#Travel #diary, summer 2016, 30th of July, Jadrija, Croatia

It’s been almost 20 days since I left my hometown. I had a goal to reach Greece sometimes around the 15th of August. Before I left the comfort of my home & a long term job, I bought a car – Renault Twingo & I drove it all the way down to the South, already passed more than 500 km. It broke only ones…

So, me & my Twingo first stopped in Crikvenica, where I played the drums on the street – a #djembe (traditional African drum) & #tapan (#тъпан – traditional Balkan drum). This is the most common way how I manage to finance my trip. I manage to earn money for the food & gas & I also save some money for eventual car malfunctions or some unexpected expenses. I do not pay for accommodation cause it’s summer & I can sleep on the beaches & in the shades of pine forests hanging in the #hammock. But I also know many people in many places who very often offer me a shelter which I mostly gratefully accept. If you don’t know how to accept then you don’t know how to give either!

My hosts often cook for me but also very often I cook for them too, or help them in some other way if I can. We also exchange gifts very often!

Nothing really excited happened to me in Crikvenica but I’m not even searching for excitement, more for peace & time to make music, opportunity to make photography & to write about the trip, to travel further more, to feel free & enjoy the true freedom, to have a bath in the sea every day & a Sun bath too, to #explore & #experience what I haven’t sensed before, to eat healthy, local, seasonal, #vegetarian food as much as possible, to sleep under the stars & to make myself practice #yoga in the morning, to truly be myself & make my dreams come true…

I wish to say many thanks to the people who have been hosting me & supporting me since now along my #voyage: Special thanks to my family back home – they have always been there for me, even if they didn’t understand the reasons why I choose to leave & travel this way… I also send huge kisses & the hardest hugs to Katarina & her brother in Crikvenica, to Saša & Franjo in Novalja, to Frane & his family in Pag, to Maja & her family in Zadar.

When I reached the island Pag – Novalja – a storm happened, strong, devouring #storm which we, the people living on the #coastline of the Adriatic sea, call “nevera”. It wasn’t possible for me to play that day. Next day I played a bit, but the boss of Moby Dick restaurant didn’t like my music, so, under the excuse that the guests complained, he came to demand to stop the music. In the same time I was circled by 5-7 city government security guys who were asking me for the license to play the music on the street, which I didn’t have. I had written an E-mail to the mayor of Novalja & some of his officials 2 months before, asking for #permission to #perform, but no one replied. Due to the pressure, enough money in the hat & maintaining the peace, I finally stopped playing & left the site. Next 2 days a strong wind “bura” came down the mountain Velebit so the ferry wasn’t driving & the bridge was closed for traffic. The island was cut off. I couldn’t play either.

Next day I visited the city government’s guy who is in charge of approving the licenses & giving permissions for street #performances. He even apologized for not answering to my questions & requests for which I was pleasantly surprised! He also approved me a permission to play, just a bit further away of that Moby Dick’s dick.

There is one more interesting thing, more a place, to mention in Novalja – it’s a hostel called “Big Yellow House”. But what’s the place without it’s people?! Hugs & kisses to Ray & Ana, best waitresses in Novalja! Sorry, they are not just waitresses – they are much more than that! Love you girls! ❤ Hope to see you again! Also the best music in town & quite normal prices, on comparison with other places… Gaudinho & Plasica are worth to mention! All the other places are more than shit! Almost no good restaurants!

Zrće #beach is also needed to be mentioned – it is one of the worst beaches along the Adriatic sea due to many beach bars installed where the legal robbery of tourists is practiced on daily bases, every summer… Don’t go there!
I escaped finally, headed to the city of Pag – the only true civilized place on the island with a long & wealthy history. Almost every year I visit this town cause I love it & it’s people. One of my mine rare & real best friends lives here… When I almost reached it, I turned into the direction of the oak forest called “Bošana” & “Dubrava” with an intention to go for a swim naked on some deserted beach, but suddenly my car stopped working – a gas pump broke. Small problems appear when you expect them the least. I called few people who know more than me about cars & tried out some tricks but the car didn’t move. Few friends came to pick me up & drove me to the center where I met with Frane who hosted me next 6 days until we repaired the car. He introduced me to Canko – an old biker who knew a lot about mechanics & such stuff. 4 days we waited for the spare parts. On the 6th day finally we repaired the car.

All those days, every evening I was playing #music on the city #bridge. I was already famous but also annoying to some people. Many were interested in who I am, where do I come from, what am I doing here & where I’m going…
Strangely, I spent 10 days on the #island & only once I took a swim in the sea. In Novalja I didn’t like the beaches – only rocks & concrete – & it was cold too. In Pag I couldn’t get to the beautiful beaches out of the center cause my car was broken & I was mostly occupied in repairing it. I can’t even describe my happiness when we changed the gas pump & the car started! Canko & me immediately went for a beer to celebrate it! But then I didn’t feel like moving away from the island anymore, especially from Pag town. I felt so good here! But I decided to stick to the first plan – travelling down South to Greece!

It’s a really strange feeling: first you want something so badly, & when you get it, it seems like you don’t want it anymore. In other words, a #goal which you considered so precious to reach, doesn’t seem so precious when you actually reach it! A strange thing in life…

PS

There's something very interesting for me near Pag - I am fascinated buy the #windmills & had kept my desire for long time to go & make #photography of them. First time it was maybe even 10 years ago or even more, when I took my mom's “stupid-tourist” camera & went on foot from the center of Pag city to the top of the hill where the mills are. I made so many photos back then but, as I was clumsy, I stumbled on a rock & the camera fell in a hall so deep that I just heard the sound of it falling deeper & deeper. After I tried to reach it with my hand but it was impossible – it was too deep. It was a lesson: You cannot take all! You must leave something! Then I came back with more respect & by car so it was much easier for me & these are some of the results…

To be continued...

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