Welcome to the Full Monte blog version ….. <enter a large number> – but first a quick recap of how we got where we are today.
This blog has been through many different manifestations and formats, it often stalled for months on end, and, in September 2023, we thought we had lost it completely. Seventeen years of blogging lost to cyberspace. Fortunately, we were able to find a collection of old backups. With the help of a WordPress genius, we have been able to recover much of it, but it still needs some work. There are over 350 blog posts and almost 3000 photos that have been automatically recovered from backups that we need to check. For now, access to them is restricted – sorry. Past guests, volunteers, friends and family – if you don’t mind the odd broken link or image and you want a login to what we have – get in touch.
We’ll also be using this web site to market Camp Full Monte to potential buyers – Yep, Camp Full Monte is up for sale! Just click home for more about that.
News from the recent past – Covid 19 and other life changing events.
In 2019, inspired by our guests and volunteers, we decided it was time for us to do some serious travelling. The plan was to mothball the campsite and get on the road. These plans were then scuppered by a global pandemic, the passing of my (Steve) Father, me being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and then the passing of Denise’s Father.
I’m happy to report that much of that is behind us, although the loss of loved ones is never far from your mind. My diagnosis called for a radical prostatectomy which was a success, and so far I’m cancer free. If nothing else, cancer is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the need to focus on some bucket list items while you can. Our plan is to head to the southern hemisphere for winter. We’ll use this blog to keep a diary of our travelling adventures. Another reason to watch this space.
Finally, we’re in the process of applying for the relevant licences that will enable us to open Camp Full Monte from the beginning of May to the end September next year while we wait for an interested buyer. If you want to visit, see our main website, full-monte.com, for details of what’s on offer.
In the meantime, what follows on this page is the original archive “About” page.
A blog about our Full Monte life – The background
In 2006, we started to blog about the trials & tribulations of buying, building and owning Camp Full Monte, an off-grid, clothing optional campsite and eco project in Montenegro. It is now an archive of the story of:
- The challenges we faced living as expats in Montenegro.
- The friends and volunteers that helped us to evolve our eco project.
- The eco-friendly methods & products we were pioneering – we were far from experts but wanted to share all we were learning.
- Our attempts to garden organically – sharing the joys and woes of growing green.
- The meals we created from our organic produce and the recipes we learned and shared.
- Nature in all her forms – the beautiful (and sometimes ugly!) manifestations of Mother Nature that surrounded and inspired us.
- The random things that made us happy and sad – books we read, situations & events we experienced.
Introducing the Steve & Den show
We are Steve and Denise and we emigrated from the UK to Montenegro in May 2006. The decision to change our lifestyle was driven by the value we place on happiness. We traded property, working long hours for someone else and regular incomes, for cash in the bank and time and space together. This gave us the freedom to make different choices.
We are practical people – we have limited talents and funds – so we had to choose to do something that played to our strengths and gave us enough money to live on. Our combined talents (cooking, gardening, entertaining) led us to aim for opening a resort of our own.
Naturally Wrapped
We had enjoyed naturist holidays for over a decade so we wanted to provide a space where folk could get their kit off in the sun if they felt like it. We were inspired by a resort we visited in Portugal in 2005 where nudity was acceptable but not mandatory. We decided we would also adopt a clothing optional policy. The concept is simple, you can choose to wear as much or as little as you like 24×7. All we ask is that you don’t make other guests feel uncomfortable if their choice is different to yours.
Resort to Camping
It took a year and a lot of adventures before we found the right piece of land and a further 6 months before we could buy all we needed to get started.  Our original plan to build a resort of wooden cabins was scuppered by the news that one day there may be a major highway on or near our plots. As many predicted, this never materialised and the road was re-routed but at the time, low impact, low cost camping seemed the way to go.
Going Green
We also discovered that trying to connect our beautiful piece of land to mains services was going to be difficult and expensive. We weren’t eco warriors when we set out on this journey but pragmatism led us to research alternative approaches. Today, access to mains power is available but we’re converts to off-grid living and the environmentally friendly approaches we pioneered, so it was with a wry smile that I refused the offer of a connection (for a modest fee) from the local power company.
Hi, I’m looking for Steve who grew up across the street from me, but that was in USA, any chance before UK there was Steve in USA?? Funny, I think my dad called him Stevie or Steve too, but I couldn’t find any last name here your Steve….sorry. This absolutely insane but I googled Steve bozic
Not me Diana – Sorry. Good luck in your search.
My name is Joe Pinzone and I’m casting an international travel show about expats moving abroad. We’d love to film in Montenegro and wanted to know if you could help us find expats who have moved there within the last 15 months or have been there for 3-4 years, but recently moved into a new home. The show documents their move to a new country and will place the country in fabulous light. The expats on the show would also receive monetary compensation if they are filmed. They must also speak English fluently and can be buyers or renters for their homes. If you’d like more information, please give me a call at 212-231-7716 or skype me at joefromnyc. You can also email me at [email protected]. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Joe Pinzone
Casting Producer
P: 212-231-7716
Skype: Joefromnyc
Hi Joe
Apologies for the delay in replying. Only get on the blog once a month at the moment… I’ve forwarded your details to an estate agent friend of mine who may be able to help you. Ann will contact you direct.
Wow, you truly do live in a paradise. I am both jealous and happy for you. Can’t wait for your next update.
Hi Steve and Den
Been enjoying the blog! I had come across your web site once or twice and would love to visit Full Monte one day. But I hadn’t discovered the blog before. I have been reading for hours. It’s a fantastic record of your epic project and shows just how far you have come. Not to mention, it’s a great read, and I love the book and music reviews you slip in each month. I’m subscribed to the blog now and will look forward to each monthly update. Have a great season in 2013!
Rob
Hi Rob
Apologies for the tardy response. The blog has taken a bit of a back seat as we sort out getting ourselves back together again and resuming normality (I’ve been working in London for a bit & Steve’s been holding the fort in Montenegro). There’s a lot going on right now (not least hard disk failures!) but we will get stuff sorted & get blogging again soon. Thanks so much for your kind words – it’s always a boost to get a message like this. Thanks for taking the time to read all about us and I’m glad you enjoyed the story so far. Take it easy.
Hi, I found your site while looking for a photo of a garden wall made of car tyres. We are currently undertaking a eco house building project here in Japan and plan to document progress on a wordpress blog http://ecohouse66.wordpress.com
Love your site and what you guys are doing.
Would you mind if I use one of your wall photos?
Also you may be interested in my WVO project of running our car on waste oil – another step to getting off the grid http://ifd66.co.uk/Eco/bioproject.html
With hope …..
Hi Iain. Sorry for the delay in responding – Please feel free to use our pics (a mention of our website http://www.full-monte.com would be nice 😉 ) You might find more in our flickr stream here http://www.flickr.com/photos/full-monte/sets/72157626649488036/with/5688229893/ although I’m not sure how easy it will be to use them. A direct link to the flickr pictures might be the best way. If you want the originals to re-size/edit before use send us an e-mail [email protected] telling me which ones you need and I’ll send them to you.
Wow, what a great story! I am excited to read about how this change turned out for you – looks like it’s working great. I hope to be able to do something similar one day and escape the corporate rat race…
please call us, even collect so we pay
to +972-54-3013612
we are going to be around next week and your place looks like the closest alternative to paradise
keep smiling
tamar from israel
not so holly land anymore
Hey Tamar
Great to chat to you today… Look forward to meeting you next week. Have a safe trip!
Hi, if you find the time, please contact us. We would like to ask you many questions about the move to Montenegro.