Day 18 of our European adventure, and today was definitely one of those “let’s just get the miles done” kind of days!
After leaving Croatia, Steven and Suzanne pointed the motorhome towards Lake Irdo in Italy, covering around 330 miles – our longest driving day of the trip so far. And, for the first time, we actually shared the driving!
Yes, you read that correctly. Suzanne drove! 😂
Normally, 150 miles would be more than enough for Suzanne, but today she absolutely smashed it. Some of the roads were pretty challenging, especially the tunnels and the twisty bits coming into the area around the lake. There was also one particularly interesting moment involving a rather tight road, a motorhome and the small matter of needing to reverse to get around.
But we got there… and, more importantly, the motorhome still has all four corners!
The Longest Drive Yet
We set off shortly after midday and, with a shopping stop along the way, eventually arrived at Lake Idro after roughly eight hours on the road.
It was actually quite a satisfying drive. We swapped drivers, which made the journey much easier, and it was good to get ourselves back on track with our original touring plans.
The journey also gave us another reminder of just how many countries we've been bouncing through on this trip.
We keep crossing borders and then crossing them again, particularly around Slovenia and Austria. Technically, we've now been through around 11 country crossings, although only eight different countries.
At one point we even managed to fill up with fuel back in Slovenia at a considerably better price than we'd been seeing elsewhere – always a result when you're dragging a motorhome around Europe!
The Dogs Were Knackered!
Meanwhile, Tilly and Frankie had clearly decided that today was not the day for sightseeing.
They were absolutely shattered. Tilly even decided that the best place to spend part of the journey was under the driver's feet. Not exactly the recommended motorhome travel position!
After the long journey, lack of exercise and the previous night's heat, both girls were ready for their beds.
And to be fair, so were we.
The Night From Hell
The previous night had been brutally hot, probably around 35°C and there was barely a breeze.
We had the fans running, the air cooler working and plenty of ventilation, but it still wasn't exactly tropical paradise inside the van.
Eventually, getting some proper airflow through the roof vents made a difference, but neither of us got much sleep.
Steven managed about two hours.
Which probably explains why Suzanne ended up doing more of the driving today!
Thankfully, by the time we arrived at Lake Idro, things were considerably cooler. Tonight should hopefully involve something revolutionary: SLEEP. Lots of it.
Croatian Supermarket Challenge
We also squeezed in a supermarket visit on the way.
Now, shopping in another country can be part of the fun of travelling , discovering different foods, drinks and local products.
But today's Croatian supermarket was a bit of a linguistic challenge. We couldn't understand half of what we were looking at!
It was the first time on the trip that we'd really felt that language barrier. Eventually, though, we managed to work it out and came away with some supplies, including some rather lovely tuna steaks for tea tonight with salad and new potatoes.
Healthy, simple and very welcome after a long day behind the wheel... There may also have been a few cans of something else involved, But we'll keep that quiet. 😉
Croatia Isn't Quite as Cheap as We Thought
One thing that has surprised us on this trip is the cost of some of the campsites and parking.
We paid €176 to park until Saturday morning, which isn't outrageous, but it certainly isn't the bargain we'd expected.
We've also discovered that some campsites aren't necessarily the great value we imagined they would be, particularly when you consider what you're getting for the price.
It makes us even happier that we invested in our motorhome's electrical setup with things like solar, lithium batteries and a large inverter. One of the big reasons for those upgrades was so we could be more flexible about where we stay.
We've already managed to stay in some fantastic places without paying campsite prices, including a free overnight stop in the middle of a French village. That's the sort of touring we really enjoy.
Back to Beautiful Lake Idro
We've visited this area before, so choosing Lake Idro wasn't exactly a random decision.
We remembered how beautiful it was last time and always said that Tilly and Frankie would love the lake.
Tomorrow we're hoping to get the SUP out onto the water, let the dogs enjoy a swim and generally slow the pace down a bit after today's mammoth drive. We'll probably wander into town for a coffee too.
Although, judging by our previous coffee experiences, we might need to remember not to ask for hot milk!
We're expecting some rain tomorrow, possibly quite a lot of it, but that's touring for you. You can't control the weather, you can only put on a coat, get wet and pretend you're having fun! Fortunately, the forecast looks better again after that.
Day 18: Done and Dusted
So that's another day in the European adventure complete.
330 miles. Eight hours on the road. Two drivers. Two very tired dogs. One extremely tight driving manoeuvre.
And somehow, we're still smiling. The big drives aren't necessarily the most exciting days of a motorhome adventure, but they're part of the journey. Today was about putting the miles in, getting back on schedule and reaching somewhere we already knew we loved.
And tomorrow?
Lake Idro, the SUP, the dogs and hopefully a much better night's sleep.
Sounds like a plan to us!
Goodnight from Lake Bled.
Night night! 👋🐾🚐
📍 Day 18 at a Glance
Route: Croatia → Lake Bled, Slovenia
Distance: Approximately 330 miles
Driving time: Around 8 hours, including a stop
Countries crossed: Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and a few more border crossings along the way!
Travelling with: Tilly & Frankie 🐾
Highlights: Sharing the driving, arriving at Lake Bled, cheaper Slovenian fuel and surviving another long motorhome day
Lowlight: A very hot night and only two hours' sleep!
Tomorrow's plan: Lake Idro, SUP, dogs, walking and hopefully coffee ☕️
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