Split! Wonderful Split!

---

Split! Wonderful Split! What a beautiful town. The excessive excitement may have a lot to do with the fact that I am once again with my one true love, the ocean. I had a huge dilemma on the night before leaving zagreb. Some people were planning on heading to these beautiful lakes (called platvitch or something) that was quite a few hours away from zagreb. And although I badly wanted to see them, I knew the weather was going to be terrible. So I ummed and arrghed for most of the day but decided id rather do it when the weather was nice (i should be able to backtrack to the lakes from split). And as I was on my early train towards split I encountered non-stop rain all the way to the coast, so I definately made the right decision. Even though it was raining, the train ride into split was the first time in the past 3 weeks (or since being in europe) that I have had jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery. I was not expecting to encounter non-stop mountains all the way to the coast (dad, i know you would have loved it). On the final descent into split (with my first encounter with the mediterranian) there were huge rocky mountains on one side of the train and on the other there was a picturesque view of the mediterranian with quaint towns hugging the coastline and islands in the backdrop. Once in split, I was once again on the march to find accomodation for the night. Luckily enough the first place had one more bed left, and unfortunately the hostels slogan was "booze and snooze" so I new the next few days would be a pretty rough ride. And surely enough I was correct with that assumption. The hostel was located smack bang in the middle of the tourist city centre of split within the walls of diocletians palace which made for an amazingly beautiful surrounding. No cars within the palace walls so there were only incredibly narrow alleyways throughout the palace which reminded me a lot of venice without the canals. Beautiful! So the first night and the 3rd (last) night were spent out on the town with pretty much everyone from the hostel (on the final night a bachelor party arrived at the hostel which drastically changed the male/female ratio (weener fest) but also added a sense of reckless excitement aswell, the dudes were crazy, but that stuff is not for here). The nightclubs that we have been attending have been within 10 metres of the ocean which makes for an awesome scene. Whilst the 2nd night was supposed to be out on the town, as I was grabbing dinner I crossed paths with a friend I had made back in Zagreb and we spent the next few hours chatting on some chairs overlooking the amazing harbour. By the time I got back to the hostel, it was deserted so I used it as an opportunity to get a good nights rest. So then, throughout the days I spent a lot of time in the sun and in the water of the adriatic sea. Most beaches have small pebbles which kinda massage your feet but there are also a few with sand. The sandy beaches are a lot more popular and with that comes the rubbish. So I spent most of my time on the pebbly beaches, avoiding the crowds and the rubbish. The water is still quite fresh, it would be the same temperature as warrnambool throughout the heat of summer, but im told that the water is warming up. If I wasnt at the beach or checking out the sights in the palace, I was walking along the coast or up a few hills/mountains right in split. I wont elaborate on this as I think the photos (when I get them on here) will speak for themselves. I was hoping to stay longer in split but the hostel was booked out before I had a chance to organise myself, so I am off to the island of Hvar tomorrow afternoon where I hope to hire a scooter and check out the island and maybe get some diving in aswell!!!
Catch for now

---