Marvi Traveling Sola: Arriving in Belgrade

The arrivals area of Air Serbia smelled like an ashtray with a swirl of exhaust. With 90% humidity it felt like the fumes coated the inside of my nostrils.

Just a word of advice, if the tourist information guy recommends taking a taxi, and a travel website recommends taking a taxi, and your hostel recommends taking a taxi, then...take a taxi. Trying to get by on 20 eu for the next 24 hours did not fit in a 16 eu taxi ride. But, first I had to change money.

It took me three tries to get the exchange machine to change my 20 euro bill into dinars. When it gave me a couple of 1,000 and 500 dinar bills I took a breath and reminded myself that Michael prepared me for this really large bills of funny money. He also warned me that not all locks or ATMs work the same.

I realize now how much I relied on him during our trip to open doors, get money, carry my luggage going up stairs. I had the sinking feeling I was in for a rude awakening.

The A1 bus driver was kind. He showed me how much the ticket cost (300 dinar, paid with a 500 bill and he gave me "change") and he didn't let me get off at the wrong stop(took it all the way to the end of the line).

On the way to the city center broad fields were interrupted by large tenement block housing that increased in density as we got closer to the city center.

I was dropped off at the beginning of downtown and using my thumb to measure out on the map, I had a 1500 meter walk ahead(about a mile).

I passed quite a few interesting buildings on my way to the pedestrian square but I didn't stop to take pictures. It may be because it was my first day on my own, or that I know nothing of the culture but I felt vulnerable. Taking pictures while carrying every item I own on my person never feels prudent so I had to take mental pictures.

Once I got to the pedestrian area I did risk a couple of pics...