Mljet, the debrief

 

This was my second visit to the island of Mljet in Croatia, so I think that speaks for itself.

If you are up for hiking and biking its a perfect place.

If you want peace and quiet, total shut off from the world, its the perfect place.

If you want a ride  on the boat of doom, its the perfect place.

The hotel is clean and the staff are wonderful, however since my visit in May, the food in the evening has gone downhill rapidly which is a shame as it was amazing.

There is still no wifi in the rooms, and for some unknown reason I couldn't even log on in the reception on my laptop. They do have 2 computers for the use of residents, which was very handy.

There was free WiFI in all the restaurants but I'm sure they didn't want me tipping up in the evening to watch Netflix in my PJ's.

TV was sort of OK,  'Alpine Doktor' was still on ( Doctor in the Alps where horrible things happen), we now had 'Bones', 'Swat' and 'Rizzoli and Isles'. All American with subtitles in Croatian.

I got quite hooked on 'Inspector Rex' which was Italian and about an Alsation dog that was a police Inspector. Things you do when on holiday.

I would also like to say how amazing the Croatian health service was. This was not on my list of things to tick off on my Big Birthday list, but actually watching what went on in the ward that I was in, was eyeopening. Everything ran smooothly, the nurses and doctors were all based at desks in the ward, where the patients were.

I wont go on, but needless to say, I have returned home to what looks like a 3rd world medical system in comparison.

I managed to get stay overnight in Dubrovnik, but saw little more than the port area.

The catamaran to the island  was far superior to the boat of doom and a much smoother crossing.

Would I go back?

At this moment I am saying no, but who knows.

Huge thanks to Dale  who supported me the whole time and rang me at just the times when I thought I was at my lowest.

The only hotel on the island

I stayed on the island of Mljet which is a national park and also advertises as a centre of activity.

There are lots of hikers arriving every day and bikes are for hire in nearly every village on the island.

I stayed at the only hotel on the island Hotel Odisej.

This is a lovely hotel but really is missing a trick.

It has lovely rooms, is fabulously clean,wonderful staff but with limited WiFi in this day and age it needs to up its game in this area.

The hotel is a main block and  a separate block of room, there is a sunbathing deck  right on  the edge of the sea, there are no beaches

Next to the sea deck there is a cocktail bar which is a great place to watch the sun go down.

The pavilion deck wraps around the hotel and has ampe  space for the sunworshippers.

The upper sun deck (my favourite) has views across the bay and boat watching. It is also a suntrap.

The grounds of the hotel are stunning, rosemary hedges,  lavender bushes, a host of native plants and pine trees.

Views to die for (of have gallstones for in my case!)

Outside the hotel doors is their bistro, after being in hospital I ate here at lunch times as they would make to order for me rather than from the menu.

 

The reception area  was spacious and airy with a bar and small library. Also2 computers for the use of residents. 

Stained glass picture of the boat of doom (not really ).

And that's it! 

The only hotel on the island.

I am fit to fly

Another day dawned with more worry about whether I would be able to fly home, this is not something that would have bothered me before, but with not being well. I do want to go home.

For anyone who wonders why I didn't have the op here, I wanted to be where my medical notes are, due to past problems. 

I took a call from Jet2 and then the  hotel helped me to get through to the doctor, who agreed that I can fly home and that they would send a letter via email to the hotel later  in the day.

I let Dale know and then walked into the village, it seemed that this was the first time I had breathed since Wednesday. I actually felt my shoulders fall  back in to their proper place.

To celebrate I had a mint tea, living the high life here!!!!

Back to the sun deck, and time to try to get rid of the grey pallor that I have had since the early hours of Tuesday morning, I think only cosmetic surgery will now eliminate the eye bags, and I'm not even considering that!

I made a friend, a sharp snout rock lizard.

I had an hours sleep in the sun.

Lunch was a salad with chicken, bland and boring but a necessity. I decided to have elder flower syrup and sparkling water, it was ok, but it wasn't champagne!

However the views are never bland and boring.

 Thankfully I had my 'fit to fly' letter in my hand by 2pm. To be honest if I hadn't been drugged up on Tuesday when I was released from hospital I might have had the sense to ask then, looking back, how I managed to book myself a room for the night, get all my meds together  and get into the old town is a mystery to me even now!

And so to my last full day, quick walk to the shop for water and then if the sun comes out I might go to the sea terrace and have a swim and a sleep in the sun.

