How To Get Lost.

Trying to be clever, I have entitled this post 'Get Lost'. Why? Well, this is a rant about my bank called Getin Bank. Very clever, eh?

After listening to people for far too long expressing their fears that we will basically all be screwed when we retire because of the predicted pitiful pension funds, I decided to set up my own pension fund. My plan was to open a savings bank account and set up a monthly direct transfer of an affordable sum of money from one account to another, the second of which, I planned to not touch until retirement or in the case of a really, really, extreme, extreme situation, which does not include holidays, music gear or anything like that.

So, I went to the bank, where I was well assisted and returned home ready to begin this sensible operation, but when I logged in, I could not see this new account.

The next day, I went back to the bank and was informed that perhaps my online banking system needed to be updated. The guy told me he had done something to make it work but that I should go home and check it and return the next day if nothing had changed.

Guess what? I had to return the next day. This time I had to sign some forms in order to change my account to a more modern version that I was informed was much easier to use than the old one. It all sounded great so I returned home once again and logged into my new account ready to set up my pension savings scheme. When I logged in, I now saw that my account had become an empty corpse. My balance had been erased and there was no information that this account was alive and well except that which told me where it is I live.

Since then I have been in correspondance with my bank by email and have been informed on a daily basis that everything will be fixed soon. It has been over one week since I began, what I believed would be a very easy, straightforward process but instead of beginning a very mature and sensible scheme, I now have no money in my online account, no account number, no record of any transactions but at least I know where I live.

The Lost Weekend - From Krakow to ... Wrocław

The plan was simple - go from Kraków to Berlin to see two friends, one studying there and the other who was doing an album launch.

In the past there was a direct train from Kraków to Berlin but this has been replaced by a bus, which is better as it takes two hours less than the train used to take. An eight-hour journey still seemed to long, so my friend and I decided to get to Wrocław early in the morning and then hitch a ride into Germany. We thought that by getting there so early, we would have plenty of time to make it, and even if hitch-hiking proved to be ineffective, there would still be enough time to catch a train or a bus and make it to Berlin in the evening.

Everything started out fine. We took the bus at 7:40 in the morning and arrived in Wrocław at 9:20. Since my friend had never seen the city, we took a walk into the centre with the aim of taking a quick stroll around, take in the impressive Market Square and then get out of town and onto a road leading towards Germany.

We had a coffee, walked around a bit and then set about finding a way to get to the edge of town. Two girls at tourist information helped us out. It seemed unfortunate that a friend of one of the girls was actually driving to Berlin that day and could have given us a lift but it just wasn't to be. A little bit of bad luck but we didn't think too much of it.

Getting to the edge of town can be difficult but we managed to do it after a few setbacks. Then we had to find a suitable place to stand in the typical hitch-hiking pose with our sign and hope that a good soul would help us out. Despite waiting for three hours in pretty cold temperatures, breathing in car fumes, hoping that one of the hundreds if not thousands of cars that went past us, only one person stopped but she was going in the opposite direction.

With cold feet and hands and deflated hopes, we retreated into a shopping centre to think about another course of action. With the help of my friend's fiancee, we got the number of a guy from a car sharing website (www.blablacar.pl) who was going to Berlin. We called him and he said he was leaving at 5pm and was going to arrive in Berlin at 10pm. It was a bit late for us but seemed like the only option, so we agreed to go with him. A Thirty-minute delay became one hour. Add another half an hour onto that and our patience was running low. This guy was driving a bus but was not registered and was using a car pooling website to basically run an illegal service so we decided to scrap that plan and go back into the centre and check the train connections. We knew there was an early morning train thanks once again to my friend's fiancee but we had no idea how complicated it would be to buy a ticket for it. We could buy a ticket to the town across the border to Gorlitz but not from Kottbus to Berlin. We couldn't understand why. Surely in the European Union there is communication between train companies to allow for the smooth movement of people from country to country. Evidently not, judging by the problems we had at the train station. The cashier was very helpful and even phoned a colleague to try to get us a ticket. The major problem was that there was so little time between connections that there was no way we would have had time to buy the ticket and make the train. She did manage to work something out for us despite the overly-complicated system but it all seemed too complicate and expensive so we decided to get a hostel for the night and review our options.

The first hostel we went to had no free beds.  The people working there almost seemed surprised by this fact and it seemed that normally it was not a problem to book a bed for the night. For us, it was just another slap in the face. They did help us to find another hostel, which had two free beds, was wonderful and located above a nice bar in an interesting area in Wrocław.

Having checked in, I went online and found another guy from the car pooling agency who was leaving the next day and could take us. With this in mind, we went out and enjoyed a few drinks in Wrocław before going to bed knowing that the next day we would finally make it to Berlin.

At 5am, my alarm went off for some strange reason. I had set it for that time the previous day but not that night. I turned it off and got a text that our driver cancelled his trip and was not going to Berlin. I responded by writing 'szkoda' and he responded back. According to him, the reasons were beyond his control and he was really sorry but I was wondering what he was doing awake at 5am and found it hard to believe the reason was out of his control.

The next day, I got up early and did some more research but there was nothing affordable going to Berlin so we decided just to give up and accept that fate was against us. It was nice to spend time in Wrocław but we both felt defeated. We were having coffee when the driver called again and said he had changed his mind. Perhaps he was sober then and this had influenced his decision. I don't know but by then we had already booked a ticket back to Krakow and had given up on Berlin.

What came out of this whole trip are three main things:

1. that hitch-hiking is not so easy in Poland
2. car sharing has many flaws especially when people are so unreliable
3. sometimes it is better just to buy a ticket with the assurance that you will get to your destination

A New Idea - A Travel Community Blog

I have had this blog for some time now. In fact, the first post was way back in 2005.  A lot has happened since then and I guess I have recorded some of this in songs, some in stories and some here.

The point of this entry is to let you know that I have set up another blog that has nothing to do with my life, but the lives of others and especially the experiences that other people have had living in a different country.

It's called 'Home Is Where I Write'. I chose the name because I think we have have a number of different homes. Writing is also something that grounds me and gives me a sense of having a home. I can find a home in the words I use or the thoughts I would like to share.

Anyway, here's a link to the blog http://homeiswhereiwrite.wordpress.com/author/homeiswhereiwrite/

The idea is to share the experiences of others who have lived in another country. You can write a song, a poem, a rant, an article, share an anecdote ... the format is up to you.

There's not too much up there now but if you are interested, get in touch.

Brown Bread

Above you can see my first solo attempt to bake bread. It was a very proud moment for me to slowly take the bread tray out of the oven and inhale the wonderful aroma signifying the completion of my efforts. Baking bread has been something that I have felt I should do for such a long time and I don't know what has stopped me from doing so.

