A Hiker’s Dream City

Days 242-248, July 27-August 2, 2011

Banja Luka, my destination upon leaving Sarajevo, is a nice, quiet city but because of extreme laziness while there, there is not much I can say about it. I won’t take all the blame either, as the few places that are big tourist draws in the city, namely the castle, were closed to the public unless you had a ticket for the large independent band festival happening that week. So, unfortunately for the city, it really only gets this little introductory paragraph on my journey. I was on my way to Zagreb after only two nights in Banja Luka so didn’t get the chance to do some of the things that are available outside the city(like river rafting and rock climbing).

My loss, that’s for sure.

Shattered Expectations in Dubrovnik

Days 228-230, July 13-15, 2011

Ever since The Amazing Race visited Dubrovnik, Croatia in one of its more recent seasons, I’ve been wanting to visit there. The images of this beautiful walled city struck me as magical. I am not ashamed to say that this was my main reason for coming to Croatia in the first place. Split and Šibenik really showed me a beautiful side of Croatia that made me think that Dubrovnik was going to be absolutely spectacular.

Sometimes we build things up a bit too much in our heads.

Finding Šibenik and Krka

Days 225-227, July 10-12, 2011

Having done some research while in Split, I decided to head up north a ways to the tiny city of Šibenik. This small city is where one goes to check out the nearby Krka National Park, one of the most beautiful in all of Croatia, second only to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Having seen photos of the park, I knew I had to see it in person.

Split–Gateway to the Balkans

The following takes place on Days 220-224, July 5-9,2011

I did it! I escaped the clutches of Italy! Don’t get me wrong, Italy is a beautiful country, but holy hell is it expensive. I was so excited to be heading to Croatia and Eastern Europe as I believed that it would help get my average daily spending down a bit and help save money for Amsterdam.

I was also very excited that I managed to get a good deal online with regards to the ferry from Ancona to Split. The price of a bed in a cabin(to myself I’ll have you know!) online was the same price as a seat on the deck in person. So I splurged on the bed. Most definitely worth the money. I had an amazing sleep on the boat and woke up with the sight of the Croatian coastline on the horizon.