These were the endearing sentiments of my husband’s Baba (now passed) when she first met me. Of course, I didn’t understand it at the time because I didn’t speak Croatian and she didn’t speak English but it was later translated and will be a sentence that stays with me forever.

Five years later and at times, it feels as though there is no other explanation for it. I look around and am still struck by the natural beauty of Croatia; the climate, history, tradition and culture… it all still has me spellbound. And now, I get to share my love and passion with guests sailing up and down the Dalmatian coast. So, how did a kiwi come to live and work on a yacht in Croatia?

I first came to Croatia almost six years ago, I had just finished a 2-year stint in London and my soul was in need of sunshine, freedom and adventure. I knew nothing about Croatia at the time, I had only seen a few dreamy pictures from my friends who had been sailing in Croatia and that was enough.

After travelling around Europe, through a series of coincidences, I ended up working on a boat in Croatia as a tour guide for young aussie and kiwi travellers.

I instantly fell in love with the country, something about it made me feel home. While the turquoise waters and coastline held me captivated, it was the people more than anything who really made me feel welcome. Once I got to know the locals, it didn’t take long before they all started telling me that I was Dalmatian at heart, that I would find love and end up moving to Croatia. I figured this was just a line they used on all of the young, enthusiastic travellers but it turns out, they were right.

This is where the story gets a little cliché, I met Mirko – my now husband, on a boat in Croatia. Not just any boat either, it was a replica pirate ship! To cut a long story short, Mirko and I got together (in my second summer in Croatia); then I moved to Australia for work but inevitably booked a one-way ticket back to Croatia and married my man of the Adriatic.

Since then, we have been working on luxury yachts together, Mirko as the Captain and I work as the hostess. A lot of people think it is a dream to be living and working together on a yacht but I will say this now, working with your partner, in a small confined space is not for everyone. Restaurants taught me a lot of valuable lessons but no matter how difficult, at the end of the day, you still get to go home to your own space. Not so on a yacht. You cannot fake working in this industry, living and working in the same space can be intense, so you really need to be in it for the right reasons and love what you do. Thankfully, we do.

Sailing and the sea has been Mirko’s passion for more than a decade; he loves raising the sails and showing people his country. As well as being the Captain, Mirko is also a – carpenter, electrician, plumber… all of these traits come in extremely handy when you live and work on a boat for 4 – 5 months. My background is in hospitality, for the better part of a decade, I worked in and managed restaurants in NZ, Australia and London. This passion for hospitality, gastronomy and more importantly – people, was the perfect foundation for life on a boat.

I may sound biased when I say this – but after working on yachts in Croatia for a few years now, I can hand-to-my-heart say that when you are booking a sailing holiday, the crew are one of the most important factors. Think about it for a second, you could book the most beautiful yacht but if the crew are incompetent or even just that bit miserable, it will impact on the energy of your holiday. For better or worse, the crew become a part of your travel memories. I have been lucky enough to work among some fantastic crews and it was something that our guests always commented on.

This year, Mirko and I are moving away from luxury cruising vessels and are instead managing and crewing (just the 2 of us) a gorgeous, classic 72-foot sailing yacht. Mirko is thrilled because it means he will be able to hoist the sails a lot more than in previous years and I am excited for the clientele I believe this yacht will attract. While luxury cruising was all good and well, we both have so much passion for Croatia that we want to share with our guests – rather than just ‘serving’.

Croatia has a rich history and culture, the food and wine scene is only just being discovered and for those who want adventure or to get ‘off-the-beaten-path’, we know exactly where to take you. I think this is the beauty of being a foreigner in this role and why Mirko and I make such a great team. For me, the awe of how special Croatia is hasn’t worn off, I see this in our guests and get to guide them through their experience, all while understanding an international traveller’s expectations. Whereas Mirko is from Croatia, he knows the coastline like the back of his hands and can share genuine experiences of growing up here.

Our motto is “SEA it different”; we want our guests to have a beautiful, relaxed sailing holiday but we also pride ourselves on customising our itineraries to match our guests’ interests and expectations while showing them ‘our’ Croatia – rather than a copy-paste tour.

Like I said, the job itself can be challenging but waking up on the water, in a new destination every day and showing people around a country that we both love, really is a dream job to me, to us. We are already excited for the summer sailing season ahead and cannot wait to create new memories for our guests. See you in Croatia!

If you’re interested in joining Tash and Mirko in Croatia, or have any questions about sailing in Croatia, get in touch with us on (03) 8609 7499 or send an email to rosie@mosaictravel.com.au

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With only 10 guests, we’ll spend 20 days exploring Croatia, from the old town of Dubrovnik, to the laid-back islands of Korcula and bright lights of Hvar, to the small country villages of Istria, before finally arriving in glorious Venice by speedboat, George Clooney style!

As well as seeing the sights, we take time on this small-group tour to enjoy long lunches, wine tastings, unique cultural experiences, and plenty of free time for you to explore on your own.

Accommodation varies from a luxurious clifftop resort (with a private elevator down to a private beach!), to a restored mansion within the city walls, to a boutique winery hotel.

The tour is from 11 – 30 June and there are only two spots left. Please call Rosie for more info and a special deal – I’m not used to having places available on these tours!!!

Magnificent Croatia

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Question: What happens when you take nine women to Croatia for a three week holiday?

Answer: Lots of walking, laughing, wine-drinking, boating, some singing and dancing… and a lot of fun!!!

Mosaic Travel doesn’t specifically operate women-only tours yet this one just turned out this way, and what a hoot we had! Starting in Dubrovnik and ending in Venice, the tour lasted three weeks. Here are our highlights from the trip.