What surprised me was how long it took to prepare but the satisfaction of slicing it and eating it for breakfast (it wasn't savoured unfortunately as I slept in and was nearly late for work) the following day was worth it. In the recipe, it said 20 minutes preparation time, and this was true but I missed the information giving the whole time needed. It was so long that my private lessons had to be interrupted slightly while I moved onto the next stage of the process much to the interest of my private students.

Why was it such a proud moment? Well, for me bread is a staple part of my diet. It is literally the foundation for so many of the things I eat - mainly toast and sandwiches and the different combinations that I put on top of them

So as for the preparation; getting the ingredients was pretty easy, kneading the bread for about 10 minutes was not so smooth on the wrists or on my patience especially given the limited space in my kitchen. As a whole the major requirement was patience, patience to do it correctly and to regularly check the recipe I found online. It is not a great virtue of mine but given the fact that I didn't literally have to wait and watch it slowly rise, it was not a problem.

So now that I have broken my baking bread virginity, I have promised myself not to go back to buying cheap, poor quality bread in the shop. That would be far too easy. This will involve a lot of planning in advance but if forced to have the option of bread or no bread, I know which one I will choose.

For those who are interested - Brown Bread Recipe

Biking in Poland from Kraków to Toruń (Summary of experiences from last year's adventure)

On 25th of September last year I finally set out to do something I had been scheming to do all summer while I was cooped up working at a summer school, go biking from Kraków to … Well, the initial aim was to follow the Amber Trail (Bursztynowe Szlak) all the way to Gdańsk but this proved difficult from the outset due to the lack of physical maps available and the shortage of information online. There was a website which promised much at first glance but failed to deliver. When I wrote an email to the contact address asking if there was a map available or more information, I didn’t receive a reply. With the aid of a road map of Poland, I traced out my own version of the route by circling each place of significance on it with the hope that everything would be clearer once I was actually there. I was hoping that there would be signs on the route as there was information on the website that this was the case. Another worry was that I also wasn’t sure if my borrowed bicycle was suitable for such a long trip. It had previously been ridden from Berlin to Kraków by its real owner so this reassured me a little.

Off The Beaten Track

In the past I have visited some Polish cities as well as countryside areas but this trip gave me the chance to really feel the country and in particular explore remote villages that are inaccessible for someone like me who can’t drive a car. What I found interesting is that it was hard to not be around any signs of civilization. Polish villages are usually quite spread out with houses not so close together. It is often hard to see the division between villages as there is often no clear border between them. This is unlike in Ireland where you can travel for a long time without seeing any sign of human activity. Many villages were not very prosperous in appearance with rather grey buildings lining narrow roads. This was not true all the time and some villages were quite well maintained but in general there was not much to make me want to stay in these places. Dogs regularly barked as I passed by with a heavy load, some threatened to add a bite to their bark. There were lots of chickens spread out on both sides of the road or frequently wandering around in drainage ditches. In some villages, there were no roads only dirt tracks but this wasn’t the case very often with some roads perfect for riding on. Seeing cabbage, onions and other food growing in the fields was interesting and gave me one reason to feel tempted to stay and work on the land. The most amazing memory I have of the trip was the route to Kazimerz Dolny through apple paradise with trees heavily laden with apples wherever I went. Further on I took a bike path up a steep hill and saw raspberries and other fruit being harvested in one of the most picturesque places I have seen. There was a strong temptation in me to stay there and ask for a job in return for a place to sleep for the night but I stuck to my cycling plan.

 Locals seemed surprised to see me passing through despite the fact that many lampposts had bike route signs on them but I never felt a sense of danger. One man joined me on a part of my trip. He was full of questions about me and told me he had lived in the U.S. for some time. He was keen to talk but cycled dangerously close to passing cars at times. Despite his age, he was faster than me and eventually continued on his own to the next town. The only places I saw signs for the Amber Trail was when I was leaving Nowa Huta in Kraków and in Bałtów, a resort by the Vistula River which was well set up for tourists with a dinosaur theme park one of its main attractions. The help of local people was invaluable. Without their directions, I would have wasted a lot of time going the wrong way. Another thing I must mention is the fact that as I was on my own, I often had to leave my bike unattended while I was shopping for food. Removing the panniers and carrying them and the tent with me was too much so this risk was necessary but not once did I have any problems or have anything stolen.

On The Beaten Track

Arriving into big cities such as Warsaw, Płock and Toruń were highlights especially the former as this really created a sense of achievement. The atmosphere was very different and much more commercial and business-like than in the countryside. Cafes and restaurants were crowded and there was a great sense of wealth and affluence in the capital. There were also a lot of tourists in the city taking photographs and leisurely strolling around especially in Nowy Świat, a busy location not far from the Old Town. It was strange seeing so many people in one place having been in the countryside for long periods. Płock and Toruń were similar with the latter being a place which seemed to be only for tourists. This was easy to understand given the wonderful architecture in the city.

Safety and Accommodation

Safety was an issue on larger roads as it is no place for cyclists. The lanes can be very narrow with the sides of the roads leading into a ditch or loose stones which can’t be cycled upon. I did take some of the main roads at times because they are obviously more direct with less chances of getting lost. This did mean taking more risks with one of the most dangerous parts of the trip, the section of the 757 road to Opatów that I rode on. The wind generated from passing trucks in the other lane nearly knocked me off my bike on multiple occasions. On the other hand, the busy 10 road from Lipno to Toruń was surprisingly comfortable. There was space enough for a cyclist and the road was in very good condition making it one of the easiest parts of the route. On the first night I asked two locals in a small village if I could pitch my tent somewhere and was refused and forced to camp wild.  Finding accommodation was difficult but locals were very helpful when I asked and directed me to places that weren’t well advertised.

To Sum Up

Toruń was the final stop due to the fact that I was planning to meet my parents on a certain date. I mainly travelled on a flat part of the country but passing by villages, towns and cities was a wonderful experience. Seeing food growing on the land was also something that I didn’t take for granted as fresh food is something I value greatly in Poland. I just wish that the route had been better mapped out as it was not so easy to find my way around especially when I was in some rural areas. It’s a shame there are not more campsites around as this would have made things a lot easier. Perhaps there are more campsites than I think but again they are not well signposted. Next on the Amber Trail for me is the route from Kraków to Budapest. At least I have a map for this part of the Amber Trail but I’m thinking about buying a new bike first.

This was written last year and since then I have indeed bought a new bike. More to come on this year's adventure soon.

An Expensive Something To Laugh About

I am questioning the logic of writing this post but there are times when I can't take myself seriously and am glad that I have a good enough sense of humour to laugh at my own expense.

So ... here it goes. I arrived home from England last Monday. Leaving at 2 in the morning to get a flight at 8:30 was not a pleasant journey. By the time I got back to the intense heat in Krakow, all I was fit for, was sleep.

