After a 8mile tunnel we popped out into the daylight and into Slovenia. We honestly had no idea what to expect and I think if a lot of people were honest they would admit mixing up Slovenia and Slovakia and really just imagining a undeveloped eastern European country. Nothing could be further from the truth. Closely boarding Italy and Croatia Slovenia is a calmer and even friendlier version of both.

As we were so clueless we eeny meeny mynee mo’d (how on earth do actually spell that!) between two campsites not far over the border and near a lake. We arrived at a campsite which was absolutely enormous – and could give centre parks a run for its money. It was nice and hidden away in a massive pine forest but the little we did know about Slovenia it was all about lakes and mountains and we could see neither. I did however get permission to drive the camper…..around the campsite but still….watch this space!! We stayed a night and then decided to go for the other campsite which was called Camping Bled – and as it turned out right on the lake front with a breathtaking view of the lake. We were greeted with an instant feeling of relaxation and having not had a long pit stop for a while decided we would spend three nights there. More of a resort than a campsite it was just what we where looking for. We got rounds of appreciation for the camper which was lovely – apart from when your trying to get changed and someone if learning through the window! Still not seen any campers older than ours which makes us very proud!

Right on the shore front there were three restaurants and bars to choose from as well as any number of sporting activities available. We spent our first day walking around the lake and soaking in the relaxed and stunning environment. I really can’t quite describe how beautiful it is there with clear turquoise blue water – I realised the second Dave and I held hands and jumped off the pier together that it was the first time I had ever swum in fresh water which was just fantastic. The weather was always wonderful in the day hitting a perfect 27 deg and then we would have rain and thunder in the evening (great for a cool night of sleep in the camper!)

We took a row boat out to the island in the lake where you can make a wish while ringing the bell in the tower and walk around the island – Dave rowed there avoiding the swimmers and trying to spot fish and I rowed us back to the chorus of heave ho from Dave! We then went for a swim and Dave decided to go out a bit further with his dive mask – alas he didn’t warn me he actually planned to swim back to the island and having been gone for over an hour and not being able to see him in the water – his wife began to fret by the waters edge. Thankfully he appeared just in time as I was about to commandeer a kayak and find him!

We also met our new favourite person for the trip so far. Frida the Pig. As we arrived we spotted the black pot bellied pig with my brother’s girlfriend’s name – poor Frida has been sent endless pictures and jokes since only funny as so far from the truth. Frida (the pig) had a little sign asking to not feed her as she was…..basically a greedy pig. We went to visit her three times a day and watched as she tried to bite all the horrible kids taunting her with food. We especially loved the fact she came when you called her name and oinked like all good pigs should.

Knowing we had stopped for longer than we had for a while we also knew we should move onwards. We decided to get on the road via a gorge we had heard was close by to the campsite. Only discovered in 1893 this gorge ending in the biggest waterfall in Slovenia was,for want of a better word, breathtaking. A small ramshackle wooden trail was propped up to the mountain leading us through Rock crevasses and rapids in a crustal blue river. I can’t do it justice in describing it so will let the pictures below do the talking.

Had we had longer in Slovenia – i.e. if we we were in a weeks holiday there with a one week holiday budget we would have done so much more, the place is a dream for explorers, mountain climbers, white water rafters, canopying, cycling, swimmers, rowing, sun worshippers…etc etc. etc. but we had to move on – we made a stop in a campsite amongst some of the biggest caves in Europe and then got back on the road to Italy- first stop Venice only 125 miles away!