The beginning of Guatemala....#19: Volunteer in an Orphanage...anywhere!

Well, I’ve fallen in love again.  In Guatemala.  With the people, the culture, the dancing, the language, the food, the scenery and the atmosphere that makes you feel at home….oh and there was a Spanish guy…but more about that later… 

Street performers!!

Nestled in the north of Latin America, Guatemala is full of vibrant cities, cute towns, beaches, forests and lakes; grand history, religion, dance and delicious food.  The people want to know where you’re from; they want you to share their food; they want to teach you the language and the beautiful dance of salsa.  For a country with over 75% of their population living in poverty, us Westerners have a lot to learn from the Guatemalan people. 

Now, as a backpacker, you need to understand that when you can save money that inevitably doubles your travelling time; you generally do it.  Not because you love seeing the inside of a bus or sleeping at an airport, but because that money you save could mean dinner this week or beers for a fiesta.  It was because of this, I arrived in Guatemala at the beginning of November, to an incredibly busy airport and after spending the past 24 hours in transit, I was exhausted.  I had people yelling at me in Spanish and couldn’t understand a single word.  Trying to comprehend what anyone was saying to me (considering my knowledge of the Spanish language extended to “Please”, “Beer” and “Thank You”) was an impossible task.  What had I got myself into??

However, a beautiful Guatemalan family picked me up and while our communication existed purely in sign language, I started to relax.  This is where I met my first Guatemalan love, a little boy named Melita.  He was so adorable, in his elmo jumper, smiling at me from behind his mum.  It didn’t take long though before he gave me a cuddle and my heart melted.  I knew then that it was going to be difficult not to want to take one of the Guatemalan children from the orphanage home…

Many amigos in Guatemala!! <3

 

The next day I trekked up the mountains to a city called Quetzaltenango (or Xela for short).  It’s the second largest city in Guatemala and is the place for students and volunteers alike.  As such, I soon met some amigos and settled into my 6 weeks here.  First off, I needed to learn the language.  I know it’s not an easy thing to do in such a short time but I couldn’t even ask for the bathroom!! It was not good.  So I enrolled in a Spanish school and have been taking some classes since, and while I’m still not great, I manage to get by…just. 

On top of this, I volunteer at an orphanage.  Finally, I’m doing something I’ve always wanted to do (#19 on my Bucket List), for as long as I can remember!  It’s taken years to get here, but I’m so grateful I’ve chosen to do it here in Guatemala.  I just love the children.  Some are happy, some babies always cry, some girls just want to learn English, some have very sad histories, but all are adorable and all just wanting a little bit of love and attention.  It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life and I just wish I could do more.  It breaks my heart that I can’t give these kids a better life.  Maybe one day, I’ll be able to.  Until then though, I go and play with the children, make them smile, make them laugh and they give me the same joy in return.



Choppy! My favourite little boy! <3 <3

Such beautiful kids!

 

My time in Xela has been full with a lot of other activities.  Most pointedly, I’ve found a liking of salsa dancing.  While the professionals make it look easy, it is an intense workout but a lot of fun!  I go to lessons every now and again and every week a group of us will head to a club for “Salsa night” where we dance with locals and visitors alike.  It’s vibrant, it’s fun and a nice way to interact with some of the locals!

Because my time in Central America is quite short, I’ve also been using my weekends off from school and volunteering to go exploring the country.  My first trip was to Antigua, the tourist capital of Guatemala.  However, while touristic, it was a beautiful quaint little town, full of cobblestone streets, cute market stalls and a collection of different food to try.  I used my visit to eat some Asian food (yes, I’m Asian and having withdrawals), see how chocolate is made at the Choco Museo and to check out the local markets, where you can buy anything you need for absolute pennies!  It was lovely weekend, but over way too quickly!

Chocolate Display - YUM!

Streets of Antigua!

