Croatia Visa Step-By-Step Guide Step: Fill & Download for Free

My first Solo Trip was to Croatia. I didn’t plan to go solo for the trip but when a friend ditched at the last moment, I decided to go alone.And why not. Just look at this!At 300 Euros to and fro (Brussels - Dubrovnik), I wasn’t going to let my money go down the drain. My EasyJet tickets were not exactly cheap and the opportunity to see this beauty was too tempting to resist. Besides trying to sell the tickets online didn’t exactly work out. So I decided to face my fears of travelling alone and just go with the flow….Preparation: First was the challenge of navigating an unknown place. I am pretty good at losing my way and the idea of getting lost in an unknown country seemed intimidating to say the least.So I did what I could do. Bought myself a Lonely Planet Guide to Croatia, checked out the must visits and learned to read directions on a map.Reading about the beautiful beaches, the lovely churches and the quaint old town and yes the amazing sea food, everything was making me look forward to the trip. I decided that Dubrovnik and Split would be the two cities on my list and maybe an island tour could fit in my 5 day vacation.1 Month before: My dorm room was booked. I still wasn’t sure of going. Still hoping the tickets would sell.1 week before: But finally a week before, I decided to just go. Checked the visa situation and Surprise Surprise ^#%% realised that Croatia was outside EU zone and required a visa. Thankfully it was Visa on arrival. Saved.Phew.Trip - My flight was early morning (EasyJet Brussels to Dubrovnik) and I arrived in Dubrovnik, exhausted after having spent the night at the airport.My first day was just spent in bed. I had no energy to leave the room and I suddenly felt alone. I didn’t know a single soul around and the dorm room was practically empty.By evening, after a restful sleep I decided this is it. I need to leave the room and go out.Yes the roads are windingYes I could get lost,What if I can’t find my way back, after all on a hill all streets look the sameBut I didn’t want to miss the beauty of walking through the city. It’s one of my favourite things to do in a new city. I didn’t want to miss that.I just had enough time to change and enjoy the last few hours of the evening. Checked out a few shops for essentials, the timings for the city tours and made a mental note of all the landmarks on the way to my hostel.With that plunge I conquered the initial jitters of stepping out of my hostel and made the best of Day 1, navigating the surroundings with a map in hand.With this step, I felt a rush.Next day I visited the amazing Dubrovnik Old Town and booked a guide to show me around. It was so much fun to hear her stories about the Old Town and her love for Dubrovnik and its history. I chatted with other tourists and soon the strange, weird feeling of being out of place began to leave me.After this it was a whirlwind. I began to open up myself more to what the place had to offer. Coming from a relatively more crime prone city like Delhi, it was not easy for me to chat with strangers and walk around in a new city by myself.So I took little risks each time.Chatted with the Japanese student in my dorm and enjoyed her fascinating travel stories.Went island hopping with a Slovakian business man who traded with Indian merchants in 1970s and learnt about his impression of India from those days.Tried Scuba Diving and Rock Climbing with dorm-mates I met in Split!!Spent time gazing at the cerulean sea, admiring the view. Just soaking in. For Hours.Tried Croatian delicacies, a fine dining experience all for myself.Freely interacted with hawkers, tourists, dorm-mates, passers-by and shared tips for the best restaurants to eat, must try dishes, picturesque islands, etc etc. There was no dearth of topics!Also enjoyed moments of solitude. Being just by myself. No sight seeing agenda to check.It was an amazing experience, to say the least.I learnt that I could trust myself in an unknown place, deal with uncertain situations and come out fine.I learnt I would be fine, even when I am alone.And that solo travelling can be a lot of fun.It’s something I totally recommend.Happy Travelling!