Days 23 to 26. 9th – 12th August. To Makarska and

We left Biograd early on a glorious day which threatened to heat up and it did. The ride down the coast was one beach, small harbour or town after the other. With the rugged hills to our left and water to our right it was a day of contrasting views.

And plenty of holiday traffic. I have to say the car drivers are very courteous as they usually pull over to let a motorcycle past.

DCIM101GOPRO

DCIM101GOPRO

DCIM101GOPRO

DCIM101GOPRO

When we arrived in Makarska the plan was to catch up with some distant relatives on my Mum’s side. Sadly the old grandfather of 94 was in hospital and in a bad way so we never got to visit. However we did get to go up into the hills to the south a little and visit the tiny and now derelict village of Sosici that my grandfather was raised in before fleeing the rocks and political hardship for New Zealand in 1914 when he was 15. The Dalys did it tough in NZ back in the day but it must have seemed like the promised land to them. As we ascended the barren rock hills I had to admire how anyone could eek out an existence in such conditions. They were a tough lot. Respect.

The road up was in perfect condition but it must have been a hair raising affair back in the day. Note the old road to the left of the tunnel. And when my grandfather lived there there were no roads at all!

DCIM101GOPRO

Some of the remnants of the old village my Dida was raised in.

So we left the beautiful hills of Makarska behind

and headed for a place called Ploce where we caught a ferry across to the Peljesac Peninsular

which we crossed and stopped at Orebic where we’ve propped for a couple of days lazing on the beach of stones, drinking coffee and reading.

Today we’ll do the same. If I can find a bucket I might give the bike it’s first wash in 3500 kilometers and one month’s riding – or not 🙂

Tomorrow it’s on to Dubrovnik then over to Bari in southern Italy. We’re 1/3 of the way through our journey and loving every day of it.

Advertisement