Random Camping Interlude

Mostly we're savage-campeurs, as the French would say, seldom staying in organized campgrounds. For our Balkan campaign, however, it's been a little different. Croatia forbids "wild" or "free" camping, and we never felt comfortable pulling off the road in a country and language so completely unknown to us. So we have mostly stayed in campgrounds, some of them RV resorts, some simple mom and pop campgrounds, one or two associated with a farm or a restaurant. Two of the more memorable instances were in Slovenia. One was at an apparent riding school, not far from Lipica. We pulled onto the property, I parked at what seemed like the appropriate place...as described in the guidebook...and Vicki went to knock on the door. No answer. Three more hours, no answer. Finally a young man appeared who explained yes, sure, we could spend the night there, by the barn. His parents own the place, but they are in Portugal, in their RV, and he was just there checking on the horses. Turns out, years ago, his parents invited some RV acquaintances to over-night on the property, and they told some friends, and the friends told some other friends, and, just like that, they are listed in the camping guidebook, and so are never much surprised to see total strangers parking by the barn and asking where the dump is.

The other was at a restaurant in the very small town of Mirjam. Sort of a pub stop, going by the name of Camp Wellness. The pub was the usual, inside and outside seating, but it also had a number of rooms (Sobe), a swimming pool, and a small campground. The one employee, a young woman, did everything from tending the bar, waiting tables, cooking, and checking in guests and campers. The campground had everything we needed, and then some, 12E including electricity. The drinks were cheap, and I got to while away the evening watching the Croats eliminate the home-team Ruskies from the World Cup, along with a couple dozen jubilant Slovenians. The most memorable part, however, was the pig farm next door (and down wind). See illustrations.