Eastern Europe Plans... Thoughts?

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I've never been but I know a lady who's Croatian and she said their beaches rival any's in the world.

For a Croatian, beaches mean large white rocks that go straight into the sea. They are still really nice but they aren't really sandy beaches. Just a different kind of beach. Budva had beaches with sand however. They say Croatia has islands but Montenegro has beaches.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

That sounds very similar to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Tons of landmines, lots of amputee's and the like. I'll try to check that out. The whole SE Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos) would be quite nice - as well as my hopeful future trip of hiking from Tibet to India.

Dumb question, but the Zagreb-Split bus that stops in Plitvice, if I went from Split to Zagreb (instead of vice versa) does it make the same spot? Finding info for the bus's are surprisingly difficult. (Same with Croatia Air, but at least its findable)

I'm sure it would. Most bus drivers will drop you off anywhere as long as it is on their route. You'll see a lot of locals hop on a bus but only ride it one town over. The cost of your ticket (which you pay for on the bus if it isn't from a bus station) is only for however far to travel.

[Locke]

Are you guys at all worried about the whole Idependance Situation going on over there?

[Frequitude]

Might have been said, but if you go to Bratislava, you've gotta pop over to Vienna. It's only an hour away and by far my favorite city in central Europe. PM me if you want details.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

For a Croatian, beaches mean large white rocks that go straight into the sea.

Aa a Croat, I'll agree. There are some sandy beaches, but the rocky beaches seem to out number them. The water is stunning though.

I think the island tours are the best part of Croatia. The Plitvice National Park/Waterfall is something I can't really describe. I think you have to see it for yourself

[604flames]

Phanuthier,

If you get a chance, try to zip over to Istanbul for a few days. I was there when the Flames were on their Cup run, and was without a doubt the most amazing place I've ever been.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by 604flames

Phanuthier,

If you get a chance, try to zip over to Istanbul for a few days. I was there when the Flames were on their Cup run, and was without a doubt the most amazing place I've ever been.

Istanbul does look amazing, but I might save it for another trip. I really wish I made a detour there when I was in Cyprus last year.

I figure I'll save the following for a different trip:

- Greece / Crete
- Bulgeria
- Montenegro / Bosnia (If I don't go to it this trip)
- Turkey (just Istambul)
- Albania (maybe?)

Locke - yeah it does.

I'm keeping my heads up on the foreign affairs warnings

[604flames]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Istanbul does look amazing, but I might save it for another trip. I really wish I made a detour there when I was in Cyprus last year.

If you had a Cypriot visa in your passport they wouldn't have let you in anyway, but man I'm jealous! I've heard nothing but good things about Romania/Hungary/Bulgaria, hope you have an awesome time!

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by 604flames

If you had a Cypriot visa in your passport they wouldn't have let you in anyway, but man I'm jealous! I've heard nothing but good things about Romania/Hungary/Bulgaria, hope you have an awesome time!

True, never considere that. Though I did wonder off a little into Turkey when I was in Nicosia (Cyprus) but didn't wonder too far with all the UN buffer zone warning signs and stuff.

Bulgeria does look sweet - I figure I should save that trip (with Montenegro) for when I go with a beautiful young lady, aka if and when I get married and have a honeymoon.

[peter12]

Try to get into some of the more weirder and wackier Eastern European countries. I was in Armenia a few years ago. I think the visas free, everything is dirt cheap and it's just an extraordinarily beautiful country with tons of history.

[Eric Vail]

If you make it to Krakow, be sure to go to Auschwitz. You will never forget that place.

[Kaon]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I don't quite remember the cost for the bus but from Plitvice to Split took about 3.5 hours. I don't think we spent more than $10 or $15 on any given bus ride. I think the most expensive trips were the international ones (Dubrovnik to Kotor or Dubrovnik to Mostar) but I can't quite recall. Also, the catamarans were pretty cheap, $10 sounds about right from Split to Hvar. The cost to island hop is minimal really.

I'm in a rush this morning so this has to be quick but I think it was about 110 kuna to Plitvice, and about 90ish to go from there. 5 Kuna = $1, or did last May. I think we lucked out more than we know with catching the bus out of Plitvice because people happened to be getting out. You just have to be quick to try to flag down the bus from there. The book we had recommended trying it earlier in the day because if we missed one we wouldn't be hooped, but we caught the last one of the day with minimal issue.