40 plus days in Croatia is HEAVEN!!
 

We just loved our time in Croatia ( and Kotor Bay, Montenegro) and fell in love with this gorgeous, pristine country.

We got to see a lot and spent 25 days in Dubrovnik area and a week near Trogir. We spent a few days in Korcula, Hvar, Plitsvice, Roving which we loved as well as Motuvun and Hum and a few islands that I have forgotten names for.

We are on an open ended world tour and Croatia has been one of our favorite countries.

We did not mean to stay so long, but it was hard to resist.

We ran into a Japanese crew from Travel Salad ( a popular show), three times and they decided to put our daughter in the show which was fun.

There is more on our website ( and more to upload) currently ( and in the archives) if you would like to read more of our trip report and see pictures:

http://www.soultravelers3.com/blog/blog.html

Hello WTnow/Jeanne d'Arc. Your blog just gets better and better. Your coverage of Croatia is magnificent. My husband and I are planning trips to many of the places you have been in the past year, including Croatia for May,2009. Your photos are beautiful and your narratives are insightful and poetic. Thank you so very much for participating on Fodors and sharing your wonderful adventures with us.

That's it! I'm going to Croatia next. Your blog has inspired me. You guys live such an amazing life, it's definitly one to be proud of.

Hey Marthag and LaArtista!!

Awww, gee thanks you guys!! Wow, I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying it and it is helpful to you.

Insightful and poetic? I am always worried that I may be boring and am never satisfied as I have to write so fast, often with a bouncing kid around with multible interruptions that I pray it makes sense.

Sometimes I get discouraged as the blog takes a lot of time on such a trip, so your kind words encourage me.

Marthag,
If you need any more specific information for your planning, just give me a holler.

Laartista,
I never did hear how your trip to Essouria went back in May. Give me the link to your trip report, if you wrote one as I am sure it is entertaining!

How are your plans coming along for living in Barcelona? I could not help but think about you when we were there. What a great place for your art! We will almost be neighbors in the winter. ;)

Croatia is breathtakingly beautiful and what surprised me most was just how pristine, clean and empty it was and that it had some similarities to the Turkish coast ( especially on smaller islands).

It is hard to say what was our favorite spot, but Dubrovnik, Rovinj and Plitsvice are must sees ( along with Kotor and the coast between Dubrovnik and Split).

A little off season is better ( sept is great and problably may and june too) as I think most of Italy is here in August and the Germans love it too...not to mention the cruise ships and yachts.

We are in Slovenia now which is also very pretty. More to come on Croatia as soon as I have time to get it up.

We need to go a little faster now as we are in a race against the weather as we head north before heading south again.

Hi WTnow, I'm totally addicted to your blog! Thanks so much for keeping it up and sharing all your adventures. I've been to some of the places you've visited (Croatia & Greece) and dream about going to Turkey next but until my next trip I'm living my life vicariously through you guys.

Wow! This is awesome! One day, I, too, will do the same.

And I just need to get to Croatia already.

WTnow,
I only clicked on your thread because we visited Croatia last year, and fell in love with it. You’re right, Croatia is heaven, I could not agree more. Somehow, I missed all your others posts and links to your blog – so happy I finally found it! I started reading it and I am addicted now.

Thanks for taking the time to share all your experience and all those wonderful pictures. Happy traveling to you, I’ll to go back and read some more :)

Wow, thanks CollK, mcnyc, and xyz99 !! It is really nice to hear that you are enjoying it and gives me motivation to keep on blogging. ;)

CollK, you will love Turkey!! I was so surprised when I first saw the Turquoise coast, because it did not look at all what my idea of Turkey was.

Then when I first got to Croatia, I was very surprised that it reminded me of some places in the Turquoise coast. Then someone reminded me that they were both part of the Ottoman Empire once.

The world is full of so many beautiful places!

This trip has been such a joy and it is always sweet to "talk" with others that also have a passion for travel.

I will get some more up on Croatia when I can. I was just sorting thru my pics of Rovinj and Plitsvice ( probably spelling them wrong) and got a little "homesick" for them already. ;)

I hope the weather stays sunny for us to finish our northern stops. ;) Lake Bled is pretty cool too!

WTnow, Amazing/enviable lifestyle and a good blog. Is this a compilation for a future book?

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog!!!

Just found it and I am addicted!

Hi WT,

As I mentioned in my post a while back, I am utterly enthralled by your family's journey. DH (34) and I (28) began planning for a young retirement in Europe a couple years ago. The plan is age 47 for me, age 53 for DH, and we're currently ahead of schedule(woohoo!). It is obviously many years away for us, but we're always researching and looking for tips. Our family motto is "work to live, live to travel" :-)
I am so intrigued by the RV idea! I know your days are full, but might you consider writing a "practical guide to open ended travel in Europe in an RV" at any point? Info covering average expenses, special licenses for driving, tips on campgrounds, a list of useful websites you used in planning your trip, visa info, etc?

Thanks comfyshoes and Texasaggie!

It seems it is turning into a book and people keep asking about it. We just live a day at a time, so I will have to see how that unfolds. All the notes and pictures will surely make it easier.

Keep your eye on the prize Texasaggie and you will make it and be glad that you did!!

I will definitely include those things in the book if I ever write it and hope to keep putting more and more info on the blog to help others who want to do a similar trip.

When we get settled back in Spain I hope to do some posts on what has worked well this first year and what did not.

We have learned a lot, but it is always a matter about having enough time to get it all down well while maintaining a free and open lifestyle.

