Our time abroad is primarily involved in a series of little excursions. More or less, these are last minute attempts to keep the kids distracted and Daddy D happy with a small sense of adventure on any random weekend. The ideal adventure is to an unknown place with something breathtaking to view, unique to experience, or simply odd and unusual. R1204 contains the odd and unusual.

Sveti Nikole lies about 31 miles east in a southernly direction from Skopje, a pleasant hour’s drive away. Taking the A3, or R1312 east out of Veles, you will need to turn north on R1204 to reach the town of Sveti Nikole; and while the town is cute, there is really not much there that I will remark on here. But R1204 has two separate sites between Sveti Nikole and the A3 that made it worthy of a little adventure.

The first destination is the small crop duster airport across from the road leading to Peshirovo. Here you can charter a plan to get you to Ohrid, pay a pilot to dust your crops, or visit derelict Yugoslavia period planes as they rust away and play nursery to the invasive plants and trees of the old airfield. Brother M & K were very skeptical on our journey out; but the chance for them to cut a path through the thick weeds, pry open a rusty door, and climb into the pilot’s chair and toggle the defunct switches and levers delivered such merriment and imagination play to the boys that they were quite satisfied with this journey.

When we first went to visit this site, the airport was locked up with multiple signs warning of dogs on the premises. We decided that prudence was better than adventure that day. Instead, we made a few queries, asked a friend who is originally from Sveti Nikole, and in no time were connected with the right people to gain us entry. In total, we spent probably an hour wondering around the old planes and taking them in. And we also had the boys run a race along the empty runway too.

Moving farther north on R1204, you soon come to another destination for derelict machinery, this time overgrown construction vehicles.  A small lot next to the road appears to be the spot for old buses, cars, and diggers to go and rust away the years. While not as engaging as getting into an old Yugoslavia prop plane, the eerie mystique of this field on a cold winter day was completely satisfying for the adult part of this family nomadic.

Small little adventures…that is all we seek. Something to take us away and distract us from the already odd and curious trampings of living abroad. So, if you find yourself on R1204, take a moment and have a little adventure yourself.