The next trip I made was to the beach.  While Xela is really lovely, it is so damn cold!! Being over 2300m above sea level, Xela is cold in a tropical country…yeah go figure.  I chose Guatemala to volunteer because I wanted to escape winter and go somewhere hot; I failed.  Which is why I ended up in Monterrico.  I needed just a couple of days to warm up and prepare myself for the second half of my stay in Xela.  It was a magical weekend.  I lazed in hammocks, played pool volleyball, tried to swim in the ocean (but wow, the waves were incredibly strong!), drank mojitos, released baby turtles into the sea, ate cerviche and seafood and worked on my tan…I didn’t want to leave..

Giving the turtle a kiss before releasing him x

Sunset in Monterrico!

Now I’m back in Xela and only have 2 more weeks left.  Hopefully my Spanish will just miraculously improve in this time and I’ll be all set to go off exploring more of this beautiful country.  I’m planning on visiting Semuc Champey and the ruins of Tikal, as well as doing some hiking through little villages to the beautiful Lake Atitlan and also to the top of one of the tallest volcanoes here for an overnight stay; cannot wait!

So stay tuned for the rest of Guatemala…

xxx

 

Morocco & #14 - Roam the markets of Marrakech

 

Well it’s been quite a while since I last posted a blog, so thought I’d better take some peace out time to do just that.  It’s been difficult you see, what with all the travelling around, seeing amazing new things, eating new foods, meeting new people and basically getting immersed in some incredible and different cultures….yes, it’s been difficult.  But here I am, back in the UK once more, for a chill out session before trekking off again.  I just arrived back here from a last minute whirlwind trip of Morocco and what an amazing 2 weeks – I didn’t want to leave!

Now roaming the markets of Marrakech was number 14 on my Bucket List (see my first blog) and visiting this vibrant city has been on my hit list for a number of years.  However, while it was so satisfying to finally visit here and check out all the souks, barter over pennies and bask in the general atmosphere that is Marrakech, it was the rest of the country that absolutely stole my heart.

 

I arrived into Fez on a Sunday afternoon from a wet and cold London.  I expected sunshine and warmth to greet me here.  It never did.  Overcast and windy, I huddled down in my only warm thing I took, my thin hoodie and headed off the plane.  I chuckled to myself as I saw an English girl being chatted up by one of the Moroccan stewards and soon became friends with her and her travelling friend.  Together we went to wait for the airport bus to take us into town, despite many taxi drivers telling us it “wasn’t coming today”, obviously wanting us to travel with them instead.  However, an hour and a half later, rain had started to come down and there was still no bus to be seen.  We gave in and ended up sharing a taxi into town with 2 locals – at least we know we got a good price!

 

 

 

The "Moroccan Salad" <3

Kez and Kass sandwich!!

I finally got to my hostel, Funky Fes and checked in.  Great little hostel, with a lovely terrace, clean and spacious rooms and a nice atmosphere to meet new friends.  Here, I met my Funky Fez family; the missing parts to my Moroccan salad – Megan, Lucy, Emma and Kez x 2 (Kezia and Kieran). The next day, we all quickly became friends, over light banter and ridiculous stories as we roamed the Medina (and got lost in the Medina).  It was then we discovered we all wanted to do a desert trip; so after knowing each other for less than 24 hours, we thought we’d commit to another week together and booked a 4 day, 3 night trip through to the Sahara and down to Marrakech. 

 

Turns out, it was a perfectly sound decision! We all got along famously as we spent the next 4 days winding our way up and down the Middle and High Atlas mountains, visiting wild monkeys, basking in the tranquillity of the open land and visiting the Sahara desert.  We listened to traditional African music, tried Merzouga’s famous “pizza” - bread stuffed with mince meat or vegetables, onions and spices, kind of like a Moroccan somosa – had a laugh trying to sand board, rode camels for too many hours (my groin hurt badly!) and visited a few Kasbahs (Moroccan housing villages).  We can’t forget being stuck in Moroccan style road rage – a guy screaming and throwing large rocks at the other guy across the road where we, and a lot of other cars, were crossing!! I thought a rock was surely going to hit us!

Chilling with the fam and Black Star in the desert...

 

Middle Atlas Mountains!

 

 

Camel Trekking and off to sand board!
 

