Hungary August 2019

Thursday to Sunday was a mixture of agony and ecstasy.

Your ride To The Stages

The thrill of participating on these stages and rubbing shoulders with the best of the best.

The only way I can capture these moments are in these videos.

We would have loved to shoot better scores but the learning and enjoying took over any other emotions.

We enjoyed the local food as usual. The wine is good.

We learned a bit of the language to get by.

We loved the safety, the simplicity and the culture of this country.

It was sad in a way to leave on Monday as it was a very short trip this time, but we will definitely be back in Hungary in the very near future.

Hungary August 2019

After a very stressful time obtaining our temporary import permits for the shotguns for

Our House In Godollo

the World Compak Championships in Hungary and the registration of them on Emirates, we were finally all prepared for this trip.

Emirates was good as usual and at Ferenc Liszt Airport, Hungary we had to wait about two hours for the 22 shooters permits to be issued.

The weather is full on summer and first we went into Budapest to collect our ammo.

Varaszlo Main Intersection

I think we are becoming seasoned travelers when we start recognizing sights along the way and also know our way around. 

We have a house in Godollo which is about 25 minutes drive

Traffic in Varaszlo

from the shooting range in the forest just outside Galgamacsa.

Monday was practice day and what an eye opener. Even practice day runs smooth. Everything works. No queues, No broken machines. No broken clays.

Tuesday we were keen to make the 300km trip down to Somogy County. We had appointments with the estate agent in the beautiful region just past the Balaton Lake.

Our Favourite House In Varaszlo

Typical Hungarian houses with cellars and outbuilding. All have fruit trees and vegetable gardens and they love their flowers even though they don't mow the lawn too often. Then on the verge of a forest in the village of Varaszlo we saw what we think we could like in. a Lovely house with part of the property running into the forest.

Big decision to be made and lots of homework to be done.

Garden At Our Favourite House

Wednesday evening was the opening ceremony held at the equestrian estate which was about ten minutes from our house. I thought I would be more excited about this but the occasion is really blown up. It could be that I am not that patriotic as before.

We were treated to goulash with pasta or gnocchi and wine and collected our goody bags consisting of back packs and a bottle of wine.

Compak World Championships - Hungary.

It was such good news when we heard that Richard had made the South African Team

to shoot in Hungary.

Compak is so organized that they make shooters that did not qualify for the team also take part so that they feel part of this event - guess who is going  in the Compak Team.

So at the beginning of June we started the arrangements.

Galgamácsa

Most important was the gun permit that now no longer gets issued at the Airport within ten minutes. No No - this now get applied for at your local DFO, goes to Johannesburg, then Pretoria, then finds it's was back to you if you are lucky.

Today we are 60 days into the process and we do not know where our permit is. Holding our breath so that we have shotguns to shoot with.

All other arrangements are in order - just waiting for the visas to get back.

Count down has  begun.

Croatia 10 April 2019

The end of our trip is here and today we fly back to South Africa.

It has been a fact-finding trip for us. But First. Our last two days in Zagreb.

Three weeks ago when we were in Zagreb we lived on the outskirts and it was really difficult to come into town with all the traffic and trams so we found a long term parking for our car and we did Zagreb by foot.

The tulips and daffodils are in full bloom and the streets are crowded with students. Opera singing practice drifts from the School of Music and since it is spring the residents are enjoying the sun by lazing around the numerous street coffee/bar establishments which are found on every street and on every corner.

We found a favourite eating place within 10 minutes from our apartment and we were quickly swept up in the Croatian way of relaxing and enjoying our food and wine in a quiet and restful manner. Not the rush of back home where it seems we always have loud music and loud restaurants.

I am rather sad it is all over.

The Croatian people have been fabulous. Always helping when we had a battle with the language in a supermarket or restaurant.

The best example was when we had to pay for our long term parking and had no more kuna and they did not accept credit cards. What we got was a smile and a wave to travel safely. He as not worried about the account at all.

Croatia I love you and seriously will make every effort to return

Croatia 7 April 2019

This morning I was up at 0515, wanting to be the early bird t the Plitvice National Park. We don't

really do crowds well and this time it paid off.

The weather was lousy but it made up for no crowds as it must be horrendous to have hundreds of visitor on these wooden walkways that wind over the water and through the forest.

We had our rain macs, beanies, gloves and brollies and all I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

The National Park is world famous for its sixteen lakes arranged in cascades.

We did the long loop which takes in the lower and upper lakes.

You get bussed to the first walking station and what should have taken us two hours turned into three because we could not just rush through the lower lakes.