With a flight due the next night, I decided to catch up with some friends in the evening, which was probably not the greatest idea since I was till suffering from a cold, but still it was nice to catch up.

The next day was a day of preparation for my flight to Georgia - a non-event of a day as these days tend to be. It was a case of patiently waiting until it was time to leave. I got out to the airport with plenty of time to spare and contemplated on how best to pass the four hours until the flight was due. Reading, eating, coffee, reading, juice and more reading seemed to work.

I had a look up at the information board just out of curiosity and that's when everything went wrong. I examined it extremely carefully but my flight was not there. I checked the ticket and the date and everything seemed fine - 30th of July but then I realised why it was not on the electronic board, the date was correct but the plane had already left at 00:50 earlier that morning.

This is not the first time something like this has happened to me. I have waited at an airport one day earlier to welcome my cousin, I have confused 6 am with 6 pm while getting a ferry from Dublin to Wales, I once bought 5 train tickets for our group of 4 and I have also booked flights to the wrong airport.

So what did I do? I contemplated getting another flight to anywhere but then decided to retreat back to Krakow. I took a bus to the train station in Katowice and thought again about going somewhere different. The shame of returning to Krakow seemed too great. Wrocław, Warsaw - these were two cities that came to mind but then I decided that it was best to return to the city I had started from and regroup.

All the buses had gone and the queue was enormous. I'm guessing they were in line to get tickets for  a festival as they looked like the type with range of quirky styles from punk to a hippy look that seemed out of place in the modern train station in Katowice. When I finally reached the top of the queue, I bought a ticket for the next train to Krakow, which was due in over 5 hours. Patience was needed once more. I amused myself by reading again and going to an Internet cafe to book another flight for later in the week. There was one option to fly from Warsaw to Georgia the next day but I chose the later one from Krakow, which was half the price.

Patience was the quality, which was once again put to the test on the train journey home. I slept for most of it thankfully.

So I am still going to Georgia but will have to be patient once more. As for these mistakes that prove to be very costly, I feel a bit resigned to the fact that I will make them again but at least they give me a reason to write.

Book Review - Buy This Land by Chi-Dooh Li

The title of this book, 'Buy This Land', is quite a simple yet fitting introduction to the inspiring story of Chi-Dooh Li (nicknamed 'Skip'). It immediately brought to mind the song by Woody Guthrie  'This Land is Your Land' and after just finishing reading the book, I have discovered that this initial association has proved to be an apt one.

Skip was born in India, moved to China but left with his family when the Chinese Communist Revolution began and followed his father who took up various diplomatic posts in Asia, Australia and South America.  By the time he moved to the U.S.A. he was already very well-travelled and could speak Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and English. With such a mix of experiences behind him it was obviously difficult for him to answer the question by a Pan American Airways agent who asks him 'What are you, really?', which is referred to in the introduction to the book.

Despite helping Chinese Cambodian refugees gain asylum to the United States, it was being present at a sermon delivered by Juan Carlos that was to really change his life and lay the foundations for the new way of thinking that Skip was to base his thoughts on, which was to radically change his life and the lives of others.

From this moment on, he dedicated himself to aiding those living in impoverished conditions by setting up Agros. The concept of Agros is a simple but powerful one - help farmers to buy and use land effectively in order to encourage self-suffiency. From their troubled beginnings in Guatemala, Agros has since helped establish 42 villages in five different countries and has helped over 24,000 people. What is interesting is that Agros doesn't give handouts but gives people the means and encouragement to work towards a better future and to literally reap the rewards from their hard work and belief. They do so by purchasing land directly from landowners and then offer it back to impoverished families at rates that are realistic for those who have very little.

What made this book a very enjoyable and humbling read is not only the fact the Skip's story is a fascinating one. He does not boast about his achievements or attempt to glorify himself in any way. There is immense gratitude on the part of the author towards his wife and all those who have helped him. Another refreshing element I experienced in the reading of the book is that the organisation does not discriminate against those with different religious beliefs unlike some aid organisations. The fact that he is a religious man and there are many biblical references in the book does not lead to preaching to the reader or any recipients of aid in any way. He simply gives examples of the the way in which his faith helps to inspire him to help others who have less.

The most inspiring thing about this book is that, despite admitting that he had led a comfortable life practicing law, he decided to use his position and knowledge to help other people less fortunate than him. What is very pleasing to know is that the end of the book clearly states that his work with helping poverty-stricken landless people is far from finished and his belief that 'this land was made for you and me' is as strong as ever.


http://www.buythislandbook.com/
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/This_Land.htm

Time to Settle Down or Not?

I chanced upon a blog entry today in which the writer received an email from a friend advising him to 

'come on home and get back to an ordinary life, because you don’t want to be out there when you’re old'.

It really got me thinking once more about what it means to 'settle down' and what does it mean to not do so.

I like to think that we have more opportunities nowadays to do more than we had in the past. Age limitations have less of an impact on us and I'm often really inspired by those who go back to university at a later age. When taking part in organised runs in Krakow, what amazes me is the fitness of some contestants who are at least twice my age but still manage to finish way ahead of me. Retired people who travel and are not afraid to rough it also alleviate my fears that old age simply involves waiting around to die.

Back to my main point, what does it mean to 'settle down'. The writer of the blog says that he has chosen an 'extraordinary' life ahead of an 'ordinary' one and this is why he continues to travel and not root himself to one place. I don't feel I can't totally agree that this is an 'extraordinary' life. It certainly is interesting and he is privileged to able to do this. Being in the one place your whole life can also be 'extraordinary'. There are many benefits to this. Stability is one, the chance to build and continuity are others. 

I think we generally have more options and are more fluid because of this. We have more information and more of us don't know where we will be next week never mind next year.
Is there an age when we should settle down and have a family or is there more than one time in which we can do this? I am of the opinion that it is all relative to who you are, who you meet and what you want. I certainly don't want to feel limited by my age in any way and try to maintain an optimistic outlook on where I am currently am and recently have been really trying to look at future changes as new challenges to better myself and not as the means to run from problems. 

This post has been written in Oxford where I am working for a summer school. It has been heavily influenced by meeting people from all over the world. It hasn't been edited or even reread but if you are interested in reading the post that inspired it, click on the link below. 

The Professional Hobo Blog Link

Spamming / Notifying

The reason for writing this is to try to get some ideas about what other people think about this and also to get something out there that has been on my mind.

As I play music quite often in the same city and organise an open mic, I regularly use Facebook as the means to promote these events. I regularly invite many people I know and some I don't really know at all or have never even spoken to but are somehow in my friend's list. In the past, the way to promote an event was to print fliers and posters and go around town sticking them up in various bars and cafes and other public areas, some of which came with the risk of getting fined by the police if caught in the act.

