“
After the city of Nis, that is a bad road,” the manager said. “There are mountains on either side which experience rockslides. The government cannot maintain it well. A river run close alongside the road, which floods in spring, but that should not trouble you now, but there are no guardrails, so you must watch carefully for potential washouts.
There are steep grades and blind curves, which are not signaled in advance… You truly take your life in your hands up there. And there is no one to come to your assistance should you need it. Now tell me, where are you going to spend the night?
“In Skopje.”
“Well, be sure to get there before nightfall. Do not drive at night. There are bandits in those mountains. They would love to get their hands on a motorcycle like yours.”
“Bandits? Really, I asked, hardly believing.
“Yes. They learned from being partisans during the war. Some never stopped being outlaws.
”
”