DAY 3

Postcards from Croatia - Ston, Pelješac & Brela

We started the morning in Ston, home to one of the longest preserved fortification systems in Europe. Walking the Walls of Ston gave us incredible views over the salt pans, red rooftops and the surrounding landscape.

After working up an appetite, we stopped for coffee. But before we could enjoy it, a few of us were on a mission to find a bathroom. Filip never let us live down how often we girls seemed to need the bathroom, and it quickly became one of his favourite things to tease us about for the rest of the trip. When we finally found a public toilet, we had to pay to get in, but the machine kept eating my coins. I somehow managed to spend close to €10 just trying to get myself through the door. It's pretty funny to look back on now.

Of course, no day in Croatia is complete without a coffee. Before getting back on the bus, a few of us grabbed a burek from the local bakery, then made a quick stop at Konzum for some Nutella biscuits. They very quickly became our unofficial bus snack. Every supermarket stop after that seemed to end with one of us walking out carrying another packet. I'm pretty sure a whole bag each wasn't uncommon for some of us girls.

Me & Mia

We crossed the Pelješac Bridge before arriving at Villa Neretva for lunch, where we celebrated Dean's 21st birthday. Hearing everyone singing and clapping around the table made it feel like we'd known each other for much longer than three days.

There was something about that lunch that reminded me so much of home. The smell of the food, the conversations around the table and the pace of the afternoon took me straight back to the Croatian Club in Wellington. It reminded me of being a kid, surrounded by family, food and stories. A small moment, but one I'll always remember.

After lunch, we climbed aboard a traditional boat and cruised through the canals of the Neretva Delta before continuing our journey south. By late afternoon we arrived in Brela and checked into our hotel on the waterfront. It was one of the most beautiful places we had visited so far during our trip. We finally had a little bit of time to relax, so a few of us wandered down to a bar by the water before dinner.

Mia, Julia & Estefania in Brela

That evening, everyone dressed up to celebrate Dean's birthday properly. After a buffet dinner at the hotel, the team had organised for us to head to a bar along the waterfront. We were seated at one long table beneath the trees, lit by fairy lights and overlooking the sea. We started the night with a few rounds of rakija shots before I settled into my now usual gemišt and cigarette. Open packets somehow belonged to everyone, and no one ever seemed to mind if you helped yourself. We spent hours talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company, completely losing track of time.

By the time we got back to the hotel, none of us were ready to call it a night. I ended up in Estefania and Mia's room for some late-night chats and giggles, eventually falling asleep in there. After that, we started calling ourselves the "Bed Bugs."

Writing this now has brought back all the emotions I felt while I was there. Even then, I remember trying to take in every moment because I knew how special those days were. We'd only known each other for three days, yet somehow we already felt like family. Maybe that's the thing about connection. It isn't measured by the amount of time you spend with someone, but by how deeply you share it.