Nowadays, it seems that having many ‘likes’ on Facebook is the most effective way to get events across to people, but is this really the case? With so many acts out there using the same means to advertise their concerts and events, is this the best way to try to encourage people to get interested in your music? Word-of-mouth is obviously one of the more human and personal means to build up your popularity and share your music and indeed, this is the main source for me to find out what people are listening to and who I should go to see next.

So back to spamming. Does it work? A big part of me feels a small sense of guilt that I am annoying people by regularly inviting them to events when I don't know them so well or suspect that they don't want another invite on top of the countless others they have already received and have to filter through to plan their time effectively.  On the other hand, without a manager or promotion agency, if I don't do it, who will?

It would be great to hand all this over to someone else and just focus on playing and working on new material. It would be amazing to know that when I get to the venue everything is prepared and there is no need to worry about anything, but until that happens, it's back to spamming or perhaps I should think of it as simply ‘notifying’ people about upcoming gigs.

Book Review of More or Less by Jeff Shinabarger

More or Less by Jeff Shinabarger

I think most of us don’t think of ourselves as being rich or of having enough money to make our lives more complete. In this book by Jeff Shinabarger, the author challenges this mindset, directly stating that ‘Chances are, if you are reading this book, you are rich’ (2013). By “rich”, he means that we have all we need to live a normal fulfilling life. He challenges us as the reader to look at our own situations carefully and think about all the excess possessions we don’t really need to have. This book is not simply about the author sharing theoretical ideas that we can contemplate, he shows us practical ways how to turn our excess possessions into generosity towards others.

          Shinabarger’s encounter with Clarence, a local homeless man, who welcomes him after he moves into his new house in East Atlanta village is the pivotal moment when the author is forced to change his way of thinking and to ask himself the question ‘what is enough?’ He begins by examining his own comfortable financial and material position and contrasts it with Clarence who is homeless. When Clarence asks for help, he does so and also uncovers other ways to help those who need it.

          Through a series of stories and his own personal anecdotes, the author explains real life examples of the things we can do to help people that we know either personally or not. At the end of each chapter, there is the ‘Enough Talk’ section that offers practical ideas, which the reader is encouraged to undertake. The first task the author himself does is to live for one month on all of the food in his home. Amazingly, he manages to survive on this for about two months (147 meals, 3 meals a days for 7 weeks) proving that there was so much food in his house that he and his wife had kept in storage. This is just the first of many examples he gives to show the excess in his life that many of us have in common in some way.

          Different chapters focus on different areas of our lives that we can look at and change. Clothes, presents and other material possessions are looked at from the point of view that invites the reader to take at look at his / her own life and the excesses we may have. A personal success of the author is Gift Card Giver, a scheme devised to collect unwanted or unused gift cards in order to then donate them to others who are worse off than we are. This has been immensely successful with enormous amounts of money raised to help out people who need this.  This is a prime example of how we can use our excess things of value to help those who need it.

This book is a motivating read for those looking to get some ideas on how to connect with other people and also to have a look at themselves from a different perspective. It offers refreshing ideas on how to make changes in our lives and encourages us to lead by example, which will then have a knock on effect on others. Shinabarger’s book is refreshingly honest as the author admits moments when he felt that things were not quite right in his own life. The most empowering element about this book is that he changed and there are many other examples of how other people also did something positive with their lives. I recommend this book for all those out there who are looking for some practical ideas on how to be more generous and how to be connected with other people in their communities and elsewhere. It is sometimes hard to believe that little gestures can make a big difference but this is something that Shinabarger argues against in this book. Through his examples and suggestions, he challenges us to contemplate what we can do to make a difference, however small that may be. It has certainly made me think about the excess in my life. Now it's time to do something about it.

More or Less, (2013) Jeff Shinabarger, Published by David C. Cook, Canada.

Writing From Experience Or Not?

It seems I haven't written in a long, long time and that is true. The last entry was in November last year. Since writing about the cycling tripI went on, I haven't had any travel adventures besides a trip home for the Christmas period. The lack of travel has brought a question to mind - is it necessary to experience in order to write and in my case, does traveling aid creativity?

A few years ago I took part in a Literature course in Dublin. There was a fantastic professor who had a wonderful knowledge of the subject and the ability to portray this in a very interesting manner. One of the books we looked at was Black List Section H by Francis Stuart, an Irish writer who went to Germany during World War II. He went there to experience the horrific events that were taking place at that time and to write about this. He even took up a post working for the Nazi regime. The professor proceeded to talk about the influence the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche had on Francis Stuart. He explained that the philosopher used the Greek characters, Apollo and Dionysius to show the different ways of gaining inspiration. Apollo is the restrained one and represents creativity emanating from imagination alone whereas, Dionysius is excessive and reckless representing creativity from experience. 

The reaction from my classmates was very crtitical and they the majority stated that this was completely immoral. While I totally agree, I still find it interesting to read about what this Irish writer did in order to gain the experience to then write about it. There are some people with very imaginative minds who can conjure up stories and songs effortlessly but others need something to happen in order to write about it. 

I don't plan to go on any trips to dangerous war-torn countries but perhaps a trip of some sort would give me something to write about. 

The Final Day - Day Eight 1/9/12 From Kraków to Toruń

The hostel was very peaceful when I woke up. My luck had run out regarding the weather. It was the first time it had been really bad but I knew I couldn't stay in Płock as I was running out of time and was eager to get to Toruń, the city of gingerbread and Copernicus. Once again I ate a large meal.  This time it was eggs and beans for breakfast. The rain was not heavy but drizzly and steady. It was a chance to try out my striking red smock. It was not pleasant at all - the weather I mean but I had to keep going.
       I took the 559 road to Lipno. What made cycling hard was the fact that there were grooves in sides of the road where water had lodged. This was slippery and a lot of concentration was needed to not fall off my bike.Wearing the smock also meant that I was very hot underneath it and was wet as a result of this and the rain.
        I was not sure if this was the last day of cycling or not. I still had time before my parents were due to arrive and I knew I could always meet them a bit later in Gdańsk and complete the route I had set out to do. On the other hand, I was tired and the gears on the bike were not behaving themselves. My plan was to get to Toruń and then make a decision.
      The hardest part of the first 50km was from about 9km from Lipno. The rain had eased off by then but the road was in very poor condition making it impossible to build up some speed. I felt my bike was taking a real hammering on the uneven surface and was afraid of something breaking off or of a wheel coming loose. .

