As I mentioned, I wasn't so lucky as you. Years ago, I accidentally overstayed my Schengen allowance by 10 days. I was banned from the Schengen zone for 3 years.

Like you, I checked relentlessly whether I could legally enter Croatia before booking my flight. It's not a Schengen state, all signs pointed toward being OK.

I booked my flight. Landed at the small international airport. They informed me that starting from that same year, they began abiding by Schengen legislation because they were trying to become a Schengen state. Therefore, I couldn't enter.

Unfortunately, being a small airport in Pula, they only had flights twice a week from non-Schengan states; the one I came in on and one five days later heading back to London.

So, I was forced to stay in the holding cell facing the runway and watch planes fly in for five nights. It wasn't terrible in the end, but certainly makes for a story.