The Split
Trip Start
May 08, 2006
1
49
108
Trip End
Mar 07, 2007
Split,
Croatia
Monday, September 4, 2006
After a dreaded 10 hour overnight bus ride which included some guy decided with all the empty seats to take the one in front of me and put it all the way back so i couldnt sleep. I eventually devised a brilliant sleeping technique where i had my legs stretched out accross the walkway. Unfortunatley the bus stopped so much that people kept waking me up to sit down. THe ticket inspector dude like almost bruised my leg. I think he wasnt happy with my invention. When the bus stopped which was often, the lights always came on. It was dreadful. Also, i have to say, wats the deal with this fizzy water in europe. Every time i buy water i get fizzy water. Its awlful. Why is it more popular than normal water. Sometimes its so hard to tell if its still or gassed.
Arrived at split early in the morning with only a couple of hours sleep. Croatia was a step back from main stream europe. No more hostels. When u get off the bus you get swamped by middle aged ladies asking if you need a room. I had to grab my bearings and see on the book where i was. They were all charging terrible prices and i had to barter them down. Back to bartering again, dont know if thats good or bad. Eventually, one lady walked up to me smiling and said a low price and i bargined her down a little lower and took that one.
Spent the first day walking around going to the world heritage Diocletian palace here. Was nice, like a castle. Didnt do too much, just walked around. In the book it says that the mainland is ugly and only apartments but i thought it was pretty nice.
a. walkway near room
Everyone uses the mainland here to get to the islands. The islands sound alright too, i just couldnt afford to stay there as its like at least 40 dollars a night and everything else is overpriced too. The beaches didnt sound that nice anyway. I spent the rest of the first day watching the sunset and i watched this middle age men play the most aggresive game of soccer i have ever seen. Unfortunatley they were wearing speedos. These guys were nearly getting into punch ups, blowing up when they missed a shot. They took it so seriously. It was also the best amatuer soccer i had ever seen. it was 3 a side, and they were all skilled. They had good ball skills! My apartment room thing is nice, down the back alleys near the center of town. Since i was so early from the bus i sleeped on a rocking chair to catch up on lost sleep until my room was ready. Room was just a bit with a tv. Satellite TV!! was amazing. Prob the first time i have seen proper tv that was in english and not fuzzy. So i spent the night just watching tv. I did eat pizza here, and yes i have been eating more maccas!. The have the Mcgreek burger here, which im not going to try until i get to Greece. Also, that have Smartie Mcflurrys and Nesquik Mcflurrys. I think i should be recording this information and selling it back to Mcdonalds. I slept in the second day and woke up at 12! I was planning to go to Hvar Island. An island near here thats meant to be beautiful. But i didnt because it was an hour boat ride then a bus ride on top. Plus it was around 30 dollars worth of travelling.
b. Main street of Split
So I just watched more tv and was so sad to find out Steve Irwin died. Australia has lost a part of itself i think. I was quite shattered, also because people in Croatia didnt care or know who he was. It did make me proud to be an Australian though. I have been sort of going yeah dosent mean much. Then you see what he was like. Very sad.I sat on the dock of the bay and read up on future places to go. In the arvo i followed the coast around. Went for a swim in a place called Bacvice where it seemed everyone when to swim. Was embarrassed about all the scars i have so jumped in the water quickly then jumped out. Am a bit scared of the waters here. Lots of shells and stuff to cut your feet on. I met a guy Salzburg who had to get 15 stiches after swimming round here. Apparently Croatia is notorious for it.
For dinner there on the last night i made myself have something local. There was this little shop with no menu and a big line up. I got in and waited for about 15 minutes. I had no idea what i was ordering, but there was only one thing on the menu, some wierd sauges in a wierd sorta of bread, coated with wierd vegetables and covered with a wierd sort of red sauce that wasnt tomato sauce. It was really nice and really cheap and i recommend getting the dog meat. I needed something sweet after and the Mcflurry was calling. Nesquik!!
Ive been happy just to bum around latley. The past month has been hectic. A couple of days here, a couple of days there. It may seem like im rushing but im not. There are countries i picked out before i left to stay longer in. These will include USA, UK, Egypt and Jordan. Im a bit worried about Jordan though as tourists just got shot there. If i dont go i will have to change the title of this journal to "Brett wimped out". I will just have to grow my beard and not look killable i think. Some countries are just a couple of days stops. There are so many countries, i wish i could spend months in all these places. People here at the split spend weeks around here and the islands. Most people though are only on 2 week holidays and stuff. When you are travelling by yourself you get bored if you stay more than a day or too. Its more about the journey... The Quest....
Comments
enjoy reading your journals...
Just wanted to say that I enjoyed reading your journals. I too have traveled to some of the places you have & can relate to your expierences. Been to Italy (Rome, Naples & Isle of Capri), Vienna, Salzburg, St. Wolfgang Lake (Austria) Bechtasgaden, Cesky Krumlov, Prague, Dresden, Slovakia, Budapest, London, Paris & Amsterdam. Thinking of going to Croatia soon but Ireland will be my next trip.