Croatia

Getting to the Plitvice lakes took some effort. The train journey from Budapest was a schlep as they were working on the rail track and we had to bus some of the way! So up and down and in and out trains and a bus, several times was exhausting to the old age home. What made the journey worth our while though, was sharing a compartment with a very like-able Yankee!

We shared travel tales, but his one was so funny! Andrew Lis is an Earth warrior, working today to save tomorrow's environment. He told us that he was traveling by train between Hungary and Croatia and he asked a fellow friend, what is growing in the fields? The answer from his friend: Salad. We saw a hellavu lot of salad on our journey.

We parted ways at Zagreb, and I decided we should move on to the Plitvice lakes. I bought tickets to the closest station and the ticket seller said, platform 4, madam, platform 4. We found our way to platform 4 and got onto the train. As we're leaving the station my intuition kicks in and I say to mom and dad we are on the wrong train. I ask in the compartment next door and yes, we are on the wrong train. We are on our way back to Hungary. At the next station we quickly get off and take a train back to the Zagreb station. Anni is nou dik de bliksem in! It's already a challenge to travel with 2 tired old people but when you give me the wrong information, you are looking for trouble. By now I am ready to hire a car.

I go back to the lady that insisted it is platform 4, I tell her that we were on the wrong train, she totally insists that she did not make a mistake, and that the train left from platform 4. I now demand my money back, she says; I can get a credit but not all the money back. I say, madam, it was your mistake, and I will stand here until you give me ALL my money back. It took a while but I got all my money back.

I find a tourist office and ask about a bus to Plitvice, and yes there is one in the next hour! By now I am gatvol for trains and the auntie is hysterical when she sees a staircase!

We then schlep to the bus station and get onto a bus that delivered us about 10 meters from our hotel in the park. I book in for two days...The bus turned out to be a much better option! Cheaper and more reliable!