The first weeks in Croatia

Balancing Dreams and Realities while exploring Croatia

After we had settled into our new life in a brand-new country, we began to explore our much warmer surroundings with great enthusiasm. We were overjoyed to leave behind the stresses and strains of the past few months. Most importantly, one of our first priorities was to visit the beach. It was a promise we had made to Amelie, and it held a special appeal for us, as Peter and I both have a deep love for the sea.

We walked in the direction of the beach, and after crossing a small park, we finally spotted it. The sea! What a magical moment. The weather was perfect, with a gentle, warm breeze, and the sea glistened crystal clear in the sunlight. We stood on a large cliff, peering down into the turquoise water from above.

We exited the park from which we had come and began searching for the path that would lead us to the beach. After a short search, we finally discovered a narrow, hidden trail that we would frequently use in the future. This path followed a small stream and passed by some gardens before opening up onto a wide promenade, connecting the outskirts to the city center. Over the following days and weeks, we explored the heart of Split, including the Diocletian's Palace and the charming old town, which bore the marks of countless visitors on its polished floors.

We also diligently visited the marina to inquire about boat brokers. Unfortunately, our efforts were in vain, but we shared a few laughs during our visits. By that time, my English had suffered a bit due to a lack of practice, and I was momentarily confused because the friendly Croatian woman in the office was named Marina. I struggled to determine whether she was referring to a marina, the place for leaving boats, or introducing herself as 'Marina.'

All in all, despite the problematic arrival at the beginning, we had a pleasant first few days. In fact, it was enjoyable up to the point where we realized that finding a suitable apartment near the coast would be quite challenging. As spring approached, most available properties were being offered as holiday homes, which, of course, are more lucrative for the owner than long-term rentals. Consequently, our options were limited to either expensive holiday flats or apartments with contracts lasting at least a year. Having a one-year contract was not favorable for us since we had hoped we wouldn't need to stay in Croatia for that long.

From our initial impressions of the housing market, we suspected that it wouldn't be as easy as we had imagined. Consequently, we realized that we would have to put the boat search on hold for now and instead search for another needle in a haystack. So, rather than having to find new accommodation on a month-by-month basis, we needed something longer-term, yet flexible enough to terminate, allowing us to remain untied to one place for too long after finding the boat we sought. Well...