Basina, Jelsa & Bol

BASINA - 4/9 to 7/9

We left our fellow travellers and headed off alone to a tiny village on the other side of Hvar Island, called Basina. After persuading Ivan the apartment owner to pick us up we arrived in what we now call Serenityville - 20/30 houses along 2 magical inlets with a only tiny general store. Ivan even offered us another apartment in a bigger town as he thought this place was a little too remote for people without transport! However this is what we wanted. We spent the next 4 days lazing around the rocky coves swimming, snorkerling, sunbaking and generally relaxing in serenity!

MOMENTS

• Swimming in the Adriatric without a thread of clothing on
• Saying Dobber Dan to all the oldies who swam for hours each morning and evening.
• Trekking 4km across the weird as countryside to get to the closest town Vbroska. There was a tiny rocky track and miles of rock wall mazes and olive groves. We got lost and ended up having to go through a Private property..... complete with tip-toing our way past the front door
• Laying on our Tom and Jerry Lilos

JELSA - 8/9 to 11/9

We left Serenityville and moved onto Tranquilityville....Jelsa, still on Hvar Island. Jelsa is a similar size to Hvar town but with more locals and less yuppie tourists. We spent 4 days doing the 'usual'...sunbaking, swimming, snorkerling...this is the life. We cooked rice, pasta and drank the local vino - which they fill your 1.5 litre bottle up stright from the barrell for only 4 euro! Perfect for the wine mauler!

MOMENTS

• Eating pizza washed down with the local vino while sitting on the old fort wall overlooking the twon.
• Still having quality chats on our balcony even after 6 months
• Speaking to family during difficult times back home. We are thinking of you.

BOL - 12/9 to 15/9

After 12 days on Hvar Island we caught a boat to Bol on the island of Brać. Finally a pebbly beach which moulds to your body and no need for beach shoes. Bol is another magical Croatian town set on a habour full of trendy bars and resturants. Zlanti Rat a 300m stretch of pebbly beach stretching out into the ocean is as beautiful as it appears on all the Croatian brochures.

MOMENTS

• Dining on the habour - first meal out in weeks. Dazza had mouthwatering lamb chargrilled while I had tuna in an amazing wine and garlic sauce. The Domatians definately know how to cook.
• Freaking out totally as we realise we only have one month left of the norulz trip.....!!!! It cant be true!
• Watching the champions league on the massive big screen at a local bar
• Swimming like Kirean Perkins....go TC!!!
• Swimming in water 40m deep and still being able to see the bottom!

MOMENT OF THE WEEK

Swimming across the ocean....a 500m section across one of the inlets. Truely amazing....crystal clear water, heaps of fish and no risk of sharks!

TOOL OF THE WEEK

Dazza for getting his bum burnt!

HVAR TOWN

HVAR TOWN 31/8 - 3/9

OK - the sequel to the first 3 days in Dubrovnik. Once again it was the 7 of us staying here for the next few nights. Me and TC were in our own apartment this time so no snoring from Stix and Stiv - thank God! We had a wicked little view of the sparkling water and the bell tower from our balcony as we sipped espressos each morning......... yes I have changed! No stairs either which made a welcome relief!

Day 4 (continued) - After checking in we hit Hannibals restaurant for a few wines and a seafood kick of calamari and pasta. Quiet night followed and we all caught up on some much needed sleep.

Day 5 - A glorious sunny day of about 30 degrees greeted us so we packed up a lunch and hit the high seas in a local boat that took us out to an island. Now to make it a tad interesting 'No Sesh Friday' was called and anyone who mermured this word received a complimentary chinning. It took a while for the boys to adapt and there were some sore jaws getting around early! The island itself was rocky as with crystal clear water and not many people about. Swimming and sunbaking were the order of the day. It was TC who called for a beer first and in no time 3 or 4 of Croatias finest were put down with the island providing a stunning backdrop. After tanning up just a little more we headed on back with a feeling in the air that a big one was coming on........ and we were right! We knocked back a few bottles of wine sitting on the harbour docks just for starters. Then after another seafood chew we got busy a drinkin! The girls were on cocktails whilst the boys and young TC were hitting a pint and a tequilla shot each round. Things got messy pretty early with TC setting a cracking pace.... the tool of the week had stung her into action...... and about time too!

