Category Archives: Croatia

Thanks to Nenad once again for contacting one of his cycling contacts in Rijeka. I was met in Rijeka by Aleksandar Popovic, president of Roberta Bicycle Club in Rijeka. I’m not sure if I’ve ever met someone so keen on mountain biking. His study at his home was filled with memorabilia from mountain bike races all over Europe. Thank you so much Aleksander for putting me up for the night.

The name of the game today was wind. The fabled ‘bura’ north wind was doing it’s thing in the grandest fashion today, stopping me in my tracks just after I got off the island Pag.

This donkey farm’s icon was in danger of being blown off it’s frame. In more danger were the many snails I saw on the road, making a slow beeline for the other side.

I wonder if this fella was happy that I picked him up and threw him to safety on the side of the road. Or perhaps he was mad that I didn’t think to throw him to the side of the road to which he was headed, rather than the other way…

In any case, I managed to make it to the island Pag safely, and was sheltered somewhat from the strong wind, despite the barren surroundings, just as Nenad from Makarska had promised.

The wind did have it’s effect on me however, and I was shouted at by the ferry’s cafe owner as we approached the mainland. I had drifted off to sleep on the ferry that runs between the island and the mainland at the northern end of the island. At the southern end, the island is connected by a bridge.

Once on the mainland, I could hardly walk, let alone cycle, because of the strong ‘bura’ wind. I sought shelter in some ruins for the night, hoping that the remaining corner of roof wouldn’t collapse on me.

Look Mum! I’m on TV again!

National Croatian TV came to Vodice this morning to do a spot on the crazy New Zealander cycling across the continent.
I left Vodice after lunch, headed for Zadar. It was dark and wet again, with dead animals roasting on the roadside, looking none too comfortable at all.

This little number is called Jajetina – roast lamb on a spit. All very gory. A Croatian I met said it wasn’t all that tasty.

Today the distance was correctly estimated, with about 80km to Zadar. Once there, I called upon Nenad’s great networking prowess, and had a number in minutes for the president of a local road bike racing club. Ante Zorovic arrived a few minutes after I called him in the club van. My bike was piled in, and we were off to his place.

He had recently purchased a new racing bike for his son. An Italian bike – a Wilier. Very nice. The frame is all carbon fibre, and the frame alone only weighs 1.2 kg.

I would love to have a go on some of the ultra-light recumbents out there. I do miss the thrill of a really fast bike.

Ante’s wife fed me till I couldn’t eat any more (really good jaffa cake!), and I had a restful sleep.

I left Mirela’s place late. It was 1pm before I got away. But hey, I only had 60km to Vodice, right? Ah, wrong. I read the map wrong, and it ended up being a mad dash to Vodice, 100km away from Split.

Nenad worked his magic once again today, and arranged for me to sleep at a member of the Vodice Mountain Bike Club’s place. Goran had just started a new job, but kindly let me stay at his place despite being very busy.

The ride to Vodice was like yesterday wet and generally miserable. At one stage I heard loud thunder not far away. The strong tailwind was the only saving grace. The 100km ride only took just over 5 hours.

On the road after a great few days in Makarska. Once again I have to thank Nenad Zidic and his wife and family for their great hospitality during my stay. Also a great big thanks to Goran, a member of the Makarska Bicycle Club who fixed my speedometer.

It was mostly flat for the ride to Split, and despite the light rain, I enjoyed a stiff tailwind that blew me to Split, passing more of the spectacular rocky coast that sprung up out of the water.

Nenad had been busy during my stay in Makarska networking so that I would have some places to stay for my route through Croatia to Slovenia. In Split, he had contacted Mirela, a student studying in Split.

I arrived in Split and nervously called the number that Nenad had given me. Mirela’s voice was friendly and open, so I breathed a breath of relief when she cheerily said that she would be down to pick me up in a few minutes.

It turned out that Mirela has done a lot of travel herself. Better still, she travels as I do. Cheap and free. She has hitch-hiked with friends through Spain and other parts of Europe, often sleeping outside. She had slept under bushes in Amsterdam, I had slept under a bridge in Greece…

For some unknown reason, I only have a photo of an orange and bananas from my stay at Mirela’s place. Oh well. Thank you so much Mirela! Many more happy travels to you!

Right it’s all on. Tomorrow will be the big day. The weather has done a complete turn around, and if I was a good 80’s NZ man, I’d be in my stubbies (watch this short video clip to become enlightened in the way of the stubbie). Didn’t you wear stubbies at one stage, Dad?

