Sailing reminds me of caravaning, except on water and with fewer opportunities to stretch your legs. If I'm to be completely honest, I'm not sure it is my preferred holiday practice. In my mind, I envisioned luxury, glamour, and the essentials like flushing toilets, warm showers and, well, sleep.
In actual fact, it is more like survivor where you learn to work with what provisions you have, soon realising that you can get by with minimal sleep. There was plenty of good food, great company and lots of alcohol which, to be fair, they don't have on survivor!
After an epic journey involving an 11 pm flight from New York to London, a half day layover, a flight from London to Split, and then an array of failed taxi experiences, we arrived at an apartment in the middle of nowhere (not conveniently located near the marina as originally expected!) but where we were welcomed with open arms (literally!). I now have a Croatian grandmother named Josie who was the most adorable of hosts and very keen to embrace me on multiple occasions.
Having already been up for well over 30 hours, we decided to have a late dinner and a bottle of red, and get some much needed rest.
Fail.
Instead, we stayed up until the wee hours of the morning eating, drinking and becoming acquainted with the group of people we would be spending the next week with.
And what a wonderful group they were!
Trust me, when you are all crammed into a boat for days and nights on end, sharing meals in very close quarters, and with all privacy thrown out the window, it is essential to have a group of easy-going holiday-ers!
Our first night was spent docked in Seget Marina, where we took a water taxi to the beautiful old town of Trogir; eating, drinking and dancing ensued, including on a stage complete with its very own pole. At some point I was lifted up and was required to slide back down it and thankfully somehow managed to not bare all to the crowded club (I was wearing a dress!).
The following day, we sailed to Milna where we wandered the little marina town and watched the World Cup final (go Germany!).
On night three, we anchored in St Clement's, a secluded bay where we swam off the boat, ate, drank mojitos and sangria, and chatted under the stars..
Our next stop was Vis, and one of the highlights of the trip. After a day sailing in the sun, we moored and soon after were picked up by a fleet of taxis to be taken to a restaurant and winery perched atop a hill.
The wine was delicious but the slow cooked lamb, that I will henceforth refer to as 'perfection in a bell shaped pot' or 'the best lamb of my life' is quite possibly the finest meal I have ever had in my entire 32 years.
New plan - marry the son of that restaurant and winery owner and spend my days drinking wine and eating lamb.
Hvar is one of the more well known islands in Croatia and in part, for its rambunctuous night life. We had a lovely dinner (all dinners are lovely in Croatia), went to a number of bars, and then boarded a water taxi to the infamous Carpe Diem - a nightclub on it's very own island. (No, I'm not kidding!)
Sometime between 6 and 7am, we stumbled home, well and truly spent.
The following day was spent trying not to die in Palmizana.
It is a miracle that I survived that day because it is very likely that I was poisoned in an excessive consumption of alcohol kind of way.
A write-off for the entire day, I only began to feel the revival in the early evening when it was time to wine and dine all over again, at a waterfront restaurant with a view.
Our seventh and final night was spent back in Seget and Trogir. It was at this point that I finally hit the wall. I wanted to dance, I wanted to be energetic and vivacious, but I simply could not. I was the walking dead. And so, at midnight, I took a water taxi back to the boat and was in bed by 1 am.
The following morning, the others caught a taxi to the bus terminal in Split (45 minutes), to then catch a bus to Dubrovnik (4+ hours), but I decided that I needed a day and night on land, to sleep in a real bed for as long as humanly possible. It turned out to be an expensive and indulgent activity, but sometimes a girl just needs to day to re group.
I wandered through the old town of Trogir, visited the fort and the church, took myself out for dinner and wine, spent hours using my land legs again and then suddenly, it was time to finish this portion of the blog and try to chase out the few mosquito's that were attacking me in my room.
Seven weeks in and this traveller is starting to feel the wear and tear of minimal sleep, 50+ days of drinking, and endless buses, flights and taxis.
But don't get me wrong - I don't mean to complain...
I am having the time of my life, seeing new sights, sailing in beautiful oceans, wining and dining like a boss, and meeting fabulous people.
I am almost halfway - seven weeks down, seven more to go.
While some parts have simply flown by, other parts, like Canada seem like far longer ago than it actually was.
Tomorrow, I take two buses to Dubrovnik to spend the last night of this leg with my wife-y Cassie.
We have laughed, we have danced, we have bicycled, mountain-biked, sailed, swam and sunned. We have assessed the lack of men situation worldwide, and we have been the best of traveling companions.
Time really does fly when you're having fun!
Four more sleeps and then it's time to touch down in London town!
Special mentions to Shane and Linda, Mandy, Maria, Diego, Tarna and Olly who made our sailing trip a laugh a minute, and who were a truly fun and fabulous crew!
Spend a week sailing the Adriatic and having an experience of a lifetime- check!
Over and out!
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