#exploretheworld | Croatia

Croatia and I have a past, I spent my first holiday ever on the island Krk, where I fell in love with the sea for the first time. Years later I wanted to visit Zagreb, but I’ve never arrived there because I forgot my passport. What almost happened again, even if it’s ridiculous. But it can be advantageous if you travel with your parents and don’t go by train. And disadvantageous if you’re that kind of list-writing-person – if it’s not on the list, it’s not in the suitcase.

When I came back from Morocco I wanted nothing more than back to the ocean to whooshing waves and a horizon where light blue sky meets deep blue sea. I came here to get away from it all, breathe some ocean air and finally let dry some salt water on my skin. And I wanted to get clear about some things.

Three months later I get off the car and smile, because it’s still the same feeling. Yes, I’m home, at the sea, at the water. Not a single moment for doubts, everything here makes me happy and gives me the feeling of home, although this place is completely strange to me. But still it’s the first time I’m at home and I’m missing home. Hurtfully missing.

I take a deep breath and let the wind push away my missing, sit down at the jetty, dangling my feet over turquoise water and watch all the small fish. How many sea urchins sit between the rocks at the ground. Boats on the horizon. Seagulls in the air above me. It wasn’t long before holiday feeling came up even if it didn’t dispel my inner disturbance. But that’s okay.

It’s a small paradise, never mind that it’s a place full of tourists, although a small paradise, full of silence and very simple. Nothing seems to be complicated a place to live-for-the-day, for closed eyes and sun baths. For going for a walk and watch. The people, boats, how the land and put out the sea, the wind in the low treetops and the waves rolling to the beach.

So I’m arriving in Drage.

After a late breakfast, check-in and clarifying my eating habits we drove to Biograd and went for a walk at the port, my parents ate some ice cream and we enjoyed the sun. I don’t know, when I had so little to do I had time to just sit with closed eyes and had time to let the sun shine in my face and recognize how incredibly warm it is. Finally sea again. And after dinner watching the sun disappearing behind the islands at the horizon.

The next day I got up highly motivated with eight hours of sleep – what was strenuous for Dad and kinda unfamiliar for me. In the forenoon we drove to the national park Krka to see the water fall Skradinski Buk, what’s really worth visiting. Clear water, green trees, biodiversity and path through the surrounding forest area – for me as nature lover simply amazing and with a camera in my hand I’ve been engaged for a few hours. In the late afternoon I shocked my parents a little bit for the third time this day, because I hopped in the ocean to swim – the first time they were surprised because I drink three litres a day, the second time they were irritated because I wanted to walk instead of taking the shuttle bus. How easy it is to surprise your parents if you’re not living beneath the same roof.

The following day we spent really relaxed on a boat on the open water and in the evening after dinner we went for a little ‘hike’ at the hill to watch the sunset over Drage.

I came here to get away from it all, breath some ocean air and finally let salt water dry on my skin. And I wanted to get clear about some things. Drage is a beautiful spot of land to get away from it all, especially because you can’t do very much. It’s a place to come back, with you. And then a plan to stay, for a while.