Eastwards we drove into Slovenia, heading to Lake Bled. The clouds thickened and the rain poured down, not the best start for this leg of the adventure. Arriving at our B&B on the outskirts of Bled township, we lugged our multiple bags down steep steps in the rain and then up again to reach our room. Advertised as an apartment, it had a good sized living and kitchen area, but the bedroom and bathroom were very tight, the bed having centimetres clearance from the side walls and even less to edge around at the end to enter the bathroom. It was adequate for our two nights, but a lot smaller than expected. Between rain showers, we explored the town that evening, finding dinner near the lake and enjoying the view of the castle lit up on the hillside.

The following morning we put on our walking gear, packed our umbrellas and raincoats and set off to walk around the lake. We barely got 10 minutes in and the heavens opened, it bucketed down – we scurried to find shelter wondering the wisdom of our adventure, but we had only this one day so off we went, already damp, we may as well continue. The showers eased and from time to time we got some beautiful views of the chapel on the lake and a bit of sunshine too. The walk was an easy 6km and the views were beautiful. The lake was very clear and a lovely jade green in colour.

About 3/4 the way around we arrived at a dock to catch a boat out to the island. We paid our € and climbed on board, saying hi to the four others already seated, and recognizing kiwi accents in reply. Where are you from? We asked, Tauranga, came the reply! Halfway around the world on a random tour we come across almost neighbours! How crazy is that? The boats on the lake are man powered, with the owners passing the boats through family members. The lake was peaceful as there are no powered craft allowed. We arrived at the island and had 40 minutes to wander and explore, and hide from the next downpour. We decided not to pay additional to climb the bell tower and ring the bell, but plenty of others did, the church bell constantly rings during the day as tourists enjoy this tradition. The views from the island back to the town were great and again, we were amazed at the clarity and colour of the lake water. Returning to the lakeshore, we continued back to the start point and then to our accommodation for hot showers and hot soup and a chance to dry off.

We packed up next morning and headed south towards Croatia in the rain, arriving at Krk island and township, thankfully connected to the mainland via a bridge to make the trip easier. The landscape was pretty on the journey and the roads were generally very good, but it was a very windy and mostly wet trip. It was disappointing that we didn’t get to enjoy the best weather here, as I had been hoping for sunny days to enjoy the coastal towns of Croatia. Once again with rain jackets on and umbrellas at the ready, we wandered around the town of Krk, some lovely older houses and crystal clear waters, before retreating to the car to drive around parts of the island in the dryness of our car. On our way, we stopped off at a remote but recommended restaurant for a local cheese and meats platter, surprised again to find ex-kiwis at an adjacent table, originally from Nelson, now in the UK. It’s always fun to bump into others with familiar accents and compare adventures.

Our next destination had been recommended to us by a couple of friends and was always on our itinerary, Plitvice Lakes is a Croatian National Park of lakes and waterfalls. Our drive here started in semi sun and warmth, but as we climbed, we watched the misty rain enclose us and the temperature drop. We arrived at our overnight accommodation in minimal visibility and hoped that the next day would be clear enough for us to enjoy this amazing place. The following morning was mildly better, but still misty. At least by staying in the park, we could access the trails earlier before the tour buses arrived. The park is well set up with trails and walkways guiding everyone in a mostly one way direction to view the 7 lakes of the lower park. It was busy, but we could maneuver our way between the selfie tourists and the various groups to enjoy these amazing falls. The weather added to the atmosphere and we enjoyed our wandering around the smaller lakes and many waterfalls, and then a boat trip across the larger lake. As we wandered back towards our starting point we looked down at where the crowds had built significantly and movement around the trails was limited because of the number of people. The numbers showed no signs of it being a marginal day in shoulder season.

We now headed back towards the coast, the weather was very misty and drizzly and cold as we drove westwards through forested land and hills. All of a sudden we broke out of the murk, the temperatures rose significantly (from 9 to 28 degrees Celcius!) and our moods lightened. Our destination for the next couple of days was Zadar, a coastal resort town I hoped would allow us to enjoy some beach time. Our first day was spent wandering the historic streets and enjoying the warmth, and arranging a boat tour to visit some National Park sites on the offshore islands. Croatia was interesting in many ways, but one of the downsides was the high number of smokers everywhere, even inside cafes, which was quite off putting.

Our arranged boat tour took us out into the Adriatic with its amazingly clear waters and beautiful jade colours again. We passed between two islands on our way out to the first stop, a beautiful beach at Lojena. The waters were so clear, but the access into the water was miserable, over stony shore and more sharp stones as you entered the water. Once in, however, the water was crystal clear and snorkeling around the bay we could see a variety of fish life, before struggling out of the water again. Beach shoes were an essential item we didn’t have. After a good hour here, we boarded the boat again towards our next stop – the Telascica Nature park, with high cliff views and then a short walk to an inland salt lake for another swim. The water temperature were comfortable enough for me to enjoy (plus, I’d paid for this, I might as well make the most of it!) Our trip included lunch (average) and wine (disgusting!) but it was a great day out enjoying this part of the coast and my first opportunity to go swimming in the sea. Then south again to Split, still enjoying the sunshine and a lovely coastal drive, stopping for a picnic on our way.

Split was a beautiful old town, and our B&B apartment was walking distance to all of the action. Beautiful ancient buildings melded with more modern additions, and a buzz of busy tourists gave this place a great vibe. We enjoyed a lovely wander around the historic centre, bumping into more kiwis (wearing the All Blacks singlet, here for Rugby World Cup, but doing a short break to discover more). We had heard of a lovely beach further along the coast and spent a wonderful morning there, marveling at the cliffs behind, and enjoying the sandy beach, no stones here. Again the water was beautiful to swim in and we made the most of the empty beach before lunch when the crowds started to appear.

I had been keen for us to go to the island of Hvar and hire bikes there, but the timing and cost worked against us, so instead we signed up for another boat tour, promising us a snorkel near a shipwreck, visiting an island village and lunch at the “Blue Lagoon”. We left in calm waters but the wind rose and the seas became a little choppy as we arrived at our first stop. Because of the size of our boat and the busy-ness of the area with other tour boats and private catamarans, we could not get close to the shipwreck. We had to don life jackets and swim (they said) 100m (not!) to where the shipwreck was. We jumped into the water along with many others off our boat but, as soon as I got in, I decided this was not a safe thing to do; the wind and the current were strong so we struggled the very short distance back to the boat and watched the carnage unfold in front of us. Many were struggling in the water, not getting far before deciding they should return, but getting washed away from our boat. We had 45 minutes there, but even for those who were strong swimmers, it still wasn’t enough time to get to the shipwreck and back again; one very tired guest ended up taking refuge on a nearby catamaran and being delivered back to our boat on an paddle board by their kind crew. It was a bit of a disaster, and we were thankful everyone did make it back, but in reality they shouldn’t have sent anyone off in those conditions.

Our next stop, the island of Solta with a pretty town and beach, was much more pleasant and we enjoyed a wander and even coffee with a view. Then to the Blue Lagoon for our lunch break at a beach restaurant, enjoying the sunshine and much calmer waters for a final swim. The end of this trip was much more pleasant and the food and wine on this trip was 100% better than our Zadar experience.We really enjoyed our stay in Split; the warmth, the history, the beaches and the sea made for good memories. We were ready to head back to Italy, catching an overnight car ferry to Bari, 10 hours away. Despite being sure I had booked an outside cabin, we ended up in a tiny bunkroom with no windows and no bathroom. I slept well, however (with a little pharmaceutical help) and woke in time to see the sunrise over Italy, ready for the next part of this adventure.