When we first put our names down for the Croatian Evening excursion with Cosmos we had no idea what we were getting ourselves in for! I had imagined a large, overcrowded restaurant full of tourists all tucking into dinner with old men dressed in traditional clothing playing the piano accordion or even worse. But I couldn't have been further from the truth! Last night we travelled by coach to a remote village. The further up into the mountains we drove, the narrower the road got. When Mika could no longer manoeuvre the coach, he pulled over and let us out. We walked the remainder of the way up, encountering only donkeys which some of the group members took it upon themselves to mimic and very well might I add! Perhaps a hidden talent? We were then welcomed to the home of a local villager and her family and treated to a night of dance, traditional cuisine and home made wine. Some even choose to sample the local alcoholic drink, Rakija. Like all hard liquors the taste may not be very appealing for the first time drinker, so it came as no surprise when it was described as drinking 'mentholated spirits' - I knew there was a reason why I don't drink! It was certainly a nice way to end our stay in Dubrovnik.

As we drove away from Dubrovnik I watched as a lone fisherman rowed his way across the bay, interrupting the stillness of the crystal blue water. He didn't seem to have a care in the world, much like myself really. It has taken me a long time to get to where I am today - at peace with myself and just learning to enjoy the moment. We followed the rugged beauty of the Neretva Valley to Mostar. Just like paint on canvas, the valley created some remarkable scenery; reminding me of a special place visited long ago but one that holds a very special place in my heart.

From the moment the coach pulled over in the City of Mostar, the devastation of the 1992 - 1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was evident. Not only did the cemetery house rows and rows of white tombstones - a memorial to all the young soldiers who lost their lives during the battle; particularly in the year of '93 but heavily bombed buildings stood destroyed and untouched amongst the rebuilt ones. In some areas all that remained of homes were empty shells or concrete foundations. It was difficult to comprehend that where families once lived; where children once played and laughed was now eerily silent. It made me wonder if the locals who chose to remain here were constantly reminded of their turbulent past or if seeing these now empty walls made them look to the future. I vaguely remember reading and watching about the war in the then Yugoslavia, but I realise now that even though I was 16 at the time I was clearly too naive to really care. Wow what an eye opener today has been for me! I couldn't possibly imagine how terrifying and heartbreaking war is and nor do I ever wish to experience it. It is something I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy.

At the beginning of the war, the city of Mostar lost many important buildings and structures through air strikes, but once the formerly-aligned forces turned into enemies, a thorough destruction of the old city began, including the destruction of Mostar's architectural, as well as cultural and spiritual heart: The Old Bridge (Stari Most). Today, 11 years after its destruction, the bridge has been completely rebuilt using some of its original pieces which were recovered from the Neretva River. The area within and around the old town is a fascinating, lively and beautiful place to visit and although we only had a short time here we both enjoyed it very much. We spent our time walking around the old town admiring the shops, savouring the wonderful aromas of the cafes and mingling with some of the locals and tourists. Lucy may have just enjoyed it a little more than I did because my baby sister was chatted up by one of the 'older' locals. He asked her many questions about where she was from and offered to take her picture several times. Smart girl held onto her camera - you never know the intentions of some people! Seems her hair has been attracting the interest of both the young and the old! Not to worry I felt some love too, but in a very different way. I had several bumble bees try and extract the pollen from the plastic flower in my hair. Lucy thought it was hilarious but for those of you that know me will know that I hate bugs, particularly ones that buzz or flutter around my ears. I guess at the very least it made me feel wanted!

We continued our journey to Sarajevo in the late afternoon and watched as the vegetation and architecture changed from Turkish influence to Austrian. The scenery however was still very beautiful with fields of green and blossoming cherry trees. The lake which had now narrowed in size was still emerald green in colour and in some areas it resembled a mirror, its reflection just perfect. The sheer rock face which had accompanied us for the majority of the day seemed to suddenly disappear and in its place stood rolling hills of green. Like the changing scenery around us the sun too became engulfed within the heavy grey clouds that only promised one thing - imminent rain. I couldn't be 100% certain, but I felt the mood of the group change too when we arrived to find a wet, cold and miserable looking Sarajevo. Since leaving our earlier stop I'd been struggling to process the harsh contrast between the beautiful people we had met and the wrenching destruction. Even though I knew these people had gained their independence through this horrific experience, my heart was still heavy and filled with sadness. I guess many would say that this is part of reality!