Leaving Dora

This will be our longest holiday from our holiday, we hope Dora will be OK.

Come late September, Dora is up for sale.   If you or anyone you know is looking for a reasonably priced motorhome then please check out the following link; https://www.2wanderers.com/dora-for-sale/ or if you have any questions email us at; info@2wanderers.com Thanks

 

Last night we packed up our stuff. We are carrying a bit more than normal. A tent, two camping mats, some sleeping bag liners and our snorkels and masks, and of course enough clothes for the week, although we plan to wash as we go.

It was an interesting night. High above us the ‘dine in the sky’ played music with coloured lights, what an obscure experience. Up next to the cemetery some sort of classical concert was playing. It got quiet reasonably early though and we had a good nights sleep, although it was a little hot.

So we are up early this morning. Final preparations of Dora; clear the fridge and leave it open, all windows closed, alarms on and blinds down, wheel clamp on, and reflective blinds in the cab. Hopefully this will deter anyone from interfering with her. This is the first time we have left her in an unsecured place, but it is well frequented, well lit and she is in a really accessible place, so it would be difficult for anyone to interfere without being noticed. It is still a bit of a worry though.

We have taken the external hard drive, probably the most precious thing, the record of our trip, I also take out the hard drive from my computer, which is the back up copy. The computers are secured by Kensington locks into one of Dora’s deep recesses.

We are ready. The ferry goes in 45 minutes,

Just enough time to walk around the marina, in front of the old town to the jetty.

It is a shame, we would have preferred to go on the big ferry, instead we chose the fast catamaran.

Now that is one ugly boat, glad we didn’t choose her!

That’s more like it. We join the queue. The car ferry is about to leave.

Way up in front of us two tourists rush from the front of the queue. The idiots are on the wrong boat. The ferry is about to cast off, will they let them on?

In the UK not a chance, but here somehow a small door opens and they can climb aboard. It looks like it is a regular occurrence.

Our only concern, we didn’t print the ticket, we just have a digital copy on the ipad.

No worries, he scans the barcode and we are on-board….Love technology.

It is packed, we are all heading for this small island, will we all fit?

A short time later and we arrive on Hvar Town, Hvar island, not very creative in the naming there! But no time to explore, we are off to find another boat, we want more remoteness.

We dump our rucksacks in some nearby store, at least we now won’t have to drag them around the island, and with just our swimming stuff, snorkel, mask and lunch we are ready to go.

The Pakleni Islands are just fifteen minutes away, a real archipelago just in front of the town.

Tiny protrusions from the sea, just oversized beaches really. We find a boat going to Zdrilca.

Now that is a cute sized boat.

But this is hardly tranquillity as we ride the various bough waves. It seems that every oversized super yacht is in the area.

Soon, Hvar is far away, well fifteen minutes, anyway.

And we are approaching our isle of tranquillity.

Well it would be if it just wasn’t so busy.

But this really does look rather idyllic, the sea is deliciously warm, but just cooling enough from the sun. The water is crystal clear, and everywhere we look seashore life, Susana is going to love this.

After we are dropped off a small path crosses the island.

as we walk across the island, the noise from the Cicadas is deafening, you can hardly hear yourself think.

 

 

We go to investigate, but can only find husks of cicadas, clinging, empty to the branches of the trees. The exit wound, the only evidence of their extraction from their undersized armour.

And there it is, Mlini beach, that will do us for the day.

We have five hours ahead of us on this beach before the next boat goes back to Hvar. Is there enough stuff here to entertain us? SM

This travelling is just such hard work! We are not the first here.

It is already pretty crowded. We find somewhere in the shade to lay out our stuff and head for the water.

No time for laying around for us, we have some serious snorkelling to do, and maybe an underwater video to shoot.

OK we did have a bit of time for relaxing on the beach, listening to a few podcasts.

But it was mainly snorkelling.

 

 

We had intended to video this, but the GoPro is left back in the rucksack, so that will have to wait for another day!

But we also have the time to explore the adjacent little island.

Here it  is our snorkelling route of the day

 

Where salt collects and dries in the cavities between the rocks. The local bar keeper comes across to replenish his stock, well it is that sophisticated sea salt you know, just not sure how hygienic it is!

Pretty crystals though.

And then we go exploring the edges of the water, and I will let Susana describe her findings.

I wish I had brought my seashore life with me. A photo and look for them afterwards will have to do me. I get closer to the water, nothing that I can see. SM

These mushroom-like shells, moving rhythmically with the movement of the sea. They turn out to be Shellweed, commonly found on middle and lower shore. SM

This photo didn’t come up very well. I was trying to photograph a strawberry anemone wedged in between these two rocks. I love these animals, they are so bizarre, they change shape depending on whether they are in or out of the water. SM

Lunch, several more swims and then it is soon time to head back.

Back across the island.

Another small boat back to Hvar town.

You see, our travels for the day have yet to finish. We couldn’t find cheap accommodation, or a campsite nearby, and this was nearly as much as a room! Instead we have booked a ferry further down the coast.

We just have enough time to wander around Hvar Town.

Check out the port

And grab something to drink, a nice cold beer or course.

We collect our bags and wander along to where the ferry will leave.

Plenty of young tourists have made the trip across, and are in full party mode. It is early afternoon, in the full sun and everyone looks pretty plastered, but having a good time. The champagne is flowing, but in the Formula 1 style, so not much is being drunk, what a waste.

This is people watching at its most intimate and revealing, but we also get the impression this is as much about being seen in the right place with the right people. This is exhibitionism on a grand scale.

A group of Asians, also in the queue for the ferry, are getting in the party mood as well.There is not a hope in hell they would be let in there, these places have standards. Just like us, no doubt!

 

 

Eventually our ferry arrives. It is late. It takes ages for everyone to get off. There are many happy faces from the disembarking youth as they witness the on-going party, it seems they have arrived at the right port.

We  eventually sail off into the sunset, leaving the music behind.

A couple of hours later and we arrive on Korcula Island, first at the north of the island, before continuing onwards to another creatively named Korcula Town.

We are half an hour late, tired and unsure where to go. From nowhere, our host appears, he has come to pick us up, quite a relief.

The accommodation is a bit out of town, so after we offload all our stuff, have a shower, rinse a few clothes we back into town. The first restaurant that is open has a piece of fish big enough for two. That will do us, we have no idea what sort of fish it is, but it tastes delicious. It has been a long and exhausting day. I think we will sleep well tonight.

I hope Dora is OK.

GDR