Sorry for the delay in the series, but I had some severe back pain and it was affecting my mood. Apparently sitting for 3 weeks on a motorcycle and not stretching or doing any exercises is not good at my age :-/ After visiting a physiotherapist thrice and suffering as she pushed and pulled my sore muscles, I’m nearly near back to my cheerful self.

Day 5

Ever since the motorcycle dropped, a small amount of oil began to leak. Although I brought an extra bottle of motor oil, I was quite concerned after seeing the amount constantly leaking. There weren’t any motorcycle repair shops in the Croatian countryside, but I was find a small mechanic. After identifying the source of the leak, I applied some tissue paper and secured it with a zip-tie, which seemed to solve the issue. To be completely certain though, we decided to visit the BMW dealership in Zagreb.

After being the countryside and villages for 4 days, it was a little jarring to ride in a large city. Luckily we didn’t need to enter too far and the kind folks at the dealership were happy to help. They recommended three components be replaced, valued at over 1000 CAD, which was obviously out of the question, but said my MacGyvered job may suffice for a while. After discussing the matter over a free espresso, Weronika and I decided to just buy another bottle of motor oil and press on. The moto rental company had insurance for these kinds of things, so they could manage things after the trip.

Pushing on brought us quickly into the lush countryside again, and the next challenge was to navigate 18km of soft pebble roads. Keep in mind I was still getting used to the weight of the motorcycle and Weronika only had 3 months of riding experience. It felt like it took forever to traverse that distance, and our stress increased as night fell. Fortunately we were about to arrive at the hotel without an incident.

Day 6 & 7

As we traveled further south, the scenery changed from lush greens to desert mountains. The landscape in south Croatia is gorgeous and it was another beautiful day riding along winding roads, in valleys and beside vast fields of sunflowers. With all the wonderful routes to choose, it quickly became apparent that even with 21 days, we couldn’t do it all.

That evening, as we literally drove into the sunset, we stopped by the road to buy some fresh fruit and vegetables from some local merchants. This is something not found in North American, but is quite common in Poland and Croatia. The produce from these vendors is outstanding, and much less expensive than supermarkets.

That night’s destination was a resort camping ground near Zadar. Not only were there spaces for tents and camper vans, but you could rent apartments as well. All facilities were high-end, including common showers, bathrooms and laundry facilities, supermarket, ice cream parlour, small movie theatre, tourist shops, mini golf, rope park and a beach. This would be an excellent place for a family to bring their kids and stay for several weeks.

We decided to slow things to do and spend another day and night here, as camping was fun and our mind and bodies needed a break from the road. Between napping on the beach in the morning followed by a round of mini golf, margaritas after lunch and salsa in the evening, we thoroughly enjoyed the resort.

Day 8

11 years ago, I rented a Audi A3 and drove from Zagreb to Split along the Adriatic coast. It’s rated one of the best coastal drives in the world and it’s easy to see why; crystal blues waters of the Adriatic sea on one side and desert mountains on the other, with continuously curved and perfectly paved road between them. There were only a handful of motorcycles back then, but were dozens and dozens this time. Pounding the pavement by motorcycle was even better than the first time, and the experience brought back wonderful memories, as it was part of a holiday in which I travelled alone for 3 weeks. Back then, I thought THAT was courageous! It’s interesting to notice the more you push your comfort zone, the more you become comfortable with things you never thought possible. That trip was one of the most memorable moments of my life, and I’m still in touch with many of the people I met.

“As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.”
Robin S. Sharma

We attempted to travel from island to island as much as possible, but some of the ferry schedules didn’t cooperate. Alas, we only visited two islands, but enjoyed some delicious British fish and chips by the water that evening.

More to come…