At the Perla Hotel (yes, there are pearls in Lake Ohrid) we found safe parking round the side and made enquiries. We could park overnight and eat in the pizza restaurant – or of course take a room. The room was lovely and we cooked our own supper in the motorhome. The WiFi worked well and M was feeling much better.

Struga, Lake Ohrid, to Camping Bellevue (at Best Western Hotel), nr Skopje, Republic of Macedonia – 120 miles (at 965 ft or 292 m high)

Open all year. Camp Bellevue, Skopje.  €25.27 inc electricity. Free WiFi.  N 41.99694   E 21.55026

After a hotel breakfast of orange juice, cheese omelette, toast and coffee, we drove 5 miles back towards Ohrid to join E65/M4 for Skopje. At this end it's a rough 2-lane road, destined to become a motorway some day.

We climbed gradually, snow lying on the verges above 1,000 ft, then zigzagged higher to 3,585 ft (1087 m). The snow lay deeper on the north side of the mountains, covering the fields as we hairpinned down, but snow ploughs kept the road clear. At Izvor the E65 turned east, then north again at Kicevo, a poor town where pencil-slim minarets marked the mosques.

There was a bitterly cold head wind, though it remained sunny and dry as we continued north through more Muslim settlements, with mosques, covered cemeteries and women in Islamic dress, reminding us of Turkish villagers. We saw no churches in this area, though we passed a large new memorial and cemetery under the Albanian flag. Indeed Albanian flags flew all along this valley. The road looped up to a higher pass with a fuel station at 4,010 ft (1215 m), snow banked high at the edges. As we descended we didn't envy a pair of heavily laden male cycle-tourists labouring up the hill towards us, wearing shorts.

After 65 miles we reached Gostivar (down at 1,850 ft or 560 m), a larger town with both churches and mosques. Continuing through on E65, we parked for a lunch break outside the (closed) Royal Hotel. Then we joined the M4 toll road (named Mother Theresa) to Skopje. No-one could resent the regular small charges along the straight level 4-lane dual carriageway, a much easier drive than the route we'd just followed from Lake Ohrid through the snowy Balkans. We paid 3 tolls of €1 each, then €1.50 before the Tranzit Peripherique round the north side of Skopje, the capital. (Of course, we could have paid in MKD if we'd changed any.) Minarets stood proud in the villages along the way and we passed an exit for Pristina (Kosovo).

The traffic was fairly orderly and it was satisfying to see one exceptionally fast car streak past on the ring road, only to be stopped by the Police a bit further along. After joining E75, north towards the Serbian border, we took the exit right by the Best Western Hotel/Camping Bellevue , clearly visible from the motorway.

The campsite, next to the hotel, resembled a minigolf course, with short narrow concrete strips laid out between areas of lawn and flowers! It had electric hook-ups, non-potable water, toilets and cold showers, but it did provide a safe guarded place for the night and the free hotel WiFi worked in the motorhome. With double rooms in the rather grim hotel costing €90, we opted to camp, our only neighbour a Romanian who slept in his car.

Storks nested on the hotel tower and there were plenty of birds to watch including Hoopoe, Goldfinch and Blackcap, right by a motorway linking two capital cities!

Skopje, Republic of Macedonia to Hotel Aqua Etno Dvorac, Paracin, Serbia – 170 miles (at 470 ft or 143 m high)

Open all year. Bed and breakfast €45 for 2. Free WiFi.  N 43.85855   E 21.43155

Next morning dawned much warmer. After washing the motorhome down, we headed north up the 4-lane E75 motorway, with 2 tolls (total €3) before leaving Macedonia. We passed an oil refinery, sheep grazing in the fields, then minarets marking the town of Kumanovo, with several petrol stations (fuel is cheaper here) before the Serbian border at 24 miles.

FROM REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA INTO SERBIA

1.  Headlights compulsory 24 hrs a day on all roads.

2.  Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD). €1 approx 120 RSD. £1 approx 165 RSD. Euros generally accepted.

3.  British-registered vehicles are now fully covered by their own insurance in Serbia: just show insurance certificate papers at border.

4.  The Cyrillic alphabet is used on older road signs, though most now have the name in Latin script.

5.   There are regular small tolls on the motorways, payable in Euros or local currency. Carry plenty of small change.

Approaching the border we saw nothing of the bands of illegal immigrants rumoured to be walking through the Balkans, apart from one poorly dressed Muslim woman clutching a baby. She ran across the road, climbed a barrier in front of us and disappeared. What would become of her?

Exiting Macedonia with a passport check, we joined a short queue to enter Serbia, bypassing a long line of trucks. Another passport check, a look inside by Customs officials, scrutiny of our insurance document and we were on our way. This was the first time we had motorhomed in Serbia, though en route to Istanbul from the UK, we had cycled across the country when it was part of Yugoslavia in the Iron Curtain days.

