The Corona Diaries | The Last Germans To Montenegro? Pt. 3/3

We were sitting in our van, technically on Montenegrin territory, waiting for someone to come get us out of the car, presumably the doctor. A good ten minutes passed where we shared our feelings. It felt good, we were optimistic and in high spirits. We thought: If they really turn us back now we at least tried all the way. But we also knew that we had decent chances of getting in.

We agreed to let our good energies flow and to take it all in a lighthearted manner. So serious faces but non-obnoxious happy attitudes all around. It always helps the general mood - of all involved.

A good ten minutes had passed when someone knocked at our passenger window. It was the friendly border-agent who had so vehemently helped us find a way. He gave us two sheets of paper - forms of sorts - that had English translations on them for all the fields to be filled out.

He said in the same lower tone of voice with the same aura of intention and seriousness: "Here is the forms. You fill them out - one for you, one for your lady. Then bring them to our checkpoint where you will meet the doctor."

I said: "Ok, I will do exactly that."

He continued: "Listen. This field here..." (he pointed at one of the empty fields on the form) "... you put in 'Kumbor' living in 'camper van'".

I asked twice if I got that right.

He said: "I can't help you, you have maybe 5 minutes or so. Put in Kumbor, camper van and fill out the fields. I have to go now."

We picked up on his need to return to his post. No wanting to stretch his patience or get him into trouble we thanked him for all his support in this odd situation and he nodded with a smile. What a guardian that dude was! We still smile when we think of the man today.

We did our best to fill in the fields of the forms, both forms were identical so we tackled one of them first. It asked to check "Yes" or "No" for a few fields, apart from writing the place of stay (Kumbor) and where exactly (camper van).

It had boxes like:

• "Have you recently been sick?"
• "Excessive coughing?"
• "Lung pain?"
• "Have you recently visited a doctor?"
• "Been to a place where have wild animals?"

We checked 'no' to all of them, double-checked the spelling of our names and all the answers we had given. We were ready. Let's do this!

We put our face masks back on to not scare anyone and not create any friction, got our of our car and walked to the checkpoint hand in hand with our filled-out papers.

The border agent who had first talked to us saw us and signaled us to wait. He came back a few minutes later gesturing up the stairs, where the doctor presumably was. We saw a two or three other people up there coming and going, and did our best to keep the mood light-hearted. We talked a lot to each other, laughed at stupid jokes and marveled out loud at the situation, wondering how our friends and families back home might experience this whole virus-hype.

After a good half an hour wait an old lady came out of the office and seemed to look for the light switch in the hallway. We later thought: This was a doctor of the old school, coming to check us out - how we looked, how we felt and how our attitude was. We made room so she could find the light switch on the walls and continued talking lightly. She disappeared in her office again. Another ten minutes later another lady came out saying to us in broken English: "You can wait in the car, Ok?"

We thanked her for it. It had gotten chilly as we didn't wear any jackets. We had thought turning in the forms would be a rather quick thing to get done so we were glad we could get back to the car.

Then we waited. We waited some more, and some more.

Another half hour passed or so, our optimism never leaving us. "Feels like we already made it, right?" And it did.

After that half hour another agent came to us together with the old lady who was the doctor responsible. e explained to us in English: Here are your papers, saying you are under quarantine. You must call this number here on the bottom of paper tomorrow morning and talk to doctor."

I repeated: "Ok, we will call this number tomorrow morning and talk to the doctor."

He continued: "Do you have a..." He was looking for a word.

Please don't say toilet I thought, as we had never been asked if we have our own toilet with us or not.

He was looking to the doctor who had no English skills whatsoever and just smiled at us.

He said: "Temperature, temperature."

"A thermometer?", I asked.

"Yes! Do you have?"

"Yes, we have two thermometers!" we said proudly in unison, which we had to smile at.

He said: "Good! You take temperature every morning and tell doctor on the phone temperature."

I said: "Yes, we do that!"

Glad that everything was said the doctor nodded at us with a smile, and the cop also did. We thanked them both a few times and they were gone, letting us stand where we were with our papers in our hands carrying a stamp of the capital, and the signature of the doctor. We made it! This was really happening!"

We got back into our car, high-fived each other, turned the ignition and the lights and were off! Montenegro HERE WE COME!!!!

Sort of... in quarantine.

To be continued...

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