So after the gloom and doom of yesterday, today didn’t actually start off that great what with me waking up at 3:30 in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep.

My mind was racing on what to do – should I stay, should I go home?   I started thinking about what I’ll do when I go home whether it was now or 5 months from now.   When my mind starts going off like that thinking about things there’s just no way to go back to sleep.

And even though the day had an auspicious start it turned out okay and if, by chance, you’re ever in Split and you’re in a funk – here’s how to get out of it…

Talk with a friend on Facebook

She probably didn’t know it at the time but talking with my friend Meighan did wonders.   It was just so nice to hear a voice (well, read a message) from someone back home.   Someone who cared.   In fact I heard back from a few people who cared and told me to hang in there.

Change your environment

The room I was in was not a good fit for me.   There were four British girls there who basically made me tiptoe in the dark all day yesterday as one of them slept the entire day and the other 3 took a long nap in the afternoon.   The kicker though was as I laid in bed this morning they all had no problem talking and stomping around.

After they all left for the day I went to the front desk and asked for a room change and to be honest if he had said he couldn’t do it I was prepared to just leave for another city even though I had already paid for the night.   There was no problem though and I just moved all my stuff over to the next room.

Do something you love

I love cards.   I miss playing.   When I left for my trip I had visions of sitting around the hostel playing cards for hours just chatting and having a quiet, relaxing time.   On my trip to Australia I had several days like that.   On this trip those days have been few and far between.

My favorite game is poker and I really miss that.   So, today I downloaded an online poker program, popped 100 bucks on it and played for awhile.

Take a “me” day

I was going to go to the island of Brac early this morning but just wasn’t into it.   Instead I sat in my pajamas all morning and didn’t get on with my day until noon.   I grabbed some breakfast and headed to the beach.   I spent the afternoon sitting under the sun thinking about everything.   No excursions.   No sights.   Nothing – just relaxing.

Have a great meal

In the late afternoon I returned to the hostel and asked the girl at the front desk for a cheap, good place to sit down and eat and she immediately recommended this place called Fife.   I walked down there and – oh my God – she was right.   I ordered a salad and a meat cutlet done in mushroom sauce.   The cutlet came with whipped potatoes but I noticed they had a side of gnocci for only 15 kuna (1.80 euros) so I ordered that too.

The amount of food I got was ridiculous as they literally dropped off 4 huge plates of food taking up almost the entire table.   I laughed along with the table next to me as the waiter said with a grin “hope you’re hungry”.   The meal, along with 1/4L of wine, set me back a whopping 95 kuna (12 euros).   It’s a shame I didn’t discover this place earlier but I did get half my meal packed up so I’ll be enjoying it again tomorrow.

Watch hockey

Okay, maybe this is only for Canadians but there’s nothing like a little hockey to lift you up.   Of course my beloved Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs the night before and I didn’t even end up watching an NHL game.   I returned to the hostel to find three Finnish girls with their eyes glued to the TV watching the Finnish/USA hockey game.   Did I have a vested interest in the game?   Of course not – but it was entertaining for me, especially watching as they jumped in their seats each time their team had a scoring chance.

Watch cats

In Split there are quite a few stray cats just wandering the streets.   Most of them hang out on a grassy area near my hostel.   Each day people will drop food and water for them and the cats live happy together enjoying their spoils.   They’ve almost become an attraction unto themselves as people, like me, will stop and watch the cats.

Watch a puppet show

In the old city on the main street, there is a man who sets up a little booth with dancing puppets while he plays the accordion    I will actually walk out of my way to and from the hostel just so I can see it.   He plays his accordion with accompanying music and his puppets dance to the music as children watch and dance along.   It is the cutest thing ever and I wish I could see this every morning for the rest of my life.

And that’s how I got out of my funk.