Autumn driving notes from the Balkans: the coastal road from Herceg Novi to Kotor stays busy until late September, but after the first week of October you can drive it at any hour without queues. Fuel in Montenegro is noticeably cheaper than in Croatia - worth planning your fill-ups. If you are renting in Dubrovnik and crossing the border, tell the rental company; most charge a small cross-border fee but a few cheaper quotes don't allow it at all.

Early September is criminally underrated for road trips. The sea is at its warmest, the crowds thin out after the first week, and rental desks suddenly have actual availability. Planning a slow loop through the Pelion peninsula before the season winds down - apparently the mountain villages up there barely see visitors after mid-September. Any tips for coastal routes that still have open tavernas in autumn?

Back on the road after a few weeks at the desk. Planning the slow route down the Mani this autumn — gravel sections, a couple of closed gas stations, and the usual argument about whether the coastal track past Gerolimenas counts as a road. Field notes soon.