After a few more, a brainiac decided to stop the chinning game due to a few concussions and change it that you had to use everyones last name or cop a thonging (refer to dubrov blog for definition). As me and TC didnt even know their last names we...... and in particular me, copped a pounding. My a$$ was the colour of the sunset by nights end. MJ and Jo looked after each other but came in off a Dennis Lillee long run to smack one of the boys! An Austrian 45 year old schitzo was trying to tune Stix and Stiv and took great delight in dishing out some powerful thongings to the boys..... Stiv was on fire with the women! TC and myself called it a night around 4 after some free shots from the bar dude and I had to literally carry...... and/or drag her home. TC was back!! The boys kept going with Stiv hitting the local club and Stix and Egg playing cards and skulling everything in site! Good times were had by all! Absolute ripping day!

Day 6 - We all met up hung over like dogs and decided the day was a write off and sleep was the order of the day. The 2 of us ventured out late afternoon and stumbled on a beach party that was going off. Music pumping and Spanish girls in tiny bikinis dancing on podiums. We met up with a bloke we met in Czechy so joined him for a couple of cheeky pints. Met some good Auzzies who live in London and had a couple more. Feeling pretty happy by now we hit town for some pizza and pasta and ended in a quiet night.

Day 7 - Today was beach day and we swam, sunbaked, swam, sunbaked repeat x6. The weather at this place is brilliant. We didnt see a cloud the whole time we were there. Egg, MJ, Stiv and Jo took off on a ferry which was a bit sad so we ventured over to the beach party again, had a few cheekies and a shot or 2 and went back to the pad to cook up some grub - a Stix special. 2 bottles of red later and once again we were hammered. Got told off for being too loud by the guy next door and found some Z´s whilst listening to some classic tunes. Stix caught the early ferry whilst we had the psycho bus journey around 500m cliffs to our next destination Basina. This was one of the best weeks in the trip and had some absolute classic moments!!! Big shout out to the crew who made it such a blast. The Simpletons know good sesh but stink like rotten mocca! Till next time!

TOOLS OF THE WEEK
TC for her new nickname the Wine Mauler due to ........ well go figure??!!
DF for being thonged 15 times in about 2 hours
Stiv for pulling people (me) up for a technical mis- pronouncation of his ethnic name
Jo once again just for knowing these people
Stix for barracking for a loser team
Eggy for working in a bank (and missing it)
MJ for going out with a guy who works in a bank (and misses it)
All of us for being too hungover to enjoy a 30 degree day

DUBROVNIK

Dubrovnik 28 - 30/8

Anticipation was in the air as we bussed down to Dubrovnik to catch up with Sticks and the crew in beautiful Dubrovnik. After a hell walk up about 400 stairs carrying 20kgs worth of luggage in each hand DF was knackered and needed a beer. Eggy and MJ arrived at the pad and a couple of quiet ones were had. Then Jo, Sticks and Stivvy arrived and it was game on! The boys had traveled around Germany together for the World Cup so were in a mood to celebrate the reunion while the girls added more than a touch of class and brains to the group which made for some special times! It took TC and myself a few days to get the lingo down pat but we went through the sesh, had a few moccas and were into the swing of things! pmsl at no-one understanding what I'm talking bout!

Before I go I will clarify a few terms that were in play for the week:
Sesh - absolutely anything e.g"Whats the Sesh Sticks, I'm hanging for a sesh of the sesh..... Yeah lets sesh this sesh and bring on some sesh"................ and that was one that made sense!!!
Mocca - poo that can be described as dirty, steaming, mouldy, festering etc depends on the strength of the meaning.
Chinning - For every dumb comment made 1 person puts a fist no more than 2 inches away from your chin and punches you as hard as they can..... The better the sound the better the chinning!
Thonging - Slapping someone as hard as you can on the rump.... with or without a run-up.

Ok back to the first night...... after putting a few beers away we headed down to the Old Town for a pizza and a few vinos. By 9pm Eggy could not speak, lift his head or actually move without MJś help - very weekend at Bernies like - so the boys decided to help wake him up by throwing him into the harbour and then bomb him for a few minutes. It sorta did the trick and we ended up back home drinking beers and putting young Eggy to bed. I was left drinking bad vodkas and more beers with Sticks and Stiv as we took a time warp back to the early nineties and listened to some of our fav Goo tunes..... 10% Weird, Pennywise, Soundgarden, Spiderbait etc. Woke up the next morning on the floor with Sticks on the couch. Worst hangover I have ever had that lasted 24 hours!!

