An ancient maritime city-state: Dubrovnik.

Since returning from Peru in October, I’ve been—and still am—working remotely. I’ve increased my workouts to four sessions—five hours a week—of cross-training and HIIT. And the rest of the week, I go for walks. Despite warnings from my doctors and my body not to overdo it, I couldn’t stop. On the one hand, it kept my mind off things, and on the other, it helped me maintain some semblance of a social life.
And yes, deep down, I’ve always needed to push my limits.

So, I need to get moving! Breaking out of this monotony should help me break free from this cycle. Because I’m bubbling up inside—I’m like a volcano ready to erupt. I can see it; I can feel it. That’s why I decided to take action. To find a place where I can daydream. The worst part is that for the past 2–3 months, my mind has been telling me to leave. But my rational side tells me it’ll be in vain. Then I try to convince myself that it’s just a break, a respite from the current turmoil of this beautiful—yet sometimes cruel—life.

Port de Dubrovnik — The Old Town of Dubrovnik

So I booked a ticket pretty quickly to make sure I wouldn’t change my mind. And just like that, here I am in Croatia. A 3-hour flight with Tuyfly, €150 round-trip. From the Dubrovnik airport, I hopped on a round-trip shuttle bus for 80 kunas, valid for 15 days. This bus makes only two stops. The first stop—where I got off—is not far from Lovrjenac and the Old Town; the second is on the other side of the city. I walked through this magnificent Old Town, and in less than 40 minutes, I arrived at the place I’d booked through Airbnb—which was really nice, by the way.

After a refreshing shower and a trip to the supermarket and back, it was already past 7 p.m., so I headed back toward the Old Town ramparts. The intoxicating aroma of grilled fish whetted my appetite; I realized I hadn’t eaten anything all day and was starving. At Magnolia, a restaurant overlooking the city walls, I ordered the catch of the day: grilled sea bass. It was a real treat. Sorry, no photo of the dish—I was too hungry! Dinner and an aperitif cost me 195 kunas—a bit pricey, according to my Airbnb host, since we’re in the most touristy part of town.

A post-dinner stroll through the narrow alleys of the old town, bathed in the glow of streetlights, which cast shimmering hues on the white stone buildings.

That’s when I recalled certain scenes from the world-famous series, *Game of Thrones*, though I’m no longer really into it.
I was almost at peace. Sometimes it doesn’t take much for me to shift from one state to another. All I had to do was daydream while awake.