I jolted awake from my daydream whilst picking my nose absent-mindedly.

It was a nice dream actually, I do have to admit. I dreamt I was in a world where everything was made of cheese. I could just walk along and take a bite out of anything. But I was pondering what would constitute as officially cheese in a world made of cheese.

While I was picking my nose.

Okay, yes I’m weird.

So what brought me out of this existential crisis that I felt bubbling up inside of me?

I must confess that I soon tuned out from Mark’s discussion about what we would be doing for the day in Dubrovnik. I hadn’t had my morning coffee yet and we had only plopped into our chairs, sunglasses on with only the view of Pile Gate slowly becoming busier and busier.

I had only just recovered from my mysterious illness that I picked up in Korcula and our day trip foray into Bosnia yesterday to search for coolness from the overpowering summer sun didn’t exactly go to plan when we were faced with scorching temperatures in the high thirties.

But after a good night’s sleep night out on the tiles, I woke up feeling positively refreshed and in search for coffee. I knew I was on the mend and today, we would clock a few sightseeing miles under our belt. After all, we had already seen the Old City Walls of Dubrovnik on the day of our arrival and we needed something to beat that.

See More: The Old City Walls of Dubrovnik At Sunset

So Mark decided to prattle on while I daydreamed about cheese. If anything, I normally get the final say. But hearing these words slowly seep into my brain made me want to butt in his monologue:

 

 

‘…then we’ll climb Mount Srd for a couple of hours before…’

‘Wait, wait, wait. I think I misheard. You said climb Mount Srd? For a couple of hours?’

‘Well, yes. Get a bit of bracing air into our lungs, right?’

‘Have you ever seen me climb a mountain? The highest I probably do is when I start swinging around in a clothes ensemble piece made from curtains and singing ‘The Hills Are Alive.’ The clue’s in the name. Hill. Not A Mountain.’

‘It’s called ‘The Sound Of Music,’ you nitwit.’

‘Oh, that makes sense. I mean, Hills becoming alive like Frankenstein would be scary. But would be way cuter than ‘The Hills Have Eyes.’

‘We’re climbing.’

‘Oh, Crumbs.’

‘What were you daydreaming about earlier, cheese again?’

‘As if, I was merely thinking about where one should view Dubrovnik from a far.’

‘What are you ordering for breakfast?’

‘Cheese.’

 

A Prank Mission to Climb Mount Srd in Dubrovnik

 

 

Throughout that day in Dubrovnik, we had checked out Fort Lovrijenac and chilled out sunbathing and swimming in a secret hidden beach. But we had still yet to climb Mount Srd. All 413 metres of it.

The day was late and the sun started to sigh in her lowly descent towards the horizon in the Adriatic Sea.

But I highly suspected that wasn’t going to stop Mark change his mind on going on the 90 minute Serpentine path joinery up to the summit. You may think I am lazy but technically, I wanted to get up there while it was still light to see the land around Dubrovnik. That’s my argument I gave when Mark started to shoulder his ‘hiking’ bag back at the hostel.

‘But come on, there’s a whole another way to get to the top that we will remember for the rest of our lives.’

Indeed there was, my fellow readers.

But Mark simply grinned at me and punched me on the arm.

‘Did you think we were going to climb Mount Srd in summer?! No, Ed, We are going on the Cable Car!’

So he got me. For the whole day, he had me on my toes, sweating at the thought of being sun-blasted and little did I knew that he was pulling a prank on me. I’ll get him back.

But for now, I’ll breathe a sigh of relief.

We would be going on the Dubrovnik Cable Car to the top of Mount Srd instead, ready to catch the final light of the day. This would be the moment that gave us the best memory of our entire backpacking trip in Croatia.

 

The Dubrovnik Cable Car

 

Only 5-10 minutes walk away from Pile Gate, you’ll find the city side Dubrovnik Cable Car port pretty easily. If you’re stuck, just follow the cable car lines. That’s what we did as we squabbled over the best way to get there and got promptly lost.

