I walked around that day...by myself.

And I felt it.


I really was...all alone.

Welcome .4.

The directions weren't hard to follow. It was the first hostel I'd booked for my trip and I'd invested hours of research and comparing accommodation on hostelworld.com. I was hopeful and really unsure of what to expect, all I had was a mental image of the court yard from a picture I'd seen on the website. I walked along the main road up a gradual hill. I felt alone.

I was along way from home and knew no one or what I would eat for dinner. I was starving. I grew up never having eaten alone without the company of a friend before in my life. I wasn't comfortable sitting by myself. I would buy take-away items that I would devour while strolling or to take home. I would later learn that I was just uncomfortable with my own thoughts, I couldn't sit and be on my own. I was mentally weak and cared what everyone could possibly be saying, secretly judging me from across the room. So I hadn't eaten all day, but all was forgotten as I walked down the little stone steps onto a cobble alley lined with white walls and dainty doors. The hostel was second on the right and looked exactly as it did online. Here we go I thought to myself, I took a deep breath and stepped over the gated entrance.

It was a small courtyard, busy with crawling ivy hanging from the stone white washed walls that stood two stores tall. A set of non-railed steps on the left led to a small platform where a woman stepped out. She was a cuddly and warm lady of early grandmother age. I introduced myself and told her I have a reservation for today. She looks at me and almost like my presence had reminded her of my reservation she immediately puts her arm around my shoulders, greets me with questions of my journey and leads me to the room in front of us, right there on the ground floor. She opens the door and warm orange light shoots threw the gap. The curtains were only half drawn and it was noon. It was a 6 bedroom dorm meaning 3 sets of bunk beds and the only bed left was top bunk right infront of the door, I wasn't bothered I was just happy to have found my first destination.

I put my bag down and man did my arms ache, I was a smoker and never exercised on a regular basis, 15kilos was really starting to strain my back. Can I really do this? On my own? I don't have a choice now, I'm already here.

I looked around the room, there was a couple interlocked between the half covering sheets on the bottom bunk on the right. The bed above had belongings sprawled out all over. I was a little taken back, almost feels like a serious case of PDA. I quickly changed my opinion when I realised it's pretty rugged, very back to the 70's love's for all era. On the left bunk was a girl on each bed, I got the vibe they knew each other. Was I the only person traveling alone?

Encounter of endurance .3.

We pulled up at the dock in Split and everyone started getting off. I waited and watched for my bag as the driver started pulling them out one by one and simply dumping them on the ground. My bag was new, I wanted to keep it that way for as long as I could, I'm funny like that. This was obviously the bus station and ferry port, but I had no idea which direction I was suppose to head in. Mild panic consumed me for the first two minutes as I wondered towards the coffee shops lined along the famous waterfront board walk.

My bag was getting heavy, I wasn't used to carrying 15.2kilos on my back. It's just under a 3rd of what I weigh. You see, I'm the shortest member of both sides of the family and to top that, my mothers side of the family are Chinese. And at only a 162cm tall, I suppose it must have been an odd sight - little (in their eyes) Asian girl with a bag that is way too big for her, traveling alone.I wasn't too bothered though, I had other things to worry about.

I felt a back ache coming on, I strode confidently over to the nearest bench I could see, still trying to fool everyone. I needed to look at my map and tip number 1 on an internet website I had viewed said to never look at a map on a corner or appear in anyway lost. I was happy to sit down, the rain had passed but the sun was still hiding behind scattered rain clouds only peeping through for brief moments at a time. It was time to use my LonelyPlant for the first time. It was a 22nd birthday present from Adrian, my ex fiance. He was a thoughtful like that, always thinking of how to make my life easier. The kind of man your mother and all the grandmothers would adore because he's a considerate and generous man, constantly putting others before himself. I flipped through the pages and gathered my bearings. Split is a small town, cobble roads and small  cottages scattered afar. Mediterranean cottages with orange tiled roofs, supported by stone walls painted moonlight white and wooden windows that add that tasteful touch of chic class.I needed to head north and away from the town center and into the boarder of the first neighborhood.

I hauled my bag up, fastened it and headed off in the direction of the hostel.

I've never stayed in a hostel before.