Island life.

My thoughts are preoccupied these days by a constant analysis of the entire contents of my "traveling light" backpack and what could possibly be making is so heavy and bulky. Admittedly behind Marcus´s back there were a couple of sneaky additions at the 11th hour but nothing significant enough to leave me in my present quandary of what can be jettisoned that will not be required over the coming months. Weighing in at 12.7KG in Dublin airport it was easy to be smug and throw looks of sympathy towards those with gigantic immigration size packs, however, yesterday whilst hiking 2km downhill to the bus station in the cool 9am temperatures of 31 degrees I realised I was only fooling myself ... in the end of the day I've to carry the thing around. So, I need to relegate some items into the nearest bin or buy weights and start bodybuilding fast. Marcus just asked me to add that his backpack is only 11.9KG ... I wonder has he room for some of my stuff!!!!

Korcula island is suiting us right down to the ground at the moment. It is a mini Dubrovnik with an old walled city but it has more of a backpacker feel to it - although it also has its share of multimillion dollar yachts pulling in demonstrating how the other half live. The water is as blue as I've ever seen and as still as a bathtub ... there are no beaches around here so everyone is out sunning themselves on the rocks. Have to say I got a bit of a shock on the first jump in. The sea looks so much like a lake that you are telling yourself that despite appearances it WILL be cold and salty. A mouthful of salt in the lungs later followed by a fit of coughing does not make for a graceful entry.

Our accommodation is at the very very top of the hill overlooking Korcula town. Its almost like a coming of age thing ... we have well and truly left the flat terrain of the San Francisco Marina. It all happened by accident, we are not purposely searching out the summits. It was my turn to find a bed for the night and after knocking on multiple doors, handsignaling to ten different old ladies, being shown various couches and camp beds I eventually found the perfect place. After striking the deal I came out only to find I had worked my way up to the top of the hill. After a bit of strenuous lugging of the bags up to the top we retired to the beach for the afternoon.


That is the update for now .... time to figure out where the next hop is to.