Posh, Broke, & Bored

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 7: Split, Croatia

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 7, DAY 10: CATCHING FEELS IN CROATIA -

A SENTIMENTAL RETURN TO SPLIT

Even before I embarked on my epic 20 Days in 20 Cities and 6 Countries road trip across Austria, the Balkans, Tuscany, and the Italian Riviera there was one particular city in my itinerary that filled me with equal parts trepidation and anticipation. As the calendar inched ever closer to Croatia, the butterflies fluttered more rapidly in my stomach at the thought of Split. Not because it was a hitherto unknown destination to me; but because I have, had, and have had strong feelings for this Dalmatian coastal city. It was a little over a year ago in this very city where two people reunited then parted (not for the first nor last time, in many cities across the world) - or should I say, split. A summer later, I returned to the stage where last summer's love story played but the leading man was thousands of miles away. Despite my solo encore, the other star was there in spirit, which made my return to Split, Croatia, all the more bittersweet. 💔

CROATIA FULL OF LIFE • VISIT SPLIT

Croatia

October 09, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 7: Split, Croatia

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-HER...

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 6; DAYS 9 & 14: DON’T RAIN ON MY PARADE PARTS 2 & 3 - DRIZZLY DAYS IN TROGIR, CROATIA AND KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

When it rains, it pours. 😫 I thought I had used up a lifetime of getting soaked - having endured a 6-hour nightmare trek through a thunderstorm in one of Croatia's most breathtaking natural wonders, Plitvice Lakes National Park - but even after having sworn off the great outdoors my wet weather woes were far from over. 😭 Now, I'm all for posting in chronological order but the thought of writing two separate posts on getting caught in the rain in two different countries gives me the chills - so today I'll recant Day 9 (Trogir, Croatia) and Day 14 (Kotor, Montenegro) just to get the showers out of my system. Like ripping off a bandaid all at once instead of peeling it back millimetre by millimetre. On the morning of the 9th day of my 20 Days in 20 Cities and 6 Countries road trip, I woke up in Hotel Jezero at dawn - without a cold, miraculously - and without even looking back I quickly revved the engine and set the coordinates to the Old Town of Split.

CROATIA FULL OF LIFE • VISIT MONTENEGRO

Croatia

October 06, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 6: Trogir, Croatia and Kotor, Montenegro

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-HERZEG...

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 5; DAY 8: DON’T RAIN ON MY PARADE PART 1 -

GETTING SOAKED IN PLITVICE NATIONAL PARK, CROATIA

Blue is the warmest colour? You jest. 🙄 Not even the sapphire blue waters of Plitvice Lakes could convince me that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse hadn't cometh on a giant storm cloud, their hooves clanging like crashing thunder, stabbing from the skies with spears of lightning. It was Day 5 of my 20 day road trip across Austria, the Balkans, and Italy when the weather took an abrupt turn for the worse. I'm not talking about the occasional shower here and there; I'm talking about freak storms across Croatia for the first time in 3 very hot, very dry weeks. Where was the rain when wildfires were spreading across the countryside?! Waiting for me to show up so that it could ruin my holiday like a literal wet blanket. 😩

I refuse to let the unseasonable showers put a damper on my diary-keeping, so for the sake of posterity here is the (possibly overdramatic) story of how I nearly drowned in Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia. This is just Part 1 of my three-part 'Don't Rain On My Parade' series - there's also Trogir, Croatia; and Kotor, Montenegro (I'm not even going to mention the wetter days in Split and Dubrovnik 😶 ). Wrap up warm and pour yourself a hot toddy because this is going to give you the chills... ⛈

CROATIA FULL OF LIFE • DISCOVER PLITVICE

Croatia

October 05, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 5: Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-H...

