Not much time has been spent on the bike over the past couple of weeks due to a week of solid rain and a week of sailing. Luckily enough the rain coincided with being in some pretty big and very cool towns with good social hostels, and some great cafes and restaurants.
The prospect of a week on a 43 foot yacht in the rain was not an appealing one, so I was super relieved when the skies cleared for a week of great times on the water…
After an initial climb, it was all down hill and wind to the back for one of the easier day’s cycling this trip from Cres Town to Veli Losing.
I hung around in Veli Losing for a couple of days waiting for the weekly ferry to Zadar. Luckily there was a good hostel and some great cycling and hiking to keep me happy.
Karate tournament close to Mali Losing
I met Christa (on the left) originally in a small town called Skofia Loka a month ago on the way to Bled. She is tour cycling as well and we shared lunch.
When arriving late in Zadar from the ferry from Cres, I woke up a person in the dorm bed below me as I opened the door and we exchanged pleasantaries. In the morning, I received an email from Christa asking me if I was in Zadar as she thought it might be my bike at reception…
Yes, of course it turned out that it was Christa sleeping in the dorm bed below. Clearly my bike is much more memorable than I am!
This photo is above the sea organ which uses the movement of the sea as a giant wind instrument. Pretty cool.
After a couple of days of rain we headed to Split by bus.
The Split Guesthouse and Hostel was booked out when I turned up. Luckily Josko, the owner, managed to find another room for a couple of us at his friend’s place who gave us the room of her 15 year old daughter. I got a bit of an education about who One Direction are and we were lucky enough to have them smiling down on us from all four walls of the room
The rain continued solidly for most of the next week meaning a lot of time hanging about the hostel, cafes, restaurants, and the cinema. Unfortunately it was raining throughout the entire country so there was nowhere to escape it.
On one of the days, a group of us from the hostel went to the pretty Plitvice Lakes National Park…
After six days of rain, the skies finally cleared enough for me to get on my bike and cycle to Omis. My attempts to avoid the main road resulted in the dirt track I was following on the satnav disappearing, forcing me on to the very narrow coastal road loaded with heavy traffic, meaning quite a few hairy moments.
In Omis, I met the crew that I’d be spending the next week with…
Omis
This was the road I was aiming for – I managed to find it on the way back and it involved a lot of climbing but was much better cycling.
Back in Split it was time to leave my bike for a while, safe in the knowledge that it was being vigilantly guarded by Ralph the tortoise.
When a good mate invites you for a week of sailing, swimming, and drinking in the Adriatic, it would be rude not to! My original plans to cycle from Austria to Spain will wait for another time…
(Photo credits for most of the below go to Phill and Ja)
It was all smiles as we hit the water
…and why not. There was a lot to smile about…
A beautiful sunset in Komiza on the island of Vis
There was some craziness on the water, with this yacht veering in front of the ferry, missing it by just metres.
But other than that morning, it was all blue skies and plain sailing
It is easy to fake proficiency at the helm by putting on a Dean Barker stance and looking at the sails with a concentrated stare and the occasional grimace
Or the ultra-relaxed pose with a big smile also works
Beautiful Trogir was a favourite of all those on board
Phill and me in Trogir
…where we enjoyed the best meal of the trip
Nobody could work out what was so sexy about this shop until I stood in front of it…
…Yes, that’s right. With me for contrast, the shop suddenly seemed much more sexy.
Fun times on the water
Sunset at our last night on the water at Otok Drvenik Veli
Our boat, Sun Kissed.
Me, Phill, Lynn, Ja, G and Ronnie
Great people, weather, swimming, laughs, and times. It was a magic week!
