fortunately, unfortunately

In fourth grade Mrs. Louder read us a story called Fortunately, Unfortunately, in which those two words alternately started sentences to describe the unlikely adventure of a young boy. We, then, were supposed to write our own version. I'm not sure why I remember that particular assignment so well, maybe because, to a fourth grader, using a five syllable word is a momentous occasion. I'll not try your patience (or my own) by repeatedly typing those words, but you will see how today reminded me of that story.
After talking to my lovely roommate Rose, she reminded me of another national park here in Croatia that I had somehow forgotten about. So I got on the early bus to go there, hoping to avoid a rerun of Plitvice. It was a bit overcast when the bus left, but no fog. But as the bus progressed, the clouds gathered in thicker and stronger and then, simultaneously with a huge streak of lightning, the pouring rain began. At one point it looked like there could be some real flooding as we drove through a lake fed by a river gushing down another street into the intersection. Then my sleepless night met the side effects of dramamine and I was suddenly and deeply asleep.
I woke with a start. I didn't know where I was, and had no idea what my bus stop would look like, but an old man nearby assured me that I hadn't missed my stop and told me where to get off. The next connecting bus wasn't for over an hour, leaving me wishing I hadn't gotten up so early. But at least the weather was clearing. But I checked myself immediately. I dared not hope for good weather, fearing that my optimism would be a self-destructing prophesy and immediately summon a blinding fog.
I'm going to abridge this next part, but know that the weather kept changing back and forth rapidly, and slow boats and slow people kept getting in my way with me not having much time and not knowing how much time I would need for the park. Also, the signs were terrible. One sign to the free ferry into the park lead me into a line of, solid, immovable, and very un-ferry-like buildings. On the way back I saw one sign that said to get to Split you had to go straight, while the sign right below it said that Split was to the right. Luckily that was for the bus driver to deal with.
Anyway, this is where I went swimming today.


It was awesome.
On the first bus out of the park, I forgot to take my dramamine because I was so wrapped up in reading Dracula, and the reading hastened and exacerbated my motion sickness. The second bus was to come to platform 5,6, OR 7, according to the ticket. So, around the time of my bus, there was only one bus on those platforms, and since it said Split in the window (my destination), I jumped in. A few minutes into the drive they came to check my ticket and the man shook his head, "Oh, no. You go Split" (he points at the back of the bus), "this bus opposite" (he points at the front of the bus). He persuaded the unwilling driver to pull over and let me out, whereupon I began to book it back to the bus station. This was made difficult by my flip flops, my huge purse, the narrow, crowded sidewalks, poor directions from people, and my dramamine induced, zombie-like trance, but facilitated greatly by the fact that it was all downhill. I arrived back at the bus stop not more that two minutes after my scheduled bus, so had it been there, I should have seen it pulling away. As it turns out, I had to change my ticket for the next bus (only fifteen minutes later) and only had to pay an extra three kuna (about $0.65). That bus was ten minutes late, and, although it was also supposed to be on platform 5,6, OR 7, and although all of those platforms were empty, it pulled into platform 8 for the sole purpose, it seemed, of giving me grief.
But fortunately I got to see and go swimming in paradise after all.
Croatia is like one of those girls who, thanks to their stunning and exotic beauty, can be fickle, demanding, and petulant, and still win everybody's heart. She sure has won mine.
I can't believe I'll soon be moving on to the last chapter of my amazing trip. It's like reading an awesome book; you can't stop reading, but at the same time you don't want it to end
Chapter 1: The Mish- amazing.
Chapter 2: Prague and Budapest, flying solo- wonderful
Chapter 3: Italy with Robyn - So. Much. Fun.
Chapter 4: Slovenia and Croata, solo- unbelievable
Chapter 5: Spain and Portugal w/ BYU buddies- I can't wait.
But that's it. I can't believe it!