1. Walking through the Plitvice National Park

We changed the itinerary this year to avoid the tourist crush at the famous Plitvice Lakes, and we’re glad we did. Getting started early, we had the paths almost to ourselves and were treated with spectacular views of the lakes and waterfalls.

2. Pag Island

What a strange place! When we drove across the bridge to Pag, everyone was wondering why I was taking them here – it looked barren, dry and inhospitable! However the winery hotel where we spent two nights is like an oasis. Set amongst vineyards, with a pool, and not too far from a small beach, we enjoyed a very pleasant few days here. The food and wine at the on-site restaurant are top notch too.

3. Boating

A lot of people ask why this tour isn’t done by boat, and the reason is because we think it’s fantastic to enjoy different accommodation along the way, and have the freedom to explore local towns and villages on your own, rather than being stuck on a boat. Having said that, we certainly don’t miss out on boating, and spend plenty of time on the water!

Our favourite boating experience on the trip would have to be our day on the Elaphiti Islands with a huge wooden gulet which would hold 50 people, all to ourselves! We spent the morning exploring the small islands, before anchoring at a small but exquisite seafood restaurant for lunch with the Adriatic as our view.

On our last night in Croatia, we did a sunset cruise from Rovinj. We watched the spectacular sunset while tucking into a picnic feast, fresh from the markets. Now I’m not sure what was in the wine, but the evening ended in lots of dancing on the deck! A very quiet drive to Venice the following day, that’s for sure!

4. Food

If you’ve been on a Mosaic Tour, you know that food is a big part of our tours! Croatia is mostly on the coast so the seafood is fresh and abundant. They’re also well known for their cheese, cured meats (Istra ham) and truffles. Meal highlights would definitely include our 4 course truffle lunch near the Motovun truffle forest, and our Peka, meaning ‘cooked under the iron bell’ at Mr Dubokovic’s family home in Hvar. All washed down with local, light summer wines.

5. Dubrovnik

We start our tour in Dubrovnik, and yes, it is touristy, but it is very popular for a reason! Dubrovnik’s old town really is spectacular, with dramatic high walls surrounding it, the fortress looming overhead, and the narrow, cobbled laneways down below. We loved walking the city walls and exploring the back streets.

The tour this year was loved by all the women – you can read some of their reviews here . I will be leading this fabulous tour again in June and Sue will be leading it in September. Click here to check out the itinerary, or visit our tour page!

Rosie

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Dubrovnik, otherwise known as the real-life King’s Landing (for Game of Thrones fans!), sits at the southern end of country. As one of the main coastal cities, it’s full of stunning sights, fabulous fare and a beautiful waterfront, making it a popular destination for visitors every year. However, it’s also the ideal spot to explore the surrounding countryside, crossing borders and getting out onto the water. Here are Mosaic Travel’s top 5 day trips from Dubrovnik.

Looking back on Ston from our oyster boat!

Peljesac Peninsula

A long, narrow piece of land an hour from Dubrovnik, the Peljesac Peninsula is home to a number of vineyards, wineries and small cellar doors, clustered into small villages. The Plavac Mali grape is the most common, a variety closely related to Californian Zinfandel.

One of those villages is Ston, which holds an interesting history. There have been salt pans here since Roman times, and to protect them, Ston has 5 kilometres of stone walls; the 2nd longest in the world after China. It’s also home to some of the freshest oysters going round –hop on a boat and pluck them straight from the source! They’re best washed down with a glass of the local wine.

Lovely little Perast, Montenegro.

Lokrum Island

A short ferry trip away from Dubrovnik Harbour, Lokrum Island was previously the quarantine location for people before they were allowed to enter Dubrovnik. These days, you’ll find picturesque beaches, forests and a multitude of olive trees. The botanical gardens on site feature a large cacti section, while there’s also a ruined Medieval Benedictine monastery worth exploring. Removed from the hustle and bustle of the larger city, it’s a lovely spot to while away a lazy afternoon.

Clear water on Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik

Elaphiti Islands

Fancy getting out on the water for a day? You can do just this with a trip to Elaphiti Islands, a collection of 13 mostly uninhabited pieces of land. You’ll need to hire a boat or hop on a group tour to visit – there’s no regular ferry service. However, once you get here, expect to be rewarded with land dotted with pines, olive groves, fig and citrus trees and grape vines, as well as a few 16^th century churches. If you’ve brought your walking shoes, hike up to the Church of St Ivana – you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view.

After lots of swimming and a long, lazy lunch, a boat like this can cruise you back to Dubrovnik.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, stop by Kolocep for lunch at Rosie’s favourite restaurant, Villa Ruza. Housed in a terrace built by a wealthy merchant as a symbol of love for his wife, it’s perched on the edge of the Adriatic and dishes up delectable seafood dishes.

Mostar, Bosnia

A world heritage-listed city, Mostar lies in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. You may recognise its most famous landmark, the arched Mostar bridge from which daring divers leap into the sea.

The gorgeous little town of Mostar, with it’s famous bridge.

The old bazaar and Turkish house are also worth seeing, while the craft shops selling artisan wares are likely to have something worth taking home. As one of the more recent sites of warfare, you can also learn about the after-effects of the Homeland War in the 1990s.

The best part about this collection of day trips is three out of the five are already part of the itinerary on Mosaic Travel’s Magnificent Croatia tour. With a flexible schedule and local tips and tricks, the other two also aren’t far off!

For more information about Mosaic Travel’s Croatia tours in June and September 2017, click here.

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