Our arrival started less than auspiciously when we pulled into a bus station next to a strip mall that resembled a tiki hut. No water in sight. This proved problematic considering we planned on ferrying away to another island the next morning. our lonely planet guide offered no practical advice on the matter. So we did what you do when you're in a foreign country--follow the girls with backpacks who seem more confident in where they're going. this proved useful in the end, and we hopped on a tiny, sweaty city bus through the town of Novalja and into Pag Town, right on the water.
we decamped and were greeted by no one--not a single sign up for a room for rent. so we went to the tourist office, asked for a cheap room for one night and were greeted with peals of laughter. high-pitched croatian peals that suggested 'look at these two western idiots who think they're going to find a room for under 80 euros for the night'.
this is when our 'good' idea was hatched. our ferry was scheduled to depart at 6 the next morning. and we (stupidly) consulted the lonely planet, which said: 'The island of Pag is quickly earning a reputation as a party destination from its increasingly bustling nightlife, a good deal of which is centered on Zrće beach.' cool. i know, let's save money, stay out all night clubbing and sleep on the beach.
my famous last words face, pre 11pm panic attacks
it went slightly downhill from there. we spent a few hours on the beach, which turned out to be strips of rocky, shelly bits sandwiched between the road and the sea. (jen's out there waving her flip flops).
We lasted on the beach roughly three hours before the sun got to be a bit too intense, and we set off, bags in hand, to have a series of diet cokes, margaritas and food. but the psychology of knowing that you're going to be wandering all night in a small island town that's not overly exciting leered over us, and we seemed to fill ourselves up on a margarita thus not wanting dinner.
So we walked the entirety of Pag Town in about ten minutes. Pretty, family friendly, with restaurants that close around 11 and one club that closes around 4. correction, one gay club that closes around 4 and one 'happening' club that closes never but is located on the opposite side of the island. happening night life, where?
we regrouped on another covey, slightly less shelly, beach
Pag Town from said beach
jen went for a near sunset swim whilst i tried to pull myself together
watching the sunset whilst still trying to pull myself together
sunset walk...last ditch attempt to do something before being forced to sit down in a restaurant and eat
um?
succumbing to wine, pasta and insanity
novelty shot of a night with emotions much deeper seeded than this
so we sat and sort of ate and sort of drank and sort of had coffee and milked sitting in an outdoor restaurant with toliet facilities for as long as possible, which happened to be until about midnight. we then got booted to the marina where i commenced psychological breakdown that turned into physical breakdown until about 1am when we moved my sorry carcass into the gay club until 4am and then got rebooted back to the marina.
6am took years to arrive. But we queued, bought our ferry tickets, and i commenced sickness until we reached lodging on the isle of Rab nearly four hours later. So Pag, you're lovely; however, thanks but no thanks.
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