Our first adventure in Croatia went like this.......Days 1- 4

Day 1- we crossed the border from Slovenia early then meandered through the Croatian countryside towards Plitvice National Park. We stopped in several small villages to buy vegetables from a roadside stall (the couple were very pleased to have some Australians purchase their produce) then at a house for some homemade smoked sheep cheese. We arrived at Plitvice in the afternoon and found a room for the night. It was predicted to be around 5 deg that night and our van was not set up for cold nights. After getting our room we wandered through the forest around the National Park. We were in a really quiet part, away from the lakes and the tourists, when Daniel spotted a deer. We watched it, whilst it watched us, until it got spooked and ran off. It was so great to see one reasonably close in the wild.

Jackson's middle name is a town in Croatia.

The lovely couple we got some vegies from.

Day 2 - we got the kids up super early to arrive at Plitvice at opening time (7am). It was freezing but we were so glad we came early and missed the huge crowds that gather here during the day. We decided on the 8km route through the park, which took us past each of the 16 lakes that cascade into each other down hundreds of waterfalls, beginning with 'Veliki Slap', the big waterfall. It was all exceptionally beautiful and very picturesque. As the day went on the tour groups and day trippers arrived so we were glad to have finished our walk by midday and miss the huge amounts of people who were now snaking their way around the paths. It was so much busier than when I had been here 16 years ago! We left headed for the coast. After a few failed tries we found a beachside camp in the small town of Petracane, where we walked along the beach and treated ourselves to a dinner overlooking the small harbour. 

Overlookong the big waterfall, trying to stay warm.

Daniel took this beautiful photo.

You could feel the mist from the gushing water.

I'm nearly as big as the waterfall!

One of the many cascading lakes in Plitvice National Park. 

It was worth getting up early to enjoy the serenity of this beautiful place.

Everything was so green.

Thanks to the recent rain the waterfalls were flowing spectacularly.

Admiring the beauty of nature.

The colour of the water is incredible.

Enjoying a cold beer after our big day.

Pizza selfie!

Ice cream at sunset in Petracane, a small seaside town.

Day 3 - we walked to a park near the harbour at Petracane and had breakfast whilst the kids played. We met a lovely couple from Canada who moved here 4 years ago and now run tours and rent apartments for tourists. They have 4 kids, 2 of whom were born in Croatia and 2 who go to the local school. We had a lovely time chatting with them and they gave us some great tips on places to visit. We left late morning headed to the nearby town of Nin, with its quaint walled old town and beach where you swim looking out to a huge mountain range. Nin is also known for the medicinal mud located in the inlet, so of course we trekked off to cover ourselves and reap the benefits! The kids got in to it with me and we covered our bodies with the sulphur smelling, black mud. We walked up the beach, letting it dry, and enduring the grins of the locals as yet another group of tourists cover themselves in the stinking mud. After the mud was dry and cracking on our skin we washed ourselves in the ocean and, though the smell still lingered for a day or so, our skin was very soft. We wandered around the old town that evening then had dinner out before walking home in the dark tired after our fun filled day.

Enjoying the harbour playground.

The beach at Nin overlooks a huge mountain range.

Rubbing the medicinal mud all over us!

Some of the Roman ruins in Nin old town.

One of the many traditional fishing boats in Nin harbour.

The entrance to the old town of Nin.

Day 4- we left Nin and headed south, ending up at Omis, a town at the base of huge mountain range, at the start of a large canyon and on the beach. We swam, walked up to the old fortress, Mirabella, on the edge of the rocky mountain the town is built against and explored the narrow cobbled streets, marvelling at the houses built into the rocky walls. We didn't go inside any but from what we could see the rocks made up some of the walls of the houses. Absolutely incredible and fascinating. The kids were exhausted so they went to bed early and Daniel and I sat up with a cheese platter and red wine (cheap but delicious) and listened to the waves crashing on the beach in front of us.

The beach in front of our camp.

Looking actoss to the old town of Omis.

A part of the old fortress that we climbed to.

The view up the gorge from the fortress.

Before taking this photo I actually said to Daniel, 'wow, the windows are so clean', clearly the walk up affected me!