Most Inspirational Moment
Going to our tour leader's Grandma's mountain village, where our tour leader's mum grew up too. Extremely remote, with very few facilities even now; so much so that people can't live there still in the winter. Sarajevo - as a city itself, after all the inhabitants have been through and going to the Sarajevo tunnels. Let us not forget their tragedies.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We were very lucky to have Samra as our tour leader, because we were her last group before going on maternity leave. She was a terrific guide throughout the whole of Bosnia. She was definitely in charge of us, yet she was also our friend, being authentic throughout. She really helped the group to gel. I don't want to forget our driver Sam too. There were so many mountain passes and unpaved roads, yet he was a real professional and I always felt safe in his hands.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a rucksack instead of a suitcase. Several hotels didn't have lifts. Why hasn't anyone else mentioned this before?? If you get travel sick, take medication. The roads are windy for almost the whole trip. Take layers. Take waterproofs. Ladies - take a headscarf for mosques (although you can also borrow them, but handy).
Suggestions
I'd like to give a compliment. Unfortunately my roommate got sick, which made it impossible for us to share. The Exodus team (in particular Candice from Operations), helped to find a solution and kept in regular contact during the trip, to ensure everything was ok. I was left with the feeling that I'd like to travel with Exodus again. It could so easily have gone the other way. We often got to the major tourist spots and did guided tours before the crowds got there, which made the whole experience a lot more authentic. Mostar was the only exception. I'd highly recommend this trip to everyone, although I personally couldn't visit in July/August, when it usually gets to 40°C+