Anyway, I will be out of here tomorrow. It has been a resting time (again) here in Makarska, and it is time to hit the road.

And for some reason I have more photos of dogs from Makarska than I do of people…

The mini-pug pooch in the top photo would have fit in the mouth of the maxi-pooch in the bottom four photos with ease.

The dog at bottom is an Argentinian Mastiff (info). A massive, powerful dog. In Turkey, packs of up to three or four of dogs like this would chase me. Not fun. But this pooch was super friendly, and just loved to lick any skin that got close enough. The owner was a responsible owner however, carrying a muzzle. At one stage during our chat, he put the muzzle on the dog when another dog owner walking his dog came over. And just as well. The two dogs didn’t get on too well, resulting in some ferocious barking. After the other dog had left, the Mastiff was all happy again.

Which would I choose? The mini-pooch or the maxi-pooch?

Considering maintenance, the rug rat has my vote.

I have been kidnapped by the great folk in Makarska.

I tell you, they won’t let me leave.

But what a great bunch of people. If the clouds clear up good, then we might go for a slog up the big mountain behind Makarska. 0m to 1750m is a solid ride. Rain rain go away…

Ivo Raivc from Makarska Kronika has kindly given me the photos he took the other day for the article about my journey. Here is a selection:

It’s not often that I get photos of me on the bike. So that is quite enough for now. Thanks to Ivo Ravic and Makarska Kronika for supplying the photos.

Rain, rain go away…

Still here.

And because a blog post is never any fun without pictures:

My first ever proper photo taken with a digital camera:

Taken on 2 Nov,2003 – Boy in festival in Karatsu, Japan

Currently most popular photo on my Flickr photosharing album:
(357 views, 29 favs, 14 comments)

Taken on Jan 10 2007 – More icy beard madness in eastern Turkey (-20 degrees daytime temperature near Oltu Town)

Forgotten photo I 

Kindly taken on October 13, 2006 by Barbora – A chance meeting with Barbora and Petr from the Czech Republic in the Wakhan Valley near Yamchun, Tajikistan

Forgotten Photo II

Kindly taken on July 23, 2006 by Katy – Rob is all enthusiastic with no idea after arriving in the Pusan Ferry Terminal, Korea

Forgotten Photo III

Kindly taken on July 23, 2006 by Katy – First 200m of cycling on the 14degrees journey (cycling away from the Pusan International Ferry Terminal in Pusan, Korea)

Today’s distance / 今日の走行距離: 23.49km
Average speed / 平均速度: 10.8km/h
Time on bike / 走行時間: 2h 10m
Total distance to date / 今日までの積算距離: 24.19km (plus 9700km)
Ascent / 上り: +600m (average ascent speed 8 metres per minute)
Descent / 下り: -600m (average descent speed 18 metres per minute)

Look Mum! I’m in the news!

Well, the plan was to carry on to Split yesterday. However, there were other forces at play, it seems, and I ended up spending the night last night in the Makarska Bicycle Club club rooms.

As I was about to leave Makarska, I stopped at a kiosk to buy bananas. A gentleman riding his bike stopped, and asked where I was from and where I was going, and was generally interested in my bike. This gentleman was Nenad Zidic, the president of the Makarska Bicycle Club (http://bk.makarska.8m.com/). He invited me for a coffee, and being in no particular rush, I accepted. He speaks good English, and we chatted for a while, before he pulled out his mobile phone and called the local newspaper, the Makarska Kronika (www.kronika.hr).

The reporter and photographer arrived in 5 minutes, and proceeded to take photos and notes on my trip. The resulting article came out today in the once a week publication of the Makarska Kronika. Good fun.

So today the plan was to catch a ferry across to Brac Island, cycle the 60kms to the other side of the island, then catch another ferry to Split. But the weather looked iffy, and who can refuse an offer of staying in dry, warm clubrooms for as long as I want. So I decided to stay the day in Makarska, and leave tomorrow if the weather has started behaving itself again.

I spent some time an internet cafe that actually had reasonable prices. Only 1.20 Euro an hour.

In the afternoon I met up with Roko, a younger member of the bicycle club, for a blat up the mountain behind Makarska. The area is called the Biokovo Nature Park, and a sealed road goes all the way up to the top of Mount Biokovo (1750m). We didn’t have time to go all the way, but had some fun along some back roads on the way.

On a good day I can imagine that the ride to the top would be fantastic. The road up to the summit was originally built by Napoleon apparently. Makes you feel small…

So yeah, Makarska is all good. Great place with great friendly people. And a town square that looks like the one out of the movie Chocolat.