Dubrovnik to Split

Friday 20 July 2012  - Dubrovnik to Split

Day 98 and 61 to go

Can’t believe I have to leave Dubrovnik today, it has been so beautiful. We were awake at 7.30am. Paul had slept all right thankfully and we were both well rested.

Keen to get the day underway, we got up, had breakfast, into our bathers and down to the beach by 8.30am. Everything was still being set up and it was so quiet. It was lovely.

We had to wait until 9am before we could hire a canoe but it was worth the wait. It was so peaceful paddling out on the water.

We manoeuvred up the coast, passing other small beaches, including nudist ones. “Put some clothes on,” we cried. Paul was not impressed at the site of some old woman’s growler and the site of large old wogs with their bits dangling free in the wind was of no appeal to me either.  It was a bit much for the morning.
We paddled to a headland where a resort was perched and then turned around and headed back along the coastline, passed our beach before coming back. It was lovely being able to paddle for a bit and then just sit back and bob about, watching the fish dance around under the canoe, the water sparkling in front of us, the colours changing as we floated over different things in the water.

At 10am we returned the canoe and then we took one last swim, this time not risking the rocks or the nasty sea urchins, by entering from the ladder for a refreshing cool down. Ahhh.

We returned to the van, grabbed our things and went for a shower before coming back and beginning the move on routine.

I went up to the shop to grab a few things for lunch and when I came back it was time to pull up stumps. I paid up at reception, collected our passports and with the GPS set to Split we wound our way out of Dubrovnik , sad to leave.

We followed the same route passing the majestic beaches. By midday we had passed through the Bosnian border, through the ocean side town of Neum and then back into Croatia where we had to follow a long procession of cars and trucks heading in the same direction.

We stopped just before 1pm at one of the roadside fruit and vege stalls where we picked up a few bits and were given a slice of watermelon to munch on. I made up some rolls and we ate those. Paul noticed that the water pump wasn’t working and would need attention when we stopped. We then continued our drive North.

This time we decided to continue on the coast road so we could continue to enjoy the view and we were so pleased that we did.

The Adriatic coastline of Croatia is spectacular. There are so many little towns all white walled and orange roofed that meet the pebbled beaches being used by locals and tourists alike. It wouldn’t be hard to spend 2 weeks traveling up the coast between Dubrovnik and Split, stopping every 20km at a new caravan park. If only we could.

Around every mountain bend there were more wonders to behold and the sparkling water was calling to us the whole way. We stopped for fuel then made the final kilometres finally pulling back in to Camping Strobec at 3.30pm.

After signing in we found our pitch, set up and Paul had a look at the pump that was not working on 240 power either. Technically any issues we have with the van we are supposed to ring in and have it sorted, but who knows how long it would take to get someone here and with us out on a tour tomorrow and back on the road on Sunday we didn’t bother.

Paul put on his “MacGyver’ hat, grabbed his trusty Swiss army knife and got to work, promptly breaking another bit of the pump in his enthusiasm to pull the valve from the tubing. Ooppss. Anyway with some Aussie bush mechanics he soon had it up and running again. Who needs that one- way valve anyway? The pump was working and that was all we needed. Let’s hope it holds for the next 10 days.

With a sweat well and truly worked up a beer was in order. I went to reception to collect a laundry token and then we went and put a load on.

And then the moment we were waiting for, a swim. We found a spot to dump our things, did the spazzy walk over the stones and into the water. Ahhhh. Well not quite. Dubrovnik was so clear and cool, but here it is murky, warm, not particularly refreshing and shallow for a damn long way, so you have to walk heaps just to get belly deep. We were spoilt by the Dubrovnik water and we both wished we were back there. Oh well.

With a quick splash cross paddle we got out and went to check the washing. With 10min to go we returned to the van had a drink then went and collected our clothing that was now sitting on top of a machine as we were back late. We pinned it up on the line only to realise some bits were not there so it was back to the laundry to check for our missing smalls. They were nowhere to be seen and Paul was not impressed. Oh well.

We went to the shop and bought some things for dinner then on the way back I rechecked the laundry, this time our missing items were being pulled out of the machine. Yay.

I returned, pegged out the bits and then cooked dinner, an easy chicken and salad.

I added the photos to the computer and wrote up the Blog before we played cards that I eventually won after the best comeback. Paul then went for a shower and I followed suit when he returned. When I came back to the van Paul was already tucked up in bed so it was lights out for the night.