Part 10: Pub-crawling around the World: Himmel, Lonely Beach, Koh Chang

It was the height of Thai New Year, known as Songkran, we had been sprayed with water all day and we figured we were going to be wet all evening so we donned clean bikinis and headed out to see what Lonely Beach had to offer.

Ting Tong appeared to be the most popular bar on Lonely Beach and we'd stopped in the night before (which ended with me completely sozzled after only one bucket of vodka - what do they put in those buckets?) but we noticed there was a foam party advertised a little way up the street in Himmel Bar.

Himmel Bar is pretty large and at first glance appears a little classier than Ting Tong Bar, because most of it is covered by a roof. There are plenty of seating areas, both outdoor and indoor and an large dance floor, which was already playing host to a small number of patrons when we arrived. It was all feel-good music - a bit of dance, some 90's and 00's hits thrown in for good measure. I seem to remember "I've got 5 on it" and also some Kylie! The bar staff were all friendly and buckets were on special for 150baht, as seems the norm on Lonely Beach. Himmel Bar also offers a variety of shots and cocktails.

My friend Jess and I had picked up some new friends, lone travellers Joe and Anna (I remember travelling alone and people NOT talking to me), in Ting Tong bar and we made some more friends in Himmel Bar before the foam got too thick. We ran into some Spanish guys we had met on the ferry over to the island and there was even an old, bearded dude in a cowboy hat - everything one needs for a crazy night in Thailand. So, with buckets in tow we began venturing to dance in the foam….

Jess got involved!

The night progressed with more and more foam, everyone spinning a little faster, a little wilder…
Jess getting cheeky with everyone that would talk to us and pretty much warning me off any man that approached, although she allowed me brief periods to dance with our new German friend, Joe, when we weren't having friendly foam fights with anyone and everyone in the crowd. Glow sticks and glory straws were being handed out at the bar - somethings are required for a cheesy night out. We also attracted the attention of a Thai lady friend, who was keen on our drinks. At least she was openly keen: Another guy just picked up my bucket and walked off with it. I caught him trying to steal someone else's' later on. Well, there are always people who spoil it for others, it can't be blamed on the bar.

Happy out of the foam

The party continued late into the night, with the foam being topped up on a regular basis. The bar staff were superb when a glass was broken in the foam, going straight in to remove the glass and tend to the one or two people who had sadly cut themselves (thankfully not badly at all). The music was still banging as we strolled off to our guesthouse around the corner around 3.15am.

All in all, it was a really fun night. Himmel bar advertises winter parties and runs special events quite regularly so be sure to catch one of their parties if you're in the area.


Ambience: 10/10 - If you're looking for a party in Koh Chang, you really can't go wrong.
Price: 150bht buckets, shots 100bht. Other drinks range from 100bht upwards.

Food: They offered barbecued food earlier in the evening, so they do food. I can't vouch for it personally.

Location: Soi 2 Lonely Beach, just off the main street in Lonely Beach - very easy to find.
Toilets: There were toilets and they were attended by staff, trying to keep it foam free. Fairly clean.

Overall: A good choice for a party on Lonely Beach, particularly on special nights.

Dancing the night away

Part 8 - Pub-crawling around the World - Wijaya, Thalpe Beach, Sri Lanka

I stayed in Hikkaduwa for most of the time in Sri Lanka, Volunteering for Manacare, but I definitely had a few social nights out, with a great group of girls who took me under their wing for the duration. Although Wijaya wasn't my most unique Sri Lankan experience, it was definitely the bar in which I spent the most time, and it's suitably off the tourist beaten track enough to warrant comment and recommend that people go there.

Wijaya is a stone's throw from Galle, in Dalawella, Unawatuna - a very short drive from the cluster of busy beach bars in Unawatuna. It's on the main (Matara) road, or can be entered from the beachside. My first afternoon spent there was a Poya Day so I couldn't partake in any alcoholic beverages, I really enjoyed the virgin fruit cocktails (mango...mmmmm) and their wood-fired oven-baked pizza's were definitely tantalising after the steady diet of "rice and curry" I'd been living on.

I was lucky that I was in the expat scene, by virtue of my friends living there, and it's a very popular spot for people that live there to hang out, whether by day or night. It's proximity to the beach (most people actually have a swim and then a bite for lunch/dinner in Wijaya) makes the views simply spectacular, and it's not spoilt by pounding music or loads of holiday makers trashing the beach. In fact, the beach is clean and you'll see many local people swimming in the sea here. Depending on the time of year and the tide, you may be lucky enough to experience the little whirlpools that form in small reefs along the beach, leading to a jacuzzi-like experience! (My camera wasn't waterproof, unfortunately - but I can still remember the sensation).

If you just want to lie in the sunloungers/deck chairs make sure you get there early, particularly in season and at the weekend and you may just be lucky.

I visited a few times, and although you can definitely eat and drink in cheaper places (it's definitely not remotely expensive if you're holidaying from Europe/The Middle East/Oz or U.S.A) I don't think that you'll find anywhere as clean, with such great cocktails and food and it's definitely affordable on a backpacker budget. The pizzas are pretty renowned but I also ate prawn salad and some more Sri Lankan offerings and everything was fresh, delicious and with generous portions. The cocktails were yummy too, evidence of the amount of fresh fruit on offer.

Sarah, CJ and myself with yummy cocktails

Of course, as with any beach bar in Sri Lanka, if you're going any time past four pm, ensure you are sensibly lathered in citronella or deet as the mossies also like Wijaya, and I woke up with approximately 30 bites on my leg one morning! They must have smelt the sweet cocktails...

Although I didn't stay here, I believe Wijaya also has some boutique style guest rooms, which are romantic, clean and budget-friendly (also creepy-crawly free, according to people who have stayed there). If you need something more private and a little bigger - my friends have a beautiful place right across the road - with an open air shower and chipmunks playing in the trees. 

Ambience: 10/10 - I can't fault this place, from lounging and lunch, beach and beer or a cocktail night with friends, it's chilled but you can still party here.
Price: Rs. 400 alcoholic beverages start very reasonably but steadily rise.... cocktails are from Rs. 750 upwards. You can bring your own wine, corkage is approx. Rs. 1000 (which is quite reasonable). 

Food: The food here is a highlight, Pizza's around Rs. 1200, My prawn salad Rs. 850, and there were plenty of prawns. Yes, It's on the high side but the portions are healthy and the food is tasty and fresh.

Location: Matara Road (you can get a bus to stop outside! I used to get a Matara bus from Hikka or Galle), Dalawella, Unawatuna. From Unawatuna, expect to pay about Rs.400 upwards for a tuk.
Toilets: Very clean and there are outdoor showers to wash the sand from the beach off :D

Overall: I spent quite a few nights here, met so many expats, locals and holiday-makers. I really liked the place and I hope to visit again.