The highlight of the trip was definitely the desert, where we all slept under an incredible blanket of stars! We ate chicken tajine, drank red wine around the campfire and sang African songs while our two berber guides played the beat.  It was a lovely night, with Black Star and Issus (our guides) giving us all nicknames – mine was Buchra, meaning happy! :) Was an amazing experience!!

 

 

While this trip was over, I was so excited to get into Marrakech and go roaming through the souks and square. Selling anything from leather products, to shishas, to Moroccan tajine pots, lamps and carpets, the markets were full of life.  Shop owners hassled us to try and look at their shop and obviously highest of prices were asked.  However, after some quick bartering, we all managed to get some items for a good deal (well we think we did anyway!)  To our delight we also found some local cafes, making Moroccan pancakes for as little as 3dH (0.30€)! 

 

Finally getting to tick to roam the souks and of course, smoke some shisha!

 

Full of entertainers, juice stands and many little trinket sellers, Marrakech’s main square is bustling with life.  Walking through I almost crapped my pants, as a local chased me with a cobra in his hands, obviously wanting me to hold it – I do not like snakes!!! Saying this though, it was a delight to see locals and tourists alike basking in the atmosphere.  However, the square came alive as soon as the sun set.  Food market stalls appeared, full of fresh and cheap dinner options on basic tables and benches, right in the middle of everything.  Workers hustled visitors, bartering could be heard over quiet chatter at the tables and aromatic smells met nostrils of hungry patrons.  It was a wonderful day.

Sunset over the water in Essaouira

Kez, Lucy and I then took off to the coast the next day to a surfer town of Essaouira.  A bustling town, but more relaxed, laid back and cheaper than everywhere I’d been so far.  Beautiful sunsets and water crashing against rocks, shisha and mojitos (courtesy of our hostel manager) and cheap, fresh and delicious Moroccan pancakes were a daily ritual.  It was a perfect place to unwind, recoup and see another relaxed side of Morocco.  Reminding me a lot of home, I found it very difficult to leave here. 

 

 

However, my next stop was the top of everyone else’s list, the town of blue, Chefchaouen.  After leaving Essaouira, I didn’t think I’d find somewhere I loved more; I was wrong.  The beautiful blue streets, the friendly locals, the most amazing cake shop, the relaxed atmosphere, the abundant amounts of fresh goat’s cheese and the incredible landscape surrounding the town; all make this a place I want to come back to again and again. 

 

Can't be blue in the town of blue <3

My first full day here was taken up with a hike through the mountains with two new friends, Lani and Laressa, to two different sites – God’s bridge, a beautiful rock bridge and the Grande Cascade.  Hiking for a total of 6 hours that day, it was a nice work out, without being strenuous.  The view was incredible, photos don’t do the area justice and was wonderful to get out in nature.  Very much a surprise for me, the cold rivers, greenery and waterfalls, were definitely not what I was expecting from Morocco!! My following days in Chefchaouen consisted of cheap Moroccan breakfast, roaming the streets, watching sunsets, stuffing my face with too many Moroccan dishes and relaxing at our Riad with travellers I met along the way.  It was an absolutely perfect way to end my time in the beautiful country of Morocco. 

 

The Grande Cascade and God's Bridge near Chefchaouen 

Beautiful place to watch the sunset

In my short two weeks, I made some lifelong friends (we are already talking about living in Spain together!), seen some incredible landscapes and basked in the culture and atmosphere of many different areas of Morocco.  It is a place full of life, very accommodating to tourists and travellers alike and should definitely make it to everyone’s bucket list!!

Until next time

 

xxx

Nostalgia kicks in

Well it’s been just under 3 weeks since I finished up with Sail Croatia and little memories are starting to pop up.  Whether it’s that beautiful sunset over Hvar island or that street performance in Dubrovnik Old Town; the pirate parties in Makarska or the delicious mojitos in Korcula; the funny and crazy stories from Aussies or the sexy shirtless males….safe to say, my nostalgia has kicked in.  Not saying it’s a bad thing; I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. 

Snapshots of some of my adventures!



