Monday 8 June: ZADAR to MALI LOSINJ

Church bells and breakfast on the go. We grab a delicious croissant and coffee in a local bakery before hugging the coast south of Zadar to the new ferry terminal. We board in good time ahead of the cars and try and work out the best spot for our 7 hour journey. Unfortunately this is our longest Croatian ferry trip and on the oldest and worst boat. We can only sit at the stern which smells of diesel, obscures the view and is too hot most of the time, out of the wind. However we manage to while away the hours reading and basking while stopping at many virtually deserted Islands on the way: Ist, Olib, Selba and Primuda before our arrival in Mali Losinj. We chat to a Croatian who has lived in Preston for 16 years and who speaks fluent English with a Scouse accent! Our accomodation is metres from the ferry and we unload hot and exhausted! We cycle off to find some refreshing water and swim off the rocks until early evening before a reviving beer on our way back. Our room has spectacular views over the harbour and a hot tub on the terrace ( should we want it, which I rather doubt we will! ) Our hostess has recommended a Fish restaurant up the hill for this evening's meal, so I hope it will be worth the walk! It was! We sat in a pleasant courtyard at Konoba Corrado and their was plenty of room. Our pleasant waitress recommended fish cooked in the oven which turned out to be generous portions of Turbot and Bream with roasted vegetables which was very delicious. We had some Grasevina white wine which was very tasty but rather alcoholic at 14%. Down the hill for an ice cream before bed. (10 miles)