Their own website can be found here www.wijayabeach.com

PART 7: Pub-crawling around the world - Minus 5, Queenstown, New Zealand

As well as all the brilliant outdoor activities to do in Queenstown, it has a really buzzy nightlife. I sampled quite of the bars around the town celebrating my jump out of the sky but I have to write about Minus 5 since it's one of those unique experiences that you have to try once.

I had spent the day hiking in the nearby mountains, taking in the spectacular views over Queenstown and wasn't up for anything too hectic so Clara, one of my room mates, and myself booked a discount ticket to Minus 5 Ice Bar. You can buy tickets at their office, but it's twice the price and you do need to book ahead in order to enter. We used www.bookme.co.nz which has great discounts for all the activities in Queenstown and we got our entry for NZD$15 each including a cocktail.

It's located right down near the harbour, on Steamer Wharf, surrounded by other bars and restaurants. When we arrived, we were given warm winter coats, extra socks, gloves and Ugg boots to wear into the bar. I noticed the girl looking after us had an Irish accent so we got into conversation. It turned out that she was from Donegal town (where my mum comes from) and is friendly with two of my cousins, Daniel and Peadar. She had even lived with Daniel in Australia. Seriously, the world is so small!

A group of about eight of us entered the bar and to be honest, any more and it might have been cramped. Apart from the fact that the bar is made of ice, the designs are actually incredible, everything was hand-carved. It's quite fascinating that people do this as work!

The bar seems to be sponsored by Absolut Vodka, which suited me down to the ground. There was a range of fruity cocktails to choose from so I chose a blackcurrant based one, which was very tasty but rather sweet. These were served to us in tumblers made of ice, so you had to hold it in your gloved hand or suffer ice-burn.

We met some other German girls in there (Clara is from Germany) and had a little chat with them but most peoples' time is taken up posing on or with the various items carved out of ice in the bar. I got so cold I could barely speak after being in there 20 minutes but perhaps a few more Absolut cocktails would have warmed me up.

I'd definitely put it on the list of things to do but you wouldn't be spending a night here with your friends. We moved up to Winnie's for some warming beverages afterwards.

Ambience: 9/10 - Although not somewhere you will stay for long, you can't beat it for sheer coolness. (Yes, yes, I know - pun intended.)

Price: $30 per person including one cocktail, unless you buy ahead online.

Food: No food available, unless you find your appetites sated by crushed ice.

Location: Steamer Wharf, Beach Street, Queenstown
Toilets: You have to exit to use the toilets.

Overall: It is a once-off experience and definitely worth it. 9/10

PART 4: Pub-crawling around the world - The Wine Connection, Singapore

I absolutely love Singapore. I first had the chance to visit through work in 2010, all-expenses paid, very nice indeed and I stayed on the gorgeous, tropical Sentosa Island. This time, it was a transit stop before I travelled on to Perth, but I completely embraced it.

I also, as most people know, have a great reverence for wine. My palate has developed over the years and nowadays I'd much prefer to be quaffing a Sancerre or Gavi than the bargain basement choices of old. Beggars can't be choosers though so I often rely on Pinot Grigio to satisfy both my tongue and pocket. An inexpensive PG is always going to be better than a relative Sauvignon Blanc and let's not even mention chardonnay. I don't know anyone who drinks it anymore, but someone must as there's a multitude on every wine list.

This time in Singapore I was lucky enough to have the lovely Ivy and Charlie as my guides around eating and drinking establishments. I met them at a mutual friends' wedding in Ireland last summer where we partied in Dublin and Waterford and now I was in their hometown and they certainly showed me a wonderful time.

After a fabulous dinner of proper Chinese fare, Ivy had ordered everything - and in future I will let her, as she definitely knows food, little plates of fabulousness were served up, accompanied by endless green tea, and after tender pieces of pork, many noodles and bok-choi, we were ready to move on for some alcoholic beverages.

One of their favourite bars was closed, as it was a Sunday night, so they brought me down to Robertson Quay where we settled on "The Wine Connection". Despite the rain, and it being a school night, there were plenty of customers but we found a nice table out the back and settled in to trade funny stories about room mates we'd had over the years. Unfortunately Charlie has experienced some Irish guys who don't really represent our country very well, mostly by being extraordinarily lazy. There was another story about a crazy English guy and we decided that he definitely had the worst run of the luck in the room mate stakes. I've been mostly lucky, although we once had one guy who insisted on hiding naked and jumping out at you every time he got drunk, which led to some awkward situations in the kitchen, bathroom, on the stairs etc.

So, one bottle of wine turned into two, mostly because it was really easy to drink, but we still managed to toddle off home at a reasonable hour and they avoided being too hungover at work the following day. Although it's definitely not a tourist trap and probably not considered by backpackers, it is worth considering if you're either, as it's very reasonable for Singapore and it also offers tapas, which smelled delightful. The fact that it was busy on a Sunday evening is also testament to the fact that it's enjoyed by locals here.

https://www.wineconnection.com.sg/content/13-tapas-bar-bistro


Ambience: 8/10 - It's outdoor area on Robertson Quay is lovely, but the interior felt cosy on this rainy night.
Food: We didn't eat but we saw some small portions being delivered to other tables. Prices start at about $6, which is reasonable for Singapore.
Location: Robertson Quay, plenty of other bars and restaurants in the area to crawl around, if so required.
Toilets: The toilets are around the corner and service the complex, but they were clean and presentable.
Overall: A good variety of wine and prices on the menu and lovely for an intimate catch up.

Pubcrawling around the World - Part 3: Infinity, Chiang Mai

Arriving in Chiang Mai for the second time, I was planning a quieter time than my Christmas/New Year trip.  My cousin, Alex, had other ideas. Whilst I was chilling in Jackie's apartment on my very first evening, he called at 9.30pm and said we were going out. I had only arrived that afternoon and I hadn't even a chance to change or put on make-up when I was on the back of his scooter and we headed off to Niemenhaemin. Alex prefers Thai bars and areas and he told me that usually there are huge get-together's in a car-park nearby but it wasn't to be this Thursday night so across the road we went to Infinity.

Immediately I liked the outdoor area, parts are covered with an artful gazebo like structure and the other half is completely open-roofed. On a small stage, there was a girl singing popular tunes and she was pretty good. We were straight into it, ordering a bottle of Absolut, joking around with the waitresses.

You can see the stage in the background

When we had approached the bar, we saw a sign saying "Foreigners: 200Bt entry fee." but I think since it was quiet enough they didn't press the issue with us, or perhaps they knew Alex would be ordering lots of shots...

After a couple of hours catching up and enjoying the atmosphere (and perfect weather) outside, we headed inside where Alex met some of his students who had just graduated. Inside was like a nightclub, there was a Thai band onstage belting out popular numbers (well, I assume so - it was all in Thai but the music sounded superb!) everyone was dancing and whilst there were couches to sit on, there was also a big dancefloor and most people were standing or dancing. Towers of drink were being ordered and there was general mayhem enjoyed by 18-25 year olds! Everyone was really friendly and there was a real party atmosphere in the place.