Day 2 - Took a stroll to the beach and had a dip in the refreshing waters whilst chatting to old Croatian ladies. Hit another beach before heading back to the pad for drinks.... but i put my hand up and was soft as that night and could not touch a drop of alcohol - had a fishermans platter for some chow and then headed to bed whilst the others hit the club for 1 euro tequillas...... piss poor I know........ had to make it up the next day. Special mention to Stiv who picked up Norlane who might have and might not have weighed 150 kilos???? Not sure

Day 3 - For the first time it was overcast so after Eggy had a caraffe of wine for lunch the call was made "Guinness Day!" We headed to the local Irish bar and downed Guiness till we were all a tad messy and arguing over World Justice. Chinnings were the order of the day and many a good blow was landed. It took the girls to rescue us before the boys headed to the club - DF made it this time.... just - and we danced Irish jigs and drank Jager bombs and tequilla till we couldnt drink no more. Stairs home were hard work!

Day 4 -Well we just got up again thanks to the girls who dragged us down to the dock for our ferry trip to Hvar Town - the boys laid down for most of the 7 hour hike while I sat around with the girls and had my first intelligent conversation for many a month...... no offence TC!!!

TOOLS OF THE WEEK
A lot to choose from this week but the winners are:
Eggy for passing out during tea on the first night
Stiv for bare footing it in a dodgy nightclub
Sticks and Egg for falling asleep in the sun and getting wicked sunnies marks
DF for not drinking for an entire day - shame Darren shame
MJ for having to be carried home by Sticks after passing out in town
TC for not going hard enough!
Jo.......... cant find one but special mention just for knowing these people!!!!
All the boys for swimming in polluted as water that had gross girls stuff in it!
Most of the crew on the ferry - Pistols, Dolph and speedos made for an entertaining trip

Zagreb and Bosnia

ZAGREB 23/8
We ventured down for a night in Zagreb before heading to Bosnia the next day. Zagreb was a happening place. We nicked in to a Lord of the Rings themed pub called Tolkiens House for a few croatian beers before heading for a dinner of Subway, a crepe and a gelati - hello health freaks! A stop at the local chocolate factory was also a must and then we left the next morn..... short amount of time...... short blog!


SARAJEVO 24 - 25/8
A 10 hour train ride through most of the country was pretty good as we got to see heaps of landscapes and catch up on some reading...... yes reading - the first time our brains have been in use for 5 months so we thought we had better get some stimulation before we have to work again.... yes its now on the horizon.... anway enough of that talk!

Sarajevo - first impressions when we got off the train was `What are we doing here???´The place is covered in bullet holes and every dodgy person had us in their sights. After we found our accom and headed into the Turkish quarter we found this place serving steak, steak and more steak. It ended up being the best steak I have ever eaten bar none! Ohhhhh it was good! Served on a hot rock but best of all the waiter comes over and puts a bib on me...... my reputation must have preceeded me!!! And yes I did need it! We had some pretty crappy weather so just found a bar and chilled out for a couple of days. People were friendly as - good place to visit.

MOSTAR 26 - 27/8
Famous for their bridge that was destroyed in the war and then rebuilt Mostar is a beautiful little place in Bosnia that is surrounded by rocky outcrops and a green river running through ther centre of town. We stayed in an apartment for 20 euro a night in the middle of the locals! Again there were bullet holes in most of the buildings which makes you realise how recent this war was. Bit daunting at first but we came to love this spot as we watched the football games happening 24 hours a day by the local kids from the comfort of our balcony with a bottle or 2 of Bosnia`s finest red to accompany us. TC took the opportunity to do a bit of shopping for jewellery which was cheap as...... nothings to good for my TC! The food was fantastic - Turkish inspired and again..... cheap.
The recent history, the people and the price make this a great stopping point - would highly recommend getting here!

TOOL OF THE WEEK
Me again for writing this hung over after a massive night on the tequilla - hope it makes some sort of sense and cant be bothered thinking about anything else!