Waterfalls, waterfalls

We made it through the night. The wind has died down (although there are still occasional strong gusts) and no one knocked on our door during the night 😁

A quick check of the traffic situation on www.hak.hr (the Croatian ADAC) reveals that the coastal road and bridges are still mostly closed, but the highway should be passable at 40 km/h (well, except for trailers 🤫😇).

It has gotten cold! Thanks to the bora, temperatures have dropped 15 degrees 😳❄️!

But we can actually start heading to Plitvice Lakes again. Although I have my doubts about whether that was a good idea (with every gust 😬), the further inland we go, the calmer it gets.

At this point, I would like to give a big compliment to the Croatian road builders. The roads are in really good condition. The highways winding through the mountains are a real masterpiece! And since we have been to Croatia several times before, we are always amazed at how quickly new sections are completed. Germany could learn a lot from this.

When we arrive at the national park, we buy a 2-day ticket. Unfortunately, overnight parking is not allowed in the parking lot, so we use the campground in Grabovac, about 15 km away (ACSI campsite). The place is nicely newly laid out and is perfect for an overnight stay.

On both days, we walk about 9 km each 😅. On the first day, we explore the upper lakes, and on the second day, the lower lakes. The lower lakes (entrance 1) are more beautiful. The Krka National Park was also nice, but it cannot be compared to Plitvice. It is truly beautiful here, and the detour was more than worth it.

After the hike on Wednesday, we drive to the village of Slunj, about 40 km further north. Again, there are waterfalls flowing through the middle of the village. Very idyllic. But I am completely exhausted, so the visit is very short.

The only annoying thing is the many, many people. I wouldn't want to experience that in the peak season. And where do all the Japanese people 📸 📸 come from? Of course, they come in groups and some of them actually wear masks, amidst this beautiful nature and fresh air 🙄. But it's admirable how fit the older people are. You have to be quite mobile for the walks.

After these 2 days, I am completely worn out! But at the same time, I am very proud of myself. Someone should have told me 3 months ago that I would enjoy hiking 🤣. During the rest of our journey, we might even end up with trekking poles in our shopping basket 😇...