Yesterday we travelled south to Split through the hinterlands and along the Dalmatian Coast. Small country towns would appear briefly between the trees, a reminder that civilisation was still present even out here. Many of the homes we passed had manicured vegetable gardens which I know my dad would kill for. He has a garden, but lets just say that I am a little confused as to what is considered to be a 'plant' and what is a 'weed' - don't tell him I said that because like most Italians he's very proud of his 'giardino'! According to our guide without the sale of home grown fruits and vegetables, people in these remote areas would struggle to survive. Its sad to think that in a few more years all their hard work will cease to exist, as the younger generation seek accommodation and work in the city centres of Croatia or elsewhere.

From behind the fortress of Klis, Split came into view. A superb landscape of orange sunburnt coloured buildings perched on a cliff face surrounded by high rise apartments and the turquoise waters of the bay - it was enough to take one's breath away. Just like Zadar ugly concrete buildings covered with graffiti and freshly washed laundry hanging from windows greeted us, but I've learnt now that the further you travel into the core of the city, the prettier it becomes. Its all about the 'Old Towns' in this part of the world. There is a lot of history to absorb and very little opportunity for shopping much to Lucy's disgust. Luckily she didn't know where we were travelling to exactly, otherwise she may have just changed her mind about coming with me!

Split is the city known for its diverse architecture - Roman, Venetian, Baroque, Socialist and Modern buildings can all be witnessed here. It is an exuberant and hectic place full of shouting stall-owners and travellers on the move. Yesterday when we arrived the harbour was abuzz with tourists and locals alike, so much so that it felt like a human traffic jam. We later found out that the locals where preparing for the Saint Domnius festival which is to take place today. It would have been great to have been a part of it but unfortunately we were a day too early!

Our local guide showed us through the crumbling walls of the former palace of the Roman Emperor, Diocletian. Today the palace remains the central ingredient in the city's urban fabric. It has been lived in almost continuously since the Roman times and has gradually been transformed into a warren of houses, museums, churches & chapels and other archaeological sites by the various people who came to live here after Diocletian's successors departed. It was certainly exciting getting lost in the maze of narrow alleyways.

It was a real shame that we did not have an extra hour or two to spend in Split as I absolutely fell in love with it! Lucy and I had every intention of walking around the modern harbour and testing out our bargaining skills at the market stalls however we chose to have a sit down lunch with a few of the group members instead and missed out all together. The pizza we ate for lunch was certainly delicious however it will not make up for the sightseeing missed. I guess the good thing to come out of this was that we got to know a few of the group members a little better - that's got to count for something. Hmm…...if only I could put this down on my bucket list again....visit Split in the very near future!

The drive to Dubrovnik was sensational with both superb landscapes and unparalleled seascapes. Older homes with character, the local men & women going about their daily chores and the Ston Peninsula with the third longest wall in the world; still all fresh in my mind. Mika drove via a route that involved clearing immigrations and customs in Bosnia and Herzegovina but I am grateful that he did as it was absolutely beautiful. We even stopped for fresh strawberries on the side of the road which were simply yum - thanks Vince!

Lord Byron was not exaggerating when he proclaimed Dubrovnik to be the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'. It is absolutely stunning and such a special place that no amount of words can truly describe it. Its like a curtain of walls encompassed by marble streets and baroque buildings. The main pedestrian thoroughfare known as the Placa, is filled with an array of cafe's, shops, churches, monasteries and museums most of which are ornamented with finely carved stone recalling an eventful history and a vibrant artistic tradition. It felt ..romantic! Following our orientation tour we spent the entire day wondering the cobblestoned streets of this beautiful fortified city. We even accomplished the 2km walk along the city walls in the extreme heat. Yes I am developing a lovely tan and yes I don't curse the stairs as much any more...I just take a deep breath and pray that I make it to the top! I couldn't possibly imagine being here in the peak of summer - it wouldn't feel like a holiday but torture, the sun is so extreme!

The City Walls of Dubrovnik are among the best preserved and most attractive on this planet. The walls were built between the 8th and the 16th centuries. They are 3m thick along the sea wall and 6m thick inland showing that their primary purpose was built as defence against attacks from the mountainous hinterland - the Ottoman Empire, for example, lay just a few kilometres inland. The walls were strengthened by myriad towers and bastions and were never breached - the Republic of Dubrovnik only fell after Napoleon's armies were invited in on condition that they would respect its independence. The view from the walls was breathtaking and if it wasn't for the heat I would have stayed up there forever... well maybe for a little longer! I read in an article that "those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik". I second that statement! This is what I had envisaged Croatia to be like and amongst the thousands of tourist in Dubrovnik today, I somehow still managed to find some peace and that my friends has made me a very happy person.