Missed the Chunnel – damn it!

Getting my train Fix

The plan we had hatched at the eleventh hour for our trip to Croatia , was to go by train and that was the mission I gave to Celia Honiss 3 days before we left NZ. She delivered just prior to our departure and we picked up our tickets in Auckland the day we departed.

A joke —- walked into the train station in London and said, ” I want to go to Paris”
She said , ” Eurostar ?”
I replied – ” I’ve been on Telly once but nothing that special”

Always loved train travel and this was to be a great journey – First to Paris by Eurostar then a sleeper service to Munich , a midday to Zagreb and finally a night train to Split in Croatia. A full 2 1/2 days by train.
Bit embarrassed to have to admit to missing the tunnel that links the UK to France. No real excuses – but as we were whisked thru the beautiful flat scenery Barb noticed a tricolor fluttering in the breeze. OMG!!!! — how on earth did we miss the actual tunnel ?

We hired a personal guide for a brisk drive 2 hour tour by car around the city of Munich – saw some fantastic monuments to the kings Leopold the Nymphenburg palace ,the venue for the beer festival Octoberfest ,an incredible bit of modern architecture in the BMW building and the lively heart of the city Centre at the Marienplatz.

the scenery up around Salzburg was stunning – very like Switzerland , on into Slovenia and the capital Zagreb. Our final train was the night sleeper train to Split – at 22.00 hours. We boarded in swelteringly hot 40 degrees temps and it took a few hours into the night before we got cooler conditions.
Lots of twisting and turning gave a broad hint to the terrain as we rumbled on thru the night. Arrived at dawn to stunning waters off Split. We were met by a young guy who is from the sea kayak business and he escorted us to a wonderful apartment that will be our base while we sort out our next big adventure.