48 hours in Zagreb, Croatia

Croatia has only recently become a well-known destination on most people's holiday radar. For those who have had the pleasure of visiting Croatia, Zagreb is usually a quick stopover point on the way to such jewels as Split, Dubrovnik or one of the thousands - yes, thousands - of coastal islands.

Bonus: the Croatians really know how to do lamp posts. Brisbane, you need to up your game!!

Until recently, I too was one of these tourists; however, after listening to a lot of local advice, I decided to give Zagreb a go. That, and the fact that an hour-and-a-half journey in a coach costs the equivalent of $7AUD. You heard right. If nothing else will sway you, at least consider how cheap the cost of travel is!

Zagreb at sunset

Basically, if you haven't guessed already, I'm so glad I went to Zagreb. Here's a handy - and hopefully convincing - list of five reasons to make it your next favourite getaway!

(Not feeling the Croatian vibe? How about visiting her neighbour, Slovenia? Check out this post about the current gossip in Slovenia, with more photos and posts to come!)


ONE: Don't be afraid to be a tourist! There is so much history surrounding the city, you'd be crazy not to visit some of the main sights. These include, but are not limited to:

• Visit the Zagreb Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This awe-inspiring architectural feat is actually the tallest building in Croatia, and the details both inside and out are exquisite. (Free entry).
• Ride the world's shortest cable car on the Zagreb Funicular, for just 4 kuna ($0.80AUD) per ride. Up the top you'll find Lotrščak Tower, where you can climb to the top of the bell tower and get 360° views of the city. (Admission 20 kuna / $4AUD)
• Take a photo in front of St. Mark's Church, which is famous for its beautifully tiled roof. (Free admission, but only open for mass twice a day).

Saint Mark's Church

TWO: take advantage of the abundance of museums and art galleries! All within walking distance from each other, culture yourself (or maybe just geek out) at:

• The Museum of Broken Relationships, a fascinating collection of random items sent in with a story of how that particular relationship ended. Some funny, some heartbreaking....all definitely worth the read.
• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Museum of Naive Art
• Museum of Torture
• Museum of Illusions 
• Technical Museum Nikola Tesla

To name just a few!

THREE: boost your travel self-esteem and feel like a local by mastering the art of taking the public tram! A ticket which lasts 24 hours costs 10kn (AUD$2), and can be bought from the local Tisak (newsagent stand). The maps are pretty easy to understand, and once you get the hang of it, you'll feel like a pro! Just make sure you validate your ticket at the yellow box in the front of the tram. Trust me, your legs will thank you.

FOUR: set aside a couple of hours for some casual people-watching. Flop your tired, tourist self into a casual outdoor cafe bar, order yourself some kava (coffee), and sip away while you study the everyday life around you. Top tip: Croatians aren't afraid to slow down every once in a while; and an afternoon coffee is less about the caffeine and more about the experience. And if you're in need of a sweet fix, I'd highly recommend popping in to Meet Mia, a beautiful brunch and cake bar full of hand-made treats.

Meet Mia

FIVE: find the perfect place to crash. After your fun-filled day, you want to relax for the night and rest up, before you head out again in the morning. There are an abundance of cute apartments, suave hotels and funky hostels. If you're looking for something unique, I would highly recommend the Adriatic Train Hostel. An old sleeper train carriage re-purposed into tiny rooms, with single, double or triple bunks, and shared amenities (and free wifi! Win!). Although it may not have the high quality of a hotel, it is such a fun experience - and so cute! 

Adriatic Train Hostel

So, what do you guys think? Have I convinced you yet? Let me know what your favourite underrated tourist destination is!

xx Kenz

The packing process - a (slightly unhelpful) guide

Aah, travel. There is nothing so exciting in life as when your hazy, far-fetched plans of traversing the globe finally become a reality - though, when the pizza delivery arrives would definitely be a close second, and the miracle of childbirth coming in at about third...

Anyway.

You've booked your ticket. You've borrowed a suitcase from your grandparents or some other vaguely distant relation, because, let's be honest - there's no way you're shelling out more money for a bag with wheels. How important can it be? (Side note: two weeks in and you've regretted this decision; it turns out having plenty of space and wheels which actually roll are essentials to suitcases.) You've given notice at your job. You've posted a slightly-pretentious-but-excited-nonetheless status on Facebook detailing how many days until you leave. What could possibly be next on your to do list?

Packing, of course!

Stepping away from the hypotheticals and into personal reality, packing is honestly one of my favourite parts of travelling - apart from, you know, actually travelling. The knowledge that I can fit my whole life into a bag for weeks (or months, if you're adventurous) at a time fascinates me. Here is a vague outline of what my luggage schedule currently looks like:




Step 1: Excitement! I'm going on holiday! At least a month beforehand you can find me planning, writing copious lists, trawling through Pinterest, and full of good intentions. This trip, I intended to pack enough for five months in to just a single carry-on hand luggage. Fired up by all of my research, I'm convinced of success. I'll out-pack every single person on the flight!

Step 2: Reality sinks in a little. After a week or two of thinking "Can I survive five months without this?" every time I pick up an everyday item, I relent a little. I tell myself, "You can check in a bag, but it's still going to be tiny!" I do more research. I reassure myself with more Pinterest and blog posts that not everyone can fit their life into a backpack! I am not alone!