Lipno was not very impressive. There were lots of shops and a nice park where I ate some lunch but not much else to see or do. This was the halfway mark of a journey of around 100km. I was tired but determined to get to Toruń. The next stage of the trip was all on done on a busy road - number 10. Despite my previous fears that this would be dangerous to cycle on, it turned out to be the opposite. The road was nice and smooth and there was a hard shoulder where I could ride with enough space separating me from the  other cars. I rode really hard and soon 48km had been reduced to 24km. This inspired me to dig into my energy supplies and keep pushing hard to reach Toruń. The last part took longer than expected as I passed from the 10 to the 80. Every sign I saw, I expected to signal the end but there was still a long way to go. I was tempted to stop and have a break or buy some chocolate but I felt that I was close so I didn't. The way into Toruń was on a really busy road which was definitely not for cyclists. It was very wide but fortunately, I only had to use this road for a short time before I was in the suburbs of Toruń. I felt very satisfied with myself. I had made it on a day which had been quite a challenge.
       My first impressions of the Old Town were striking. The Old Town was full of tourists and it was easy to see why. The architecture was beautiful with a lot to capture my attention. Accommodation first and then time to walk around. I tried one hostel but it was full. At another one, they were also full but they had a second hostel which thankfully had a free bed. I was really tired but satifsied and felt that another two days of cycling was not something I wanted to do. I had made it to Toruń, not to Gdańsk but I was content with that.
       Once I showered, washed and then changed my clothes, I set out to explore the city. It was very pleasant to wander around the cobble-stoned streets searching for and finding interesting things.
Knowing that I didn't have to rush myself was also a pleasant feeling. I didn't have to think about cycling the next day. I was done.

       The trip had been a very fulfilling experience. I had seen a lot of Poland I wouldn't have had the chance to see otherwise. There had been ups and downs as I had anticipated with particular bike problems that I couldn't have planned for. The most memorable part had definitely been the route to Kazimierz. This had really embedded itself into my memory. I thought back to some of the people I'd met - the drunk pervert in Staszów, the cyclist on the way to Żabno and the kind woman in Kazimierz who had helped me get my bike fixed, my friend's mother and aunt who had looked after me in Czerwonka. I was happy to be finished despite having a slight urge to go all the way to Gdańsk by bike. I had ignored most Amber Trail route which I had mapped out because it was too long and it would have been easy to get lost in the forests that the route went through. I had made my own route which sometimes involved taking main roads because they were more direct despite being more unpleasant. My bicycle had caused me some problems with two punctures, chain difficulties and one repair job on the back wheel. My knee felt much better and I felt stronger with the exception of the circulation problems in my little fingers on both hands. I suppose this was from gripping the handlebars tightly for long periods of time. I had learned a lot and knew what I needed to change for the next trip. A new bike would be good, a smaller tent and gloves. Also a speedometer would have been very useful. I don't know when the next trip will be but perhaps I will go south along the Amber Trail from Kraków to Budapest. That's the idea but not until Spring or Summer. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.

Day Seven - 31/8/12 From Kraków to Toruń

The great amount of cycling I did the day before made for stiff muscles on day 7. I ate two bars of chocolate before two o'clock which says something about the condition I was in and the desire to gain energy from somewhere. The road leading out of Leszno was a mess but instead of taking the diversion, I decided to be stubborn and go through the roadworks as I was afraid of getting lost. They went on for longer than I thought and made for slow progress with strange looks coming at me from the construction workers.
            Once I got past that, I managed to gather some momentum and speed. The route was pleasant enough and all was going well but then I felt that funny sensation in the back wheel and realised I had another puncture. The wheel was not completely flat but was definitely soft. I stopped at a shop and asked the lady working there for a bucket of water to help me find the problem. She was very friendly and duly obliged. Fixing the tube again was surprisingly not so difficult but put the fear into me that this was going to happen again in the future. So many problems with the bike and all this after having it serviced before setting off. I had been worried a little about getting punctures and had thought about replacing the tyres but it was too late now. I was just hoping I could get to Toruń without any more mishaps. 
           My aim for the day was not so clear. It was a case of just trying to see how far I could go. 
More roadworks in a town called Chodaków and more dust and noise. I had to backtrack a little here after taking a wrong turn and then it took me some time to find the bridge to Żuków. I think the mayhem of the roadworks was the cause of missing the correct turn left. 
Once I got across the River Bzura, I took the 577 all the way to the bigger main road called 60. One of the funniest place names I saw on the way was a town called Gąbin. According to the Oxford online dictionary a gombeen man is a person who is:

'involved in the lending of money at unreasonably high rates'

but in Ireland this word is used to describe someone who is basically an idiot.

      My strangest encounter in a rural area full of fields of cabbage and onions was with an old man on a bike who was wearing a hat. When I asked him for directions he looked at me with his mouth slightly open displaying his full selection of teeth which amounted to about five in total but he remained mute. I asked again but nothing changed in his blank expression so not knowing what to do, I thanked him and moved on. I rode fast and eventually made it to Płock but crossing Solidarity Bridge (Most Solidarności) was terrifying. I had to get off the busy road and lift my bike over the metal barrier and onto the footpath. It was far too dangerous for a cyclist to ride among the vehicles big and small that were roaring past.
       Fortunately in Płock I found a hostel without much difficulty. It was a bit expensive but very clean and well-equipped especially the kitchen. I took advantage of this by making a massive meal of pasta with fried onions, tomatoes and beans. It was a meal for two or three people but I devoured it on my own.
      Płock has some nice architecture and its lofted position over the River Vistula is attractive but there was not so much to see and do there. In the square in the Old Town there was a concert stage set up with some bands playing but the drizzly weather was unpleasant. I wandered around a little contemplating what to do but the gangs of males prowling the streets encouraged me to return to the hostel. Despite being a four-bed dorm, I had it all to myself. I fell asleep watching Polish TV, woke up not knowing where I was and then struggled to the bathroom in a haze to clean my teeth before hitting the hay for real.

     

              
         

Day Six 30/8/12 From Kraków to Toruń

Eggs for breakfast and too many were not enough. I don’t know how many I had but it was a lot. I felt well-fed, well-rested and ready to cycle the short distance to Warka and then to Warsaw. Before I left, I was also given a packed lunch for the journey by my friend’s mother. There was nothing else I could have asked for. Great hospitality and care.

          From Czerwonka, I took the 730 to Warka and then the 731 which later joined the 79. Góra Kalwaria is obviously a busy interection for lorry drivers as I have never seen so many lorries in one area. I felt tiny on my little bike in contrast to these metal, dirt spewing giants. The roundabout before the town was so crowded with them that I couldn’t wait to get away from there. I kept moving and took the less busy 724 which lead to Warsaw and this was where I felt something was wrong with the bike. I looked down to check what it was and saw that my back tyre was flat. This is always a risk but not something I had expected to have to deal with. There was a repair kit in my bag but my previous attempts to repair punctures have nearly always ended up with lots of frustration involving struggles to get the tryres off and on. I remember one occasion when I managed this but then somehow made another hole in the tube when putting the tyre back on.

