Day 15 - Ljubljana

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Good nights sleep, and up for breakfast without having to pack bags. Nice. But as we come out there are 2 bags outside a room opposite us - mixed up days....

On the bus and we are heading to the Postojna caves. We get there early and wait, again. There is a bit more muttering today about wasting time waiting when we miss out on extra time in places like Lake Bled or Split. Oh oh, dissention in the ranks......

Anyway, today we had been told many time by Viktor that it will be cold in the caves - 8c so we should wear jackets and cold weather clothes. Most have jeans, shoes and jackets with them. We pack shorts, etc. As well. Viktor gets our tickets and we do some souvenir looking to kill the time. Eventually get our tickets and join a queue. Lots of people at this place. We get to the from of the queue, then realise we have been duped and are actually at the end of the queue. No matter. Get to the little train that will take us 2 km into the caves and there is no room for us or the kiwis so we get the next train. Viktor is in apoplexy over this and travels with us - not too sur why, we are only 2 minutes behind them and we have over 1.5 hours for our lunch after the tour.....

Jackets on, sitting waiting thinking it's not that cold. We start and turun the corner - good idea to have jackets - nice and cold, a real change to our hot weather days. Lots of calcium deposits everywhere on the way in. Stalactites and stalagmites everywhere. Get tot the train station and we can see the others in front of us. Viktor goes off to catch up to them - not sure why. We stay put.

The caves are massive and the deposits are fascinating. They have built concrete paths to get around. They look really wet and slippery, but in fact are very grippy and you get to feel very safe walking in there. The guide points out interesting facts and is quite funny as well. We wander up and down, around corners, and eventually come back to where we started. All through there are different shapes and size of these wonders of nature.

The last room is what they call the concert hall. The guide says that the acoustics are exceptional in here and then proceeds to sing in a beautiful baritone voice that echoes around us. Exceptional finale.

Viktor greets us, not too sure why, but we get on the train back to the top. As we go back, we joke about how hot it will be and that the glasses will fog up. Sure enough, Chris, Wayne and Diane's glasses all fog as we get to the top. Out and see the obligatory pics they took at the start - hmm, strange facial expressions so no single pics, but a group one of the 4 of us is worth a purchase.

Into the sun and heat - HEAT.... Wish the bus was open so I could get out of my boots and jeans. Next best is a seat in the breeze and a cold beer. Done. Bus opens so change happens and all feels much betterer.

We the head to the Prediama Castle. This castle is actually built into a wall and actually fronts a cave so it has a front and back entrance. We do a tour here with a guide who is in her 20's. She has a wicked sense of humour and makes the tour very entertaining. Lots of funnies and she makes the stories very entertaining. up lots of marble stairs and eventually at the top, you get a great view back down to the valley through a natural opening in the cave - just like a window frame.

Enough and back to the bus, after a cold drink. Back to Ljubljana where we have an arranged dinner. On the way, Viktor announces that the wifi is working again and apologises on behalf of Globus. Even states that instead of the usual 2 free drinks with dinner, the company is going to give us 3.

He warns us that when we get to Vienna tomorrow they are expecting 38c - lots of groans around the bus - sooks.......

Dinner done, quick walk around the neighbourhood and find a street with a few bars at the back of the hotel. Pick one and greeted by the bar person who has a quick chat. We ask if we can move a table to the front of the street - more breeze there. He does that willingly. Drinks arrive and after a few minutes he sits and has a bigger chat about where we come from, where we have been on the tour and where we are going. Nice guy. Finish the drinks and ask if he has water for the trip tomorrow. Gets 2 bottles of water out, how much, on the house. Winner winner chicken dinner...

oack bags ready for an early start (bags out by 0645).....

Good night.

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