From the outside, there are huge glass floor-to-ceiling windows which house the club part of the venue, and it's pretty upmarket. It reminded me of super-clubs in other cities and if you're into clubs then definitely give this place ago.

I was really enjoying the music but I did feel a little out of my depth, given that I was probably the only non-Thai present, on the older side of the crowd and I had no Thai to speak of! I had to wander off around 2am, my excuse being that I was still jet-lagged from my Australian flight two days prior. I'm not sure even Alex knows what time he got in, but apparently the club closes pretty late.

Ambience: 10/10 -This place has everything, outdoors for chilling, indoors to get your groove on!
Cost: $$ A little on the pricey side for Chiang Mai, but ridiculously cheap for Westerners - 950Bht for a bottle of Absolut
Food: Didn't eat - not even sure they serve food!
Location: Just off Niemenhaemin.
Toilets: Spotless, with friendly Thai girls.
Overall: A great place for a big night out with a group of friends.

PART 1 - Pub-crawling around the world - Ponyfish, Melbourne

Ponyfish in Melbourne is pretty unique in that it's located right in the middle of the river, under a bridge. 10/10 for originality there, not even Dubai has managed that one yet! It's just a walk away from Flinders Street Station and my friend Clare took me there one balmy summer's evening for a few drinks.

We descended the steps into the bar around 5pm on a Wednesday and it was already packed with people sharing platters (which looked very tasty) and drinking beers. Many seemed to be sampling the bar's own beer - Ponyfish. I'm not a beer drinker and after a few days on the dry, I felt like a wine so Clare and I ordered $8 glasses of an Aussie Sauvignon Blanc. This was served in sturdy tumbler glasses, a difference from the norm for me. Unfortunately the wine tasted awful! It really surprises me how much bad wine I tasted in Australia, given how many vineyards are nearby. It's not cheap either.

After one of Clares' friends joined us, we moved onto the Pinot Grigio, which cost the same but wasn't much of an improvement on the palate. There were a variety of people around from dreadlocked, arty types to people loosening their ties after a day at the office. There were some Irish people at the table next to us (we are everywhere!) It's a gorgeous place to while away an evening and possibly if I drank beer I would have rated it first class but as it was, I can't really. Fortunately the company was good so we passed two hours there (and I spent about $32 - killer on a traveller budget!) and I would return again - I'd just probably stick to the spirits this time.

Ambience: 9.5/10
Cost: $$$$$$$ (a bit too high for the traveller pocket but probably fair if you're earning in Melbourne)
Food: I didn't try so I can't comment but the menu looked good and the sharing platters were being devoured around us. Prices start at $10 - $15 for food items.
Location: Good and easy to reach by public transport. I must point out that I didn't see any elevator so I don't think it's wheelchair friendly
Toilets: Good, clean, and not in demand even though there are only two.
Overall: Definitely worth it for the view, try a beer instead of wine.

It's also worth noting that there are no rancid river smells which can happen in various cities (memories of Bangkok).


There own website is pretty good - although prices are not available.
http://www.ponyfish.com.au

Starting 2014 as I mean to go on.....

Another huge break in my blogging but I have very good reason. I am just waiting to board my 11th flight in less than four months, I can't count how many places I've been in each of those countries I've visited and I'm absolutely loving it, having the time of my life.

I have become an expert packer and I'm a total pro with a backpack now. It definitely took awhile but now I have it so what I need in one place is on top, or I can access it easily. Of course you can get one with all the little zips and pockets to compartmentalise but those are more expensive, no doubt about it. If you need tips on this sort of stuff I follow https://twitter.com/nomadicmatt and I find him absolutely awesome for info on the road.  I think I did ok in my original packing - two pairs of jeans,  one pair of shorts, a pair of leggings, couple of summer dresses, a rain jacket/windbreaker and waterproof hiking pants - alot of rollable items that don't crease! BRING tampons ladies, they don't seem to be available in many places in South-East Asia or Sri Lanka. If you're passing through Thailand you can buy EVERYTHING on a budget, including any pills you need for sleeplessness etc. I met a guy who arrived in Bangkok with a plastic bag, great call. Leave space, you can always buy things. The night market in Luang Prabang is great for t-shirts (surprisingly good quality), bags, gifts. You can buy hoodies in any market in Thailand. Before you leave, if you're in Europe near a Tchibo store - they have good, reasonably priced hiking shoes which have seen me through 3 mountain climb/hikes (upto 3,500m - can't vouch for above or icy conditions).

So, I rang in the New Year in Chiang Mai, Thailand beside the Iron Bridge watching more fireworks than I've ever seen (yes, even in Dubai) and a sky full of Chinese lanterns. I was surrounded by amazing people, including some family (my aunt Helen and Uncle Tony were visiting from Seoul and my cousin, Alex is now living in CM) and the whole night cost me about 8 euro, including two song-teow, a plate of food and copious amounts of alcohol. I even had a man to kiss at midnight ;)

Australia Day was spent in Perth, having a barbie beside a pool with a group of Irish people! Alot of fun but I've had more Aussie 'Straya Day's in Dubai down at Barasti. Interesting seeing a whole Irish community 20, 000km from home. Waitangi Day was fun in Wellington, less of a celebratory feel than other national holidays but some very friendly Kiwi's about nonetheless.

Chinese New Year I spent in Brisbane and it was a nice dose of culture, although I'm sure it would have been much better in Melbourne, Singapore or Bangkok.

I learnt many things about being on the road  - it's cliched to say always expect the unexpected but I can't stress it enough. There will be quibbles, mess-ups and emergencies (try overbooked hostels, buses that don't have your name on the list, running over a kerb in your friend's lovely car!!) and next time I would have an EMERGENCY fund of about $1000 (AUD/USD) for these things... but credit cards come to the rescue.

In New Zealand I've finally understood the phrase "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey."  It's the one country that taking a bus in really rewards you, I just wish I could have stopped every half hour to explore!

In Perth I had people offer to walk me two blocks to show me where I needed to get to, stop on the street for a chat, on the Gold Coast I made friend's with a cockatoo, I finally held a koala in Lone Pine Sanctuary, petted a kangaroo and on Rottnest Island I got up close and personal with a quokka, a rare marsupial with the cutest face. My experiences are increasing everyday and I honestly couldn't be happier.

I keep getting told I'm "so brave," for travelling alone (as a girl). No one seems to ask the men. This is brief but I like it - another solo female traveller
http://www.trishavelarmino.com/2014/01/an-open-letter-to-solo-female-travelers.html?utm_content=buffer25a56&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
People tell me they admire me, which is nice but really it's a little selfish and I'm ok with that. I've got to the point where I'm doing what I like in my life and I'm really embracing it. I don't regret not doing this when I was younger, now I know that you get more out of the day by getting up earlier and I'm not throwing up over the side of the boat because I drank too many shots last night and can't appreciate the dolphins. Don't get me wrong - I still party VERY hard, anyone that knows me will attest to this - I just pick and choose my times more carefully, most of the time. (There have been a few write-off days and I've been hungover in more airports in the last two months than most people have probably been in airports in the last year!)

