update

The weather here has turned in the past three to four days with the temperatures dropping to single figures as a low and bearly getting over 13-14 C degrees during the middle of the day.  Intimitant rain throughout and it really seems like Wellington here in beautiful Split!
I was hoping to get the wax onto the Hull today but rain has put paid to that idea. Work on the boat has been slow due to the weather and Vicko and his crew have now gone up to Umag to commission 4 boats up there and won't be back till Monday.
The weathers on the improve next week and we hope to get the Boat in the water on Monday and do the obligatory breaking of the Champers over the Bow ceremony!
Hopefully then we can press on and get the Mast stepped and rigged up and start on the work we need doing- water maker installed, Solar panel support, Bimini etc whilst the rest of the Commissioning is going on.
Been composing a shopping list of things for the boat which has not been for the week hearted, but has to be done so will get that order off shortly.
Spent a bit of time trying to weigh up the best Internet provision options for the boat once we are underway and realised how much we have relied on our daughters lately for our technology decisions!!
The box, mmm, yep still working on that one :)

Below is Postman Pats delivery truck (Split Version)  - Pat stands on the front and drives it with Levers pulling up to the shop he is delivering to, complete with a sideways slide in the rain! -Impressive

Today we spent the day exploring Split and the Palace of Diocletian which was built for the Roman Emperor when he retired in the year 295-302 - some Retiree bach by the sea!!
amazing place where you need a GPS to find your way around, there are narrow alleyways everywhere and little Bars, cafes and Businesses throughout.
Along the promenade by the waterfront is what the locals call the lounge room where every one sits and drinks Coffee and always with a glass of water and a cigarette, they never seem to eat anything-no wonder they are all skinny!
According to Michelle who we are renting the Apartment off, from an early age they are all taught about Posture and they do core strengthening exercises from an early age, thats why they are all trim. Hmmm..... too late for me now
The weather has been the same every day, blue skies and very little wind. (Looks like we are going to be doing a fair bit of Motoring on the boat) Even though we are finding it fairly warm, the locals are still walking around with Jackets etc on-I think we may suffer from the heat in Summer.
Still trying to chase up our box thats in Rotterdam somewhere :)

Just arrived after 4 Plane trips and 3 stopovers, felt like the Walking Dead when we got here!

Been down quickly to check out the Boat which is just getting Anti Foul applied.
Met Vicko who's coordinating the Commissioning and other work.
Trying to find out where our box of personal goods we shipped up has gone to now and awaiting the Watermaker to turn up. A lot to do, all I need is to get some sleep, its 3 am in the morning here and the old sleep routine is out of whack.
Split is beautiful and a lot to see. The buildings are centuries old and are maintained well.
The locals are very fashionable with the latest clothing designs and all along the waterfront they sit and drink their short black coffees  during the day and Wine in the Afternoon.
Its coming out of winter here and everyone is dressed in long pants etc, We get some bemused looks walking around with shorts and Jandels!

Will post more pictures soon.

A thought

Your dreams are what give us strength,

But you will never know if you have the strength to realize your dreams....

Unless you try

Initial

Just over a week till the big trip and its like sitting on a surfboard and watching a 40 ft wave coming at ya!!!

(For those that don't know us, we are just a couple of average Kiwis that have a dream. That is to buy a yacht made in Germany, get it trucked down to Split in Croatia and fly up there to meet up. We intend to sail the Mediterranean, then down to the Canaries, across the Atlantic to cruise the Caribbean. From there its through the Panama and across the Pacific ocean via Galapagos Is, Marquesas, French Polynesia and various Islands to New Caledonia, where we will wait for the right weather window and make for Home-New Zealand. Around 18 months later!)