Blog Zero: Edinburgh to Rovinj

Trip Three’s Blog Zero happily isn’t peppered with major medical issues, or even cases of sublime stupidity on our part.

We make do with two unexpected root canal treatments for me, which both have to be done twice and so require five visits to the dental surgery in the two weeks before we leave, plus a crown for Fiona, which grumbles on painfully for weeks before settling down to something like bearable.

World issues like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – Lateral Flow tests with video verification and temperature monitoring are required before we can get on the MSC Fantasia for the cruise section of the trip – and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine weigh on the background of our minds, but it is time, so off we go.

We scrapped our original plan to fly EasyJet to Pula, via Gatwick, due to the difficulties at airports in England, and instead plumped for Ryanair via Brussels South Charleroi. The flights go smoothly, including superfast turnaround of a late flight in Belgium, which allows us to arrive in Pula pretty much on time.

Leg 3 is a transfer by car from Pula to Rovinj, which proves to be smooth and comfortable. Time for a quick drink on the waterfront in Rovinj before catching the 10:30pm boat across the bay to the Island Hotel Katarina.

Sixteen hours travelling and here we are in Croatia – first time for both of us!