We'd heard great things about the Croatian islands from a few people, so we were really looking forward to getting here and relaxing on the beach. When the ferry pulled in to Hvar it was bucketing down with rain and we had a fair walk to the hostel. Luckily the rain stopped a couple of minutes after we got ashore, and there was someone from the hostel to walk us back so we figured we'd stay pretty dry. Now apparently drainage is not a big thing over here, coz we almost drowned in the river flowing down the stairs we had to walk up on the way to the hostel (check out the photo in the album). After we made it up these bad boys, there was a stream running down pretty much every street. When we first started walking, Zils was getting wet feet in her thongs and we laughed at her in our sneakers. That soon reversed as we made our way through the streams and water soaked through our socks. After we got to the hostel and dried off, we wandered down to the waterfront only to get caught in another huge downpour.

So the weather cleared up that afternoon, and the last couple of days have been hot and sunny so we've spent a lot of time in the sun. Ordinarily weather like that would have us running to the beach, but they have a different idea of what constitutes a beach here. On our map of Hvar town that the chick at the hostel gave us, she described pretty much the entire coastline as beach - either gravely or rocky...no sand. So the gravelly beaches were rocks similar to the ones in Nice, while the rocky 'beaches' were actually the rugged rock coastline. We got over it and sunned ourselves like lizards on a rock.

Apart from the beaches, the town and surrounds were pretty nice. The waterfront and harbour was always busy with ferries, small cruise boats, rich boys toys, water taxis, and local fishing boats. There were heaps of restaraunts and cafes along the harbour to sit at and watch the action on the water too.

We walked up the hill behind the town to the old castle on the top and were greeted with a great view, and an admission charge to the castle. We've seen plenty of castles, so we gave it a miss. Apparently in the summer, there's a nightclub in the castle which would be pretty cool, but we were a few weeks early.

Everyone on the island seems to be pretty relaxed and laid back, which soon rubs off on the visitors like us, so it's hard not to have a good time. The other travellers at the hostel were really fun too; Aussies, Canadians, a few pommies, and a spattering of kiwis and Americans. We all sat around drinking at the hostel of an evening, then wandered down to a bar once they kicked us out. Good times and bad vodka (steer clear of the vigor if you love your liver).

Off to another island tomorrow, the island of Korcula and the One Love Hostel with a party reputation to uphold. I'm sure it won't disappoint.