So, I will catch up on my blogs and keep reading all of yours, but if you're going to do anything this year - book a holiday somewhere you've never been - it's not about the money - you can go 100km away in your own country and have a walking tour, and remember "Travel is the only thing you can buy which makes you richer."

A very late (but not so much for Chinese) Happy New Year.

Some cool travel peeps on twitter
@LeanItinerant
@theintlwanderer
@LiveTravelling
@Wegotwo
@Just1WayTicket

Pub crawling around the world:An introduction

"Most of my twenties and thirties I spent investing in bars." so said my uncle, Tony when I bemoaned the fact a few years ago that I didn't own a house yet. What he meant, of course, is that he partied hard and he told me he had no regrets about any of it, that it was really "Investing in memories." Although it took me a few more years to stop chasing the dirham (or dollar) it rings true with me now as I try to travel as much as possible. However, it's widely known that I'm a party girl and whilst visiting my friend Becky recently in Bangkok and discussing my travels she mentioned that really I'm just "Pub-crawling around the world," and she may have a point.

A new idea has been born, my posts will continue about various places but I'm going to intersperse them with my tales from bars in each place I visit, they aren't going to be straightforward reviews as it will be my, completely biased, take on each establishment and my night out there but I will include info on prices, location etc should you wish to find one of these places on your own trip. I would appreciate suggestions particularly for the following locations:
Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Christchurch, Auckland, anywhere in Malaysia and possibly Bali.
I will add more locations soon. Feedback is also important as I want to make this as interactive as possible, please tell me your experiences too!

I will include some of my old favourites, places you may or may not have known about and hopefully have a bit of fun with it. Of course I could create a whole other blog on this but I've enough on my plate and I think it's roots lie firmly within lilirishtravels so here we go. So there will be posts on bars from my fair isle of Ireland, Dubai, Thailand, Sri Lanka etc.

Apologies on the delayed blog posting, Christmas and New Year were spent travelling, often without the time spent to compose a blog post but there are a few in the pipeline.  So, please send your suggestions and stories, particularly of far-flung places that I haven't seen yet. I know there are some well-oiled travellers amongst you!

Temple-ing it up in Siem Riep.

After a long rest in Siem Reap Rooms, I got up to a hearty breakfast and some chats with fellow travellers (the couple beside me were from Northern Ireland - you can't go anywhere, seriously!) I explored Siem Riep on foot for a bit whilst April slept on. It is a seriously lovely town; very different in style to Phnom Penh - there are traces of French colonialism everywhere.

Me on the streets of Siem RiepAfter April had arisen, Phil (the hostel owner) gave us tips on exploring Siem Riep and the surrounding areas. He asked us what we liked and recommended some itineraries for us. We also had a tuk-tuk driver, Charl, on standby to take us wherever we pleased.

Laura arrived just in time for us to set off for sunset at Angkor Wat. If you've ever been, I don't need to explain how absolutely breathtaking the first sight of Angkor Wat is. The trip in the tuk-tuk was fun, watching all the little street stalls set up opposite the lake and the temples themselves. There were crowds streaming towards the entrance (and it wasn't even high season!) which we followed and we walked up to the main temple to watch the sunset. We watched the monks hurry across the pathways for prayer, resplendent in robes of gold/orange. Over the noise of the birds we could hear their chanting carried on the wind. It was very calming and there is something amazingly spiritual about the place. I can't explain it, to be honest so I'll just post some photos.....

People say it's more spectacular when the sun sets over Angkor Wat itself (The sun moves around at different times of year) but I've never seen anything quite so spectacular.

We were all fairly quiet as we toured around, taking in the magnificence of the temple. It's remarkable how much detail is in the carvings from thousands of years ago. I sometimes wonder if we're getting it wrong  - all the new gadgets and fandangled inventions - these people carved epic scenes in stone! It really is a wonder of the world. 

We visited the famous Red Piano for dinner, a popular day and night spot with great views over the bustling market and streets. We didn't sample the Tomb Raider cocktail there (every tenth one sold is free! Alarm bells were going off every second with people winning free drinks) as we were also doing sunrise at Angkor Wat so had a 4am start. The food was tasty, but nothing really beats street noodle soup in Cambodia. 

So after a fulfilling day we crept back to our fabulously comfy beds for dreams of temples and days gone by.

Koh-Rong - off the map

Koh-Rong is two hours off the coast of Southern Cambodia, technically somewhere in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand. To anyone else in the world - it's Timbuktoo or Narnia, not many will ever get to go there but believe me it's worth it.

It's basically a like a beachfront village. There is no five-star accomodation here - in fact I think the tree-top hut April and I inhabited for our stay ($15) was about as classy as it gets. The only disconcerting part was that after we'd walked down the wooden quay to the beach (after getting off the boat) we entered Coco's (after removing our flip flops - everyone in the bar is barefoot) and the first thing I hear is a Dublin accent.... Almost 11, 000 km from home...sure where else?

Our hut - Fabulous, although we were convinced there was a polar bear from "Lost" underneath it one night. This may have had something to do with copious amounts of alcohol and some hallucinogenics... we didn't plan on the hallucinogenics by the way.... but on a remote island in South East Asia...well, let's say you're always going to get more than you planned for.

There is very little electricity on the island. Coco's had a generator but all the lights outside the bar go off around 1am. We made our way back to the hut in the dark or by candlelight, we also heard alot of other people falling around the place in the dark late at night.

The few days spent there were passed in a hazy bliss, massages overlooking the sea as the sun went down.... delicious noodle soup served in a shack which had a roof but only two walls (people lived there and dogs and chickens ran all around our feet), snoozing in the sunshine after swimming in crystal clear waters, drinking suspect cocktails at Coco's and dancing to questionable Euro-pop with other backpackers who'd found the island, eating fresh fish that the man went out and caught right in front of us in the ocean - with a spear no less, watching youths learning to become flame-throwers....It was all a little surreal.

My favourite little pup - BBQ!

Sandflies and puppies and Phil, the traveller from Manchester who was completely spaced out, we didn't know if he'd been there 4 days, 4 months or 4 years. I had breakfast with him one morning where we had a long discussion (mostly him - I was still recovering from casting Harry Potter spells in the bar the previous night) about how it would be if we could all read eachother's minds. Phil eventually came to the conclusion that it would be a bad idea. Excerpt as follows:

Phil: It would be bad, really bad....(spaces out for a bit - I'm still looking at him) bad, man, ye know?

Me: Yeah

Phil: Like I'm a nice guy, a bright guy and I know alot of stuff, but sometimes...sometimes I just think - I'd like to kill you, ye know?

Me: Yeah (Note I didn't even argue here, maybe I too was spaced out)

Phil: Not you personally but you know when you meet someone really stupid.....stupid, stupid (pointing at his head)

Me: Yeah

Phil: Well, like that, you're like Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! in your head like, and I wouldn't want people to know that

Me: Yeah, I know what you mean Phil.