There was no time to waste. I had to do something. There were some houses nearby so I approached one and opened the gate. As usual there was a dog there who made sure he was heard. The owner appeared and I explained the problem. He gave me the bucket I requested and let me get on with things. Surprisingly, fixing the puncture was relatively easy and it was not long before I was back on the road again feeling very proud and grateful for the help which came at the end when he helped me to wash the oil from my hands.

My pace picked up again and remained quite fast until I reached the outskirts of Warsaw. This was a proud moment and a photo moment. From Kraków to Warsaw felt good. It really felt like I had achieved something even though getting to the centre of the capital still took some time. The traffic was pretty heavy but I kept going at a fast pace until I reached sights that were familiar to me.

Time for lunch in Łazienkowski Park, a relaxing place to stop and a welcome break from the noisy traffic from earlier. The only thing was that now that I was in Warsaw, I wasn’t sure whether to stay or not. It was tempting. After eating all of my food supplies, disasater struck again, the chain came off my bike, not once but twice. I was really getting fed up with bike problems and felt like abandoning it in a ditch but couldn’t bring myself to do it even though my patience was really being tested.

After a bit more exploring in Warsaw that involved briefly going into the Old Town and then Old Praga, I decided to leave. Łomianki was next on my map but it turned out to be a mistake. By the Wisła there was a path but this turned into a dirt path that was too sandy at parts to manage so I had to dismount and walk. When I finally got back onto concrete again, a local woman helped me to get to Łomianki but then I was faced by a forest which scared me as it looked easy to get lost there. Nervously I ventured in feeling that there was no choice. I rode for a bit before deciding what to do. I didn’t want to take  the busy E77 or the forest so I backtracked and took the road to a place called Stary Babice and then rode past village after village in a daze. It was slowly starting to get dark and there was no sign of any accommodation anywhere so I kept pedaling as if trying to escaping the darkness creeping up behind me. This continued until I got to Leszno and that was when I asked a local if there was any accommodation in this town and was so happy when she gave me some good news.

Cycling past the forest to my right, I was so happy not to have to resort to camping wild once again. The sound of insects was a sure sign of being bitten multiple times during the night had I slept in a tent. The hotel that was recommended was not bad at all. The price for a room was really low at only 36PLN, without a TV I must add (it was 48PLN for a room with a  TV). The room was clean and very modern as was the hotel. What a surprise in such a quiet area called Julinek. Dinner back in Leszno and then a really scary cycle back in the dark before bed after a testing day.

From Kraków to Toruń - Day Five 29/8/12

I woke up with the plan to get to a village near Warka to meet friends who had also been on a biking trip in the east of Poland and were nearing the end of their adventure. I will keep the anonymous here for legal reasons. The intial aim had been to get there on day four but I had been over optimistic and unrealistic about this as it is about 85km from Kazimierz Dolny to Warka.

          In my charming wooden room I felt better but still tired but resisted the temptation to have a lazy morning and leave later in the day. Knowing that my bike was back to good working order also gave me the encouragement needed to force myself to pack up and leave. Since being a child I have always hated riding my bike when something is wrong with it. I used to spend so much time trying to fix things and often made them worse by not having either the tools or the skills with which to do it. Nowadays I am willing to humbly pay someone to do it especially if they are genuine and trustworthy which I don't always find bike mechanics to be.

          Once packed, I bid the owner of the house a fond farewell as she had been very helpful by not only getting my bike fixed but also by making me feel very much at home. If I come back to Kazimierz, I will definitely stay there again.   From Kazimierz to Puławy I cycled at a good pace, not too fast but steady, and got there pretty quickly. Once again I crossed the Wisła, this time by bridge and stuck to the main road, the 738 and later the 48 all the way to Kozienice. I really felt pleased to be making a lot of ground with my knee behaving itself better than before and my bike reveling in the speed I was pushing it to do. Taking the main roads also made the journey easier despite things getting a bit hairy at times. Keeping concentration was the most challenging part as lapses caused me to veer off the road on more than one occasion into the gravel or stones that lined the road. I didn't injure myself or fall but it meant breaking the rhythm I had built up.

          A phone call from my friend gave me the energy to really push myself to get there before they left. Her mother was willing to feed me and put me up for the night in her place in a small village called Czerwonka, not far from Warka. There was still the slight chance I could make it to this village before my friends had to leave. It was unrealistic but I made myself believe it was possible in order to maintain the pace I was keeping. Knowing there was a place for me to stay was another motivating factor.

          I pushed hard and got to Głowaczów and then took the 730 which was a pretty good road. The cars on both sides which raced past made me pedal faster. I found myself in a good rhythm with my legs feeling stronger than before.

          When I arrived at the village my friends had just left but I was warmly greeted by my friend's mother and aunt. I had a wonderful shower and was fed with a delicious meal. It was a chance to enjoy the comforts of a nice home – the luxuries of civilisation which I must confess I really missed. It sounds great taking a tent and going into the wild, and I love this idea, but when it actually happens I find myself craving a good bathroom, a proper bed and all the modern comforts that I have at home. 

          After eating, I slept, woke up, ate again and chatted with my friend's mother and aunt for a while. Having a long conversation was an activity which had not happened since leaving Krakow. It was nice to share my thoughts out loud with someone else. I had started talking to myself a little while cycling, a sure sign of the need for a conversation and perhaps the beginning of a mental breakdown. After drinking some wonderful homemade cherry vodka (wiśniowka) it was easy to fall asleep early satisfied with the position I was in.
         Time was starting to run out so I knew I would have to do more of the same over the next few days if I was to make it to Toruń. By more of the same I don't mean eating and sleeping but giving my body the rest and energy it required to stay strong and energetic in order to reach my final target.

From Kraków to Toruń - Day Four 28/8/12

The rest worked a little but my body was aching and in need of a lot more of the same. Attempts to fix my bike seemed to work initially but then the same strange feeling kept coming from the back wheel each time I pedalled. I was moving but something was not right and my fear was that it would get worse the further I went. My spirits were quite low and dropped lower when I discovered I was going the wrong way and had to turn back. They dropped even lower when I missed the ferry crossing at Kludzie because I hadn’t realised that the the object I saw in the water was the only ferry across the Wisła. It also didn't help that when I asked someone who was on it, they didn't really help in any way.

          I set myself a much less ambitious aim for the day, to get to Kazimierz Dolny which was not so far away. The route on the other side of the Wisła was very pleasant with orchard upon orchard lining the pretty, smooth road I cycled along. There was no heavy traffic, not much wind and no problems in making good speed towards Kazimierz. There was just the problem with the back wheel which was getting a little worse the more I traveled. At least I knew Kazimierz having been there before and was looking forward to returning.

