Walking across a border into a new country always feels great. I feel like an outlaw singing them lonely road blues, crossing borders where nobody knows me. I’m the guy in a western who shows up at the bar in the middle of nowhere for a drink.

In Europe however, this crossing borders business is very easy to do, and while the borders are generally underwhelming looking with a mere sign and abandoned booth, they are usually amongst houses and other people. I can’t sing them lonely road blues too loud.

The coastal route into Piran

Piran is fairly tiny, a cobbled peninsula town with orange roofs. Rather than beaches, it is filled with ladders from leading from the concrete into the water, like public swimming pools except the pool is the entire ocean. You will find no sandy feet here.

I was there to meet Samantha who runs a beautiful establishment called PiranArt Vege Brunch. It’s a vegan/vegetarian restaurant also providing guesthouse accommodation.

I rarely eat out. It’s more expensive yes, and I do enjoy the process of buying ingredients and cooking, but much of the time, you just don’t know what kind of funk is in the food you buy out.

Restaurants can label and disclose food specifications, but a label like gluten free still leaves a lot of other potential weird additives on the table. For sensitive boys like me, this is a hassle.

As soon as I met Samantha, I knew I could eat out guilt free. She is a huge advocate for quality experiences and the idea of boutique or authentic tourism, but she is also more careful and meticulous about food than me.

We spoke about the idea of authentic travel because it seems it’s what all travelers want today. Even travelers without money are leaning toward this, only they are doing it in cheaper and craftier ways like shopping at local farmers markets and boycotting chain businesses like hotel franchises.

Being smart with your travel money is practical, but you’re on holiday. This is precisely what you’ve been saving for. If you budget too rigidly you’re basically on a glorified grind. It’s well worth paying slightly more to experience what you can’t elsewhere.

Samantha’s mother (Mama) runs the kitchen. She is very well known and many travelers have come to watch her cook when the restaurant had an open kitchen. Mama called me a good eater and this is a big compliment.

Samantha has farmland where she grows her own produce, using all parts of the plant, “When you grow your own food, you don’t want to waste anything. When you see your vegetables grow and mature, it’s a different relationship with food.”

All the produce had the taste of aliveness, and the creativity characterising the dishes was quite inspiring. Most of Samantha’s customers are not actually vegan, but she claims you just have to be open to eating the food and experiencing it for yourself.

From Piran, I caught a bus down to Croatia, the city of Pula. The huge Venetian influence over this part of Croatia means the town looks very much like little Rome. It is small but packs at least twenty historical things you can do within the centre.

I stayed right in the historical centre at Hostel Antique. It’s the most practical place in the city in terms of hostels and is really well looked after, with a big open kitchen and relax area.

I cycled around the headlands of Banjole and Premantura. It’s all camping sites and resorts around there, and the whole coastline is full of pebbly beaches and clean green water.

I spent the next few days strolling around the town doing exactly what I had planned, not much. One thing I noticed is Croatia’s abundance of outdoor gyms and exercise stations.

There were gyms at every block, and most people walking past will stop and pump out some chin ups. Just by being there, they encourage activity. Rather than intentionally going out of their way to work out, almost everyone, regardless of their physical prowess or lack of, will walk past and think ‘Well I might as well bang out a quick set’.

I believe the outdoor setups are the Croatian’s secret sauce and aside from their genetics, is the main reason they are so sauced.

The riding is what you’re there for, but you also get guided tours of the places to explore them a little further. One such place was the island of Rab, my favourite location on the tour. It claims to house the first official nudist beach of Europe, opening in 1934, and I respected that.

There is a common misconception life is perfect and beautiful and prosperous on Rab and small idyllic towns like it. Travelers will come for a few days and fall in love with the cute cafes and old friendly granny down the street buying bread.

There are difficulties that come with it too like a demand for supplies, opportunities for employment, and having something to sustain you throughout the quieter winter months.

I spoke with Kristofor who has been with the company for almost 14 years and lives on Rab.