Hello hello. Our mental summer here in Cornwall has finally come to an end so myself and Simon have managed to find time off work together for a little holiday. After very little planning we booked flights to Croatia and before we could say "Govorite li engleski?" our private jet had landed in Zadar. Following a recommendation from a friend of Simon's we headed straight for the Paklenica Naional Park. The park circles around a limestone karst mountain range with two steep gorges slashed into the landscape. We were so happy we weren't there mid-summer. We were sweating so much, I'd hate to think how much hotter the sun gets, and the off season meant we had the paths to ourselves. But best of all, that season meant the autumn colours were breathtaking against the lunar coloured mountains.

We hiked into one of the gorges and camped for the night (hanging our food to avoid bears!!!!). This meant we could get much deeper into the park than the day trippers. We didn't encounter any bears but did see this rather funky salamander.

The second day brought us along a valley and down into the second gorge. This was tough going as the route wasn't so much a path as a dry boulderous river bed. Tricky to negotiate with heavy ruck sacs!

We were so happy with the recommendation to go there. Stunning alpine and Mediterranean flora, deserted trails, and the spectacular deep winding gorges. Hiker's dream...

... but that said, we were ready for some relaxation of the non physical kind. We went back to the city of Zadar for some good food, even better ice cream and a little bit of culture. Simon has the photos of the beautiful narrow marble streets and the church towers and plazas, but he is currently driving to Wales with them heal hostage in his laptop... sorry.

One feature I particularly fell in love with was the sea organ. Pipes and whistles are built into steps descending into the sea. The water lapping against the steps pushes air through the pipes and out through small holes creating an amazing hypnotic and unique sound, 24 hours a day, every day. Even better when the wake of a ferry comes along. click to listen to a clip I found on youtube After the mountains and after the city, we headed for the islands. Dugi Otok to be precise. Meaning long island, 43km long and 4.6km wide (at it's widest!) And it was Adriatic bliss, deserted of tourists, secluded beaches, very few vehicles and amazing calamari.We rented an appartment with a beautiful view (I'm running out of discriptive superlatives) from our kitchen balcony. We loved it there and decided to spend the rest of the holiday exploring the island. We rented bikes, a boat and a scooter to do so.

Some more of the island...Well that's about it. We had to get a ferry, a bus, a plane, a taxi, a red double decked, the tube, and a train to get home. And straight back to work.

xxx Roz and Simon