I mean, the days are still quite lovely here in London (I know, what??), still warm and sunny with a slight crisp in the nights and mornings.  This city is the most vibrant one I’ve visited and I never get bored here; London feels like home to me, even if I’m just passing through.  So with all this available to me, why am I missing the beautiful Sail Croatia experience?

Maybe it’s the people.  I have made some of my closest mates this summer, some guests, some colleagues.  It was a whirlwind of meeting new people on a daily basis and forging friendships I hope last a lifetime.  It was the adventures we got up to together, the stories we shared and the memories we built to do exactly what I’m doing now, reminisce.  I think it’s safe to say, I now have a place to stay in almost every continent in the world (I’m sure you can guess which one I’m missing!).

Or maybe it’s the sceneries. Croatia would have to be one of my all-time favourite countries I have visited.  Maybe it’s biased as I’ve spent a lot more time here than most countries, but it is full of some of the most beautiful scenery! From waterfalls, to cliffs, from mountains to beaches, I just fell in love.  I didn’t take enough pictures but these images will be implanted in my brain for a long time yet, making me want to return for sure!

 

View off Dubrovnik Old Town Wall

Blue Cave in Vis

But most likely it was the perfect timing for such an incredible opportunity to arise.  I needed a fresh start, I needed to get on the road again, try something new, get out of my comfort zone and Sail Croatia was all this for me.  I feel like I’d lost my way a little in the past couple of years and Croatia marked a point in time where I found my way back.  I dealt with situations I never thought I’d have to, discovered new things about myself and while surrounded by hundreds of people, learnt to love being alone with just me.  I think for me this is the thing that is making me miss my last “home”. 

So to mark this significant era in my life, I went with a couple of my Sail Croatia buddies and branded my body with some ink.  My first tattoo, but something I know I won’t regret as it will always hold incredible memories - I got a small anchor on my right ankle. Some people might look at it and think what a cliché, but to me it holds so much more significance than they could see and I absolutely love it.

First Ink! <3

 While this adventure is now over and I can sit here and reminisce and wish I was still there, life continues and there’s so many more new adventures to be had.  After all, they do say the best way to cure travel nostalgia is to book another trip.  So…I’m off to Greece today, to relax again and soak up the sunshine, drink cocktails and laze on the beach.  Tough life.

Will go enjoy a mojito now…..

xxx

Bosnia and Herzegovina - An unexpected delight

Tucked away at the bottom of Eastern Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country worth visiting.  Little did I know how powerful my short visit would be or how much more I would want to stay and explore.  It gave me insight into the most horrific war since WWII and opened my eyes to this very charming new culture.  Sharing the same language with Croatia, I was very much expecting great similarities, much like just visiting another city of the same country.  However, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Mostar

When we arrived in Mostar, it was not at all what I was expecting.  The area surrounding the Old Town looks like a normal city – square buildings, concrete paths and bitumen roadways; very much a Hungarian influence in building designs.  However, head into Old Town and it’s like you’ve entered another world.  Little cobblestone paths, market shops everywhere, selling anything from jewellery to bags to lanterns and little café shops surrounding the Mostar river and famous Stari Most (meaning old bridge).  The Old Town has a large Turkish influence – vibrant colours, shishas, Turkish hats, baklava – you name it.  The locals are friendly, with gently banter and you can’t help but feel happy to be there!

Market stalls in Mostar

 

Colourful markets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The history of Mostar is also incredible.  Based in the Herzegovina part of the country, Mostar faced a lot of hardship during the 1991-1995 war against Serbia. In 1993, everything in Herzegovina was without electricity, water and military; it was like a desolate city.  The Stari Most was bombed as were surrounding areas.  Everything was under fire, no one felt safe.  Once a place popular with tourists, became a pile of concrete, stone and despair. 

I enjoyed visiting the Old Town mosque (Koski Mehmed pasa), where I learnt about different traditions.  There was a beautiful birdbath area outside the mosque where it was customary to clean yourself, ready for prayer.  Inside the mosque, there is a design of a 6 point star, meaning “believe in your own, but respect others”; which I thought was a powerful statement to live by.  Another interesting fact was that there were many rolls of carpets and rugs in the mosque.  Our tour guide told us that these were all made with at least one mistake in the pattern, as the Bosniaks (Bosnian muslims) believed that God is the only one that can make something completely perfect. 