The Serbian E75 was mainly a smooth 4-lane motorway, with a few sections of good 2-lane road. As our friend Martin Jeffes (of Camping Sakar Hills in eastern Bulgaria) said: 'it beats the hell out of going via Romania' – at least as far as road surfaces go!

Life went on in the villages as it always has, with beehives, hand-made haystacks in the fields, the odd cow, shepherds watching their flocks, fishing in ponds, bicycles for local transport. Sometimes a mosque, sometimes a Christian church and cemetery. At 50 miles, north of Vranje, we saw a sign for Camping Enigma but didn't investigate. E75 continued north up a broad river valley, alongside the railway and old road, climbing to 1,255 ft (380 m) with a dusting of snow on the surrounding hills.

At 63 miles in Bojkinska we passed a new cafι with TIR Parking. In Dzep, 9 miles later after a section of old road through a gorge, we stopped for lunch opposite Motel/Cafι Rosa, which was popular with passing coaches. Still above 1,000 ft at 330 m. In the layby was a memorial to 2 young men (aged 30 and 33 in 2011), with a photo of their shiny black sports car.

On past Predajne, where the motel and services had a very sloping car park. Leaving mosques and minarets behind, we now saw only Orthodox churches and even a couple of stalls selling Ikone (icon paintings) at the roadside. From Grdelica onwards the motorway was complete and we paid our first Serbian toll (€2.50) at 108 miles.

After passing Nis (signed 'Birthplace of Constantine the Great'), we paused at the Nais Hotel but it was closed and abandoned. Continuing, we paid €1 exit toll to check out the Morava Hotel: closed for renovation and soon to re-open as the Bosphorus Hotel. At 160 miles in Pojate we left the motorway again (toll €2) to find another night halt suggested on the internet: 'Snikbar Aleksander' - a nice little restaurant which might have been good, but it too had died!

Ten miles further we exited the motorway at Paracin (toll €1), with a Truckstop parking and restaurant right by the exit. However, it looked crowded and noisy so we drove a mile into Paracin in search of a quiet night's rest.

The first hotel we came to, the oddly named and oppressively twee Aqua Etno Dvorac, had a good car park and we took a large room with modern bathroom, WiFi and satellite TV. The proprietors spoke no known language but the waitress had some German. Margaret cooked supper in the motorhome.

Paracin to Camping Dunav, Zemun, Nr Belgrade, Serbia – 107 miles (at 320 ft or 97 m high)

Open April-Nov. Camp Dunav. 2,192 RSD (approx €18.27) inc electricity and hot showers. Free WiFi. Pay in RSD cash or by credit card – not Euros.  N 44.87820   E 20.35597

Breakfast (we were alone) comprised coffee, rolls and a huge platter of cold meats, smoked sausage and salami. No cheese, eggs, fruit, juice, jam or anything else – Serbia is not a country for vegetarians! We tried a little ham and left the rest, leaving the waitress puzzled that we took only the rolls with us! Not the best hotel on the journey but at least we got a good rest.

It was less than a mile back to the E75, where we took a toll ticket and continued north-west on a good motorway with regular service stations. A fill of diesel at an Eko station cost 141.9 RSD per litre, approx €1.18, paid by credit card. The highway ran through the valley of the overflowing Velika Morava, a river that joins the Danube to the east of Belgrade. Grey heron fished from its banks.

At 35 miles there was a motel, by the exit for Markovac. Then the Velika Plana services on the opposite side of the motorway had a McDonald's, where a few motorhomers have reported stopping for free WiFi and an overnight. At last we turned west for Belgrade, passing the smart Motel Jerina on the opposite carriageway – a motel that we had been warned to avoid. See the full story at Serbian Motel Scam.

Just past the Hotel Hedonic (which looked OK), at 88 miles we paid the only toll of the day (€6.50). Then we were hit by the view of the Serbian capital, a high-rise shock of flats and cathedral, after spending so long among villages and small towns. The E75 took us straight through the centre of the city, bridging the Sava River, following signs for Novi Sad. We turned off the motorway at Zemun Polje and used the SatNav to find Camping Dunav, just a mile from our exit. The site lies along a high bank above the Danube, 3 km from Zemun and 10 km from Belgrade.

It was good to be greeted by a friendly English-speaking warden, who stopped cutting the grass to show us round. Although there were no other campers (despite tomorrow being Orthodox Easter Sunday), he assured us that we would be quite safe, with gates locked and a night watchman on duty later. There was free WiFi, potable water, clean toilets, and use of a hot shower in the hostel, since the main boiler had not been lit. After looking at the site plan, Margaret asked if there was a washing machine. 'Sorry, no.' 'There is a picture of one' she said. 'Well, there is a picture of a swimming pool and we don't have that either. It's an old plan.' Nice sense of humour!

