From the Plitvicka to Biograd na Moru

We had a rain-shower at the national park, which gave me the impetus to clean the bike, since it got wet, at the site near Plitvicka. I then did not want to stow it yet since it was muddy everywhere and I was apprehensive the bike would slip and get dropped on loading.

The site at the national park was lovely and green, and not at all crowded, very peaceful.

There were more tent campers than motorhomes as the site is very sloping and difficult to get level. I guess most vanners go somewhere else.

Once we were all dried off and loaded up we took to the road to the coast. A tremendous change in the landscape ensued. The mountains are grey and barren, and the greenery by the coast is lush and mostly pine forests.

We drove to a stretch of coast just south of Zadar, about an hour + north of Split, and opposite the island of Pasman. Biograd na Moru means white city on the sea.

It threatened to rain for a while and the sky became grey. We could see the rain coming.

The drive from the lakes and waterfalls of Plitvice was pleasant enough, and we stopped for lunch while the skies opened and it rained so heavily that I could not see to drive.

We are now at a place with lovely tall pine trees, that bend towards the sea as if calling it in. They provide lovely noon time shade.

We've picked a site that is really small, and run by a single family - Josip and Diana - the parents, appear to have now handed the reigns over to their two children, Maria and Josip junior. The site is called camping Josip and Diana, which is kind of cute. There is only space for a dozen or so tents and so far ours is the only van, but there is a cluster of permanent chalet type mobile homes on the site and good enough ablution block.

They have a site 400m up the road from the beach, and the enormous camp Soline which has everything and thousands of sites, and costs double. We all use the same beach though!

We went for a walk along the beach after the rain stopped and it all looks very pleasant with a club and restaurant vibe all along the beach and the bay going towards the town. There is a lot going on here, and Josip dropped by to invite us on a boat excursion of the nearby island, and national park, to watch dolphins and explore the national park bits. We shall probably just enjoy the beach first. It looks like the family can't do enough to help you feel at home and settled in. Very attentive, and good broadband speed wifi too. That helped to download some new books to my kindle, as I have run out of paperbacks to read now.

Later we went to a bar on the beach and tried out their cocktails - Carol had "sex on the beach" and I had a "zombie" - interesting and quite sweet.