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Diary - Croatia (28th Mar to 4th Apr)
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| We ventured over the border on the 28th March and instantantly noticed a difference in cleanliness and how homes were spreadout therefore eliminating the village and community feel of Slovenia. The first day was simply a case of getting to the coast line and hunting for a campsite. Even though it has more than three times that of Slovenia most of these were still shut. This ended up being a good thing as the campsite we ended up at, although closed, was right on the see front in a small bay. There was only ourselves and Annie and Peter, some more German travellers with a dog and a cat. Infact the cat goes everywhere with them and even happily follows Annie about around the campsite. As the site was empty we opted to drive onto the pebble beach, metres from the waters edge, to make camp. |
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| On waking to the sounds of the waves we headed inland towards the Plitvicka Lakes, one of Croatia’s National Parks. Whilst driving through the rural areas we decided that maybe we had been a bit harsh on our first reactions to Croatia, when you realise the impact the war has had with ruined buildings and bullet peppered walls. This meant that we had a very sombre mornings drive, exaggerated by the continued rain. With full faith that there would be at least one campsite open around a key tourist hotspot of Croatia we arrived, only to find they were all closed. This meant we had to have our first real wild camp experience in a truck stop, right on the side of a major road. This was by far our worst nights sleep for both worry, the noise of trucks and then a thunder storm. |
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| All was well in the morning apart from the fog which meant we had limited sight of anything. We still braved the weather and made the most of what we could get out of the lakes. It did mean that as we began each path over the river we struggled to see the safety of the otherside, making it feel all quite mysterious, especially when you could hear the roar of the waterfalls, with no idea where they were. Katie was also delighted when it began to rain and the Poncho made its debut. After the wonder of the lakes we managed to create our second bit of fire… unfortunately this was due to a melting fuse that looked quite scary. Not to worry, we simply now have no fog light! |
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| We have finally slowed down the pace of our journey after getting a headache from finding campsites! Therefore we took time to relax right by a marina. |
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| Keeping with the relaxed feel we pottered down the coast for our shortest travelling day to the town of Trigor. Katie continued to impress with her new found love for Cappuccinos and we did the only thing Croatians seem to do, sit, drink and chat. We spent the night on the Island linked to Trigor on a campsite (closed) that jutted out into the sea and opted for a spot right at the end. We decided to start working on our tans so that moths stopped flying into us when we got ready for bed, thinking our bodies were the moon. Katie even opting for a swim in the med, but the second she entered a shrill was made as it was still icy cold, only swimming for photos. |
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| Stopping of in Mali Ston, a tiny fortified village on the edge of the sea, we ended up being a little extravagant for lunch. I couldn’t help myself and gave into temptation and tried oysters for the first time, something I won’t be running back for. This lavish experience has meant that it is Pasta and Pesto for the next week to claw back the money. Still I believe that was worth it for a treat and an experience. |
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| Pulling into Dubrovnik, where we were to spend three nights, we were delighted to see ‘Little Elephant’ and Lutz, who we met in Slovenia, were already there. This was by far the busiest campsite we had seen since Obernai, France. Once we ventured into the old city you can easily see why as Dubrovnik is by far the best place we had seen in Croatia. A small centre, that was full of tiny streets, historic buildings and a real buzz of an atmosphere. We spent two days nipping into town to sample the sights both during the day and by night. We were glad that we were out of season as you can easily tell how busy and cramped the city would become, especially with lots of cruise ships arriving. Our final night, the 4th April, in Croatia was spent with a wonderful pair of ex-pats, now calling themselves Aussies, enjoying wine, biscuits and even some pasta. |
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| Croatia has been a mixed bag, partly due to campsites and the weather (raining in the morning, hot in the afternoon). The key sites are fantastic, but the landscape, although picturesque around the coast, tends to be a bit monotonous after several hundred miles. We are however really settling into long term travel and loving a relaxed pace of life. |
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| For more pictures please goto the Gallery. |
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