And then he lay down on the bench again, staring into space, with one hand up shaped like a claw. He was an interesting guy.

Paradise

Standards and habits that you have at home need to go by the wayside when you're traveling. April managed to wash her hair each day in the cold water, but I mostly just had a swim in the sea and a sponge down afterwards, my hair was in an interesting condition after three days but my skin was ultra soft! I lived in a bikini and sometimes threw a ti-shirt over it.

All the children on the island are schooled in one room - which has a roof but is otherwise open air. We could hear them learning their colours in English as we passed down the beach. Absolutely charming. These people are poor though and rarely go to the mainland, we would see them washing their clothes in the sea and the clothes lines hung across the trees. They are so friendly though, always smiling. The children would run down the beach after us and giggle shyly if we said hello or waved.

There's wonderful diving and snorkelling off the island. You can even go at night, as the sharks come out then :) We were content just to read and swim and take it all in, the longest walk we managed was about twenty minutes.

There will be gecko's and mice in your room, and possibly other things too, but I thought of a hut on a lake in Thailand two years previously and just decided to go with it. There's no point stressing over these things when you're traveling - you just won't enjoy it as much. Which is not to say that I didn't sleep in with April, and all her luggage, whilst on the island (I found fresh droppings in my bed....when my mossie net had been up...) but then there's more stories in there.

Koh Rong is due for redevelopment soon, which is a real pity. I think they are going to stick some five star resort on it, and you can see why, but they will definitely destroy some of the wonderful magic they have going on there.

Last night in Split

Most of the boys grabbed a quick kip on the bus back to Split whilst Ryan, Lisa and I chatted boobs and bodies. Back onboard Sarah showed me her wares from shopping (including a pretty little friendship bracelet for me) as I lolled on the bed, needing a nap but knowing I had no time. A shower pepped me up and we had a quick vodka before leaving - already late for the restaurant.

We headed to a pretty courtyard in Split where Louise had booked us in for dinner. Even though we were late - once again they hadn't the table ready (did they just not believe 18 of us would turn up?). We all got seated, ordered wine and beer and set about perusing the menu. Lisa and I were both looking for a bit of seafood and after tasting Lucie's delicious octopus salad starter we knew we had made a good decision. As one can probably imagine, being so coastal - seafood everywhere in Croatia is pretty much delicious. They do like to make it in pies and quiches though which isn't really my style. I prefer it on the grill with a bit of garlic and salt - and straight to my plate. More food and wine arrived, laughs were being had around the table. We tried to get Allan and Lisa to wear their new ti-shirts - Allan's was "Nude Lifeguard"! No one was thinking about the fact that it was our last night. We discussed future group activities - a ski/snowboard trip to Lebanon, the boys doing a triathlon, my solo trips to various places next year. The restaurant rustled up a kind of birthday cake (there seemed to be alot of cream or ice cream and not alot of cake) for Allan and it was time to make our way to the end of cruise party at a nearby bar.

Chloe and I after dinner.

I had to bid a sweet goodbye to Lisa as she was ill and flying very early and then Chloe and I went on our own little tour to find the bar, and perhaps a tattoo parlour on the way. We had decided on our first night to get tattoo's together but we couldn't decide on designs etc. There had been some joking at dinner that I would get the line from "Braveheart" - "This is my island" inked somewhere on my body but I thought that might be a future regret! I was contemplating some musical notes, a melody or riff - somewhere inconspicuous but there was no tattoo parlour in sight so we settled on some shots in a side street bar before finally reaching Cocktail Bar Paradiso for the Sail Croatia farewell party. There we hooked up with our super rep Janice and had a few drinks with her before the Jager train to top them all. In our usual tradition, it had to be bigger, better and longer than anyone else's. You'd know we lived in Dubai! I don't know how the number came about - I believe it was something to do with beating other boat's tallies but 62 was decided on. It took an hour and a half to set up (mainly because some muppet stood on the bench where it was being set up and knocked half the red bulls down).

Even in the photo we can spot some of our new friends!

After we'd all had a few and mingled with the strangers, it was time to embarrass Allan (It was difficult to know whether he was embarrassed or not as he was so sunburned! You can see him at the top of the picture there - darker than anyone else). Lauren (my friend in Dubai, dating Allan) had sent gifts from Dubai for Allan to open on the night and Gareth felt it only right to give the birthday boy a snog. I've never seen Allan snog a man before and to be honest I'm not sure it will happen again! I fitted in some time to kiss Sarah (She begged) and have a little dance around. I don't even remember the music. There may not have been music!

We walked back to the boat through picturesque rain-washed streets and decided to get our party on back onboard. Drink was acquired from various places, music was set-up on the top deck and deck-chairs were dragged around. Perfect for more dancing. Our fun didn't last long, the Captain came up and asked us to not to party. A little deflated but aware that he was being perfectly fair (He did have to get up every day and cook for us) Doug mentioned a beach nearby so we decided to bring the party there. Gary even let us borrow his speakers. The beach was a bit of a walk away so many got lost along the way and there was a weird crowd there (outsiders!) when we arrived. After a vodka I decided I would head back to the boat. I was a little disorientated and seemed to have lost alot of people so I thought it would be better to go back and find them.

I met Chloe as I got on deck and we sat down with Katie and Elliot just inside the hallway on a little sofa where they'd perched many nights of the trip. There were people running around the boat and from room to room as dawn broke and all I could think of was how I had to leave so many amazing people in a few hours - including my old (and new friends) from Dubai. I was exhausted, 7 nights of drinking was taking it's toll and I was all too aware that I had to be up in about 3 hours. It wasn't the best feeling.
Suffice to say, it only got worse before I left. I managed to only get about an hours sleep, and ended up packing in the most uncoordinated, horrible mindset I've ever been in. I wasn't quite hungover but I was definitely dehydrated, I wasn't quite sober but not happy drunk. It was dreadful. Meanwhile Sarah was singing around the cabin, still drunk and completely oblivious to the fact that we had to get up and out.
As I sat on a bench beside the boat (and found my pashmina tied around it?!) in the blazing morning sunlight watching Katie spew into the port I was hit by bags of rubbish as some of the crew removed them from the boat. That was pretty much how it felt - from top deck luxury to the gutter - all in a few hours.

It was a strange last night but an amazing trip that I'm sure none of us will ever forget...
Hvala na sjećanjima Hrvatskoj.

White-water Rafting - Omis

We were already in motion as breakfast took place on Friday morning. I was in great spirits after a good night sleep and was dancing around our cabin. Sarah was just laughing at me, particularly when I managed to stub my toe off the end of the bed and yowled in pain. I wasn't excited it was the last day but I was definitely going to make the most of it.

After our morning swim we all congregated on deck to chat about our plans for the day and night. Most of us had signed up for white water rafting which we would reach by bus from our next stop in Omis. Some of the girls had opted to stay behind for some shopping and Louise said she would organise dinner and drinks for Allan's birthday that evening.

