despite all this, I knew nearly immediately that I was obsessed with this city.

Sarajevo isn’t the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, but it’s one of the most fascinating. The little I knew about Sarajevo, and the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, before visiting was outdated by 30 years. The war here happened so recently that my school textbooks were published before it but so long ago that I barely remember. The first time I ever heard of a place called Bosnia, long before I could find it on a map, was in a kid’s chapter book about the war, and what I took away from the story was that this was a terrifying and dangerous place that a person should never visit.

What a gift it is to be able to correct your own past assumptions.

When I think about which places I’ve visited that I want to return to, Sarajevo is near the top of that list.

Leaving Budapest and the Schengen zone for Serbia

Leaving Budapest and the Schengen zone for Serbia felt like heading into the Wild West—this was a very different Europe than I’d visited before. And to be honest, my first impression of Belgrade was not a good one. We arrived late at night after bus delays, and the bus station was closed. Late night transportation options were questionable, and taxi drivers kept approaching way too eagerly and offering rides for ridiculous prices. This could have happened in any city, but in the moment it felt sketchy and tense.

The next morning, the city felt considerably less sketchy but still cold and unwelcoming. It took half a day, but finally we found a couple modern and popular areas of town full of bookstores and music and better vibes. And while I still wouldn’t say I liked Belgrade much, I’m glad I visited and glad that I was able to change my mind after my initial impression. And of course, I ended up loving the rest of the Balkans.

I know so many people who LOVE Serbia. I’d love to go back and explore more of the country to find why they love it.

My monthly reminder that most of my photos are act

My monthly reminder that most of my photos are actually dog photos and that I’m at my kitchen table far more often than I’m traveling. August had some lovely moments. @1samanthaaldana @lindaa.xoxoxo

If you’ve ever wondered what I’m doing when I’m away traveling, it’s usually this.

(Is there a single one of you who’s gonna watch 50 entires seconds of bookstores? @thebookeasy friends, I’m counting on you! 😂)

Everyone, drop your favorite bookstore in the world in the comments! I’ll add them all to my travel list!

I think my favorite of all these is @carturesticarusel in Bucharest. It’s indescribably magical.

For over a decade, countless people have told me I

For over a decade, countless people have told me I should pursue a job as a travel advisor. I’m so glad I finally decided they were right. @hellofora

Nothing brings me as much joy as helping others travel. But Instagram and its mysterious algorithm can only go so far in helping me reach people who want to hear more about what I can offer. So…I’ve decided to start a newsletter!

In my newsletter, I’ll share special deals, perks, tips, and news for all types of travelers. I am planning to send a newsletter just once or twice per month, and you can trust that I won’t spam you!

If you’d like to receive the newsletter, you can comment “Me!” below, and I’ll send you the easy sign up link! And I’ll be forever grateful if you help spread the word!

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