Inside Koski Mehmed pasa Mosque in Mostar

Sarajevo

Arriving into the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, the impression was very similar.  In the very middle of the old town, there is a division of white stones.  Look East of this line and again it is a very Turkish influence; look West and you have classic Austro-Hungarian architecture. This contrast is attributed to the different periods of ruling in Bosnia and shows how versatile to different cultures the country really is.  Sarajevo is one of the only European cities to have a mosque, Catholic church, Orthodox church and synagogue all in one place and is therefore known as religiously and culturally diverse.  The first building to be built was a castle in the field (which is where the name Sarajevo is derived), followed by a mosque for the Bosniaks in the East of the town.  It is said the further East of the town you go, the further back in history you will go. 

In the centre of town is a water fountain; said that if you drink from it, you will return.  Here it will give you your bearings for the rest of the town.  All the streets in the Old Town are named after what you can find in that street, i.e. copper street.  It is a rich and interesting place to roam around, get lost and easily find your way back. 

Water Fountain, Sarajevo

The war time affected Sarajevo greatly.  When you roam the streets, you will often miss the red splashes of paint on the ground.  However, these splashes actually mark sites of massacres.  Where more than 9 people were killed, the red fills up the holes in the ground left from the bombs/bullets and serves as a memorial of sorts for those lost.  These are called Sarajevo Rose and are simple but powerful.  The large National Library that you see in Sarajevo today was completely destroyed in 1992.  It has only been completely re-built last year and is a significant sight to check out when visiting the city. 

A snapshot of Sarajevo Rose - marks massacre site

View over Sarajevo City

The city’s brewery became the most important building during the war time.  Not as we would think, because of the beer, but because the brewery sat on the largest spring water supply to the city.  This is where everyone used to come for water, risking their lives to bring some home to their family.  As such, this area was heavily protected by the Serbs and many didn’t return home. 

Srebrenica

Heading to Srebrenica, moods were mellow.  Hearing about the 1995 genocide was horrible enough.  Actually seeing the memorial and standing inside the same area where the UN had refused most refugees safety, was another story.  The history of Srebrenica is a horrific one; a story that I hope will never be repeated; a mistake by the United Nations that cost over 8000 lives. 

In April, 1993, Srebrenica was declared a safe zone by the UN. To counteract the constant desire by the Serbs to overrule and provide “ethnic cleansing” (removal/killing of Bosniaks), the UN had a 400-strong army of Dutch soldiers to protect the area.  However, when the Serbian military leader, General Ratko Mlavic ordered his team to enter Srebrenica in July 1995, not one UN bullet was shot.  They gave up.  This resulted in mass murder by the VRS (Army of Republic Serbia) over a period of 3 days in Srebrenica and surrounding areas. 

Names of those lost in the 1995 genocide

Entry to the memorial site

Our tour guide told us, while choking back tears, how he managed to escape in the woods up to the Bosnian protected border of Tuzla.  His father and twin brother were not so lucky.  He pointed out their graves in the memorial yard.  Unfortunately for many remaining Bosniaks, closure is still not possible, with many more mass graves to be uncovered and bones to be identified through advanced DNA testing.  Only a quarter of those who died in the 1995 genocide have been positively identified and finally buried to rest.  Almost 20 years on, the discovery, recovery and identification is still continuing.  Let’s hope there’s some closure soon for the thousands of Bosniaks still suffering today.

While the stories of Bosnia and Herzegovina are powerful and heart-breaking, the country has a beautiful charm to it.  The locals are ridiculously friendly and always welcome a chat.  It is a country scarred with many bullet wounds, but one that has banded together to rebuild and become a must-see tourist stop in Europe.