Surprisingly, even with this life there is only so much time. Ya gotta live and enjoy and blogging and researching can suck up time and could be like a job if I do not balance things.

So I sneak it in when I can like I sneak into this forum. ;) Right now I am stealing a moment in between in Saltzburg.

Slowly I will get to it if I can as long as it does not interrupt our fun and family life. I highly recommend this lifestyle and will do what I can to help others enjoy it.

I have a bunch almost completed on Croatia, but hard to find the time to finish and get it up. Once we settle in Spain, hopefully it will be easier as writing on the move is harder.

WTnow

Your story is so inspiring, I'm captivated by it, I have spend ages reading the beginning of it,then saved a new bit for each day! I absolutely love the pictures of your beautiful home, the light is beautiful, i love lots of sunlight in my home, and i fell in love with yours.

Your journey is fascinating,it brings back so many lovely memories for me, Amsterdam, Croatia, Montenegro, Venice, Tuscany..We fell in love with Croatia also, the people are so gentle and kind,i hope to go back some day.

I showed your blog to my Husband, and now he's addicted.

Your little girl is adoreable, and she's such a happy bright little pixie, always smiling.

Keep up the good work with your blog, I'm really loving it, its like a great book, I dont want it to end.

Congratulations, on such an inspiring story, that is your life.

Lucie

wt:

Lots of us are following your blogs all the way...I particularly have enjoyed the Croatian sections because we first discovered Croatia when it was all Yugoslavia (70's and early 80's) long before it was popular....probably long before most Fodorites ever gave oit a passing thought...Now I'm forever reading of how it has won over so many of our fellow travelers...and I smile when I recall the potholed roads, the rundown lodgings and some of the food and petrol shortages...and photos of Tito everywhere, especially after he died.

The war was very disturbing even to hear about, and see the ugly pix of devastation and ethnic cleansing. I had doubts whether the newly-formed countries would recover for decades. Much to our happy surprise, when we visited in '99 there was growing evidence that, yes, there would be a rather quick recovery. In '04 we were delighted to see the "new" red tile rooves all over Dubrovnik, the best motorway in all of Europe (between Split and Zagreb, new and restored lodgings popping up, more attention being paid to resto cuisine..and a general warm and joyous mood that covered the country (and Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, too). I felt like shouting, welcome to the world Croatia, etc. When I read all of these Croatian posts, it's sort of a vicarious kick, eevn though I last visited in '04..In '05 I sent my oldest grandaughter on a two month long trip to Europe right after her graduation from my alma mater...and she and her best friend are still gushing over guess what?...yes, Croatia and Slovenia. They had a grand time and quickly respond that Croatia was the highlight.

Go, Croatia...

Stu T.

"red tile roofs", take your pick...tht's why my publisherr assigns me his toughest editor.
stu

I am sniffling here with a headcold, in beautiful Prague in a drizzle, after a few days without internet and I must admit your posts make me smile!

Lucie...ah my home, your words made me miss it and yes the light there was spectacular and pleased us so. Lucky you to have a home full of light!

We watch home movies from time to time...we watched our last xmas at that home and Mozart opening all our beloved ( packed away and stored)ornaments while in Dubrovnik one night in August. We all miss it at moments, but carry it with us in that way and others.

Funnily, most of the time we completely forget about our home and that life as a trip like this changes you and the movement keeps it constantly alive. We are missing our sunny Spain home now too.

I know that feeling of a good book that you do not want to end. Wow, what a great compliment, that does my heart good!

We do not have the normal feedback thing that one has with a blog that makes it interactive with space for comments, so I don't always have a sense of who is reading it, enjoying it or hating it. We are still planning on fixing that as soon as we can find someone who can help us.

Yes, my daughter is a happy little sprite and great traveler and walker, which makes the trip fun. She makes a good little model for my pics too ;).

Stu,
I loved your stories about Yugoslavia and Croatia. I visited a lot of the former USSR in 88 and have an inkling of what you are saying. What a lucky grandaughter you have!! Yes, indeed ..go Croatia!!

Ok, I have the next five posts ready to go, so as soon as we get a moment and find a good connection, we will get it up.

I just want to chime in with my accolades for your wonderful blog, too, WT. The entry on living for a month on Santorini inspired me to begin making plans to do the same thing they're doing--and I'm currently researching with hopes to begin in a year or two.

Your writing is indeed enticingly addictive, and I just can't wait to follow in your footsteps. I thank you so much for being such a helpful and supportive beacon on my horizon.

Karen
http://www.pbase.com/karenmickleson

Hi WT never did make it Essoura in May, just got too busy. Did Thailand insyead in September. was interesting, you should add it to your list.

Thanks Karen! You are going to have a great trip. We loved Santorini in the off season!

Yes, Thailand is definitely on the list laartista. Some how I am not as attracted to SE asia but I hear good things about it, so I am sure I will be by the time we get there.

I can not decide whether to do SE asia or south america next ( after Africa which follows Europe). I am sure I will know when it is time to make that decision.

Hugs from Prague to all!

I just uploaded the next 5 on Croatia with more to come. I am having trouble finding internet and time to upload, but hopefully the next 5 will come more quickly.


Yikes I am getting behind again and going slower than expected. Do you see a pattern here? lol! I can always blame it on the kid. ;)

I just uploaded the last of my Croatia blog entries ( on Rovinj , Hum and Istria etc) along with Lake Bled and Ljubljana, Slovenia etc if anyone has interest in those areas. ( Info and pics).

Wonderful country!