Cruising the Croatian Coast

It's Friday evening and having arrived in Rejika I make a big decision and hire a car. The plan is to head down along the indentured coastline towards Dubrovnik stopping along the way at any place which seems interesting.

Riding with Twiggy

The car is a small, silver Renault Twingo 1.2, which I affectionately dub "Twiggy", my trusty transport and home as I head towards the Southern Adriatic sunshine! Driving on the right is a bit strange at first but after a few minutes you hardly notice the difference, however observing the speed limit is not a trait which endears you to other Croatian motorists and I quickly lose count of the number of times I was overtaken!

Sleeping ergonomics (part II 'cars')

Finding a place to make camp along the coastal roads is a bit tricky at night, especially with only the moonlight to guide. After 30 minutes unsuccessful trial and error I realise I'm not going to fit across the back seats but discover the passenger seat is fully reclinable (at least after some persuasion i was able to make it go horizontal, to be honest I'm not sure this is a design feature of all Twingos!). In the morning, stepping outside to stretch my legs in the morning I realise I'm only a couple of yards from the edge of a 70ft cliff, (which would explain why it was so windy!)

Alone with thoughts?...

Paklenica National Park is very popular with rock-climbers as the guide notes say "abounds with a wealth of karst features". However, there's no-one about and it's a chance to wander up through the rugged valley and feel pensive, or else it would be but for the wind which is constantly shouting through the rocky-furrows and bare trees like a child demanding attention. Clambering up one of the ridges and looking back the expanse below is austere plains with splintered boulders and occasional thorny shrubs. It seems desolate and lonely. As if to counter this impression I get splashed in the face by a sudden changing direction gust whilst drinking at a water trough, kids!

Split day

Arriving in Spilt at 9.30am, the Hvar Island ferry has gone 5 minutes ago but a very helpful port authority attendant shows me somewhere to park for free and suggests Supetar, Brac Island as an alternative. After a choppy ferry ride, I spend an hour combing the shoreline and afterwards attempt to find an alternative inland route back to the harbour. I happen across the football ground of DVD Supetar with a game in progress. They're playing Split Solin and are watched by a boisterous crowd of 40-50 people. There are no goals in the second half but plenty of miscontrolled passes, tackles and play-acting and posturing, which is surprisingly fun to watch and cheaper than going to Ewood Park! Back on the mainland there's still a couple of hours before dusk and it's a chance to explore the impressive Diocletian Palace and sample my first burek (a kind of cheese pastie, very greasy but filling)

Bathing in the Adriatic

The sun wakes me up around 6.30am. It's much warmer and driving along the road with windows down we're flanked to the left by hills more abundant now with greenery, orange trees and blossoms, and to the right sandy beaches and brilliant turquiose translucent sea. About 30km from Dubrovnik between two small village settlements place where the sand beaches give way to a crop of rocks which can be reached by climbing down a hill from the main road. Having spend two days scrubbing in bathroom sinks, diving into the cool waters is a welcome change and immediately refreshes. Drying on the rocks I think about friends back home and what I would have usually be doing at 8.30am on a Monday morning... :o)