Tuesday= Travel Day.
That’s how most of us have known February 27th and related it to our agenda. The day we go from that southern point of Dubrovnik and make our way back to the capital city of Zagreb.
In traveling, as in life, plans change. What was originally supposed to be a bus ride to Split and then a scenic train ride to Zagreb became a bus ride to a Plitvice Lakes to take in some excellent scenery in a National Park before continuing on the bus to Zagreb.
Then it changed again and neither of these worked out for us. Flexibility. Adaptability. It was a great day to improve our strengths in both of those areas. If there was any doubt that we are the Snow Storm Class- that doubt has been erased. Honestly, all of Croatia is under some amount of snow- something that any Croatian will tell you is incredibly rare, but that we should have predicted happening. Especially given our track record.
So, it was a solid 10 hour bus ride from Dubrovnik to Zagreb. We were on the bus by 6:00 AM. And the most important word of the day became Safely. Our fantastic driver Goran was only going to take us on the roads that were safe to travel and he would take as long as he needed to get us there unharmed. Just when we thought his driving skills were impressive enough- he outdoes himself once more.
There was a little bit of everything going on during this adventure. Some of us rested. Ines kept us occupied with her insight and knowledge. Some classmates hosted debriefs and reflections on our time here in Croatia. Others encouraged us to reflect not only on our journey within MARL but also on the changes we have witnessed in our fellow cohorts. Snacks were passed. Laughter broke out randomly, stories were shared. And most importantly, support was given. Support that we would arrive safely to Zagreb and that we could handle any amount of time on a bus, traveling snow covered roads, winding through the coast and hills of Croatia. And we did. This was the first leg of our three part path Home. And we are going to enjoy this time with each other as we prepare for the next.
Tour guide Ines provided a walking tour of the historic city center of Zagreb upon arrival.
Submitted by Ashley Schmeling, Darren Newville, and Loren Molenaar.
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