Our Japanese stalkers

A later start to the day due to the lost tourist yesterday. The port in Dubrovnik is around a 20 minute bus ride away from town. It was a bit slow getting off board as a group of Japanese were a bit slow. We could pay the US$10 plus the Cunard 18% service fee, or you could walk about 5 minutes to the nearby bus station and get 4 x E1.73 tickets.  

Google said catch the number 8, the woman at the information booth was useless, and the 1D to the Old Town came by so we took a punt. 

We walked past the Cunard shuttles as they arrived.

First stop was the cable car to the top of the nearby hill. Somehow our Japanese friends got on at the same time. As far as cable cars go, it was a bit ho hum. Nice views but not much to do at the top. 

Photos finished, we just beat our Japanese group to the cable car for the trip down.

The Old Town was at the bottom, enveloped inside the fort walls. As far as the old town rankings go, this one is my number one. 

Not so touristy, some nice churches and a visit to an ice cream shop. If you've ever watched Somebody Feed Phil, he went to an ice cream and pastry shop in the old town called Gianni's. We followed in his footsteps. I imagine the ice creams tasted the same as every other one visited, but we paid the price for Phil giving it his thumbs up.

Finished with town, it was back on a bus to the ship, just in time to walk on board with our Japanese stalkers.

For the second time in a row we went to the theatre after dinner to see Martin Kaye do his Elton John show. Another good night.

When worlds collide

A 9:30 excursion today to a national park about 80km away. At the park, waterfalls were rumoured to be waiting. I love a good waterfall. It was really nice to not have an old town to go to. I always forget. We are in Zadar, Croatia.

It was good to get out into nature. Not too much hard walking around the 2km board walk and lots of good pics.

One ice cream (the Mediterranean croissant), one lost drink bottle and back on the bus.

We had a quick stop in a town on the way back. 

Oh, change room guy was on our tour. I really wanted to ask him, why?

Just before departure, the guy in front of us gets off the bus and is then talking to our guide. As we travelled, she comes up to talk to him.

Long story short, his wife was on a different tour, got separated from them, called him and it seems they left without her. They did eventually find her but our ship departure was delayed one and a half hours due to the search. The Captain said he would put the throttle down and he did. 

Just a short run today.

Tonight is bbq night on deck, which I had been looking forward to. I have also been craving sweet and sour anything, but the menu seems to be tipped mostly to the Indian side to please the Poms on board.

Tonight the dining room had sweet and sour pork. Bbq lost. I probably should have tried on the nice shirt I last wore 2 years ago before I packed it, but maybe the bodyshirt trend will come back.

After the sweet and sour experience (the food, not the ABC TV show from way back that I believe starred David Reyne (I have the album)), it was back to the cabin to get into my theatre watching clothes (shorts and t-shirt).

Tonight's show was an amazing acrobatic duo with the 2 of them putting to shame my Les Mills Pilates efforts from the trip so far. Their strength and flexibility was insane. Mystery solved. I think I now know the identity of the people in the gym doing head and hand stands over the last week.

I hit the wall

Breakfast didn't taste the same and my legs are feeling heavy. There was a hint of pain in my right forehead but I don't get headaches so I can't be getting sick.

Destination for today in Trieste was a castle that was on the water's edge. It would be a pleasant walk along the seaside. At about 6,000 steps and without having seen any water, we decided that the number 6 bus was our best option.

We crammed on board the sardine can with wheels and continued our journey. Had we purchased our ticket correctly? Only a transit officer would know.

We got off at our stop and proceeded to the Miramare Castle via the shore line. 

Nothing like Australia - here you have stones for beaches and lie on a strategically placed towel on concrete to sun-bake. 

Numerous old Italian ladies chatted to each other while half naked. Some things cannot be unseen.

The castle was more of a big house but it had some really nice gardens, good views and free toilets. Tick x 3.

We slowly made our way back to the road where we once again found the number 6 bus and the transit officers joined us. We had tapped our phones to pay but he got us to tap again and no arrests or fines were issued.

We transferred to the number 8 (please take notes if you are ever in Trieste, Italy) and got back to the ship in time for lunch, one of the 5 most important meals of the day.

As much as I like the free on-board drinks, sometimes a Pepsi or Coke is a good addition to your ever-increasing calorie intake.

We went off board again, in search of drinks (  i got a low calorie ginger drink on special and a sports drink that may come in handy. No Pepsi!), found a church and some ruins and back on board, for a lie down. 

Trieste is likened to Vienna in its architecture. I didn't like Vienna but Trieste is a bit nicer.

20,000 steps by mid afternoon and I'm almost done for the day. But Garmin Easy Run is still not done.

After some TV sport watching and a strong coffee, I put on the running gear and went for it. Surprisingly I felt good. My legs are back to being alive. 

I went into the change room, which has a massive window overlooking the port from the 9th floor. Now I don't know if you can see in from outside, but you can see out.

The second shower screen was open, but a naked guy was in there showering. I waited for the other shower. I hung up my dry clothes and towel, showered, got changed in the shower and came out to see naked shower guy now being naked change room guy doing a full frontal to the outside world.

Buffet tonight. We decided on a soft serve ice cream each but then the Editor's Desserty senses kicked in and she ended up with a chocolate brownie concoction. Food must not be wasted. I had 2 ice creams.

A day at sea

The Captain advised that he had parked the ship for some time as the sea was calm before heading off to Italy. Was it his idea or Tenille's? We may never know.

So what do you do when there are no significant hills to climb?

- Eat

- Gym/ Gym and golf

- Lunch

- Attend a talk about the next 3 ports/ recuperate while watching NRL and AFL

- Go to a show/ gym and golf.

I've still racked up 13,000 steps and have my running program back in sync.

We've been blessed by the internet Gods and most of the day have had reception.

I can see land, way over yonder off the starboard side. Not much going on. Buffet, pub or dining room? That is the question. We chose dining room. Put on my suit pants just so that I could say I wore them and they just didn't waste space for an entire holiday. 

I've taken one photo today.

Rhetorical question

Is it too early for ice cream? Well for most people it probably is, but the Editor had seen pistachio ice cream out of the corner of her eyes and was making a beeline to it as she spoke. No use answering. Bide my time. Just wait and then pounce. "Is $2,000 too much for a single golf club"? I will say as my credit card contacts the reader.

In her defence, we had been walking for over 30 minutes and the sun had the intensity of a mild Winter day at Bingara Gorge, I imagine.

Did I mention we are in Split, Croatia?

First stop off the boat was some markets where I finally got the hat I was looking for, the kind of hat that puts your golf opponents off their game.

We then went to have a quick look at the palace, gave up, somebody had an ice cream and then we went up a rather large hill because that's what you seem to do on shore in the Mediterranean.

It was no yesterday's climb but the Editor's calf muscles were not happy with the decision. To their credit, local authorities have placed a lot of seats on the way for weary tourists.

Near the top we came upon a playground and Annette wondered about the possibility of emulating her childhood hero, Cindy Brady, in trying to break the world endurance teeter-totter record. Alas, we had to be back on board by 5:30pm.

We took a different route back down to town through some interesting streets and made our way around the palace to see the 4 ancient gates.

We rubbed a statue's big toe for good luck

and headed back to the ship via the local Pepsi proprietor.

I packed my gym bag but got diverted into trying to find a vacant washing machine, a quest that ultimately took around 3 hours. Eventually by 7pm it was mission accomplished. I never got to the gym.

After dinner we hit the theatre for a 45 minute music show featuring a guy whose main claim to fame was that he wore odd socks and was bald. It was a good show and then off to sleep for a day at sea where no hills or mountains will be climbed.