Makarska & back to the best campsite ever (by Rach)

Makarska

We stopped in a little fishing town called Makarska. I can’t tell you much about it because my diary only allows for a paragraph for each day and my memory is shocking but it was nice and we saw a black squirrel. I think.

Split

Gosh Feb has come around so quickly I can’t catch my breath. I also can’t control my snot. I’ve come down with what my Nan would call ‘a rotten cold’. We parked in a lovely spot at a small fishing harbour but I spent the whole day dying in bed with tissue shoved up my nose so we could’ve been parked on the moon and I wouldn’t have cared.

Sean found an amazing free parking spot practically on the beach and I’d started feeling better so we walked the half an hour into Split. I was breathless which I think was the cold but honestly it could just be because I’m so out of shape. No actually, I am in shape, it’s just the shape of an overly ripe pear that’s been stamped on.

Sean enjoyed his first beer of 2020 (he gave it up for Jan) I had my first meat (insert filthy joke) and I felt incredibly guilty. Maybe I’ll try being ‘flexitarian’.

If you read Sean’s last blog, you’ll know we were in two minds about where to go next. I fancied Italy, Sean fancied Slovenia. So like the slaves to Social Media we are, we put it to an Instagram poll – Sean won. As we were in Split and in no rush to head north (because cold) we decided to visit our most best favouritest campsite in the whole world ever. Camping Stobreč Split – cat and pizza heaven. When the receptionist asked me how many days we’d be staying this time, I said ‘my boyfriend said just one night but I’ll work on him’. The receptionist laughed and said ‘I’m sure the cats will find you again’.

Well she wasn’t wrong. I spotted Mačka (pronounced Matchka, it means cat in Croatian) the tabby on my way to the loo. She ran straight over to me and followed me back to the van, plonked herself on the bed and went to sleep. She's my spirit animal.

We really came at the right time, as the next night there was a fierce wind that shook the van from side to side. Mačka and her mate Fat Girl (that was her nickname, I also gave her 2 other names - Olive, then Grace, which ended up as Grolive) had sought refuge from the wind with us. At one point there was a loud BANG! Me and Sean looked at each other and telepathically said “fuck was that the solar panels?!“ then we said it out loud because neither of us have telepathic abilities. Thankfully it wasn't.

Without me having to convince Sean (at all) we stayed and stayed. The beauty of this campsite is that they have an on-site restaurant that sells amazing takeaway pizza. Which we indulged in multiple times. I mean, cats and pizza with a beach front view – I challenge you to find a better situation. I re-organised the cupboards and printed more stickers for the van but apart from that I did nothing but cuddle the cats and eat pizza. That squashed pear reference is starting to make sense now huh?

At one point we had 3 cats stay the night! Mačka, Fat Girl/Grolive and Fat Boy (who I thought was Grolive's brother but he tried to have his filthy way with her so I really hope not.) I probably shouldn't have named the cats because I got seriously attached. They were such loving things, but we made a conscious decision not to bring our own cat Moo on the van because it would mean we couldn't visit big cities and be away from the van all day, so it would be unfair on her to adopt another cat... or three.

We eventually decided to leave heaven on earth after seven joy filled days. I coaxed the cats outside with lots of food and said my goodbyes. I cried a little bit and made a promise to myself that if we end up in a position to be able to adopt Mačka and the crew then I'll do it. I just need to work on Sean a bit first (insert filthy joke).

Recommended campsite for Split:

http://park4night.com/lieu/7382/