Happy Saturday 

A lazy day

Thursday dawned slightly overcast and very quiet, 7am and not a sound to be heard except crickets.

A bland breakfast and a couple of cups of rooibus, saw me heading up the village, still not a soul around although there were stirrings on a private yacht moored near the hotel.

I stopped to have a cup of mint tea and watched the start of the boats arriving, still very peaceful. Something that I loved about this island.

Back to the hotel and packed up some of my case.

A bland chicken lunch and I  headed up to the sun deck to catch some intermittent rays, it was 23 but with cloud and  wind, which is part of living on the island. About 3.30pm I decided to head  for a nap, when I heard a noise, which was getting rapidly louder.

A helicopter came into view and as tourists and boats were moving rapidly it was obvious that it was going to land on the dock!

 Suddenly an ambulance came into view and out jumped the doctor who had treated me on the island early on Tuesday morning. The poor patient was taken out and loaded onto the helicopter and sent over to Dubrovnik, which apparently had been discussed for me, but there was a car ferry so they sent me on that. At 3.30pm there was no way they could get the patient to the mainland that way.

It suddenly made me realise how cut off the island is. 

The ferries and catamarans from the village I am staying are simply passenger transport. the car ferry operates on the other side of the island , an hours drive ( speed limit due to the national park, bikes and hikers). 

Paradise does come at a cost.

The remainder of my day/ evening was wrapped up in trying to get the clarification that I can fly home on Sunday.

The wonderful Dale was on the other end of the phone, when I was really in need of a friendly voice, even I have to admit this has all been a very frightening experience. I think the fact that I am very isolated here has made it worse.

And so another day begins and I hear a tiny patter of rain as I am sitting on the sun deck.

The sky though speaks of other things today.

I think I may have read the 5 books that I brought by tomorrow, so less weight to bring home. Before anyone mentions 'Kindle', I am old school, I like the touch of a book.

Have a great day, 

Back to the island

 

A stormy looking morning in Dubrovnik

I woke up in my little room in the guest house in the in old town of Dubrovnik and after a much needed chat to Carole ( a friendly  voice and good advice is always a bonus),

I set out to walk to the port, I asked a lovely  gentleman, if I was going in  the  right direction and he said  that  I was only 250km away!!! I realised he meant 250m and carried on walking , it felt like 250km by the time I got there. It had in fact only taken about 20 minutes to get from A to B

I found the ticket office, with no help from a gentleman on a tour boat, who told me since the Island had cut off tourists no boats went there!!!

I booked on the TP line catamaran, which left at 3.15pm. ( it was this or the Krill line which left at same time) It was only 10am so I had a lot of time to kill.

I crossed the road to a little cafe and ordered  salad for breakfast, as I was stuck for what I was supposed to eat. I had mint tea, as the hospital told me to avoid coffee!

The waiter put the cup down in front of me and I could feel the tears coming. The whole scariness of the last 30 odd hours hit home. I put my glasses on to try to hide the tears.

Looking across the road I saw some ( past their best) hydrangeas, always guaranteed to make me smile. I did not attempt to get a cutting!!! I remember my adventures in Beauvais too well!

I headed to a local supermarket ( everything that you need down at the port!) and bought some essentials, at least I would not stink the catamaran out later.

I decide that to pass the time, I would get on a hop on/ hop off bus and go round the city, of course I picked the day  that President Zelenskeyy was in for talks and the whole of Dubrovnik was on high alert. At 11.30am they were saying the one hour tour could be 3 hours with hold ups etc and could be longer. I was too worried I'd miss the catamaran to go. so no tour for me.

I did sit in the lovely park opposite the port and watch the world go by,  and shared my baby wipes with a lady who had dirt on her hand.

And finally  the catamaran arrived, but not before watching the Americans doing what they do best, being loud and unaware.

The port had lots of staff,  dressed in gleaming white t-shirts and khaki shorts. 

An American couple who you could hear before you saw,  were wanting to know  where the boat to Split was.

The lady started shouting very very loudly

'Luka, hey Luka, you, Luka'

she then let out an ear piercing whistle, everyone stopped including one of the Port employees.

She started to point at him, and the gesturing to summon him to her, shouting 'you, Luka come here'

The guy looked really puzzled but walked over and as he walked past me I noticed that on the back of his shirt it said

LUKA DUBROVNIK.

the same words as it said on the building to our side and all the notices, it meant Port of Dubrovnik!!!!!!!

