My first day in Paklenica National Park was impressive. I was able to tackle a bunch of climbs that whet my appetite for bigger and better things.

I decided it was time to climb a little* higher and a little** harder.

* 450 feet  ** one whole climbing grade

And so the following morning, I dragged my jet-lagged-sleep-deprived self out of bed at 5:30 am and headed into the park for a grand adventure. The murmuring river lazily slid by beside me as I made my way up the steady incline to the base of the climb.

My buddies and I prepared the gear: rope flaked, harnesses on, helmets secure, quick draws sorted. A comfortable silence settled upon us as we went through the comfortable rhythm of climbing preparation. Since the sun had yet to crest into the canyon, the weather was a perfect 65° F with a slight breeze. I felt the typical adventure-energy wake me up, so I was alert and ready to go.

For those of you unfamiliar with multi-pitch climbing, it is slightly more thrilling than the typical shorter, one-segment climbs. The team moves up the rock in sections, setting up belay stations after each portion of rock climbing. The result: delightful exposure and fantastic views.

Some parts of the climb were quite difficult; my hands and muscles tired from the sharp and overhanging rock. The higher I went, however, the more exhilarated I felt to be in such a beautiful wild place in the resplendent country of Croatia.

The top-out at the end of the climb filled me with a majestic feeling of success. Parts of the descent were a little sketchy (I ended sliding down some scree and then down-climbing awkward sections), but eventually I reached the trail and made it back to the ground.

Since it was barely 1 pm and I had some energy left in my reserves, I embarked on a hike further into the canyon to explore the surrounding nature. It was fantastic! The river formed into small pools of water every quarter mile or so. The sound of tiny waterfalls drew my attention and guided me off the beaten path to investigate these hidden wonders. I stood in knee-deep, crystal-clear water in (almost) silence.

Today was a good day. My Croatia-cation was off to a fantastic start.