Kicking back on Korcula

Following Mljet on our itinerary was always going to be a tough gig. Korcula, a larger island further north, known for its vineyards, olive groves and charming small villages, didn’t quite impress after the beauty of Mljet. Still a worthwhile destination and one of the most popular of all the Adriatic islands, it moves at a faster pace than Mljet, and its treasures are to be found on its vines, as much as on its beaches. To experience both we decided to get active and used some alternative forms of transport. A day-long kayak excursion to visit some uninhabited islands nearly came to an inglorious end when the wind changed and provided us with s strong headwind for the return trip. Wishing a yacht who had previously offered us a tow would reappear we headed back into increasing swells with Adam taking his turn in the single kayak. There were doubts about him making it back, but despite narrowly avoiding a few collisions with much larger craft he paddled the homeward stretch with ease. The image of him rounding the final harbour wall, bobbing up and down in a mess of boat wakes, will I think be with me forever.

The next day, after a well-earned sleep in, we hired some bikes and explored some of the surrounding area. After a few hours lazing at a nice sandy beach we made our way home, stopping at vineries to sample the local options on the way. The first place had stunning views but not so stunning vines, the second place led us through the fastest tasting of our lives and we’re still not sure if the last place was even a winery. There was a sign (“Vino” on a piece of cardboard) on the front gate but our tasting glasses were filled right to the top and the guy doing the pouring had clearly been “tasting” his wine all afternoon. Doing our best to drink our glasses (despite the thick film of oily material sitting on top) we were treated to a barrage of stories, from the aphrodisiac qualities of his wine to his prowess as a musician. Having finished the enormous glasses we escaped out the door and jumped on our bikes for a quick getaway. We had purchased a few bottles along the way which made it all the way back to the apartment, then supplied the drinks for another great night of home cooked food and home made hilarity.