We arrived at Bari port to catch the ferry to Dubrovnik nice and early. After collecting our tickets we had to ride to get through customs, whoops Jack misplaced one of the tickets, so we were sent off again to re-collect, but after a quick search she found them again, many pockets many things being carried! I am sure the staff thought we were just showing off and riding around the port for the fun of it.

We rode onto the ferry and the bike was tied up, Jack asked the captain if the seas were likely to be rough and he ordered another rope to be added, just to keep us happy. We were shown to our cabin, (I had the top bunk, Jack could not reach) and we settled down to wait for the crossing; which was due to start at 10pm. After a while more passengers arrived, but it was not full by any means. We ate in the restaurant, all the staff are older men, sporting moustaches and impeccably dressed. After about an hour of casting off, we went to bed. We were woken up by the staff rapping on the door at 545am, not a brilliant sleep, but I think better than those on the reclining seats, they do not make bunks for over six footers, we packed and had a sort of breakfast and watched the ship arrive at Dubrovnik in a glorious morning.

Croatia we have landed.

We dis-embarked and waited to be checked in to Croatia. I asked the customs staff to let us take pictures for our ABC competition, which they happily let us do, after a check of our documents, off we rode to our hotel it was only at 8am, and we were hoping the hotel would let us leave the bike and our gear there, until we could book in properly.

The duty manager happily let us park in front of the hotel and said "leave your helmets and gear in the foyer we will keep an eye on them", as you may have guessed I was a little delicate about doing this, when I explained, he said this is not Italy this is Croatia and they will be safe.

We took the offer of breakfast in the Hotel (which was the best so far even though we had to pay for it), we were advised us to visit the old City until after 12 when our rooms would be ready and while it was cool enough, so money exchanged, tourist visit card bought and off we went, by bus, to the old city. We joined the throng of tourists walking the city walls, chatting to other Brits about what an amazing place, it is. The whole area is very busy with tourists and all the paraphernalia that goes with tourist traps, but nobody was pushy, if you did not want anything they just accepted it, and the atmosphere was relaxed, we had a lovely mornings stroll, in the heat, in our biking jeans and boots while everybody was in shorts and flip flops, still it was worth the visit. After about 12 we took the bus back to the hotel, the room was ready, so dash to the bath, change of clothes and sat on the beach, which is outside our hotel room, sun bathing and swimming.

In the evening we opted to eat in the hotel, the food is excellent, great to have meat and two veg as part of our diet, (had enough of pasta, pizza and mixed salad) it was an extensive buffet and we sit watch the others scoffing as much as they can, (nothing changes), we take an enchanting walk round the bay, people watching and listening to the local music in the other hotels as the sun goes down over the distant islands. To Bed and do it all again tomorrow.

Second Day

We get up early and off to the old town to visit the more cultural sites in the old city, that our tourist card allows us to do, as we are up early, we planned to do he visits until late lunch, then more beach stuff in the afternoon. We first visit the old fort, this is after the usual Wild get lost walkabout, then find you have walked past the path to it, a couple of times, got grumpy with each other, then made up once you have found it, still it was worth the climb of many steps, no wonder it was quiet, you get great views of the walled city from it, and can watch the sea Kayaks moving off like little ducklings. We then move into the walled city, it has been re-built with great care, this was after the various, earthquakes, wars including the recent homelands war about 20 years ago, you get a real feel of what it would be like to live in a walled city, (Carcasonne in France is very similar), we wonder around the small streets, sat and drank tea watching the tour groups follow their leader, everybody is amazed at the swarms of swifts flying overhead, doing their team acrobatics for us, we visit the maritime and Cultural museums, and the Rectors Palace, there is more to see, but it warmed up, so, why spoil a nice day and Jack needs to rest her leg anyway, so off to the bus stop and back to sun tans on the beach, we also plan our route into Bosnia tomorrow.