A whirlwind trip, Poland and more
This is to be our longest trip so far, one that crosses more borders than ever before. It starts with Dorianne having finished eight weeks at Stugen,Sweden (games development workshop). Us wanting to see her and a loose arrangement to meet in Krakow around the 20th of September. On the 18th, midday we stepped on the gas pedal towards that goal.
Day one
A slow drive using the back roads up to Shivtov for the night. Tomorrow we will be on the early ferry across the Danube into Romania.
Day two
The road to the Hungarian border is different than the one travel previously to Bucharest, giving us reason to take it easy. Our first nights stop is in the mountain range which extends from east to west across Romania. Călimănești, an amazing spot with full Wifi in the van, with the sound of a fountain softly in the background.
Day three
Deciding to remain in the mountains a second day, unfortunately we choose a bad road and end up in Petroșani. Its a day of bad choices. We choose a level spot on the main road long the town park, there is no wifi to be found, and as the night continues we realize that parking in a busy road is not great, not so much due to the noise but the buffeting every time a car goes by.
Day four
We need to get going towards Hungary, making it all the way to the border after having a detour arranged by our google "Satnav lady". (good thing we believe).
This calls for an over-night in
Chisineu Cris
Day Five
We're travelling through Hungary, surprised by the neatness of the towns as well as the gearing towards bicycles,special lanes and paths everywhere, even from one town to the next, along the main road. Apart from one stop at a big Tesco for some supplies and Wifi we continue into Slovakia up to Košice for the night. After a little driving around we find a "perfect spot" across the road from an apartment block. In what seems to be the parking of an abandoned factory.
Surprise, surprise the "factory" is a school, this means the parking is the place where moms and dads drop off there kids. We have a "quiet undisturbed morning" waking up slap-bang in the middle kid's drop-off zone.
Day six
It's time to get to Poland, we are due to meet up with Dorianne the next day in Krakow. On the way we see a castle. Turns out to be an amazing visit. "Hrad Castle" - apart from the usual I found great interest in the story of
Maurice Benyowszky, the man who basically colonialised Mauritius hence the name , of whom I had never heard. The display of his imprisonment was realistic but it was his life story that really got me. I will be reading up more on him. If Hungary was a surprise then Poland even more so. We expected similar poverty associated with most Eastern European countries, well Poland does not bear the same resemblance.
This turns out to be long day so decide to stay over just short of Krakow in Mylesince.
Day seven
Meeting up with Dorianne- after a little excitement, missing each other at 'the' appointed spot due to major construction work. We eventually regroup at the 'Carrefour centre' Krakow, due to become our base in Krakow
Day eight and nine
First we're off to buy three fluffy blankets with the possibility of jackets too, we never expected it to be so cold already...brrr... The rest of the day has gone into finding our feet at the "new base" with a visit to the Carrefour center to ascertain Wifi and food accessibility ... we have chosen well..
Now geared up with transport apps (thanks Dorianne) we are ready to go explore Krakow. A quick visit to the old Jewish quarters and the main square before dark, makes us excited for the next day in which we add a walk right around the old city. We now understand why so many visitors from around the world make their way to see Krakow.
The main square has an amazing buzz about it, one could easily just sit around here taking in the spectacle for hours.
Day ten
A lazy day, long sleep, a good WiFi session in the mall and a general regroup day...Rita mentions wishing to see Auschwitz so with a little research, in the early evening we decide its a good time to travel, we will at least sleep closer to the museum.
Day seven
After sleeping in town we spend the day visiting the Auschwitz detention center staying put for the night in the parking of the mall across the road from Mc Donalds.
Day eight
Were off towards Warsaw but not before visiting an interesting castle which turns out to have an amazing sleep spot just behind the hill.
Day nine
A whole day of driving towards Warsaw after a lazy morning of exploring around the castle.
Day ten
The Tesco center parking seems a good place to sleep which ends up being our base for Warsaw, seeing that it is open 24hrs and has WiFi available
Day eleven and twelve
We take a 24hr transport ticket each, we intend to get the most from them, by going to all the places of interest, the app is working overtime and is a real bonus seeing they give you basic free internet at each bus stop.
A " Free Warsaw walking tour" educates us about 'milk shops' ... wow this is the way to eat in Poland
Day thirteen
Dorianne is flying out from here tonight so its time to say good bye.
Day fourteen and fifteen
Rita and I are once again on our own and decide to go back to Krakow for a few days.
this time we arrange for a free walking tour which turns out to be a flop but we do get a little out of joining another half way done. Today happens to be special in Krakow square displaying food stalls everywhere, I am not sure if this happens often but Krakow without the food stalls is amazing, with them, its absolutely awesome with "Umpa bands" and all.
Day sixteen
Its time to start heading back towards Bulgaria,we intend doing it through Budapest and further south eventually going into Bulgaria through Serbia instead of Romania the way we came.
30 minutes into Slovakia we notice a castle which looks well worth a stop. Rightly too, so much so we decide to remain here along the river for the night.
Day seventeen
Having seen a water point the day before we head off on the back roads in the general direction of Hungary, after filling all our water containers from the mountain spring we decide to stay on these roads. This turns out well for us, for the first time we start to appreciate the fields of Slovakia and its rolling hills in every direction.
Hoping to have reached Banske Stiavnica by now, the back roads have cost us some time. We're over-nighting just short of that in the Kuafland parking of Banska Bystrica. Its starting to get a little cold again and so the Mc donalds is a welcome place for warm coffee and a Wifi connection.
Day eighteen
Visiting Banske Stiavnica turns out to be real treat, an originally restored medival village. After a few hours, we're on the road, doing the back roads again until dusk, we are tired by the time we reach Hotianske Nemce, as good a place as any to stay the night.
Day nineteen
Today we cross over into Hungary, it costs a fair sum to go onto the roads in Hungary we are required to buy 10 day Vignette/toll registration. (+/- R500). Its a straight road to Budapest arriving around 5pm, after spending a bit of time perusing a big 'Auchan' mall on the outskirts. Using Google maps we see a Tesco parking, fairly central to the city and close to a metro station. This type op parking makes for a good base of operation when visiting cities overnight, especially if they are 24hr superstores.
After a rainy drive of Budapest at dusk we spend a trouble free evening in the Tesco parking.
Day twenty
Unfortunately the weather seems to have turned so a the decision is made to move on with a rain cheque made out for Budapest. Figuring on Hungary's high inclination towards cycling we think its probably one of the best places to buy a foldup bike for rita to have with us in the van, on our way out we find another Auchan super store and we now are halfway to being cyclists in the cities we visit.
Next up Belgrade,Serbia which we reach by nightfall, with the cold moving in and not attracted much by what we see at a glance, we take the road south again stopping off at a highway resting camp ground. Our intention is to visit a town along the Danube the next day.
Day twenty one
After a cold night we decide rather to go all the way home, not without stopping at Decathelon in Sofia to get some decent sleeping bags for a future cold night.