So we boarded a couple of buses to take us to our start point and I got to catch up with Katie and the goings-on with some of our other passengers and accompanying Sail Croatia boats. It seemed there was no end of scandal and the final night was sure to bring some more! Put it this way, there'd been lots of secrecy about who was with who and as a result some egos had been hurt and others had been doing things as revenge. Possibly a little childish, but what does anyone expect with boatful's of single people?

All of our group couldn't fit in the one boat, which was a little disappointing but we kitted up and got ready to go. I'd never tried it before and was very excited, if a little nervous that I might get flung off over some rocks! Gary and Gareth took up the front, Cahal and Pearce behind them, Lucie and I were opposite eachother with Doug and Lisa beside the instructor(whose name escapes me right now). Doug had chosen to ride with us for some good photo ops.

Our instructor was brilliant and it seemed pretty clear. There was also something very sexy about him in a real rugged, outdoorsy way :)
We could row forward or back and Boomba! meant get your oars flat on the side of the raft as quick as possible and duck! It started off rather gently but we were in hot pursuit of the other boats and enjoyed a bit of splashing them with our oars, particularly one of the other boats who were rowing around in circles. We seemed to get a good rhythm going between us, but I think I may have poked Lisa or Lucie on the knee once or twice with my oar. I'm not hopelessly uncoordinated but nor am I a natural! It was much better fun whenever the instructor shouted "Boomba!" as the trees came in low and we all had to scramble low in the boat. Once I managed to miss this and got walloped by a branch but I thought it was quite funny.

We also rowed hard up against some rocks to get right up and over having a proper splash down and emptying our helmets of water over ourselves and other boats to cool down (It was utterly freezing water) and have some water fights. The scenery was absolutely spectacular. We made our way slowly through these towering rocks (which people have been known to base jump off) and it was like a scene from Lord of the Rings. Once again, Croatia was taking my breath away and I've no idea why it's such an under-rated place for holidays.

We stopped at a little place to climb to our next part as apparently the rafting was too advanced and dangerous in one part of the river. That was a little disappointing but a stroll through the hills in the sunshine was lovely and Lisa tried to convince Phil that a tumble in the jungle might be some fun - unfortunately there was no time for that!

Back in our boats we had some more fun, picking up speed to make the drops more exciting. There was plenty of laughter on our boat and the girls had pushed through the pain barrier (It really hurts your arms at the start then it doesn't seem to matter so much anymore) so we all had a good rhythm going again. We rowed in under a freezing waterfall and got some great photos of Lucie and Gareth enjoying splashing around in a cave (I swear both must have been dogs in a former life - and I mean that in a good way) and then onto a rest stop where the boys took turns in jumping off some of the rocks. Plenty of belly flops there! Cahal seems to have jumping off things down to a fine art as he can back flip and move in mid-air - very graceful!!!

We were sad when it came to an end but it meant celebratory beers and chips after an exhilarating day. I'll definitely be trying that again, absolutely loved it!

Thanks again to Doug for the photos - none of our cameras were waterproof!

Moody in Makarska

Thankfully someone had sorted the music by the time I woke on Thursday morning. I sincerely regretted the latter part of the night before. Well the drinking bit anyway. When will I find an "off" button?

I wasn't in the mood for people really but I headed up on deck and decided to snooze in the sun. This was regularly punctuated by appearances of various people on deck and everyone else slagging them on the night before's antics. Halvor had left, having a stag party to get to in Norway - but I'm not sure whether he'd made his flight on time! By the time it came to lunch I was falling into my bowl of soup with tiredness so I took myself down to one of the quieter decks without so much as a bite of my main course. I tend to lock myself away when I'm feeling moody/hungover but that's not really possible when on a boat. Eventually the solution of a couple of Xanax and back to bed seemed the best possible alternative. Most people were napping the afternoon away but Lucie and Louise headed into the markets to check out the bargains and pirate wear and I believe there's a cool Shell Museum in Makarska too.

Markarska at sunset

Doug had told us that one of the other Sail Croatia boat's was having a pirate party later on that night. Unusually for us, we weren't up for it but I think most people were still nursing their heads and egos from the previous night. I would have gotten into the spirit but was happy to go along with the group.

Lucie and Louise had picked another picturesque spot for us to have dinner on the other side of town. I was rearing to go for a good night out (again!?) and needed some ballast for the drinking ahead.  We reached a beach at the other side of town and witnessed another stunning sunset (honestly only Ankor Wat has beaten Croatia for sunsets) whilst the boys skimmed stones across the sea.

We took our seats, each of us facing the ocean, and ordered the wine. For me, white wine was touch and go in Croatia. I like a dry white and have grown more picky over the years. They only sell Croatian wines and it is rather expensive - you're looking at at least 15euro a bottle and it can go upto E30, which in comparison to 1euro beers and 1.50 vodka's is extortionate. The nicest wine I found was Intrada, in Korcula, but it wasn't always available elsewhere. I usually asked the waiter to advise on a dry white for me, but they weren't always reliable (I suppose it's a personal thing and their tastebuds probably differ).

I had Lisa on one side and Sarah on the other, which I was growing accustomed to. Conversation was difficult in the set-up as you could only really talk to who was on either side and not stretch to either end of the table. Still the meal was pleasant and enjoyable and I tried to ignore conversations going on beyond either side of me. Lisa was still feeling a bit fluey and in need of a good night sleep so she headed back to the boat early and Sarah assured me she'd be back out later but I wasn't confident.

A few people seemed up for a proper night out (Lucie, Dave, myself and ever-dependable Ryan). I really thought Allan and Gareth could be convinced too. I forget Allan has some serious willpower when it comes to NOT drinking. He wanted to enjoy the last day, which was fair enough. So, some of us stayed on at the restaurant drinking cocktails and shots.

Unattractive blowjob drinking (that's the name of the shot!)

We headed back towards the boat and people began to fade. I contemplated joined the pirate party but everyone seemed completely wasted so it was some on deck drinks with Dave, Gareth and Ryan whilst Ivan was still serving. Katie, Liz and Chloe came by to tell us they were going to the club nearby but the Club in a cave which Makarska is famous for wasn't open so I declined. I'd had enough of clubs after the night before.

It seemed like an early night was on the cards and I'd probably be better off for it, so I snuggled in next to Sarah (my instincts had been right about her coming back!) read a bit of my holiday read, and dropped off to sleep around 1.30am.

Korcula - I thought I knew ya....

Finally I made breakfast! Sleepy headed Sarah was baffled when I clambered out of my bed at 8.30am and asked where I was headed but she decided to join me and Lucie at the breakfast table. It was a very continental breakfast - meats, cheese, yoghurts and bread. Not quite enough fruit for my liking but at least we got something into us. On Day 4/5 of the holiday, it felt like an achievement. The weather wasn't looking too great yet so we grabbed another hours nap before our daily jump into the sea to blow the mind and refresh the senses. I tried to jump onto a lilo and completely missed. Doug saw the whole thing and cracked up but luckily didn't catch me with his camera.

