The Stari Grad Crisis

This morning I found Kiran waking up in a lousy mood. It seems the night was not so cool after all and he had not slept well despite the moonlight swim.

"I don't want to cycle anymore", he said with tears in his eyes. "It's too hot and I can't do it."

He was not wrong. It was very hot, with the night temperature only dropping to 28⁰ C. I had not seen cloud cover in two weeks, which set the noontime oven to 35⁰ C and no sea breeze at all. Yesterday, he was so happy when in the water, or tackling a tricky gravel section - but here he was miserable hunched up on a rock in a field which was getting hotter by the minute.

We both needed good sleep. So till the night temperature is cooler, we can't rely on camping. We spoke for a while and found a compromise to continue cycling to the next town and get a room again.

The road to Stari Grad was already baking hot. These 'bicycling paths' have no facilities really. Just before town we came up on a lone water tap. We drenched ourselves and the cool water made us giddy with joy. We stopped at a fruit stall and inhaled a juicy sweet watermelon. It was so good, we took a slice big as a log with us. The rest of the day was spent in siestas and at the beach till night fell and we retreated to the cool room.

The Stari Grad crisis was currently averted. Maybe this was a down day that happens to any hard traveler. While he slept, I lay in bed worrying about the trip ahead. I tried to find a cooler place for us to escape this heat.Read more