Overland Journal Day 1-10: Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia & Croatia

Ten days ago we departed from our rainy hometown, Utrecht in the Netherlands. So far we have driven 2243 kilometers. Via the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Slovenia we currently find ourselves in Croatia. And most importantly: we also found the sun here! What did we see and do during the trip until now? Read all about our first ten days here.

Germany: Autobahn and Neuschwanstein Castle

On our first day we drove the most kilometers to date: 480 in total. Obviously that’s not very hard on the smooth asphalt of the German autobahn. Our car was in perfect condition, after months of being at the garage in the Netherlands to get the car ready for our trip. What a relief. The day flew by as we got to know every nook and cranny of the car. In the evening, we decided to opt for convenience: we slept in a roadside motel. Not the romantic image I had in mind, but very practical nonetheless.

We head out into the picturesque Aschaffenburg and had some food and a beer at a local restaurant. We celebrated the start of our trip, and decided we would do something fun the next day. We are not traveling just to sit in a car and drive kilometers, obviously. This trip is all about seeing and experiencing the world around us.

At 8:30 the next morning we left for Neuschwanstein Castle. A fairytale castle on the rocks, whose tall towers overlook the forested, rolling landscape of Bavaria. We hiked for 2 hours through the woods surrounding the castle. Our Dutch calfs were not at all used to the height difference, but it was a welcome change from sitting in the car. And the panoramic views of the surroundings and the castle were more than worth it. We saw the first snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance, green hills and clear blue mountain lakes. It was beautiful. Along with a few hundred other tourists, by the way, who had also decided on Monday morning that Neuschwanstein Castle was worth a visit. Beautiful places are popular for a reason. Next we drove on to northeastern Austria, where the lovely hills slowly transformed into the jagged Alps.

Austria: Mountains in Tyrol, Highline 179, Zillertal and Zell am See

Before we left on our overland journey, I often thought about our trip, naturally. I imagined us driving along the desolate Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, or making our way through China with a guide in the back seat. I never really thought about the countries close to the Netherlands. Austria turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

I felt euphoric as we drove past the first snow-covered mountain peaks. Mountains just seem to have a special place in my heart. Around dinner time, we were looking for apartments in the area to spend the night, but we discovered that there is also a downside to Austria. Everything is super expensive! In the end, we found a campsite for thirty euros. The tent was set up in no time – literally 2 minutes – and we had a great view of the mountains around us. It would be a great test right away with -2 degrees and a storm that night. Wearing thermal underwear and a fleece vest, I crawled into my sleeping bag, only to overheat within minutes. One learns by doing… The good news: the tent stayed firmly on the roof despite the strong wind, and the sleeping bags are nice and warm!

Early in the morning, a rooster next to our tent couldn’t wait to greet the sunlight. A 10-minute drive from our sleeping spot, we visited one of the longest suspension bridges in Europe, dangling 114 meters above the valley. I suffer from vertigo and was determined to overcome it, but once I was on the bridge everything was fine luckily. This allowed me to enjoy the phenomenal view of the surroundings even better: a green valley, eternal snow and small villages.

The next stop: the green ‘Zillertal’. The very last winter sports enthusiasts were desperately sliding down the last bits of slopes. We took a detour via a winding mountain pass. It turned out to be a good choice. The road took us deep into the woods, where thick packs of snow lay on either side of the road. It was magical. Finally, we pitched our tent at a campsite in Zell am See and opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate our expedition.

The next morning the sun shining bright, we visited my cousin and his family who run a B&B in southern Austria and arrived in country number 3: Slovenia.

Slovenia: Lake Bled and the Postojna caves

Rain, rain, rain. That best sums up our 24 hours in Slovenia. Lake Bled is beautiful even in the rain, but I suspect it would be a lot more pleasant with better weather. So we set our sights on Slovenia’s second highlight: the Postojna Caves.

The Postojna Caves are one of the longest cave systems in Europe. You can explore them by – yes, truly – a train. Together with a whole horde of other tourists, you board a train that then makes its way through the narrow passages of the extensive cave system. You’ll see epic rock formations of stalactites and stalagmites. A magnificent natural wonder meets Disneyland. Weird? Yes! Cool? Yes!

The weather forecast wasn’t promising, so after just 24 hours we headed for the next country and the sun. Croatia.

Croatia: Plitvice and Dubrovnik

Our first destination in Croatia was a small cottage in the woods. Marcel was not feeling well, so it was a good time to get some rest. The sun was shining, it was 23 degrees and we felt like we were alone in the world. From our cottage we had a panoramic view of the surrounding woods. We saw a squirrel swinging through the trees, a fox running by and in the morning we were greeted by three deer. I finally had time to work out, started reading the book ‘The Last Overland’ (about someone who drove from Singapore to London in an old Land Rover) and hiked through the woods. It was simply lovely. Once again, I decided we should take it slow more often.

After two days of doing nothing (during which time always goes surprisingly fast), Marcel felt a little better and we decided to go on. The first stop: the famous Plitvice Lakes. Here you hike past crystal clear, turquoise lakes and hundreds of picturesque waterfalls. The largest waterfall is appropriately called the Great Waterfall (Veliki Slap) and is a whopping 78 meters in height and surrounded by smaller siblings. A feast of waterfalls as far as the eye can see, so to say. Definitely one of the highlights of Croatia. True natural beauty, even in winter (and an entrance ticket costs about 30 euros less in this period than in high season).

We drove along the coastal road from north to south through the country. Along the way, we stopped in the old port town of Trogir and visited the impressive old city center of Split. But the real highlight was the road itself. With each bay we passed, the water became a little more blue, and the mountains a little more rugged. I imagined myself in a tropical resort and even dared to compare the beaches to the spectacular beaches in Asia. This is it, our goal. Driving the most amazing routes we can find and enjoying everything we encounter along the way.

Our destination of this enchanting coastal road was Dubrovnik. Expectations were high, because it’s a popular place. And rightly so. I am a Dubrovnik fan. Behind every corner, a tiny alley was begging to be explored. The crooked steps made their ways up to the red roofs of the historic houses. The old city center is surrounded by sturdy city walls, overlooking the bluest sea I’ve seen in ages. I could count the rocks at the bottom of the sea. And fun fact: the entire town is featured in Game of Thrones and has been used for numerous scenes. As true GoT nerds, we obviously went to all the filming locations.

A little further along the coast is the deserted beach resort town of Kupari. A place where Yugoslav soldiers and Tito, among others, vacationed. During the Yugoslav civil war it was (literally) shot to pieces and bombed, only to fall into oblivion. The result? A bay with abandoned, dilapidated hotels and broken-down villas. A bit of an apocalytic vibe, but worth a visit. I always find such places interesting. Places which seem to be forgotten by everyone and everything, and are slowly decaying over time.

We ended the day by driving to a hill with beautiful views of Dubrovnik during sunset. It was the most beautiful day so far. I could have stayed here for a while longer. But we decided to seek out the slightly less tropical Sarajevo. This city has a fierce recent history that we want to learn more about. And a real milestone: we are leaving the EU!

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