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 4, DAYS 6 & 7: CHASING CROATIA IN ITS CAPITAL CITY OF ZAGREB

Croatia is a country that is very near and dear to my heart. So much so that I sometimes catch myself singing, to the tune of the famous Tourism Malaysia jingle: "Croatia, truly Aaaaasia!" (Wot). It's not that I know every nook and cranny of the country - far from it, my first and only (up to then) proper visit to Croatia was a sultry Summer of Love 2016 in Split. Rather, my affection for this gorgeous country is because someone close to me is half-Croatian, and their own embracing of their heritage (including egging me on to drink fiery shots of rakia) has made me also love Croatia by osmosis. 😚 Aside from Split, the only other time I had been to Croatia was passing through Dubrovnik to get to Montenegro.

I was more than ready to see more of Croatia than just the Dalmatian coast. So it was with eager anticipation that I left Ljubljana, Slovenia for another capital city - Zagreb. 🇭🇷

ZAGREB TOURIST BOARD • CROATIA FULL OF LIFE

EXTRA SAUCE: II, III, IV, VII

Croatia

October 03, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 4: Zagreb, Croatia

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • CROATIA • BOSNIA-...

My Top 3 Travel Companions - Posh, Broke, & Bored

OF COURSE I HAVE TRAVEL BUDDIES - WHO DO YOU THINK TAKES PHOTOS OF ME? BAG DOLCE & GABBANA

"Are we there yet?"
"JASIMINNE SHUT UP"

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and the few who can tolerate your quirks and idiosyncrasies for more than 24 hours without wanting to wrap a hairdryer cord around your neck closest. 😈 As in, their names written down in your black book of 'people to travel with'. I mean, the world as it is can hardly contain my special brand of obnoxiousness, never mind hand luggage restrictions (what do you mean I have to stash my purse in the overhead compartment?!) that are barely big enough for my Travel Privilege. Self-deprecation aside, I am a dream to travel with if you need skincare and beauty products, a photographer (and retoucher), and an endless supply of plasters (you'll prise my pretty-but-impractical shoes off my cold, dead feet). Travel companions, sorry, consistent travel companions are hard to come by - RIP the scrub who'd happily take up a free holiday and hotel stay on my press trips in exchange for taking a few photos of me, but would mysteriously develop back pain whenever I needed help with the camera 🙄 - so in celebration of this month's #TRAVELLINKUP here is my tribute to the 3 people I haven't yet throttled (and vice versa) while in pursuit of new horizons. Visas, valium, and wine at the ready... 😅

#TRAVELLINKUP

travel

October 01, 2017

My Top 3 Travel Companions (did YOU make the cut?)

OF COURSE I HAVE TRAVEL BUDDIES - WHO DO YOU THINK TAKES PHOTOS OF ME? BAG DOLCE & GABBANA "Are we there yet?" ...

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • CROATIA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 3, DAY 5: THE SERENE SPIRITUALITY OF LAKE BLED

AND SLOVENIA’S ONLY NATURAL ISLAND

On my 2nd and last day in Slovenia, I woke up in Ljubljana with a feeling of missed opportunity: for I had failed to capture the capital city's vibrant nightlife, which came as a surprise to me given the tranquil and traditional nature of its charming cobblestoned Old Town. Those close to me *does the Mockingjay salute to my long-suffering friends and family* know that my need to be aware of every detail of my travels borders on the obsessive (some would say I'm a control freak, I prefer the phrase 'detail-oriented'). Having found myself unprepared for the dark side of Ljubljana's moon, I drove to the most famous destination in the town of Bled praying that I had done my homework, and that Lake Bled would be as breathtaking as I had hoped it to be.

Once again, I discovered that nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to see...

BLED TOURISM PORTAL

I FEEL SLOVENIA

Bled

September 28, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 3: Lake Bled, Slovenia

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • C...

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • CROATIA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 2, DAY 4: THE LAID BACK CHARM OF LJUBLJANA AND MARIBOR, SLOVENIA

Ljubljana

September 25, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 2: Ljubljana & Maribor, Slovenia

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ...

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay...

20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES.

AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • CROATIA • MONTENEGRO • ITALY

PART 1, DAYS 1-3: CHASING THE GHOSTS OF THE

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Has it already been half a year since I blogged about what is possibly the most extra reaction to a Youtube video by declaring my intention to chase Balkan ghosts with a 3 week tour of the former Yugoslavian states, beginning of course with the Austro-Hungarian empire (because we know those Habsburgs liked to have their fingers in many, many strudels) and nicely rounded off with a bit of Tuscany and the Italian Riviera? When I announced, back in May, My Ultimate Itinerary for an Austria, Balkans, and Italy Road Trip - or 'Travel Tasting Menu' in keeping with that month's #TRAVELLINKUP topic - the general consensus was "This isn't just a metaphorical meal, this is a feast of Bacchanalian proportions". Well consider me fed and watered on all things travel, for after 20 days of road-tripping and sleeping in a different hotel in a different city every other night I am truly indulged and laden with the travel equivalent of a food coma. *Burp* Now that I've had a week to recover from my long holiday I'm ready to recant my summer, starting with the first of many blog posts to come about 20 Days in 20 Cities and 6 Countries. First stop - Vienna, Austria. Grüß Gott!

VIENNA. NOW. FOREVER.

Austria

September 22, 2017

20 Days, 20 Cities, 6 Countries - Part 1: Vienna, Austria

A city a day keeps the wanderlust at bay... 20 DAYS. 20 CITIES. 6 COUNTRIES. AUSTRIA • SLOVENIA • BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA • CROA...

MALAYSIA BOLEH, YOU PUN BOLEH!

(MALAYSIA CAN, AND SO CAN YOU)

10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT MALAYSIA, LIKE, NOW

Malaysia

September 01, 2017

10 Reasons Why You Must Visit Malaysia, by a Proud Malaysian

MALAYSIA BOLEH , YOU PUN BOLEH ! (MALAYSIA CAN, AND SO CAN YOU) 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT MALAYSIA, LIKE, NOW

Life, lately: Why I took a break from blogging and a look at my new London home

(DON'T LET THE TWEE PINK CURSIVE FOOL YOU; I'M BACK AND B*TCHIER THAN EVER)

LIFE, LATELY: WHY I TOOK A BREAK FROM BLOGGING, WHAT'S BEEN KEEPING ME BUSY, & A LOOK AT MY NEW LONDON HOME

Home & Interiors

August 25, 2017

Honey, I'm home!

(DON'T LET THE TWEE PINK CURSIVE FOOL YOU; I'M BACK AND B*TCHIER THAN EVER) LIFE, LATELY: WHY I TOOK A BREAK FR...

Paris, France: My First Ever European One Night Stand

BARELY LEGAL TEEN AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME + SUDDEN ACCESS TO HERETOFORE LIMITLESS FUNDS AND DISCOVERING THE EUROSTAR = ONE NIGHT IN PARIS...

It was always a given that I'd have itchy feet: whether I have the controversial 'wanderlust gene' DRD4-7R (which apparently inflicts 20% of the world's population) or if my travel addiction was cultivated from a tender age. Before I left my sheltered and privileged upbringing in Kuala Lumpur for a life of independence and adventure in London, I had boarded more airplanes than any form of public transport (in fact, I suspect I still do). My parents fanned my flames of fernweh with road trips around Europe, holidays in Hawaii, and missions to visit every Disneyland in the world (only Shanghai left to go!). Travels to far and exotic lands were woven into the fabric of my upbringing, but it was only after I attended the school of life that I became acquainted with a new and exciting kind of travel: European city breaks. Posh, Broke, & Bored is no stranger to the long weekend; whether they be 48 Hours in Edinburgh, 24 Hours in Brussels, or 24 Hours in Milan. In the spirit of this month's TRAVEL LINKUP I thought I'd share my travel story about I discovered and fell in love with day trips to European cities with my very first time, from 10 years ago...

*PARDON THE QUALITY OF THE PHOTOS, THESE WERE PRE-DSLR-DAYS AND TAKEN ON A SIMPLE POINT-AND-SHOOT.

France

July 01, 2017

Paris, France: My First Ever European One Night Stand

BARELY LEGAL TEEN AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME + SUDDEN ACCESS TO HERETOFORE LIMITLESS FUNDS AND DISCOVERING...

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