Then it was time for some editing on deck (Yes, I brought my first draft!) in the sunshine until we docked in Korcula. Even at first glance it was beautiful and resembled Dubrovnik. We all took off exploring the old town and churches, Lisa and I lighting candles and admiring the art within. Korcula was the home of Marco Polo but also seemed like a setting for Romeo and Juliet. I took more photo's here than anywhere else.

There was a cocktail bar recommended where you could get your cocktails by pulley which we really fancied, but it wasn't open so we stopped at the Fly-In near our port for drinks in the afternoon sunshine. After a few drinks and ice-creams Lisa, Pearse and myself took off to book a place for dinner which we all agreed on (Croatian tapas - sounds good to me!) and a look into some of the shops.  Tipsy shopping can go well or not - I ended up with new flip-flops, new sunnies and a hat! After another afternoon tipple some of us headed back to the boat but the boys continued enjoying their pints in the sunshine.

After the pre-requisite drinks on deck we strolled down one of the pretty alleyways to our restaurant for dinner. It was quite near the photo taken above and they set up our table out on the terrace (as they couldn't fit us inside!). Gary and I decided on a sharing platter to get in as much of the good stuff that we liked (Olives, cheese, meats, bread, anchovies...yum) after an eggplant starter. The wine was good, conversation was flowing and a guitarists melodies drifted over from a bar nearby. We didn't want to leave, however we had a street party to get to and some people were on a mission to score that night so we finally did, after sitting over dinner a few hours. Of course we started the street party with a Jaeger train and Lisa carrying men off down the street as well as a bit of pole dancing (I missed the pole until later when there was some greasy man on it!!). I got involved in shots with some others from our boat - Ashley, Josh etc and Lucie and Halvor joined in. We thought we had a few casualties and early sleepers but it turned out Gareth had broken his flip-flops and they had gotten delayed at another bar!

Pearce had stolen my hat and was being chatted up by men nearby. Katie dragged me over to give Elliot a talking to for misbehaving the previous night. It was all getting very messy by the time we reached the club. Jagers were going down like water, people were being pinned up against bars in suggestive dance moves, all of us were jumping on the couches dancing and singing our heads off. In restrospect it sounds messy. It was, but it was a lot of fun!

After getting involved in one too many love triangles and trying to play Mommy too much I decided to redeem the night and sought out Dave for a few drinks. Dave is always a solid man to have a good time with. He never moans, he'll listen to you have a moan but then he'll get you in the mood for a bit of craic anyway. Thus we ended up wandering the streets of Korcula looking for sustenance around 4.30am. He was missing his lovely wife Linda (who couldn't come with us on the cruise) and drunken texts seemed like a great idea at that moment. As it started to get bright I got tired and headed back to the boat. There was much running around as usual so I took to one of the decks with Katie and Andre to make innings into a bottle of vodka. This wasn't my brightest idea as the sun was coming up and eventually I ended up tearful and maudlin, sitting with Cahal, both of us wishing things were different.

It was a sad way to end Korcula, as it really is a spectacular place but I was sure after a few hours sleep the boat would look very different.

Memories of Mljet

Tuesday afternoon I crawled above deck just prior to docking at Mljet. Everyone was gathered around Lisa who had tales of her "birthday present" and it seemed some people down the other end of the deck were discussing it too ;). After we'd post-mortemed the night (Classified!) and our tour guide advised us all on the afternoon's activities, we disembarked to go swim in the sea nearby.

Mljet is a gorgeous little island off Dubrovnik, with a national park and a small community devoted to conservation. The sea was freezing, as usual, but we had fun playing around in the small pool nearby and the boys took turns in trying to dive through the various rings they had brought. Somehow I managed to hit the bottom of the sea, despite being the smallest, scraping my already banjaxed toes along the bottom. Ryan and Gary had the music going and it was very relaxing. When the wind had blown us dry we picked up and headed back to the boat for some afternoon drinks and to prepare for a cycle around the island.

Sarah and myself's late night chatting caught up with us and we decided on a quick nap but when the boys came to get us for cycling neither of us could move. It looked absolutely spectacular, particularly St. Mary's islet and monastery. After I'd caught an hour or two sleep I went off on a little walk of my own to explore. It was absolutely peaceful and the sounds of nature recharged me as I walked. On my way back I decided I'd choose a restaurant for that nights dinner and spoke to some of the restaurant owners. They were all friendly but I needed a place to cater for the various palates of our group so I settled on one where they had a varied menu. I stocked up on some snacks and drinks at the local shop and returned to the boat - having to cross 5 other boats to reach ours. In the process I lost one of my lovely white flip flops but decided against retrieving it as the depth of the drop between the boats was a little far for me!

Then it was time for drinks in the bar on deck again and everyone was pretty relieved that this definitely wasn't going to be a late night. No hidden clubs in coves here! We headed over to dinner and after a little bit of a wait we were delighted to find that the local food was very nice indeed. Gary said it had been his best meal on the trip so far.

Conversation over dinner at my end of the table centred around jobs in Dubai and us trying to convince Katie, Chloe and Liz that they should go to find work in Dubai. I think we sold it well? (Although after a week with us on a boat maybe not?!). The wind was sweeping in off the ocean making us very chilly but a nice Intrada wine warmed me up.

Dave, Gareth, Doug and myself stayed back at the restaurant to finish the wine, being literally the last to leave the restaurant and then Doug and I got into a conversation about the photography industry - given I had worked in it back in Dubai. We stopped off at the nearest little beach bar to the boats and had a drink with some people who were on other cruises. Back onboard it was time for a little night-cap on the top-deck with most of the girls cosied up under quilts. It was so windy, but the sky was sparkling with stars and we all felt we could have slept out there.

I retired at a reasonable hour - think it was just past two - and delighted that I could probably get a quality night sleep before our trip to Korcula on Wednesday.

(Photos - Doug Harding for the group shot in the pool)

Rainy Day in Dubrovnik

Sarah and I were jolted awake by a strange loud noise....the anchor dropping. It was time to jump off the top deck into the sea to awaken the senses. Some were feeling better than others, some were worshipping the porcelain god. As we sailed towards Dubrovnik the skies darkened and drops of rain could be felt on the top deck. I still wanted to explore this UNESCO Heritage city and see it's historic walls but a few of our group cried off in order to nurse sore heads, tummies and bottoms!

So we headed by bus up to the old city. A tour guide met us to take us around. The city is listed as one of the ten best walled cities in the world and it has some really beautifully preserved buildings. Although the Yugoslav wars affected Dubrovnik as recently as the early '90's and results of damage from shelling can be seen in various places  - alot of restoration work has returned the place to splendour. I personally loved the little side streets and all the steps that looked like they lead to little hideaways. Lucie was snapping away and has over 300 photos of the place!

After some pizza and more exploring everyone decided they wanted to climb the city walls (by steps, not ropes and harnesses!) but after I slipped on the first few steps I decided I couldn't apply myself to the task and really I just wanted to go back to bed! I'm sorry I missed the views but it was lovely to get back to the boat and listen to the rain from the comfort of my bed.