We pitched with a view of the Danube below, watched the passing barges and made a meal.

At Camping Dunav, Zemun, Nr Belgrade, Serbia

A rest day on Orthodox Easter Sunday, when we were joined by a lone Bulgarian campervan.

In the morning we set out to cycle along the Danube Cycle Path into Belgrade, but there was a cold strong head wind and we found we had to ride along a busy road to Zemun before gaining the riverside path. After a short distance we gave up and turned back to the campsite. It was good to have time to update the travel log, write emails and make a mandarin cheesecake.

Zemun, Serbia (across Croatia) to Camping Spa Terme Catez, Catez ob Savi, Slovenia – 270 miles (at 465 ft or 141 m high)

Open all year. www.terme-catez.si/en/  €42.08  inc taxes, 10 amp elec, hot showers, entry to thermal pools (whether wanted or not.) Free WiFi. N 45.88988  E 15.63044

On a fine sunny Orthodox Easter Monday (a Serbian holiday) we returned one mile to the E75, to join the westbound E70 motorway 4 miles later. We continued past Belgrade airport and across an open flat agricultural plain at a constant 310 ft (95 m), relieved by small villages and occasional industrial parks. The churches, houses and storks were reminiscent of Hungary, to which this area once belonged.

At 65 miles we paid a toll of €4.50 by the last Serbian service station, 4 miles before the border into Croatia.

FROM SERBIA INTO CROATIA

1.  Headlights compulsory 24 hrs a day on all roads.

2.  Currency Croatian Kuna (HRK): €1 approx 7.6 HRK. £1 approx 10.5 HRK. Euros may be accepted.

3.  Croatia is now a member of the EU (though not the Eurozone), so British-registered vehicles are fully covered by their own insurance.

4.  The language is Serbo-Croat, using the Latin alphabet.

5.  There are regular tolls on the motorways, payable in Euros (change given in Euros) or local currency.

After the usual checks at the double border post, a sign Dobro Dosli welcomed us to Croatia. So did Vodafone, with the welcome text that we were now back in their 'Europe Zone 1', making calls considerably cheaper than they would have been in Macedonia or Serbia! The 4-lane A3 motorway was smooth and new, the outside temperature 22°C, daffodils and tulips bloomed - and the SatNav listed a Lidl ahead.

Leaving the motorway at 90 miles (toll €3), it was another 2 miles to Lidl in Zupanje. The town lies on the Sava River, the border between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It was a good store with its own bakery, and credit cards accepted. Margaret was a happy shopper, before making lunch in the generous car park.

Back on the E70/A3 we continued west past Slavonski Brod, along the northern border of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska. By 4 pm it was hot (25°C) and we were still down at around 330 ft (100 m), the Sava meandering across the flat plain. Near Ivanic-Grad was a small oilfield with 7 'nodding donkeys'.

Croatian campsites all lie along the coast and we saw nowhere suitable for the night on our route along the A3. We did notice Camping/Motel Plitvice at Lucko, 7 miles south-west of Zagreb, but it looked shabby and swamped with coach parties. Our friend Graham Peacock (the Caravan Club's Croatian expert) had warned of a break-in while parked there in 2007.

So we drove on, paying a toll of €21.37 before following A3 round the south and west of the capital, over the Sava River and past Zagreb airport. The service station at 261 miles (2 miles before the Slovenian frontier) sold Slovenian vignettes, so we bought one there to save time at the border. There was one last toll of €1.10 before entering Slovenia. Croatia had been a long flat drive, on a good motorway.

FROM CROATIA INTO SLOVENIA

1.  Headlights compulsory 24 hrs a day on all roads.

2.  Currency Euros.

3.  Slovenia is a member of the EU, so British-registered vehicles are fully covered by their own insurance.

4.  The language is Serbo-Croat, using the Latin alphabet.

5.  There are regular tolls on the excellent motorways for vehicles over 3.5 tons (including motorhomes). Vehicles under 3.5 tons (like us) do not pay tolls but have to buy and display a Vignette. We paid €16 for the 7-day minimum.

After a passport check at the double border (between 2 EU countries!), we took the E70 motorway for 5 miles to the exit for Catez ob Savi (Catez on the Sava). The final 2 miles to the huge spa resort/casino/hotel/campsite was well signed.

As expected, the tariff was outrageous but it was getting late after a long 3-country day! The sour-faced Receptionist would not budge on a price that included entry tickets to the thermal pools, whether we wanted them or not (we didn't). Not surprisingly, there was only one other motorhome (Italian) on the large campsite. We did point out that the resort would make a lot more money from passing campers if they charged a reasonable price, with pool entry an optional extra, but she did not want to know. We were issued with a list of 21 Campsite Rules in 5 languages, ending 'We Wish You a Pleasant Stay'!!