Read about my Med Experience – Bosnia Adventure tour I did here. 

xxx

 

Med Experience - Bosnian Adventure

Well after spending the last 13 weeks looking after hundreds of Sail Croatia travellers, my fellow on-board rep, Sarah and I were absolutely shattered.  We wanted to go to sleep and sleep for weeks. And not drink. Ever again….We wanted to be looked after – hello? Mum – where are you?? However, we all know as travellers, there’s still so much more to do and see and sleep is very much a luxury that can be done when, well, when you’re dead.  Sarah and I wanted to trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina as we’d heard Croatia’s neighbour is full of incredible history and beautiful sights that were worth checking out.  That’s when we found Med Experience - a company offering 5 or 7 days trips through Bosnia.  Since we had such a short time (I get to see my best friend in t minus 1 day!!!), Sarah and I thought this was absolutely perfect for us – we could see Bosnia and also get looked after – win win!

So, we joined some of our fellow travellers in Split (the rest were coming from Dubrovnik) and headed for Bosnia.  As we crossed the border into Bosnia, a few of us needed to use the loo.  Was quite entertaining hearing about Sarah’s first experience with squat toilets (and didn’t we use a few throughout the rest of the week!) – see, we got culture, history, sightseeing and local living all in one! 

Kravica Waterfalls

Our first stop was Kravica waterfalls in the Herzegovina part of the country.  Here, we met our delightful and rather funny tour leader, Mustafa.  Ever full of jokes, Mustafa made us all feel welcome from the beginning and off we set into the waterfalls.  Wow.  It’s the only word to describe it.  Raging after being subject to heavy rain the previous few days, Kravica was spectacular.  The water level was so high, it had washed out one of the restaurants in the area.  We did go for a quick dip, but when I say quick, I mean, the fastest I’ve ever run while laughing…The water was absolutely freezing – zero degrees wouldn’t be far off.  Within seconds my toes felt like ice and I was frozen to the core.  Totally, totally worth the froze bite though – an amazing way to break the ice (excuse the pun) with the other travellers on our tour!

Med Experience Tour Group

Back into the bus we went and we continued on to Mostar.  Here our afternoon was free to roam around, so Sarah and I went exploring the Old Town.  In true Aussie fashion, we went and sat down at a riverfront restaurant and had a beer…so much for not drinking.  It was a delight to watch the tourists on the bridge, combined with the serenity of the river and surrounding greenery, without having to worry about our groups…was Relaxation with a capital R.  We also got lucky and saw a guy jump off the bridge – stupid if you ask me, but maybe just a little crazy!

Mostar River

Stari Most (Old Bridge)

Relaxing with a beer watching Stari Most

 

That night, Mustafa took us to a local restaurant in the Old Town and introduced us to some local delicacies.  He did forget to warn us about the large size of the meals so everyone at the table (including us) ate way too much and were ready for bed by 10pm.  Yes, we are big party animals! During dinner, Mustafa entertained Sarah and me, as he reminded us of one of our Sail Croatia colleagues, Dragan.  Turns out, Mustafa grew up with Dragan, so we tried to get some juicy stories about him…don’t worry Dragan, we don’t know too much! J

The next day we did an optional city tour, which was full of history and personal experiences from our local guide.  You can read more about Mostar in my Bosnia blog.  After this, we tried our hands at cooking some of the local food – that was a laugh! Especially when the class combined beer and wine with knives and inexperienced travellers…. Nonetheless, we all survived without chopping off a finger and prepared 5 dishes, including Burek from scratch.  Rolling out that dough was interesting – some odd shapes and often holey – but they all managed to turn out pretty good! We got to eat all our food, so dinner was delicious and we even had plenty of leftovers for the next day’s bus trip.

Our group with our first few meals prepped (and wine in hand!)

Me, attempting to make burek

We headed to Sarajevo the next day, with a stopover to do some Rafting!  Freezing water matched with rapids and uncoordinated rafters meant some great photos and laughs were had.  Mustafa then took us to a local hang out, Kino Bosna for a night out.  Kino Bosna is an old cinema turned “pub” of sorts; think wooden tables, mismatched chairs and sofas; with lots of smoke and noisy chatter.  The best thing here was the locals we saw, the Bosnian music we got to hear (the band came and serenaded us!) and the cheap drinks!