          Soon I was only 12km away. I decided to follow one of the blue bike signs which led me up a massive hill which I had to walk up. At the top I was rewarded with a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. People were working the land harvesting raspberries and more apples. This area really lifted my spirits and made all earlier frustration disappear. It was really something special and I was very tempted to ask for a job and stay for a couple of nights. Fruit-picking is something I have always wanted to do during the summer but have never gotten around to it yet.
Going down to the next village was tricky as the path was very uneven and once I got to the next road I decided to follow this to Kazimierz rather than the bike path sign which seemed to led off onto another dirt track.

          When I finally saw the sign which signalled the end of the day’s traveling, I felt relieved to have made it. My knee was still sore and the bike's condition had deteriorated even further with slipping gears another problem. Finding affordable accommodation was not easy with prices quite high but a little outside the town I found a great place to stay in an old wooden house that was run by two women, one who was particularly friendly and helpful.

          When I explained her the difficulties I was having with my bike, she told me to follow her. She drove slowly back into town and I kept up with her on my bike. She brought me to the only bike mechanic in the town who fixed the back wheel there and then and only charged me 5PLN for the work and 15PLN for replacing the damaged part on the back wheel. It was a lot less than the 215PLN fee I paid for the bike to be serviced in Krakow. With a fully functioning bike once more and a comfortable place to stay, I felt elated. 

          Kazimierz is a town famous for the artists that live there and the charming architecture. It is also located near the Wisła with wonderful views especially the one I saw as I walked around the town as the sun was setting. At night, I didn't do too much. After getting some food, I went for a coffee and returned early enough to my accomodation feeling more optimistic about the following day.

From Kraków to Toruń - Day 3 27/8/12

Despite the itching from mosquito bites, I slept quite well and felt ready to make up for the lack of kilometres the day before. There had been a lot of rain during the night so the tent was quite wet but only on the outside. Thankfully, it was dry when I was packing everything up. As usual I started off at a slow pace to loosen up my leg muscles. My right knee was a bit sore which was a worry especially so early on into the trip. From Staszów I took the 757 to Borogia and then went through some smaller villages to get to Ujazd. Here I stopped to have a look at the impressive ruins of a castle dating from the 17^th century. From Ujazd I starting having problems due to the fact that I didn’t want to travel on main roads but this brought other difficulties. It was easy to get lost.

          I went to Toporów which lead me onto a tricky dirt track to Mydłów. With such heavy luggage on the back of my bike, it was difficult to manage my wheels on the stony path but eventually I made it. Getting to Opatów involved getting lost many times with one local particularly unhelpful. He told me I was going the right way but the dirt track I was following onto lead to a dead end at a large field which there was no path through.

          Frustration forced me onto a main road again as I was tired of getting lost. The wind was also making it difficult to feel like I was making much progress. The E371 which was not pleasant for a cyclist. The large articulated lorries which passed me by on the other lane nearly knocked my off my bike as the wind they generated hit me hard. I rode as fast as I could to get off this road as fear propelled me forwards urging my legs to push harder to get to Opatów. It was a relief to get there and I found the city to be quite pleasant with a nice square in the Old Town. Being back in a city gave me the opportunity to stuff myself with food which is what I did. It was just a shame that the spinach soup had sausage bits in it which I had to avoid being a vegetarian.

          Just like the day before, I reached a point where my legs struggled to keep going. Reaching Kazimierz Dolny was looking a bit ambitious. The wind hadn't abated and seemed to be against me all the way as I took minor roads to Ćmielów. There were some steep hills to climb but also respite as I was able to freewheel from some big heights as well. One interesting place I passed through was Małoszyce, the birthplace of the famous Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz.
         Finding the way was not as hard as earlier and soon I was on a lovely road which cut through a forest and took me to Kościelna Ruda. This was where things got really hard again and I had to force all my weight and strength against the wind. At times it was really was a test of endurance and the thought of giving up crossed my mind more than once. The fear of being stuck in the middle of nowhere spurred me on and once I got on the 754 to Bałtów, it suddenly became easier to ride once again.

          My speed really picked up as all the earlier frustration was unleashed through my legs. Even my sore knee didn’t bother me as much. Kazimierz was too far to get to but Solec nad Wisłą soon became more possible as I ate up the kilometers. I had thought about stopping at Bałtów as it looked nice and there was actually some information about the Amber Trail there but my body felt full of adrenalin so I pushed myself to go the extra 20 something kilometers and finally made it to Solec. I was changing gears to climb a really steep hill when the chain came off. Another challenge to my wits. Getting it back on was not easy but I managed and then noticed that the back wheel was not going round as smoothly as before. Something was wrong with it but I was not sure what. As it was starting to get dark, I figured I would find a place to stay first and worry about the bike later. With the help of locals I found a room in a holiday resort centre that was cheap and quiet.

          I had done about 9 hours of cycling and was absolutely exhausted to the point of feeling I was hallucinating as I sat down on the bed and had a couple of beers to relax myself. It had been a tough day with the wind being the biggest opponent against me. It was so good to not have to sleep in a tent and to have a proper shower after a long day.

From Kraków to Toruń - Day Two 26/8/12

No need to worry. That’s what I kept telling myself but yet every little sound was a threat to my nerves. I felt my body stiffen with breaths coming in short gasps as the sounds of life in the forest kept me in a state of great fear. My body was stiff, my nerves ruined. I longed for daylight and the chance to pack up and go.

          When it came, I did just that, the only problem was the going part. I couldn’t remember which way I had entered the forest. I tried a number of ways but to no avail and decided it would easier to do it without the bike. I did find the way but then couldn’t find the bike. I backtracked and searched for at least one hour with my legs getting scratched and stung in the process until I finally found it. Back on the road again, I felt exhausted and dizzy from the lack of sleep and stress. I was also itching like crazy from the mosquito bites I had received despite spraying myself with repellent. Weather wise, it was sunny but windy which made progress that bit slower.

          Again, I wasn’t sure how far I was going to go. Without a speedometer it was difficult to gauge what was possible. The 973 road was pleasant enough, most importantly, it was quiet. My first aim was to get to Nowy Korczyn. Along the way I passed some villages and made a detour to see a village called Zalipie which had some interesting painted wooden houses. Other than that, there was not so much to report on except typical villages with lots of chickens and many barking dogs that made a racket as I passed by.

To get across the Wisła, it was necessary to take a ferry which was maneuvered across the wide river by means of a cable. The wind was quite strong at this stage and the thought of getting blown away down the Wisła was not so unrealistic. It was a relief to be on the other side and to be on the move again. I avoided the main road as much as possible passing by villages such as Pawłów, Brzostków and others until I got as far and Rataje Słupskie and was forced to take the busy 73 as far as Pacanów and then I got off it again and once more traveled along much quieter roads through the Polish countryside.

