Don't forget to visit the Europe page for a local map!
Don't forget to visit the Europe page for a local map!
We had another adventurous travel day to get here, but Slovenia is a welcome relief from the stifling heat in Croatia this time of year.
I had created my longest entry to date detailing in reverse order how we came to arrive in Ljubljana after so many different modes of transport... only to have a Code Red (A code red is when all computers, robots and other electronics are against you) thrust upon me and lose everything. Since a code red lasts for a while, I also deleted a number of our photos and had an elevator crush me with its powerful doors. Anyway... let me recreate this, saving early and often. :)
Working BACKWARDS...
Friday 13th noon. We were all checked into a new hostel by noon having arrived in Ljubljana after a relaxing three-hour bus ride that stopped several times. Once for gas, once for a ten-minute break (maybe because you can't smoke at the petrol station), and once on each side of the border crossing from Croatia to Slovenia.
08.00. We spent a short morning in Rijeka, Croatia walking with our packs the short kilometer from the ferry dock to the bus station. Luckily, the large car-ferry arrived without incident at 7:00 Friday morning and the bus left at 8:10. The only kicker was that we had cleverly used up our last Croation money on peanuts and pretzels before realizing that we needed to scrape together cash for a bus ticket (no credit cards). We did scrape it together using a combination of coins and spare euros.
Thursday 20.00 to Friday 7.00.
Ahhh, a night on the open seas. We enjoyed our overnight boat despite the fact that our sleeper cabin was in the "third sub-basement of hell" beneath the cars and trucks of the garage decks with no portal because we're below the water line. The cabin was cozy and fun, and seemed very private compared to all the folks laying down bedrolls and sleeping bags in the corridors, under tables in the lounge, and out on deck. The trip from Split to Rijeka was about 11 hours. We passed the time playing a rousing game of Scrabble near the self-serve restaurant with our new friends from Australia... and enjoying the multi-lingual vocal stylings of the lounge singer.
At 19:40, we were walking along the harbor in Split without a worry, having speed-eaten our tasty pizza dinner and secure in the knowledge that our bags were tucked into our cabin. Split seems like a nice place when you don't have to worry about food, lodging, and fighting other tourists to get to the sights.
18.20. Our 2 hour shore leave was more like one because the boat had been late leaving Hvar, but we will be back on schedule now. We had ambitious plans to visit the palace and old town before eating a healthy dinner on the other side of town. Looks like we will be lucky to squeeze in a visit to the pizza place half a kilometer away recommended by Lonely Planet.
16.00 We watched the enormous Marko Polo pull into the tiny slip as we cower under a postal vehicle for a bit of shade with Tarra and James. We watch some boys jump off the boat launches into the sea, but since our next showers are so far off, we pass. The we first arrived in Hvar. It turns out that they, too, had to park the girl and send the guy as a scout, but it sounds like they did a little better with a private balcony and better rate. Oh well. She tells me of an internet cafe and we agree to share a taxi to the port.
1.30 Find out about the possibility of walking to the port. May be just a bit too far with all our bags in tow according to the man at the tourist information booth. I guess we can just relax.
12.00 We wander into the Stari Grad town and find the buildings and seaside charming. Apparently there's a cool shipwreck we can visit after our lunch of mediocre pizza and expensive ice cream.
11.40 We make the quick choice to go to Stari Grad, the town, rather than Stari Grad, the ferry dock since the dock seemed so devoid of interest... killing time for more than four hours seems to be a little too long even for us.
10.00 We have to leave our room early today. Although the ferry doesn't leave until later this afternoon, the bus to the ferry leaves at 11:50 and we'll need seats. This room has been one of our better. There's no view, but we have strung up our clothes line out the window, and everything dries super fast. We have a private bathroom with shower, use of a fridge in the hall, and have shared access to a lovely veranda overlooking the old city and waterfront. Good thing the amenities have been decent, because this place is almost double what we have paid before. High season. Grrrrr.
9.00 Wake up in plenty of time for a nice breakfast on the terrace of yogurt, fruit, and knusper flakes (whatever they are).