When I told my friends that I was planning a trip to Croatia, most thought I was kidding. Some of them had never heard of the country. Some tried to coax me into going to London or Paris. The rest thought I was plain stupid to waste my money on a country that is on no one’s wish list. But I was determined. I had first seen Croatia’s beauty on HBO’s Game of Thrones (King’s Landing is actually Dubrovnik) and I knew that it was only a matter of time before mass tourism followed. Right now, it’s an unspoiled gem, and tops my list.
I am a paranoid flyer. But luckily, I was travelling with three friends and after flying for nine hours, with me clawing into their arms for most of it, I knew that these girls really loved me.
Croatia, apart from its clean air and unparalleled beauty, has very warm people. The immigration officers are a jolly bunch. Cabbies open doors, strangers smile, you’re welcomed everywhere with open arms (they are huggers). Our 60-year-old bus driver even asked for my friend’s hand in marriage! In his defence, my friend was definitely passing glances at him.