          When I reached Staszów, my body was really drained of energy. I just couldn’t go any further. Fighting the wind had really been hard and it was time to rest even though I wasn’t satisfied with the distance I had done. Camping wild was not something I wanted to repeat so I looked around for accommodation but there was none to be seen, at least with my eyes. I was looking at a map which showed a campsite when a drunken old man asked me what I was looking for. I told him and he said he would help me. He wanted to take a taxi with me to Golejów where the campsite was located but I refused as it didn’t seem so far away. He said he would walk with me and show me how to reach the campsite. He wasn't the most desirable company but it seemed wrong to turn down the offer of help. Understanding him was not easy as his speech was slurred from too much booze. We continued walking with me trying to reply to his questions but then I felt his hand touch off my groin. I thought perhaps it was an accident given his state but then it happened again and he shockingly asked me without any shame if I wanted a blowjob. I couldn't really believe my ears but he repeated his offer with an expressoin of sincerity on his face. I politely declined and then had to insist on going the rest of the way myself. He was not happy with this at first and tried his luck unsuccessfully to get more money from me. Fortunately, there were no more offers of other sexual favours and there was no struggle to get away from him.

The campsite was located next to a lake. It was cold at this stage and the weather had changed so I was happy to have a place to stay to rest and recover. The facilities were nothing special, neither were the food options on offer. I had to settle for a bowl of soup and a toasted cheese baguette (zapiekanka). I was really hungry and knew that I had to look after my diet more if I was to complete the trip. Sleeping in a tent meant an early night as it was dark before 9 o’clock. The only other people on the campsite was a Polish family that made up for the lack of other people by making a lot of noise by shouting and swearing as they got drunk not so far away from my tent. At least there was less of a risk of being attacked by wild animals during the night. The scratching of bites was difficult to resist as I found it impossible to ignore the waves of itchiness that came upon me.

From Kraków to Toruń - Day One

Day One 25/8/12

The day before had been a bit of a mess considering I had to come to Kraków by via Poznań by train and then prepare myself with the appropriate equipment for the trip I was about to undertake. The key things I needed were panniers (saddle bags), a raincoat, a sleeping mat and some lights for my bike. There were other temptations such as a gas stove among others but but I limited myself to the first three. The Amber Trail (Szlak Burszytnowy in Polish) had a website dedicated to it but no physical map to guide me along the trail. This was what made me more apprehensive than anything else. With the aid of the online map, I circled all of the places that appeared on the route on my road map of Poland with the hope of somehow figuring it all out on the road. It took some time to go through the whole route and when I finally reached the end and circled Gdańsk, I really felt like I had achieved something.

          My bike had been serviced so I expected it to run smoothly and endure the many kilometers ahead – 80 – 100km per day seemed a realistic aim despite the fact that this was the first trip of such a kind I had ever undertaken. With the panniers packed tightly at the back, on top of which was a tent and sleeping mat, it was a bit of a struggle to get going at first. Going out the night before had not been the greatest idea in the world to ensure a smooth start.

          The first part was familiar territory along the River Wisła to Nowa Huta. I was pleasantly surprised to see an Amber Trail sign at Plac Centralna. If all the route was marked out like this, there would be no need for my map at all. The arrow pointed straight and unfortunately that was where the signs ended. I was faced with National Road 79, not what I wanted. It was busy with traffic racing past on both sides but there was no other option it seemed. The first target on the map was Niepołomice which was not so difficult to get to. I followed the signs and arrived there without any mishaps. Niepołomice is famous for its castle but unfortunately I couldn’t go inside it because of the no bikes sign at the entrance. Time for lunch then.

          The next part was tricky. The more favourable choice was to go through the forest and perhaps catch a sight of the żubry (Polish Bison) that are said to be found here. This was the option I chose but it was not long before I was lost and I hadn't seen any żubry. Following the bike signs was confusing as there were different colours and there was no clear indication which one was connected to the trail I was following. Eventually, I asked for help and had to go back onto the main road again, the 965. This was also confusing and so I returned to the forest again where I finally found the way to Mikluszowice with the help of some locals. Asking for directions from locals was something I found invaluable throughout the whole trip and the old man I asked told me that I would have to change my route as the bridge across the Raba was being repaired meaning I would have to go around it another way.

          I got onto the 964 with the aim of getting to Szczurowa and then taking things from there. This road was not too bad. I was now properly in the countryside passing by small village after village. On this road another cyclist soon appeared beside me and asked where I was from. He kept telling me about his time in the U.S.. He was one of these people that insisted on talking about the same topic without really listening to what I was saying, but while he was doing so, I became increasingly nervous by the way he kept swerving into the centre of the road and then back to the side again without any fear of the cars that also had to swerve to avoid him. Still, it was good to have a pacemaker despite the struggle I had to keep up with him. He had an older bike but it wasn’t long before he started pulling away from me. I guess he got bored with me as he put headphones into his ears and accelerated ahead. I was starting to get a bit concerned about where I was going to sleep. Being in the countryside was great but it meant that finding a place to sleep was going to be more difficult and sleeping in a tent was a last option.

          I stopped for a moment to look at the map when the other cyclist somehow came up from behind me seemingly out of nowhere with a smile on his face. I was unsure of where to go and he wasn’t much help. I was aiming for Żabno without knowing what was there and if I was going to stay there or carry on. He took out his glasses, looked at my map carefully and then pointed straight ahead. I knew the way but I guess I was hoping that he would help me find a place to sleep or give me some sort of advice about what to do next, but this didn't happen. Once again, he cycled faster than me and when we got to the outskirts of Żabno, he turned into the carpark for Tesco. I waved farewell to him and continued straight on happy to lose him.

          My legs were really struggling to pedal anymore so I stopped to have a rest and a bite to eat. Dusk was approaching making it very likely that I was going to have to use the tent. I cycled out of town and turned into a small village called Pod Lesie. There, I approached a woman in her garden and asked if there was a place where I could pitch my tent, hoping that she would be so kind as to offer me her garden but she kept looking in my basket repeating that she didn’t want to buy any fish from me. I insisted that I didn't have fish in the bag in my basket but still she said 'Ryby, nie chcę' so I gave up and went to another old lady who bluntly said no to my request. Further down the road I saw a forest and entered it. I had no choice but to pitch up my tent there with or without the permission of someone. The four-man tent was troublesome to set up but I finally managed to do so before it got dark. It was very early but it was dark so I decided to go asleep with the aim of getting up early the next morning and getting back on the road again. I was very uneasy about sleeping in the forest where every sound seemed to be amplified a thousand times – the fall of a leaf was like the fall of a rock pounding into the earth, the movement of small insects sounded like approaching feet. I closed my eyes and kept telling myself that there was nothing out there that was going to harm me, no need to worry...