Tuesday 13th

Left Mljet around 8am heading for Hvar. Plenty of reading, talking, relaxing - coffee and complimentary slivich (or something that sounds like that) - a rocket fuel based schnapps like drink that we kept away from the engine room! Stopped in a small bay alongside a couple of other cruise boats for a swim, (warm water around 24 plus degrees very salty) lunch then onto Hvar. Moored in Hvar rafted alongside a couple of other cruise boats and went ashore for a look around, walked through the ancient alleys between old buildings - hotels apartments shops etc. Found a quaint garden bar where we had drinks amongst plants and a canopy of pomegranite? vines/trees. Lesson learn't on paying the bill - always check the prices first!! Never mind also received my first bill from NZ Telecom for using my T Stick........ free wifi cafes or pay as you go from now on!

Wednesday 14th

Started the day with a cool run with David D out of town around some beautiful bays, hotels restaurants etc. Left port at 8am and after our traditional morning Rocket Fuel, coffee, read and nap -anchored for swimming, snorkeling and lunch. Motored into Split around 4pm. Went ashore to look through the Diocletians Palace built by the Romans somewhere around the 3rd Century. Ancient fortified walls, narrow tread-worn alleys and equally old buildings. The centre had a Cathedral built somewhere around the 13th Century with an impressive Treasury, and bell tower which after a hair raising climb, afforded a spectacular lookout of the whole city. The Cathedral itself contained some pretty impressive looking alters and other Catholic Iconology. In the Treasury there was cabinet after cabinet of silver and gold church tools - chalices, incense containers, ceremonial robes, bishops mitres and some interesting looking documents and manuscripts some dating back to the 3rd century.

Thursday 15th

Left Split at 8am sailed for a pleasant few hours before stopping in a secluded bay for swimming followed by lunch. We then left heading for Korcula - as we approached the breeze had freshened and there were heaps of wind and kite surfers crisscrossing the channel. The approach to Korcula is spectacular - the old part of the town (which is the birth place of Marco Polo) is built on a headland with stone walls rising from the rocks to the perimeter path. Each corner of the town has a heavily fortified tower and the sheltered harbour is tucked around the back the of the headland.

Going ashore and into the old town we found ourselves amongst ancient alleys between buildings from the 13th century. After crisscrossing the town and having a drink and ice cream overlooking the water we all decided this was easily the nicest prettiest place we had been to. After going back on board for our meal we ventured back to the old town sitting in a cafe with 3 guitarist/singers providing a great ambience

Friday 16th

Left Korcula wishing we could have stayed another couple of days in this historic town. Back into a familiar routine - a few hours sailing then we anchored in another picture perfect bay for swimming & lunch before leaving for Slano. On the way we to called at Cipan an island with another beautiful town. John & Gillian had booked to stay here for the following week and decided to leave the boat early as they were dissatisfied with the cabin they had (same as ours - damp & hot but they had the extra discomfort of water having leaked in and a mould and smell problem) Slano is the smallest of the places we have visited - a traditional village spoiled by a huge monstrosity of a high rise hotel built on the beach in front of old buildings, cafes and shops (some showing signs from the war in 1991) The hotel, although quite new, looks like it was designed by a refugee from the Soviets Lubyanka school of architecture! A pleasant time with a walk around the foreshore - icecreams and drinks before having a party night on board with singing by the crew and dancing. At around 11pm the music was suddenly stopped due to the Germans on the boat next door complaining to our captain. Retired for another hot night in our below decks cabin.

Saturday 17th

Early start leaving Slano at 7.30, once again stopping for swimming and lunch and arriving in Dubrovnic around 2pm. A bus trip to Babin Kuk 20 minutes away for a swim at a very nice - (albeit crowded) beach. Back for some Eftpos negotiations (they don't all work) in order to pay our drinks bill and our last meal on board. Followed by a walk to a nearby cafe and coffee with a few of our fellow passengers.

Sunday 18th

Breakfast and farewells with photos and exchange of email addresses as everyone was leaving for different destinations - some home to work, David & Marion to Venice for a couple of days before their bicycle tour starts, and others to different cities in Europe. All in all a great cruise with some great people and lots of good food. We would recommend this way of seeing Croatia (with above deck cabins only) as the real Croatia was much more accessible than on some of the huge cruise boats we saw.

Picked up by Ivan to stay at his B & B again and catch up with washing, emails etc. Late evening we bussed to the Old Town and after a trip to the top of the hill with a spectacular view of the old town we caught a Cable car down to have a meal. within the fortified walls. Very romantic at night with the lights glistening off the highly worn flagstones and the old buildings.

Tomorrow Rome.