We then took a ferry across the lake and did the walking loop to the upper lakes and the Veliki Slap (Big Water Fall)

All in all, that was a nine-kilometer hike, so can you imagine what we feel like tonight. No actually, the bodies don't feel anything tonight

Enjoy the slides here: Plitvice Lakes - Croatia.

Croatia 6 April 2019

Medevja

Rijeka is not at the top end of our best cities list. In fact, it is a not to do again city. It is crowded and

Opatija

awkward and we could not even find a good restaurant. You have millions of coffee shops/bars everywhere and that is all they serve. No food.

The downside has also been the weather that has been very wet.

Yesterday we did take to the coast, north of Rijeka towards Pula through Opatija and Medevja. The road winds along the cost and the businesses are starting to open

Richard at Mrežnica River

for the spring, awaiting all the tourists. It must be a madhouse in summer.

Mrežnica River

Today we made our way to the Plitvice Nationaal Park which is way more our scene.

As usual, the GPS took us on a scenic route and we landed up in the forests just outside

Apartment at Rakovica

Rakovica where we have an apartment.

Along the route, there was a thirty-kilometer stretch that took us into the forest, in Karlovac County, and over the Merznica River where they river raft. The rapids are stunning and the colour of the water is out of this world.

Excited about tomorrow. Plitvice National Park, here we come.

Croatia 4 April 2019

Medvednica National Park

My Ditch

Zagreb is clean and organized.

The Medvednica National Park, situated on the outskirts of Zagreb is stunning. We could not get to the Ski Resort as the road was closed but made our way up for a while into the forest.

This must be a wonderland when covered in snow. Now it has the most amazing hiking trails into the forest up the mountain towards the Slovenian border.

Tuesday morning we made our way to Rijeka on the coast.

Leo & Ena - Zagreb

Rijeka

I think I am a bit disappointed. It is really cramped and built up. The streets are narrow with the
house entrances on street level. It is not an easy town to get around.

We met Josipa, an agent from Delnice, who showed us some properties in forests, in this area. Some of these villages are on the River Kupa which is the Slovenian/Croatian border.  Stunning scenery but the north of Croatia is still prettier.

Rijeka

Lokve Near Delnice

Our weather is cloudy, with a drizzly now and then, but no rain that has kept us from sightseeing so far. Maximum temperatures are 16 deg and a minimum of 3 deg.

Croatia 31 March 2019

Our last two days in Varazdin have been spent seeing all the sights and getting to know the town.

Shooting Range Zelendvor

One of our favorite restaurants is the Kineske Kuhinje which actually means Chinese Cuisine, but no Chinese Cuisine in sight at all. They served the best Squid and Pomfrit. Meals, beer and wine are on a par with South Africa cost wise.

Varazdin Cemetry

Everything in the supermarkets is pretty much the same and we are slowly learning what everything is in Croatian.

We drove out to Zelendvor where there is a hunting lodge and

King of Varazdin

behind the restaurant, we found a trap, skeet and sporting range. Looks like we can easily live in this are.

Varazdin Castle

On our way back we stopped at the Varazdin Cemetry with the most beautifully kept gardens. Graves date back to the 1800's and they even have sections honouring the soldiers who fought for the different wars of Croatia. History is very important to the people.

Today, which is Sunday, we made our way to Zagreb where we will stay for two days before we go off to the National lake Park.

Zagreb City Centre

We went into the city which should have been quiet as it is Sunday, but Spring has sprung and every person in Zagreb is eating out and going for a walk or a bike ride.

A very scary experience is when you are driving through th city centre, on the right hand side of the road and you have to share the lane with an enormous tram.

Croatia 28 March 2019

The last three days have been really hectic for us.

Our "Hope To Be" Home

There is so much information to take in concerning the Croatian land law and who can and who can't buy land. Which land you can buy and which land you can not buy.

When I get into bed at night I am over informed and have to sift through the information and process it.

View From The Bedroom.

We have found a really good property but we have to open a Croatian company to buy it. That would mean, setting up a PTY and getting an accountant to do your administration every year. This is all a load of legal work but if we go about it the correct way we can overcome the obstacle it raises.

We now have to see an accountant and a lawyer to see if we are

Varazzdin Street Market

able to apply for temporary residence, seeing that this property needs a Croatian company to purchase. This we will do next week.

In the meantime loads of decisions but it is really interesting and would love everything to start falling into place.

Slovenia - Just Past The Border Post

We visited what seems like a junkyard market held in Varazdin every Thursday and Saturday. We have also been shopping like the locals in the supermarket trying to see if we can overcome the language barrier and so far, so good.

