Although it starts cloudy the sun soon comes out.

Nick + Grete's van has developed some electrical problems. Both Nicks check all fuses and other obvious things without success. A series of texts between Nick and Mike at his garage get things solved; simply a fuse had fallen out so didn't get checked because it wasn't there! Anyway, good to have mates who can sort us out from afar and get us on our way.

Meantime Ali and Grete go to the olive produce shop and return with a few goodies. They ask where we could find about about other agri-tourism sites but the owner, despite fairly good English, doesn't quite follow.

We retrace last night's route down the valley and over the deep, green river, the small town nestling brick-red at the bottom. Soon we are on the tollway for a gentle cruise towards Dubrovnik. The scenery is wonderful with huge mountains and long, seemingly never-ending climbs and descents, with a few tunnels for interest. At the tunnel entrances there are bear and wolf warning signs, we surmise that these wild animals may shelter in the tunnels in winter.

Nearing Ploce, the temperature drops rapidly from 30C to 17C as torrential rain, accompanied by ferocious winds drenches the road, cuts visibility to 50m and rocks the vans wildly [good job we got their wipers working this morning] . It lasts only 4 or 5 minutes then normal sunshine is resumed. We wind down a cliffside road into Ploce and make enquiries at the ferry terminal for tomorrow, then head 12 miles up the D8 to our campsite. The road twists along the coast with hazy views across to the islands of Brac and Hvar. The campsite at Zaostrog is right on the seafront and although fairly full we are given adjacent pitches.

We get out and wander along the seafront, a small road a few feet above a short beach with the Adriatic glistening as small waves come ashore. We turn about and go past the site to where there are a few bars and restaurants, and select one with an open verandah right against the sea, which changes colour as the sun sets through the haze. The food is excellent, steaks for three of us and seafood spaghetti for NW. Afterwards the owner presents us with local, herbal liqueurs, the ladies' one tastes of bubblegum and banana, the men's of lavender and rosemary and actually not very pleasant.

It is still 27C when we return to the vans.