Slovenia - day 1

We left Zagreb, and within half an hour had crossed the boarder to Slovenia. We were required to show our passports, but there was no fuss, and we were able to get the toll road coupon at the same stop.

Plans for this leg of the journey were pretty loose, and when I came across a hill side community with a small camping site during a Google search, we decided that this would be our first stop. Once we left the highway the road quickly became narrow, winding and bumpy. And then it climbed up and down and up and down quite steep hills and with more and more of those"s" bends that I've grown to love so much.

The remoter we got the more we wondered about where the heck we might end up. I had emailed the website the day prior but hadn't received a reply, but surely this place was so isolated and remote, we would probably be the only travelers crazy enough to be there. Or so we thought. The last 5 km turned up an even steeper and narrower lane but at least we knew we were close. When the GPS announced we had arrived at our destination - Gostilina, Pr

i Rozi of Smartno, Litiji, I recognised the site from the picture of the barn like building, and so we entered a steep drive and headed down. There was virtually no where to park, as the place was crowded with cars and revelers, busy drinking beer, playing outdoor table tennis, throwing balls, and marking out a field ready for some game. 

We idled in the middle of the car park wondering what to do, when a  man came over and spoke to us. Yes, sometimes motor homes camp here, but today this venue was booked for a private picnic, but he suggested we park and walk up to the nearby restaurant further up the hill and talk to the proprietor. So we did, feeling a bit dorky and out of place, made worse when we poked our noses into the huge restaurant area, where 3 old men looked settled with their drinks. We walked out, and saw 2 people having a beer in a small outdoor area so went there. A waitress turned up and took our drink order and said she would get the manager to come. When he arrived, he explained the camping was not available as the picnic would carry on into the evening. But he suggested a nearby alternative where we could stay.

The location, was amazing, steep hills surrounded by forest and farms, old wooden barns and unusual structures we discovered later were the traditional hay storage racks. And why was this place and an empty restaurant located so remotely. I had read on my Google search that if one wanted to dine at the restaurant, it was advisable to book well ahead. Yeah right. Just then a massive bus pulled up, and about 30 merry looking people got out, and suddenly the place was packed with noise and activity, as they quickly finished a round of drinks and got seated ready to dine. We retreated to the camper, attempted a tidy reverse with so many onlookers, and resigned ourselves to plan B, which was to camp at a proper ca ground in the capital Ljubljana. 

The picnic we gate crashed

Flea market - lots of WW2 stuff available

This was outside a wool shop!!

Stratford clock tower eat your heart out

Dragon hunting for Axel and Jimmy

A shared gelato  day 

Beautifully tended vege gardens everywhere

A traditional hay rack

- Heather's initial impressions of Slovenia are that it is amazingly different from Croatia, which seems strange when they are so close and have such similar roots. Slovenia is clean, green and the capital seems much more polished and trendy than Zagreb.