Time for a change of pace , we had a few days with Justin , Taylor & Isla , before we jetted off again , this time to Dubrovnik in Croatia . Our flight was a later one , so we arrived in Dubrovnik around 8:45pm. Not a problem really , time to throw a rental car into the mix - Oh did I mention they drive on the other side of the road here , and from the left hand side of the car as well . The car was a manual as well , so that meant changing gears with my right hand - this was starting to get a bit daunting . It was dark when we finally got sorted out at the rental place and headed out into the new side of the road !! Good old google had us going down the road about 8klms , before turning into a gravel road , then walking over to a cottage ( I did send an email to our host to see if the directions were correct , but didn't get a response ). We stopped on the side of the road in what I thought was a driveway ( it was a street ) at 10pm , and rang our host for some help - she was expecting us , but there was a slight language problem , and she couldn't quite understand my predicament . We were so close , she came out her driveway about 80m up the road and waved us in - we made it without hitting anything or anyone , so I guess that's a bonus . Our accomodation was the bottom floor of this 2 storey house , this is what it looked like from the back garden next morning .
After a good nights sleep we were ready to hit the road again ( hmm ready - a tad apprehensive to say the least - driving is driving isn't it ? ) . Nervously we headed out onto the road , constantly reminding myself - stay right , stay right . It wasn't so bad if there was traffic , but when there wasn't any , I wanted to get back over to the left .
Anyway off we go , the coastline looking a million dollars , mountains , and views that go forever . A road disappeared off to the right up a hill - that could give us some great views - nope took us down into an industrial area . Take 2 , a better road that wound up higher & higher , a spot to pull over and get a view. This is looking back towards the airport - it's up on the flatter area just above middle right of photo .
Further up the road , we looked to be coming to a fuel station , a bit like back home either side of the freeway . A quick double take and we realised we were going to go over the border into Bosnia & Herzegovina . We were in the wrong lane , and a guy waved us back and into a another lane . We quickly turned and headed back down the mountain road - but not before having to go through the border gate - passports , paperwork etc . Panic ensued , Lyn's passport was in the suitcase , I had mine with me . The policeman checking things asked where we'd come from , fortunately the guy that waved us back came and told the policeman what we'd done , so he just gave me my passport back and waved us off , probably thinking stupid bloody tourists . Couldn't get away from there quick enough .
After the heart rate slowed a bit , we found another road that headed upwards - this time away from the border !! It was a narrow lane , but took us up through what looked like people's driveways , finally getting us a view over to Dubrovnik and the coast .
Continuing on , google got us to another road which led up to where the Gondola ride goes up the mountain . Along the way up there are ruins from a fort/castle , so we stopped and had a poke around .
There was a gap in the old wall , and the road continued straight through it and up to the gondola & restaurant . Views over Dubrovnik are amazing , giving a great view over the walled old town and port area .
Here's a better one of the port area - check out how many people are down there , and we're not in peak tourist season yet !!
Here's a shot of the gondola .
From up top looking down the coast to the southeast .
Another view of Dubrovnik and an old fortress .
Driving back down the mountain , we head towards town , and the traffic got heavier and heavier , we skipped the old town turnoff and ventured a bit further along the coast . I'd seen a bridge when we flew in last night , and we had found it , drove over over it stopping to look up the inlet towards the mountains of Bosnia . Finding another road we wound our way down to the water for a view under the bridge .
Here's a bit of a contradiction , a small fishing boat dwarfed by the huge ocean liner on the other side of the bay .
The road led us around the water's edge , at best it was about 1.5 cars wide , so some caution had to be shown , otherwise there would be some twisted metal , or someone taking their car for a swim !
We followed the road all the way around the inlet , with the road taking us back to the other side where the cruise boat is . Finding our way to the top off another hill , we stopped to have some lunch in a carpark. There aren't many places you can just pull up without having to pay for parking - most of them don't have any views either .
A spectacular bridge though .
After driving around checking places out a bit , we decided to wander back to the cottage , and do some shopping along the way . We did find another pull off , where there were amazing views .
Before the shopping , we decided to check out another little coastal town on the way back . This one was a bit different however . As we drove in we found an army depot , so went down another road to some massive apartment complexes . As we got closer it became apparent , that they were all derelict . Several blocks all empty , graffiti everywhere , and roads that could use a bulldozer to get them back into shape . This one was a hotel presume , there's an entry area and what's left of a grand spiral staircase to the 1st floor - it's right beside the beach .
This is one of the other derelict apartments .
This is the foyer of the hotel .
And here's the beach - a pebbly one at that . It makes getting into the water difficult to say the least !! The water was pretty cold as well - hasn't warmed up yet . The town is Kupari and was caught up in the Balkan War in the 1990's . The hotels were attacked from the sea and taken over by troops during the war , then abandoned afterwards .
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