EV6: Day 16: Baja 🇭🇺 to Osijek 🇭🇷

Again I split ways with Marieke and Guus, as they wanted to go on the Serbian side of the Danube, whereas I wanted to go to the Croatian side. Also, I took a bit longer to get my stuff packed and dry in the morning.

Getting close to the Croatian border, I could see a fence and huge watchtowers. I guess these are a result of the recent Hungarian anti-immigration politics. Strange to see such a border and to have my ID checked again at an inner-European border. I thought this was a thing of the past. 🥺

As it was already a little late, I used Komoot to plan a shortcut for me to Osijek, to a camping place I had found. The route seemed fine to me, and I believed it would be smooth sailing.

But oh boy, I was wrong. There were some hills in the way, and the roads Komoot suggested just didn’t exist. I only found this out when I was almost at the top of the hills.

So back down again, and I had to hope that the only other little path would get me over the top. So I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with no water left and only one hour until sunset.

There were some really steep inclines on really bad dirt roads, but I made it and was suddenly in some lush vineyards near Vinogradi.

I ended up racing the remaining 21 km to the camp site within 45 minutes, as the receptionist was due to leave just when I was set to arrive.

I made it in time, and there was even a decent restaurant still open (showing a Croatian Champions League match).