From the Soca Valley, via Bled to Ljubljana

Fortunately, we didn't get washed away and managed to get out of the riverbed without swimming wings, but we were freezing cold.

Day 30: The next morning we were woken up by the sun and had a cozy breakfast by the river before heading back to Kranjska Gora to start another recommended tour through the mountains. Unfortunately, the sun left us again, so we missed out on the promised valley view due to the fog.

Halfway there was a small dairy with its own farm shop where you could stock up on all sorts of dairy products. Luckily, the nice lady served us on a Sunday, so we had a delicious piece of Gouda in our backpack on the way back, which we had to try right away :P

Afterwards, we started our tour through the Soca Valley. On our way to the Vrsic Pass, we made a stop at the crystal clear Jasna Lake, surrounded by high mountains. With the sun behind us, we were able to admire the turquoise blue lake.

From there, the pass road starts to get adventurous. Serpentines twist steeply up the mountain. Our last break took place under light hail (we wondered if it was actually snowing) at a small Russian wooden chapel, which reminds of the many Russian prisoners of war who died during the construction of this pass road. A few hairpin bends later, we set up our campsite and spent the rest of the day knitting and 'carving' :P

Day 31: And we continued to torture Freudolin up the mountain road. Once we reached the top, we quickly enjoyed the view of the Triglav and the Mojstrovka, because it was so uncomfortable at an altitude of 1611 m that we wanted to reach the Soca Valley as quickly as possible.

After the 49th hairpin bend, we stopped to see the source of the Soca. After a short hike and some light climbing, we unexpectedly stood in front of a dry rock crevice :( Only on the way back did we discover the river that apparently passed underground beside us, and dipped our feet into it. Prrrrrr quite cold, but luckily the sun was already coming out.

Continuing down the Soca, we stopped at the Trough Gorge, which first appeared narrow and deep and gradually flattened out until it was possible to descend to the Soca. We found a cozy spot by the river to relax. After a short time, it was so warm that we could sit by the shore in our short clothes, and Tobi even ventured into the water - in the middle of October!

When the sun disappeared behind the mountain, we headed to Bovec where we continued to enjoy the rays of the sun - be it while eating, Skyping, or doing yoga.

Day 32: Next on the program was the Kozjak Cave. So we continued to Kobarid. From there we went to Tonocov Grad, a late antique hilltop settlement, further on to an Italian defensive position from World War I, and over a suspension bridge. Finally, we reached the beautiful Kozjak Cave with its 17 m high waterfall.

On the way back, we made a stop at another, but this time more commercial dairy to buy another piece of local cheese and wine.

Since we planned to explore the Mostnica Waterfall the next day, we decided to drive a bit further north and cross the Julian Alps again. We had the impression that these roads are not normally meant for tourists. Because compared to the Vrsic Pass, the roads were noticeably worse and narrower. We wondered if there are actually residents who have to use this crazy road every day!

The chosen overnight spot turned out to be a gravel area right in front of a campsite, which made us a little uneasy. Therefore, we tried to be as inconspicuous as possible - lights off and no cooking outside. But for the magnificent sunset, we ventured outside for a short time - it looked like the sky was on fire.

Day 33: We continued to Stara Fuzina to start our hike. Unfortunately, there were only paid parking spaces, and only one where it was allowed to stay for more than two hours, so we had no choice but to choose it. We started our walk and passed a small forest hut after some time. From here, the forest was also subject to charges. But since the waterfall was praised as so beautiful, we accepted it. When we arrived at the waterfall, we were slightly disappointed. We had no idea if it was due to the density of hikers in the last few days, getting lost, or the unclear trails, or the associated costs. Therefore, we decided to take a hiking break.

We briefly stopped at a rustic hut and strengthened ourselves with mushroom soup and potato with cheese and sour cream. Our little meal was accompanied by flying apples and circling goats.

After the completed hike, we continued on our way to Bled to find a camping spot in nature. Unfortunately, a Swedish campervan had already occupied the little niche by the river. After a short discussion, it turned out that it was no problem for us to join them.

We quickly got into a conversation and found out that Karl and Elina had similar plans as us - a one-year Europe tour. We already had our first glass of wine together on the banks of the adjacent river while watching the sunset. After each of us had prepared dinner, we decided to have it together. While we sat together and chatted, more than a few glasses of wine were drunk, and we had a fun first evening together.

Day 34: Unfortunately, the wine was still affecting us the next day in our limbs and motivation. So we only took a short walk in Bled and soon continued towards Ljubljana, enjoying a Kremsnita, a local sweet specialty, along the way.

The plan to visit a campsite to fill up the water tank and do laundry quickly fell apart, as we couldn't find a place that was still open and had a washing machine. So we ended up in the small town of Predoslije to spend the rest of the day and night there.

Day 35: Off to the capital! And straight to a laundromat - the SpeedQueen. And as good as we were, we hung some of the clothes that couldn't go in the dryer in our bus. Then we went to a P + R where you are allowed to park overnight and where fresh water and a sewage system are available. While we spent about 1.5 hours familiarizing ourselves with the bike rental system, Karl and Elina also arrived here. Thanks park4night ;)

We agreed to spend the evening together in the city. But first, we cycled across the city on our rental bikes to a recreation and thermal bath. But not only the bath was eventful, but also the ride there. As Google Maps couldn't show us a bike route, we had to navigate from intersection to intersection. Lucky us! We managed to reach our destination in just under an hour, so no rental fee was due :P

Afterwards, we cycled back to the city center of Ljubljana with our freshly cleaned bikes to an international food market. Karl informed us about it via message. We met them there for a beer and then went to a pub. A local told us about a local drink called 'Medize' - warm honey with schnapps. We weren't really convinced.

Just as we were about to head home, the weather decided to get serious, and it started pouring rain. Since Karl and Elina were also traveling by bike and skateboard, we quickly decided to take a bus. But the announced buses didn't come because of the marathon. So in the end, we braved the weather and borrowed two bikes again. Finally, we arrived soaking wet and dedicated ourselves to the task of somehow hanging the already hanging clothes, as well as our dripping wet clothes and swimwear. We felt like we were sleeping in the laundry room :D

Day 36: At least it has stopped raining. At first, we were undecided about what the day should look like, but despite the negative weather forecast, we decided to get back on our bikes and explore the city. Ljubljana offered not only the usual sights but also a weekly market and the first runs for the tomorrow's marathon. So we strolled through the streets with their small special shops, looked at bridges, and climbed the hill to the Ljubljana Castle. Ljubljana has a really nice atmosphere and is not so crowded, which may be due to its small size and number of inhabitants.

Now we're spending one more night at the P + R to head to Postojna tomorrow to see the underground canyon.