We got up as the sun was setting and everyone was feeling recharged and ready for a night on the town. It was time for drinks on deck again to toast Lisa's actual birthday so we started on the cocktails and the banter was flying. No man or woman was safe tonight with us unleashed on the streets of Dubrovnik.

We had booked a recommended restaurant for dinner, Ragusa 2 (Ragusa is the Croatian word for Dubrovnik) and we ordered some local specialities and a bottle of Prosecco for birthday girl. Unfortunately the food wasn't that impressive - Lisa had to send hers back twice! But we had a few good giggles and got her some chocolate cake. After that it was time for Jagers, Tequilas and BUCKETS of drinks at Skybar. Sarah and I got all serious and emotional for a bit (constant drinking and late nights will do that to you!) but soon loosened up and started dancing in the laneways. I got chatting with Chloe, one of the lovely Kiwi girls from our boat, and we all headed off to Revel nightclub, in the city walls! Ever so cool location! Doug, our brilliant photographer captured us all on our way to Revel.

Chloe and I finished our buckets and hid them near the door of the club as we wanted to bring them back to the boat. Inside was cavernous and very cool with a light show and dominatrix styled dancers. It was Jager time at the bar again (When is it not?) and then we started drinking Vodka with Blueberry red bulls - not bad!!! Lots of dancing, posing and pulling funny faces at Doug as he snapped away. We managed to vandalise a poster and all pose with it. It was just good, clean fun really. After I was sweaty enough I decided to head back to the boat and Chloe said we should we should have a late night swim. In my sweatyness I thought this was a superb idea.

We took a bit of a detour home, not necessarily intentionally and we had to hide behind cars to relieve ourselves - not noticing that in fact there was a road above us where people had a great view of our backsides. Cue more giggling and trying to flag down taxi's to get us away from our viewers. I ended up doing the city wall tour by night in our quest to get to port!! By the time we got back to the boat I wasn't sure about getting in the freezing water and there was also the chance we'd be thrown off the boat and could be fined by Dubrovnik Port Police for swimming at port. A guy and a girl from one of our sister boats came over to chat and have a drink so I sat on the steps chatting to a lovely boy, Blair, as Chloe and Emma swam around the boat. Then there was mucking about at the front of the boat and balancing on the buoys. General mischief.

When Sarah got back I followed her to the room for late night catch-ups and a post-mortem on the night. We ended up chatting until 7am when I had to call time and go asleep!! Then one or the other of us would say one more thing but eventually drifted off at dawn....knowing we'd be awakened by Pitbull blasting in the corridors around 11am.

The sleepy little village of Trstenik - ... until we arrived.

I hadn't planned on making breakfast and I also missed out on practically everyone having a go at jumping off the boat! We were fed healthily again (Well we over-indulged in the first course of spaghetti as we were all starving having missed brekkie) at lunch and Penny, our new rep came onboard to let us know of various activities for the rest of the day and the following day.

We docked in the pretty little seaside village of Trstenik after lunch, where we'd been told to try the wine-tasting. That was music to our hungover ears, no better cure. We high-tailed it off the boat as soon as we docked and headed straight to the local wine cellar. 

It was a quaint little place that barely contained our group as we sampled their local red and white. The owner's son delivered his well rehearsed speech about their vineyards and wines punctuated by wild bursts from his crazy father who was wielding a large knife rather alarmingly (supposedly cutting bread). I didn't dare mention that the white wine wasn't great, but the others thought the red wine was fine. The owner had said that the vineyards were best placed for growing red grapes and he had 30, 000 acres so I'm sure he knew what he was talking about. His son encouraged us to come to the beach party later where he was the DJ and would play us some trance. We weren't sure of this invitation so we scuttled out and decided on a bit of a walk to shake out the cobwebs.

Up a steep hill we found staggering views and the boys ahead of us claimed they'd seen huge fish jumping out of the sea. It was absolutely peaceful, except for us girls sharing stories and occasionally leaping with fright at an empty snakeskin or huge buzzing insect. I managed to keep my cool (those who know of my previous "episodes" with bees/wasps will be pleased to know) and even wanted to explore off the beaten tracks but we were scared off it by other creatures coming out of the trees to investigate.

After our little adventure we thought it was time for drinks and ice-cream sundaes overlooking the tiny harbour. Other people from our boat were splashing around in the water, which looked very inviting. There was plenty of banter and giggles about the night before, particularly how one of the guys from our boat - Andre, had tried to pick Lisa up (literally). Bad move since Lisa has the strength of a lion (She's a kick boxer!) and pretty much ended up carrying him around the bar!

Back on the boat it was time for snoozing in the sunshine

 and showers. We were planning a quiet night and a few drinks on the deck as we knew Monday would be a big one in Dubrovnik. We started on cocktails - Zombies, Sex on the Beach etc and I suggested a game of "I have never". About ten of us were playing and suffice to say that some people should never be allowed around children and others should be closely monitored at work. There were also some painful stories about intimate parts being damaged. Louise and Katherine were very lucky they were asleep through it all!

By 11.30 a trip on a speedboat to a remote cove with trance music sounded like a great idea so we were herded onto a tiny boat, given our token free drink and off to the beach we sped. I ended up with my drink all over me but Sarah gave me hers to compensate. As soon as we were at the beach it was Jager time and I'd spotted a single pole on a table that looked like it needed me hanging off it. First I had a bit of a dizzy spell and Sarah tried to convince us all that our drinks were spiked. Ashley, from our boat, suggested that perhaps it had been the wild ride in the speedboat over? This was far more likely but it took me a little time to recover.

Then it was time for some pole dancing. 

I wanted to climb up it but was wary, as if I fell off it was straight onto concrete and into the water. With my reputation for injuring myself and silly decisions whilst drunk added to the dizzy spell I didn't exactly cut a striking figure on the pole. Lisa, however, really did. She was like a beautiful ballerina on it.

At midnight it had ticked over into Lisa's birthday so she celebrated by snagging me (with my predilection for blonde girls when I've had a few, this wasn't a problem) and carried Gareth off up the beach to show her strength. I believe some boys got kissed in that little bar but I didn't see anything so can't confirm!

Although some of our party had bailed early, a handful of us stayed til the end and giggled all the way home on the speedboat. Then it was time for high jinks in the cabins. Poor Ryan's sleep was interrupted as Allan, Katherine, Louise, Gareth, Lisa and myself bowled in and thought all of us in the bed would be great fun (Nothing kinky, just seemed fun at the time!). This didn't last very long, but for a time Lisa found a pillow on my breasts and we had a little snooze. Eventually we thought we should find Allan and tell him he could sleep in his own room without two lipstick lesbians in the bed beside him so we took off around the boat. It was early morning by the time Lisa and I retired to bed, exhausted from the nights shenanigans and we still had another night of her birthday to go. Onwards to Dubrovnik.

(Thanks to Doug Harding, Lucie Jurenova and myself for the photos!)