The band playing at Kino Bosna

On Tuesday, we had a whole day to explore Sarajevo, but started our morning with a war city tour, taken by Mustafa.  You can read more about Sarajevo and war stories in my Bosnia blog.  While the stories were horrific and very difficult for us to comprehend, it was great to have the knowledge of Mustafa, who was born and grew up in Sarajevo.  He told stories of what it was like in the war time; what he got up to; times when he was almost killed; the things he saw that a young boy should never have to witness.  I think we all agreed it was invaluable to get this personal insight into what it was like, rather than just history you can get from books.

Our final day was more insight into the 1991 wartime and the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.  Read more about this in my Bosnia blog.  While the bus travel was long, the background and sights we visited were eye opening and mellowing.  It opened our eyes to the scale of devastation that was experienced in Bosnia, not so long ago.  It showed us the strength of the Bosnian people to start anew, re-build and band together to help those who had suffered. 

After a long day our 5 day trip ended back in Sarajevo.  We said goodbye to our lovely group and of course our entertaining tour guide, Mustafa, as they continued on for the mountains.  The entire trip was amazing – a good mix of group activities and free time to roam at your leisure.  Our fellow travellers were around our age and Mustafa was very knowledgeable and helpful without being overbearing with information.  I definitely recommend Bosnia and Herzegovina as a must see while in Europe!

Sarah and I "just chilling" on the Stari Most

Until next adventure…

xx

Bucket List #1 - Complete

Well my incredible journey on Sail Croatia is very quickly coming to an end.  It’s something I’m not quite sure I want to end yet, nor do I know if I’ll return for another season, but I’m most definitely sure it was the best thing I ever did.  Sunshine, pristine clear waters, beers, cocktails, sightseeing, hiking, adventure activities, new friendships; a summer to remember!    

In light of my time in Croatia coming to a very quick end, I thought I’d share with you my favourite things I loved to do during my time on the boats. 

1.       Stroll the Old Town walls of Dubrovnik

Almost 2kms long, this incredible design encases the large Old Town.  It winds up and down and around, giving you amazing photo opportunities over the Adriatic and the red rooves of the buildings and houses inside the Old Town.  Being subjected to bomb shelling by the Serbian army in 1991, Dubrovnik Old Town was devastated, leaving many places without rooves.  This is evident in the different shades of red tiles on the buildings – some much newer than others – showing the signature of the red roof design.  It is now a massive tourist attraction when coming to Croatia.  The cost is 100kuna to get access to the wall but definitely worth every lipa.

Red rooves in Dubrovnik Old Town

 

View from Dubrovnik Walls

 

2.       Party at sunset at Hula Hula Bar, Hvar

If there’s anywhere you want to go to see the sunset, it’s at Hula Hula bar.  Located right on the water with dominating views of the beautiful sunsets of Hvar, this cocktail bar knows how to party.  With some of the best cocktails I’ve tried here, Hula Hula bar is a large, lounge and hut venue.  You can come down here during the day to relax in the sun, or head down later in the afternoon for that signature cocktail/sunset photo shoot.  Great music, many like-minded party travellers and fun barstaff, on top of the delicious cocktails and tasting platters, Hula Hula never fails to deliver. 

Sunset at Hula Hula Bar

 

3.       Check out Marco Polo’s first house in Korcula

Rumours are that Marco Polo, famous explorer was born in Korcula, my favourite place in Croatia.  There’s always going to be people who contest this (i.e. The Italians), however the locals here are very adamant and get quite defensive if you should argue this point.  As such, Marco Polo anything is a go here in Korcula – Marco Polo restaurants, shops and ice cream.  However, if you go anywhere, go and check out Marco Polo’s house that he grew up in.  It’s not overly big but you can find out some interesting history and background about Marco Polo and can even pick up a little souvenir in the museum dedicated to him.