But after boarding the cable car, 10 kuna lighter for a return ticket, with ten other people, we were set off on our merry way to the top of Mount Srd.

With a smooth rocking motion to the top that would take less than four minutes over a 778 metre journey, we soon realised that the summit of Mount Srd was no ordinary affair.

But first, Mark and I had to recover from the sight of straggling tourists, parched with thirst, sun-burnt for all eternity as they staggered into the upper station. They had just climbed Mount Srd on foot.

So of course, we did the best thing for them.

We promptly stayed out of their way and treated ourselves to cocktails.

 

The Restaurant Panorama

 

‘We’re underdressed,’ I side spoke to Mark. The maitre’d simply stink-eyed us with disdain but deciding whether to invite us in and give us an overpriced experience. I was wearing a baggy shirt on top of battered shorts that had seen better days. I just hoped the maitre’d wouldn’t look down and see my backpacking feet. He did.

Recoiling slightly, I piped up and hoped my winning handsome face would turn our fortunes round. I’ll tell you why in a minute. I just explained that we didn’t want a sit down meal, a cocktail or a beer would do for us.

Success.

Leading us ‘in’ the outdoor Panorama Restaurant, he placed up at a standing table where we could sip our drinks close to the bar. The barman glanced at us to make sure we wouldn’t steal anything and harrumphed when I reached for a straw.

But the reason why we wanted to get in this outdoor restaurant is simply the view. Oh, the wonderful and gorgeous view! The sun setting timed itself just right, throwing a hazy glow on the city Dubrovnik that laid before us at the base of Mount Srd. The Adriatic Sea was an eerie calm only disturbed slightly by the crescent waves by the speeding boats. Only the slight hum of the cable car punctuated any quietness and the wind was still.

This view became the signature memory of my entire backpacking trip in Croatia.

Both Mark and I became exceedingly snap happy that we wanted to record ourselves within to show people that, yes, we were in this view.

It’s an epic view.

I should show you really.

 

 

Gorgeous, isn’t it?

I mean the view. Not me. Let’s get your priorities straight. You’re here to find out what to do in Dubrovnik, not wondering how to get a date with me.

Everywhere you turn up here at 405 metres above sea level, you’re faced with something awesome.

Let’s see more.

 

 

Pretty nice pics are they?

So as dusk settled on Mount Srd, the coolness crept in, standing hairs on my arms. It was time to go back down to the relative warm confines of the city.

Back on the cable car, I stared back at Mount Srd, wondering how a barren looking rock seen from the city, could yield us the best view of Dubrovnik, nay, Croatia. Slipping away from me, Mount Srd gave me a farewell as it was slowly consumed by darkness.

But my reverie was soon snapped when Mark piped up in the cable car.

‘I fancy some cheese.’

I smiled.

 

Want to read more Croatian Adventures? Check out the following:

Day 1: Introduction to Zagreb

Review: Palmers Lodge Zagreb

Day 2: Zagreb Zingers!

Day 3: Last Minute Pula

Day 4: Panoramic Pula!

Day 5: Hitching Croatian Airlines to Zadar

Day 5 (Continued): The Lurking Monster of Zadar

Day 5 (Continued again!): The Wild Fig Hostel’s Crazy Night In

Day 6: Plitvice Lakes

Day 6 (Continued): Zadar Nightlife: An Evening to Remember

Day 7: A Random Day in Split

Day 8: Diocletian’s Palace: A Walking Tour in Pictures

Day 8: Where is the Best Place to Party in Split?

Where Should You Go From Split?

Day 9 & 10: Hvar: My Island in the Adriatic

Day 11 & 12: Korcula: NOT My Island in the Adriatic

Handsome Travel Blogger at Dubrovnik

Day 13: When I Became A Luxury Backpacker

Day 13: The Old City Walls of Dubrovnik At Sunset

 

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