Countdown...

Seven weeks. That is how long I have until I embark on my latest adventure. Choosing my latest destination was not as easy of a decision to make as last year's trip--hiking and kayaking around Crete with the highly recommended Gap Adventures--so a lot of time and research went into this decision. However, once the decision was made, I jumped on it, booking my flight, my tour, and extra accommodations the very next day. It happened so fast, it even took me by surprise. Now, I am just counting down the days until I board that plane once again and am swept off to create even more fabulous memories in...Croatia.

Croatia? Not France or Germany or Italy? Well, yes. While I had flirted with the idea of each of those countries,  I was unable to decide just what it was I wanted to do there. I have already spent some time exploring Germany and Italy, and while France is on my list of places to visit, it just is not a top priority right now. However, as I was browsing through the information about Croatia, I felt drawn to its rich, complicated history and its diverse natural wonders. I stumbled upon a locally owned and operated tour company that offered a great tour of the National Parks for an extremely reasonable price. You can check out the tour here: http://www.huckfinncroatia.com/holidays/walking-national-parks.php.  And even though I wavered between this and a few other options, it was the first tour that truly made me take notice and say "I want to do that." Even though it takes me a while to acknowledge, my first instinct is always the one that I return to in the end, for better or worse...

I am ridiculously excited about the prospect of hiking several miles each day, enjoying the natural beauty of the area. Most people would question how this is at all relaxing or even remotely a vacation, but I have found that one of the best ways for me to connect to another location is to see it through its terrain. Many of my greatest memories of my times in Wales are associated with the strange outdoor adventures in which I and my travel companions engaged during our time there (hiking through mists so thick, you couldn't see in front of you, navigating the narrow confines of a cave, swimming in a frigid lake after your self-made raft falls apart...), and I have found that it continues to be the best way for me to embrace somewhere new. I won't say too much about why I travel...and particularly why my past few trips have been conducted solo...but there is something liberating to go somewhere completely different with nothing to rely on but yourself in many ways. It is a great challenge and a great reminder of all the things we are capable of and how easy it is to take for granted our lives at home...

Counting down is the hardest part. I have a few books to read to get me ready for my trip, and I have started listening to a CD with a few choice Croatian phrases (two that I hope I will not need: "I am innocent." and "I would like to contact my lawyer." Whoever put together this phrase book wanted to be sure to cover all kinds of scenarios, it seems...). While I know I won't be able to have a meaningful conversation in Croatian by the time I get over there, I will hopefully know how to say "Please," "Thank You," "Excuse me," and "Where is the bathroom?" Oh, and maybe be able to order something to eat and drink as well. (Lucky for me, English is widely spoken throughout. One of the benefits of other countries emphasizing the importance of multilingualism...) In another couple of weeks, I will go through the process of contacting my credit card company, arranging for rides to the airport, and finalizing any arrangements that are still up in the air. Also, I will need to do a bit more research on Slovenia, as I will take a side trip there before coming back home. And, because I was really curious about it, I booked a room in the capital Lljubanja (sp) in a hostel that was once a military prison. Not sure what possessed me to do so, but it should make for an interesting experience, which is what this is all about anyway.

What are your plans to get away? Which places, near or far, draw you to them and provide renewal?