The mobile comes out ever so often with a translating app but for just being here a week, I think we are coping. It is a really difficult language to master and I don't think we ever will, but slowly you can pick up the words and I think after a few months and lessons from a language teacher, you will be able to converse a bit.

Yesterday we went into Slovenia and drove up to Maribor, which should we be living here, will be

Leštakovec

where we can do some clay target shooting. It is just as beautiful as Croatia but the Croatian village roads are much better.

It is a pleasure to drive on all these roads with no aggressive drivers such as the drivers back home. Croatians have patience on the roads and there is no excessive speeding on the roads.

Loving it here.

Croatia 25 March 2019

Breakfast in Varazdin

We have settled into our apartment in Varazdin which is really comfortable. Slept like a log on Saturday night and only showered and dressed at 10.30. A real treat for us.

Drava River - Varazdin County Side

We explored the Drava River and forest and as it was Sunday the
local residents were out there enjoy the beginning of spring. Couples and families were strolling along the river chatting and the kids were out on their bicycles.

Drava River - Medimurje County Side

We stay in Verazdin County and across the river is the Medimurje
County where, on the banks, people have wooden and mobile homes for weekend getaways. They were out doing the barbeque and it seemed like a different world to this side of the river.

Country Home in Leštakovec. 

In the evening we met with Paul and Sanje who will be showing us properties in the morning. Went for a drive out to the hunting lodge in Zelendvor and then off for a pizza at a nearby restaurant.

We woke to rain this morning - it felt like we were in the UK - but jackets on and we were going to see the properties as arranged.

View From The House

The countryside is beautiful and a mist hung over the valleys and forests that we passed through. We have definitely decided we do not want to live in the suburbs so have already narrowed down our list. We saw one very promising home but could not get inside and will be going back before the weekend.

Croatia - 22 March 2019

Home This Morning

The day has arrived and after some nail-biting organizing and reserving (I am always nervous about having all my ducks in a row) flights, car, accommodation and liaising with real estate agents, we now just have to pack the last of the necessities print our boarding passes and order the Uber.

Doha Airport

This morning as I looked out at an overcast sky, everything is still quiet outside. There is great excitement inside me as there always is when we travel. I think we are privileged to be able to see this wonderful world as we do.

What an amazing thought that in a few hours we will be on the other side of the globe.

Half Hour From Landing In Zagreb

We are flying Qatar Airlines for the first time so will stop over at Doha and then on to Zagreb,

Varazdin

Croatia.

At the security check in, they stopped Richard because he had a toy gun on his key ring and at Doha he was pulled aside again because he had two empty casings in his backpack. We had a delay of nearly an hour at Johannesburg International and then at Doha, we went straight onto the plane to Zagreb. 

We collected ur car and tonight we are in Varazdin. We stocked up on groceriess wll have a good night sleep and start the adventure tomorrow.

 

Drakensberg - The Nest

I can't believe the week has drifted by.

One more day to enjoy this beautiful part of our country.

It has been really good for us to just switch off.

Once again our food last night was scrumptious and we will have to go on a fast from next week just to get our weight back down.

Now we will go back home to do a few more shoots and then put our minds together for our trip to Croatia.

Drakensberg - The Nest

Another lazy day at "The Nest"

The Champagne Valley

The food is fabulous and except for thoughtless people that talk to load and insist on us all having to hear about their woes, we are having the rest we need.

Drakensberg Boys Choir School

"The Nest" is on the same road that leads to the Drakensberg Boys Choir School, so we took a drive out there. How very privileged any scholar is to study in such beautiful surroundings. Nestled in the Champagne Valley.

We also looked for places to fish but the dams are very low after the drought and there is no fishing available.

Drakensberg - The Nest

This is like a spur of the moment break from all the humdrum of city living.

I wonder if we will ever get used to all the noise of the city. I sure miss the farm.

I am not complaining because we are very blessed to have these opportunities.

Off we go at about 08:30, we wanted to get on the road earlier but first had to replace sensor batteries for the alarm system, otherwise, we would have been worrying about that the entire weekend.

It is a good road to travel, with not too much traffic, but the toll fees are an absolute ripoff. Our 400-kilometer trip incurred R 182 in toll fees.

The scenery is lush and beautiful and The Nest is real old school holiday destination. The main building where you enjoy three meals a day (all fine dining) was built in 1944 by the Italian Prisoners of War. Morning and afternoon tea is served on the porch - oh and don't forget the bite-size, finger-licking cakes that go with it. As you sit and enjoy all these delectable meals, you can let your eyes wander over the rolling lawns with the mountains in the background.

All you have to do here is rest, relax, eat and enjoy.