The only alternative would have been a motorway service station, so we reluctantly paid up for a peaceful night.

Back to the A2/E70 and west towards Ljubljana. The scenery was immediately prettier than the flat drive across Serbia and inland Croatia, with wooded hillsides and tidy villages. Slovenia, the 'Sunny Side of the Alps, is a mini-Austria in all but language. The excellent motorway climbed gradually through a few short tunnels to over 1,000 ft (300 m). At the regular toll points we simply drove through the Vinjeta lane without stopping, the Vignette displayed on the windscreen.

After 47 miles we refuelled (diesel €1.197 a litre) at the Podsmereka Services at N45.94805  E 14.77065. This has a small area for motorhomes providing water, a dump and 4 electric points free of charge. There are also good toilets, and hot showers costing €3 for 15 minutes. It's listed in 'Camperstop Europe' as suitable for a free overnight.

Further along A2, we bypassed Ljubljana on the A1 Ring to the west of the capital (5 miles of busy circulating traffic), then continued north-west on A2 past Kranj airport. Snowy alpine peaks came into view as we climbed steadily to 1,600 ft (480 m) and took exit 3 (Lesce) at 97 miles. A final 4 miles west to the lakeside tourist town of Bled and its well-signed campsite at the far end of the lake.

The site has excellent facilities (including a free dog shower and a dishwasher costing €1), all kinds of sporting activities, a shop and a nice restaurant with a terrace overlooking the lake. If only it had more marked level pitches, clear of mud and trees! For the first time in months we were on a busy site, popular with several nationalities. It was strange to see other motorhomes again, including a monstrous Carthago from GB as well as the tiny tents used by  French climbers.

Eventually we settled between Italians and Germans, had a late lunch, then made full use of the free WiFi.

At Camping Bled, Bled, Slovenia

Next morning we caught up on laundry, hanging it out to dry in warm sunshine. Also introduced ourselves to the campsite managers, Nejc and Nika, to pass on greetings from our mutual friend, Graham Peacock. They were delighted to hear news of Graham and presented us with a souvenir of our visit – a hand-made plaque of Bled Castle fashioned in rich dark chocolate.  It looked too good to eat but they insisted we must!

After lunch a short cycle ride (7 km) clockwise around the lake, only pausing for an ice cream. The footpath was a broad paved track into Bled, though narrower and sometimes gravel on the way back. The castle, perched high above the lake, is the oldest in Slovenia and Lake Bled with its island monastery is picture-perfect. The town was packed with tour groups from all nations, large coaches pushing their way along the main street to deposit passengers by the lake for boat trips. And this is mid-week in April – it must be hell in August! In past visits we've escaped the crowds by turning up the Bohinj Valley to the Triglavski National Park - 20 miles south-east from Bled - to Bohinska Bistrica and Lake Bohinj, where there are more campsites.

In the evening we celebrated M's birthday, which fell 5 days ago in Serbia, with a very good meal at the campsite restaurant. The only diners, we enjoyed chicken fillet with creamy cheese sauce, roast potatoes and salad, followed by chocolate mousse with strawberries and cream. The waiter also brought complimentary glasses of the local blackcurrant liqueur, good and sweet. A fine celebration for completing our route through the Balkans.

Bled, Slovenia (across Austria) to Camping Sport-Ecke, Chieming, Bavaria, Germany – 172 miles (at 1,700 ft or 514 m high)

Open 1 April-30 Sept. www.sport-ecke.de  ACSI Card €18.40 inc taxes, 16 amp elec, hot showers. Free WiFi. N 47.87636  E 12.52804

Squeezing through Bled, it was 4 miles back to the A2. At the last roundabout before joining the motorway, we turned right to shop. Lidl had a 3-metre height barrier, that we just might have cleared, but we continued to Hofer (= Aldi), with no parking restrictions. It had an in-store bakery and some drastic reductions on chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs. Well stocked, we took the A2 motorway and headed north-west for Austria. At the last Slovenian services, Jesenice at 16 miles, we bought the Austrian motorway Vignette (€8.70 for the minimum 10 days, for vehicles up to 3.5 tons). This doesn't cover one or two tunnels which have extra tolls.

INTO AUSTRIA

At the Slovenian exit post a friendly guard (born in Birmingham) practised his English and checked our passports. The border with Austria actually lies in the 8-km sub-alpine Karawanke Tunnel (toll €7). We entered the tunnel at 1,925 ft (583 m) and emerged into Austria at 2,220 ft (673 m). A little snow still lay on the peaks as we descended to Villach, then took A10 north for Salzburg.

Continued at: From Slovenia to Ireland 2015