Perseverance

October 3, 2024

At sunrise, I take the opportunity for a drone flight over Zadar. Before we begin cycling, we stop briefly at the Sea Organ, where the waves create music.

Then, Martin wants to buy a fast-charging cable, and after some searching, we find a store. This delays our departure from Zadar, something that will affect us later. Along the way, we meet a Canadian family with three children, aged between 9 and 14, on a world tour. They're currently traveling from France to Istanbul and plan to fly to Asia next. Inspiring. We also meet an Italian cyclist facing some difficulties: his credit card isn’t working, and his phone was damaged by rainwater. Luckily, he’s not far from home and hopes to catch a ferry from Split to Italy tomorrow evening.

Meanwhile, Martin gets a flat tire and, unfortunately, has the wrong inner tubes. Luckily, there's a nearby bike shop, which wouldn’t have been the case in rural Bosnia or Montenegro. The repair takes a while.

We must reach Murter today so we can take a boat tour to the Kornati Islands tomorrow. The tours leave early from a small fishing village, so staying near Murter overnight is crucial. The last few kilometers become stressful, which Martin doesn’t enjoy. Still, I insist we push on, even though I’m unsure if we’ll find a tour. I had contacted two providers the night before: one wasn’t offering tours at this time of year, and the other hadn’t responded.

We finally reach the peninsula where Murter is located and find a beautiful spot to camp by the sea.

If the tour doesn’t work out tomorrow, all the stress will have been for nothing, and frustration will follow – especially since Martin typically avoids tourist attractions. Yet, I remain optimistic. Maybe just hopeful?

The next morning, it’s drizzling. I call the second tour operator, who hadn’t replied. He says he has a tour with a large Italian group, but there won’t be space for us if it rains. I persist, offering to sit in the uncovered section of the boat, trusting the forecast that predicts quick improvement. Finally, he agrees.

This reinforces my belief that perseverance often pays off when you’re determined to achieve a goal. We were also lucky: at this time of year, he rarely runs tours. He needs at least ten passengers; his last tour was about ten days ago, and the next isn’t for another ten days. We’re the only tourist boat leaving the harbor today. I hadn’t realized how quiet it already was.

We’re even allowed to bring our bikes on the roof of the boat, and the rain stops before we depart.

The day trip to the 89 islands is breathtaking. They’re all privately owned by locals from the village.

Ownership rights allow them to fish in the area.

Some islands are co-owned, marked by stone walls, especially on the largest one, which is 21 km long. The weather stays sunny with a few scattered clouds that create fascinating shadows over the landscape.

On the way back, we see many sailboats – it’s weekend, and the wind makes for perfect sailing weather. Sailing seems to be everyone’s favorite hobby here.

I feel relieved and happy, and so does Martin. The tour not only made up for yesterday’s stress but also strengthened his trust in me and my planning.

Friends