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Today we leave the beautiful Plitvice Lakes and head on to Split. After our last bus start from Zagreb, there was some reservations about how this morning might turn out, even though Jean had checked everything yesterday at the bus stop ticket office.
Leaving the hotel we walked up to the bus stop and waited. Ticket office lady assured us that yes, there was a 9:30 bus to Split that would pick up here, and yes, the on line ticket with the specified bus company was valid so with that, we just waited. At 9:25, said bus company bus approached and did not stop. 9:30 another bus company bus rounded the corner and pulled in. This we were assured was the right bus, just a different company, but it was going to Split, so we split as well and got on the bus. This one was a very new double decker bus, so with suitcases loaded, we found a seat up top second row from the front. The front row in buses often don't have as much leg room so this was regarded as a win. Looking around, of the 80 or so on board, only the driver, his co-pilot and us were over 30.
The trip to Split takes around 4 1/2 hours and about half way we stopped at a little town where Jean decided she wanted to go to the toilet. After our last similar experience, and since she was sitting by the window and I was on the aisle, I was not going to let her out of the seat. She accepted my assurances that these international buses all have toilets on board, so I suggested that she should wait until we get going and go then. As soon as we were back on the motorway, up she gets and goes down the stairs to the lower lever and encounters the co-pilot who is sitting on the stairs. She asks, he said no, there is no toilet and I am facing a very long silence for the reminder of the trip because it's my fault that Mercedes Benz don't include such things as a toilet on their buses. Noticing that she is holding the seat belt away from herself I decide that silence may well be the best form of defence. Then, after a further 10 minutes or so, as if sent from embattled husband heaven, the co-pilot appears and beckons Jean down stairs where it is revealed that a toilet has somehow been found and she is invited to use it. There followed two considerably huge sighs of relief and all was well again in the world.
No sooner was she back in her seat than the bus pulls into a service centre and the driver announces that we are stopping for a 10 minute toilet break.
The remainder of the trip went without incident except for one near catastrophe on the descent into Split. In front of us were two normal coaches, travelling at the max speed of 90kms on a two lane section of motorway. We were so close to the second bus that sitting where we were, I couldn't see his brake-lights. We we probably only 3 metres behind him when the first bus stopped, and I mean came to a dead stop from max speed in about the length of a bus. The second bus screeched to a halt millimetres from the first, and our driver, who remember is driving a double decker flips the wheel to the left, swings into the second lane and misses the other 2 buses by a hairs breath, all with one hand on the horn. Sitting where we were at the front upstairs made for quite a ride with not much time to think about what might happen if there had been cars in the left lane.
Anyway, we made it into Split, found our room, 6th floor, no lift, marble stairs but it is a great room, very modern, overlooking the adjacent roof tops with views out to the harbour and the old city.
Our host tells us that the best thing to do in Split is to head out and get lost. He assures us that it's the best way to explore, and I fully agree.
- comments
Christine Coles Hi Jean and Richard ! What a marvellous trip you are having ! We are loving your blogs and you will love Split. An incredible place with an amazing ancient Roman palace. We had a fabulous guide here so it was all incredible and very entertaining. Enjoy !! XXX Chris