4.       Bike around the National Park of Mljet

Boasting 54km² of National Park, the island of Mljet is definitely worth a stopover.  The National Park consists of 2 lakes, with a beautiful monastery in the centre of the larger lake.  The scenery in the park is incredible; it has some great foot and bike paths to allow you to explore as much as you like.  Go for a dip in one of the lakes and float under the bridge between the two, where the salt content of the lakes is most concentrated.  I’d recommend hiring a bike and cycling around, as the paths around the park are bike friendly and not at all strenuous.  Then stop at the larger lake and possible hire a kayak for a casual afternoon on the water, where you can paddle over to the monastery on the island of St Mary for some an architecture and history boost.  Entry to the park is 80kuna to help with maintenance and you can pay an extra 20kuna for a boat transfer to the monastery if kayaking is just not your thing. 

Mljet Lake inside National Park

 

5.       Get incredible pictures of the Biokovo Mountain range in Makarska

The best thing about Makarska is its location – situated right between the Biokovo Mountain range and the Adriatic sea.  When you arrive, it looks more like a movie backdrop, with the highest point at 1762m above sea level.  You can do some hiking trials if you are feeling energetic, otherwise enjoy the view and the great photo opportunity – go to the local beach, jump in the water and turn around and take a picture in the water, with these incredible mountains behind you.

Biokovo Mountain Range right behind us in Makarska

 

 

6.       Hike to the Fortica (Stari Grad) fortress in Omis

Not for the faint hearted, the trek to Fortica fortress at the top of Omis is a tough one.  Definitely take good walking shoes and plenty of water, as this walk is pretty much entirely uphill.  The path is very clearly marked out with red dots to show you the way, however the path is often overrun with shrubbery and plenty of loose rocks, so mind your step! Saying this, the view you get from the top is incredible.  The beach of Omis goes off the coast with a long peak, giving you the view of the white sand and clear blue waters, away from the built up town.  The hike up here took me just under 30mins, however I suggest allowing at least an hour to get to the top.  You’ll want to get inside the fortress, even just to get higher views, and at a cost of only 15kuna, well worth checking out.  The other side of the fortress boasts a beautiful mountain range and makes you feel like you’re in a completely different place. 

Beautiful view of Omis beach

 

7.       Taste the delicious wines of the Stari Grad plains

Croatia is re-known for good wine.  Vineyards are abundant throughout the country, including in the Stari Grad plains on the island of Hvar.  You can hire a bike and cycle through the plains and see all the vineyards and maybe stop in at one to sample the produce.  These plains are actually UNESCO protected due to the unique design of the roads to create the plots of land at exactly right angles.  Otherwise, you can partake in a wine tasting expedition to a local winery and sample the sweet grapes of this region.  My favourite winery is owned by the family Zuvela and is a farm/winery combined.  They make and grow everything that you taste there, from tomatoes and olives, to cheeses, breads and olive oils, and of course, the delicious wine!  Definitely worth a visit! 

#teamnaval at Stari Grad Winery

 

8.       Drink a cocktail delivered on a pulley to the top of a tower in Korcula

I just love the view you get up here in a tower-turned-cocktail bar! They are delicious cocktails (granted, you do pay for it) and the atmosphere is chilled, in the sun, with the water right below.  My favourite cocktail here is Pinky Colada (grenadine with a Pina Colada); a nice refreshing way to end an afternoon strolling the Old Town. 

Pinky Colada's = Delicious!

On top of this, I loved to; try the local cuisine – their local pastry, Burek is the closest attempt to a sausage roll I’ve seen in Europe and are delicious! I did attempt to decipher the Croatian language, but sometimes didn’t do so well, especially when Tuna to us is pronounced chew-na, which in Croatian means small penis – always got a bit of a chuckle from the locals! I would have liked to have possibly sample the local talent since Croatians guys are SMOKING HOT (but I do still have 1 week to go…) and of course I got my signature jumping shot from the boat.  All these combined, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this beautiful country. 

It’s now mixed feelings of upcoming nostalgia, apprehension about leaving something that has come somewhat very familiar, excitement for what’s next and gratefulness to have experienced the best summer of my lifetime.  Can’t wait for the next adventure but the memories and friendships I’ve built here will stay with me forever. 

 

Sail Croatia Girls - best friends!

 

Next stop, I’m off to explore the rest of the incredible sceneries of the Croatian mainland and surrounding Balkan countries…

xx