Split - & departure to the island of Brač

Saturday 27 September

[no wi-fi for 24 hours ...]

We left Trogir after breakfast - our B&B has been very nice. This is the breakfast room:

And took a local bus into Split. Driver spent the first third of the trip on his mobile phone ...(!!)

Quite muggy - the usual dismal morning advanced by late morning into a big glarey day. 

We found our boat - finally, after much walking back and forth in the hot sun! "Tuna" (what a name) will be our home for the next 7 days while we sail the islands of the Dalmatian coast. It is a small sailing vessel - I think there are about 30 people all up; a good sized group. And the crew seem very nice, friendly, helpful and organised.

After the formalities of passports, etc. were completed, we raced off to find the laundromat I had read of on a forum - I think it may be the only one that exists in these parts (they simply don't in Slovenia and Croatia - at least,  not a self-service laundromat like we have at home). We had a very tight timeline to get the clothes done and back in time for the departure, but we just made it. What a joy to have clean clothes after 3 weeks (hand-washing just doesn't match a good machine wash after a while).

We departed the very busy port of Split with the famous Roman Diocletian's Palace dominating the waterfront. It all looked better from the vantage point of the boat - away from the tourist clutter. Split is a must-do tourist destination and as yet, we have only seen the port and the laundromat, but we come back here at the end of our cycle-boat tour.

After lunch on board, we sailed to the island of Brač, berthing at Milna. We started to meet other guests who are predominantly our age, with just a smattering of young people.

After choosing a bike, we cycled along the waterfront and I left My Friend ambling along the flat while I hit some hills which rise steeply and quickly from the sea.

I cycled almost to Bobovišće, a little hamlet set on the western side of Brač just under the mountaintop, overlooking the sea. It was quite hot! The descent back was a relief with a cooling breeze.

Just as I arrived back into Milna, My Friend was paying for his drinks at a café and we cycled back together along the waterfront to have a swim (although he slipped on the rocks which wasn't useful; he seems OK but I hope there are no repercussions!).

We joined some others for dinner at a local restaurant - Jill from Brighton in Melbourne, Chris (he's a triathlete), Gail from Ballarat and an American couple (Marie & Steve). They are all very nice. Steve is a serious rider just back from doing all the major climbs in France and has cycled big passes in Nepal ...

The walk back to "Tuna" was lovely - the lights glittering from all the boats that have arrived into the harbour this evening as the sun was setting. Milna is very picturesque with its natural stone houses bordering the deep bay.

My Friend is up on deck playing cards with his new-found friends.