Step 3: Reality sinks in a lot. I realise, after half packing some things, that I have a chronic case of the "what if's?". Example: Germany, middle of winter, and I brought sunscreen...needless to say, I never used the sunscreen. This is the point when I give in to reality and accept the fact that I am taking a full-sized suitcase. I am relieved, and happily employ myself in my free time by stuffing away until every nook and cranny is filled, all the while telling myself that I'll post back anything I don't need. (Spoliers: I won't.) 

Zadar, Croatia, at sunset

So, my dear reader, all sarcasm aside, here are some vital DOs and DON'Ts when it comes to packing:


DO: write a list of everything you plan to bring! Even if you don't follow it religiously, some form of checklist, or even mind map of everything you need will really help you stay focused; or, heaven forbid, for insurance purposes if your bag is lost or stolen.

DON'T: assume the place you're travelling to is a barren wasteland! Unless you're going on an honest-to-goodness bushwhacking adventure in the middle of nowhere (in which case, this post probably won't help much), remember: the inhabitants of this town have survived for many, many years without your favourite brand of soap - you will always, always be able to find either your favourite item or a similar substitute if you forget to pack something! Not to mention, you're much more inventive in a crisis than you realise; for example, I've discovered that in a pinch, shampoo makes a great body wash and clothes washing substitute.

DO: weigh your bag before you get to the airport! Also check your airline's policy for carry-on bags. While some big airlines are fine for you to have a carry on plus an extra handbag, many smaller airlines are very strict on weights and quantities. If you don't have a fancy portable luggage scale like this one, then simply weigh yourself on regular bathroom scales, pick up your bag and weigh yourself again, then take your original wight away from the total mass.

DON'T: underestimate the power of sentimentality! Chances are, you're travelling to the other side of the planet. If this is the case, you may be surprised at how much you sometimes just want to go home! This is normal - even though you may be surrounded by the ruins of the Coliseum, or staring at the Mona Lisa, there's a little part of your mind that is homesick. If you can sacrifice a couple of t-shirts in order to stuff away your favourite book, or a hard copy of a photo of your family to keep next to your bed, you'll really appreciate it later on.

Let me know some of your favourite packing tips a tricks! I'd love to know what I'm missing out on. Happy travels, all!

Kenz xx

What's the goss in Slovenia?

With an approximate population of 2.06 million people (2013), this central European country has many stories to tell.
Here's a fun fact next time someone quizzes you on Slovenia: There are still over 400 brown bears in Slovenia. Tips for running away from bears were discussed in our post here.

The people of Slovenia, who's official language is Slovene or Slovenian, have an education system ranked 12th in the world and 4th in Europe (according to PISA). With spectacular caves and castles just waiting to be explored this country has a lot to offer.

But have you stopped recently and asked: What's the goss in Slovenia? Probably not. So what is actually happening over there and what can you casually bring up in your next intelligent conversation to sound like a world traveller?

Well, it seems Slovenia's finance minister might have gotten himself into a pickle, resigning on Wednesday (13th July 2016). Just a week earlier the country's central bank office was raided (by the proper authorities of course) in search of information relating to allegations of "abuse of office and official duties during a bank bailout" back in 2013 (Euobserver, 2016).

Bailout, simply put, is where someone, for example a government, offers money to a failing business to prevent the negative repercussions of its downfall (Thanks investopedia.com). Bringing this back to picturesque Slovenia, according to the euobserver, over 4.5 million euros of public money was used to bailout multiple Slovenian banks. The Slovene police say it is reasonable to conclude that person's of authority were part of a 257 million euro scam during these events and according to local media four suspects have been named including the governor of the central bank (Bostjan Jazbec), former vice-governors (Stanislava Zadravec Caprirolo and Janez Fabijan) and the head of the central bank's assets evaluation division (Tomaz Cemazar). Obviously if you are going to name drop it's probably an idea to have the pronunciation down pat- we wish you the very best with that!

Although, whenever dinning in Slovenia it is best to keep any business discussions away from the dinner table as they may prefer to keep their business and social life separate.

On a lighter note, the new Nordic skiing complex in Planica has won the 2016 Plečnik Prize, Slovenia's top architectural award. With seven ski-jumping hills and indoor and outdoor cross-country skiing track this place is ready to host international events.

Yes, yes skiing is great but who are the real celebs from Slovenia? Well, if you haven't heard of 2CELLOS you can thank us for bringing culture into your previously beige lives. Half of the duo is from Slovenia! That's right Luka Šulić was born in Maribor, Slovenia! Do you find yourself suddenly loving the sound of Slovenia? Thought so!

Can you guess who from Madam Secretary is from Slovenia? Željko Ivanek known as Russell Jackson, the White House Chief of Staff.

Okay, okay we have convinced you - Slovenia sounds a like an interesting place to visit. We have done a little research on customs and traditions to get you started.
> https://www.slovenedream.com/slovenia/customs_and_manners.html
-> http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/slovenia-guide
-> http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Slovenia.html

We leave you to book your flights and pack your bags as we expect you are now dreaming of the marvelous Slovenia.
-> https://www.lonelyplanet.com/slovenia
-> http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/slovenia
-> http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/slovenia/

Keep living your beautiful lives of spice! xx