The night was full of dark and terrors, practically synonymous with rain and cold for me. Waking to the chilly air and a spread of food that would put any hotel breakfast buffet to shame, I sipped my coffee, savored my meal, and packed for the day ahead, the final stretch before my own bed beckoned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I bid adieu to the city, the rain decided to throw a cheeky sprinkle my way, a parting gift of sorts, as if to say, catch me if you can! Little did it know, I was too far south, where the sun reigns supreme. Or so I thought, until proven otherwise. Blazing through the flatlands, I threw a quick “Auf Wiedersehen” to Australia, without any kangaroo sightings, and welcomed Slovenia with open arms. (By the way, whoever coined “I FEEL sLOVEnia” deserves a medal.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maribor, Slovenia, my first home away from home for a solid five years, surprised me with its swiftness, pulling at my heartstrings all over again. Emotions swirled as I biked through the familiar city center, taking a nostalgic cruise down memory lane. Despite the urge to linger, I didn’t want to lose my momentum, so off I went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The day warmed up as the dark clouds began to scatter. Speeding through familiar villages, I was unexpectedly halted by the best surprise of my journey. As I passed through a small village on the border of Slovenia and Croatia, I noticed increasing crowds with flags. Curious and somewhat baffled, I stopped to inquire. Thankfully, my Slovenian kicked in when needed. They casually mentioned a bicycle race passing through. “Just a bicycle race?” I thought, only to learn it was the Tour of Slovenia and they were minutes from racing by. What serendipity! Watching them speed past inspired me to finish my journey with a burst of energy, though not quite race speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crossing the final border felt like a drumroll. Home was palpable in the air. As I navigated familiar paths, I pondered who might be assembling my welcome committee. Sneaky glances followed me to my doorstep where, surprise, I crashed my own surprise party! A fitting end to a grand adventure, complete with loved ones, fine dining, and the best cakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thus caps off the Denmark to Croatia epic. But hold your horses, the saga doesn’t end here. After a week’s respite at home, I’m off again to Split for another 500 km trek and a three-day lead-up to a nine-day diving extravaganza on the picturesque island of Kor\u010dula. Stay tuned, because if you thought this was intriguing, there’s more where that came from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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