If you think that I am unfair to the Americans I can assure you that the ones I have been in contact with abroad  are just like this. The one in Reykjavik, asking if they got a refund if they didn't switch the lights on as we were going on the Northern lights tour currently holds top ranking.

Anyhoooo, onto the catamaran and off to the island.

Skid mark road from the sea

Dubrovnik sea front housing

I arrived back in the hotel and was in bed after a very bland dinner of mashed potato and chicken!

they had truffle pasta on which is my favourite too.

Today the sun is shining, I am off to rotate my very quickly disappearing bulk and get some more sleep.

Happy Thursday (I think)

 

An extra tick

 

Another tick for things never done before.

never been in hospital in Croatia!

It all started at 1.30am Tuesday morning, when I was woken by horrendous pain under my rib cage.

After a glass of water and 2 paracetamols I wrote up my blog, in between trying not to think about the pain or throwing up.

By 4am I was pacing the floor, if I lay down it was a million times worse.

By 6am I couldn't take any more so headed down to reception and asked for a doctor.

Hotel minibus whisked to Govidari, next village up and at 7am I was hooked up to iv pain meds, an ecg and the doctor was arranging to rush me to the mainland.

fast forward 3 hours(that's being rushed) two ambulances and a car ferry ride and I'm now hooked up to more iv pain meds and having lots of blood taken.

Tested for diabetes (no).

And then wrapped in a blanket as I couldn't stop shaking.

Over for an ultrasound and then back to get wrapped up again.

the results came in just after 3pm.

Low potassium (that old thing raising its head again).

And a large amount of gallstones.

Well both the doctor and I were very surprised.

Me because I had no idea and her because I've never had the pains before.

So an op was suggested. I said no (stupidly).

I was then handed masses of drugs to get me home.

And that was it, except, I was stuck on the mainland with no ferry until 3pm tomorrow.

so onto Booking.com

And found a room in a guest house in the old town.

The views from the balcony (Yes a balcony!)  totally amazing.

 

 

The route up to the guest house no so amazing.

And so a night on the mainland for me. I didn't venture out as I was exhausted

Ferry tomorrow and then the rest of my holiday dry and on a bland diet.

Oh well, I never do things by halves.

And the Ukranian President is visiting today so need to wend my way through road closures and Police.

Happy whatever day it is.

A walk around Pomena

View up Pomena `high street´

I am on the island of Mljet, one of the southernmost islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. It has a population of just over 1000 people ( residents) and is 3/4 National park and the island is 84% forest.

I am staying  in the village of Pomena, in the northwest corner of the island. It has approx 62 residents. There is only one hotel on the island The Odisej, ( where I am staying). I will show you more of the hotel in a future blog.

The boat of doom

There is a small marina by the hotel which has mooring for many yachts, ferries and of course the boat of doom.

The Yanks have arrived

Yesterday (Monday) seemed to be the day that all of America descended on the island, some disappeared into the national park, some went swimming in the sea, some took up residence at the local restaurants. If I closed my eyes I could have been in Kansas, or New York or some other American place, luckily at 2pm the sound of 3 long toots meant that they all boarded the boats and yachts and sailed on. Peace. (they are VERY loud)

looking down the `high street´

 To walk from the hotel to the start of the national park ( up the high street) takes approx 1 minute unless (like me ) you stop to chat to the waiters at your favourite restaurant.

Across the bay

The village is a crescent shape, with the hotel at one point and the only house that was for sale in Pomena when I was here last, being at the other point, so I set out to walk it and take in the view from the other side of the bay ( it took 3 minutes)

I took in the flora on the way 

Pomegranate

Bougainvillea

hibiscus 

more hibiscus

looks like an acorn but the leaves are not oak leaves 

Rosemary hedges

more rosemary hedges ( and me)

view from the other side ( see the boat of doom!)

A yacht in from Marseille, I met the family, they are  on a sailing holiday

This is the house that was for sale in May (650K). 

This house has been sold and the new owners are doing a lot of work on it, it is the last house in the village or the first depending on how you look at it.

It has an extensive garden with an orchard and a pool ( yes I looked at it online but didn't win the lottery)

The views from the side of the house, the views from the balconies must be stunning.

 Someone made their mark

I haven't photographed the restaurants, there is one at the hotel, and 7 others , they all get their fair share of trade during the day with the tourists that come over. 

And Monday on the island? well it was very hot, I spent most of the day rotating my bulk on a sunbed.

and walking the village.

Have a great day.

Bok za sada ( bye for now, yes, I am learning a little Croatian)