Traveling is full of decisions and compromises, especially as a budget traveler. You are always plagued with making choices about quality, price, means of traveling. Scrimping and saving by staying in a rancid youth hostel so you can have a beer during the evening (opportunity cost!). These choices have driven thousands of young travelers to exotic destinations like Thailand where, for those who don��t mind slightly below-average accommodations, pristine beaches and delicious meals abound for under $10 a day. I consider myself a backpacker (though I always pack too much) but even I crave an outlandishly expensive meal and a shopping excursion here and there. Have no fear�Xwhether you are the biggest penny pincher alive, or the most lavish spender in the world, you can stay in a gorgeous room (or apartment), eat amazing seafood meals, drink spectacular wine, and swim in the most beautiful crystal clear water, for under $30 a day. In fact, even if you were the Prince of Spain I would question your sanity in spending more.
Though I can hardly speak for the entire speak for the entire former Yugoslavia, having spent a good deal of time in Slovenia and Croatia, I can give you my assurances that these two countries are stunningly gorgeous, and packed with some delicious food and rather attractive men--what more could a girl ask for! I arrived in Croatia in early May (just a few weeks before the hoardes of Italian tourists--all keenly aware of the beauty of this land, having tried to annex it for centuries) and was immediatley struck by how visually enticing Croatia is. Everything is eye-candy-- the thousands year old marble streets (courtesy of the Venitians), the Roman ruins (which were, frankly, everywhere and very, very lived in), the unearthly blue, green, strikingly clear water (hard to see where it began), and the play between the white stone beaches, blue water, and green vegitation (much of which is olives and grapes--yummmm).
We stayed mostly in guesthouses, all of which had better views, and better food, than the nearby hotel. If that wasn't enough to entice you, homemade grappa, olive oil and Croatian style recipes (often involving obscene amounts of delicious seafood at cheap, cheap prices) would surely bring you there. If you are missing the point of this little story, let me say it plainly. Don't miss Croatia. It is heaven on earth. It is no wonder that, according to legend, Odysseus spent several years seeking haven in the heavenly islands of the Dalmation Coast. Soon enough, like every other perfect place on earth, EVERYONE will know about it, and the people you least want to vacation with will come on their cruise boats and package tours, tearing down everything that makes Croatia so special. Ok, it will be good for their economy, but less tantalizing for you. Go now.
If you don't believe me, see the pictures!
Entire Europe Album at Ofoto.com
Entire Croatia Album at Ofoto.com