Day 217 Sun 20 May 2007 Dubrovnik to Ston, Croatia

A new plan emerges and we leave Dubrovnik for Ston on the Peljusac peninsula, which juts out into the Adriatic for 65km north. Its a pleasant coastal drive and at the landward end we find the village of Ston, with its obligatory 15C walls, madly built up vertical hill sides and its famous oyster beds and vineyards.

On the way we stop for petrol and sit in the car for a while wondering why the little man doesn’t emerge to fill us up, he just watches from the shop. It eventually dawns on us that we are no longer in a low wage economy and we have to do it ourselves, which is a bit of a shock, first time in 4000li since leaving Aus. He even wants 40Kn (about A$9) for a car wash but relents and gives it to us for free once we’ve bought up most of his tank. After visiting Orebic at the far end of the peninsula where there is a splendidly sited Franciscan monastery, the reason for the change of plan becomes apparent when we return to Ston and tuck into the local produce with gusto.