Top 30 Moments

We've compiled our favourite moments from the trip. The top 30 are listed below in no particular order.

1 - Truffles in Zagreb for Karla’s birthday
2 - Autumn beauty of Slovenia
3 - Lack of English in Croatia (less than expected). More than expected English = Slovenia.
4 - Best surprise town – Sibenik town and surrounds (followed closely by Ljubljana)
5 - Neil and Karla’s favourite bell tower – Florence (all 463 stairs worth)
6 - Best apartment – Split (although the kitchen utensils could be better)
7 - Most awesome sweet surprise – cherry strudel in Zagreb
8 - Most interesting seafood: Fried sardines in Dubrovnik – a must try!
9 - Best public transport – Zagreb trams
10 - Most amazing café society – Zagreb
11 - Best statue – Apoxyomenos in Split.
12 - Best sporting moment – kayaking around Lokrum island in Dubrovnik
13 - Most memorable stair climb – the 196 stairs from Dubrovnik town to our apartment door
14 - We loved the graciousness of our hosts everywhere (except Zagreb)
15 - Best church – the duomo in Florence
16 - Best coffee – café Nostromos at the fish market in Split
17 - Worst meal – risotto in Dubrovnik
18 - Best train trip – Ljubljana to Zagreb
19 - Best bus trip – N/A – none qualify – they’re all necessary evils
20 - Best kept secret – Trieste
21 - Worst bus drivers = Croatia – they stop for groceries, smoke on the bus while talking on the cell phone and run red lights
22 - Best museum – probably the Ethnographic museum in Split followed by the Pitti Palace in Florence
23 - Best guided walking tour – Florence (The Original Florence Walk)
24 - Worst wine = the crap they feed you in Split (Stolno bijelo vino). Make sure you don’t ask for local wine there…
25 - Worst airport terminal by a mile = Rome Fiumicino airport
26 - Best castle – Miramare Castle in Trieste
27 - Best hotel swimming pool = Movenpick in Dubai
28 - The most interesting bar was in Ljubljana. Very friendly barman (Tomaž), OK beer and wine, great art works for sale and right next to our apartment
29 - Most used item in Sandra’s handbag = handwash followed closely by the tripod
30 - Most amazing structures were definitely in Dubai: the Palm (and we could even drive right to the end past Atlantis Hotel) and the Burj Dubai tower – the tallest building in the world.