Wednesday 14.8, (Day 14) Split - Sibenik

I woke up around 7 am at the ferry. I went to a deck to see the view. Croatian coastal line is just beautiful. Ferry was already approaching the harbor so I went to a bottom deck with my sign to ask for a lift to Zadar. After asking from many drivers, nobody could give me a lift forward. I stepped out from the ferry among others and went to harbor exit to hitch with a sign. I stood there around 20 min until a guy came and said it's a better spot a bit further. I didn't follow his tip, instead I went to search for a bus to Dugopolje. That was a place Hitchwiki.org recommended. Public transportation is rather feasible so I was okay with it. The driver was helpful and soon I could get out from the right stop, which was a petrol station. It was along a highway which goes partly to right direction.

So my aim was to reach Deringaj, where a psychedelic music festival called Lost Theory, was about to begin on the same day. I couldn't imagine the effort I had to do.. I started asking from the drivers on the petrol station. No result. Some of the people were going to different direction, somebody's car was full, somebody was going to Sibenik, somebody said the car was full although it wasn't. That's one thing which really frustrates me. But no can do. I decided to stay positive and polite. After an hour or two, I went to the road with the sign, with no result. I came back. I made a sign to Zagreb, if it would work better. One more hour. I was getting really desperate. And it was damn hot, like in Italy in August. My water reserves decreased and decreased. I got a 4km lift to a better spot, from a family. Although I just briefly met them, the woman promised to accommodate me if I sometimes arrive to Zagreb. It cheered me up a bit. They drove me near to a high-way toll, where all the cars have to stop and they go to right direction. However, there was a sign "no autostop" although it doesn't make any sense, because we don't cause any threat by hitching in front of a toll. Cars have to stop there anyway.

I wasn't alone. First there came a couple, other at least was from Poland. They also thought hitching in Croatia was surprisingly difficult which I had noticed. Then another couple, two boys also came there hitching. I stood there around an hour and came really really frustrated and tired. After eating only some fruits for breakfast, standing in front of the sun for 4 hours, there's nothing surprising about it.. I was also in a hurry, going to the festival. It was such a surprise for me that hitching can be so hard. On the first hand you meet amazing, helpful, local people but on the other hand, you might stand next to a road for many hours with no result, starving there. In those situations, it's hard to stay positive.

But finally!! A car stopped, an old van. I went straight inside. There was a middle-aged man. He was going to Sibenik. I decided to go because I wanted go forward, no matter how far. His name was Ivan. His English was okay enough, but he could still explain lots of things and I understood. While he was approaching Sibenik and I was supposed to take another lift to continue, he offered if I would like to stay with his family for the night. I thought myself for a while. I wanted to go to the festival but I was also very tired and hungry. Although I didn't know Ivan and I was alone, I decided to agree, because he seemed like an honest man. 

He showed me some big dried pieces of meat which were hanging in his friend's cellar. It was a bit gross, but I'm sure they were going to be delicious. I hope they weren't unlucky hitch-hikers.. Then we arrived to his home in Sibenik's countryside. He had built the whole house himself. I could clearly notice he had ideals of what is he doing. He had a garden with lemon, ficus and apple trees, grapes, herbs, melons and much more.. And chickens! Amazing..

We went inside to the living room and there was a part of his family: his wife, their daughter, daughter's boyfriend, boyfriend's mother, his sister and his sister's husband.. and me :D. Younger one's spoke good English but also his sister. They all smiled at me and soon I felt as being a part of their family for a while. They gave me a glass of juice. It felt like heaven.. I was so thirsty. And then we ate together. It was stew with vegetables and lamb. It was all local.

I was so hungry. First time in my life, I ate a kidney. . They kind of saved me and they must have felt hilarious when watching at me, eating like a starving little animal. Then some local dessert and different local wines, some of them they had made themselves.. Aahh, I wouldn't ever have imagined to end up in this miraculous situation.

Getting cured by lovely people

Then we went to Sibenik with a little group. They showed me historical places, such as a castle and medieval inner city area.. and a local supermarket!

Me, Ivan's daughter Tanja and his boyfriend Dario. View from the castle of
 Sibenik

It became dark and we returned back. We talked about politics and global issues. Ivan is very interested in those things which I like. Then I could explain my grass-root ecological thinking with a glass of home-made wine :D. I even think they understood me. Then I could go to sleep to a room, which was under construction, on an air-bed. And I slept so good. Skipping the festival on this day was definitely the right decision.

Distance travelled for the day: 87,7km