|
|
You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
May 14, 2015 04:00 PM To the waterfall!
Lovely spring morning. I convinced my son Adam and his family to take full day car tour to the distant Rjukandefossen waterfall. It took us 3 hours each way to get there. The sun was shining when we drove through the region of the green hills, rivers and lakes to the little town of Gol. Snow appeared on the mountain ridgez around. Just 30 kms further we found Rjukande Fall - it is located just 5 min walk from the main road. It is only 18 m high, but very powerful regarding the load of water. Water goes down through the narrow canyon with a short suspension bridge. It is very nice place.
On the return leg we passed another fall: Hydnefossen. It is more then 100 m high, but weak, and you cannot go to closer...
|
May 13, 2015 04:00 PM Weekend in Norway
I am flying to Oslo to visit my son Adam and his family. Weekend is a good time because we can spend more time toogether. I pray for a good weather so we can make excursion to the Norwegian countryside. Quite a lot of people from Poland work now in Norway so there are direct flights from Gdansk to Oslo and other cities in Norway. I made a choice of Norwegian Airline. They allow you to take 10 kg of carry on luggage without extra fee. But it is worth to remember that they do not offer internet check-in - you have to get your boarding pass in the airport anyway.
|
May 02, 2015 04:00 PM Awarded by The President of Poland
Yesterday in Poland we celebrated The Day of National Flag. On this ocassion in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw Mr. President handed me the national flag - for bringing knowledge of our country to the farthest corners of the world. Then he visited a photo exhibition at the palace, where I explained the content of my pictures and I tried to convince the presidential couple that without subsidies and sponsors can reach all the countries of the world. :)
|
Apr 17, 2015 04:00 PM 12th Round the World loop is completed!
I landed in Gdansk before midnight. Four deg Celsius only (in Rio it was 34!) But I was happy anyway. During three months of solo travel I met Poles only once - in Sydney. And here - the people around they speak Polish!.
It was again the voyage not on the beaten track. Maybe that's why it was very inteesting, I met on my trail a lot of greeat people. I saw a lot of beautiful, unique landscapes. But at the end of such a wonderful, global journey it is good to be at home :)
Can you see that map - yes, I did it in full!
Now it will be the time to put my new-gained knowledge into the internet to make travel easier to the other backpackers.
And... to plan a new trip :)
|
Apr 16, 2015 04:00 PM Stay away from Air Berlin, if you can!
Iberia plane from Rio to Madrid departed on time. They served tasty hot meal, but on their intercontinental plane passengers do not have private screens and the main one was too far to see anything from my seat.
10 hours later we landed in Madrid. I had there1,5 hours to transfer to the British Airways plane to London. We landed in London on time, but I had only 1 hour to go through sophisticated security screening to their other gate - you have to use their sky train to get to the B wing... I carry all my baggage with me... They were still waiting - I was the last boarding passenger for BAflight to Berlin.
We landed on time on Berlin Tegel but unpleasant surprise was waiting for me here. AIR BERLIN PRACTICES OVERBOOKING! It means that they sell more tickets then they have places on the plane. The last passengers in the airport despite of the confirmed reservation do not fly! I was the last in Berlin. They were laughing when I asked how it is possible. They do not see in their computer that the passenger is on the way to Berlin. Rude people. Stay away from Air Berlin if you can! I am waiting in Tegel airport for the next flight to Gdansk
|
Apr 15, 2015 04:00 PM Day 92nd of 93
Yesterday in the late afternoon I managed to take a cable car to the top of Pao de Azucar - Sugar Loaf. The lower station is in Botafogo quarter, cose to Praia Vermilha - it is walking distance from my hostel. Sometimes it is good to be a senior - they offer 50% discount to the people over 60! I paid only 31 reales (like 10 $) for the round trip. There are two sections to "fly" with the nice views... On the middle station you walk about 100 m to board the next gondola. I enjoyed especially the views of the little, hilly islands.
Today in the morning I took a long walk through the tunnel then along all Copacabana Beach to Ipanema. Ipanema (do you remember famous song "girl from Ipanema"?) is in my opinion nicer. It has picturesque mountains on the southern end. And the beautiful girls, of course :)
I spent my last reales. Now it is the time to pack my backpack last time and to go to the airport... It is day 92th of my 12th round-the-world journey. I am coming to the end. Happy end, I believe...
|
Apr 14, 2015 04:00 PM Happy in Rio de Janeiro :)
I got ma backpack! It is hard to say if they returned it from Madrid but it is not so important. I am happy to walk again around Rio after 30 years... Today the safety on the streets is much better - you will not see policemen in front of the hotels. But one of local guys asked for the direction told me at the end: watch your maquina (camera), they can catch it quickly and escape!
Metro ride cost 3,70 for 1 USD they give 3 reales. I took the metro to Largo da Machado station. There is a church and in front of the church minibuses to Corcovado mountain are parking. You buy the ticket for 51 reales (it is off-season now, otherwise it will be 62) and you go uphill. It was a little hazy day today but still the view from the bottom of the giant statue of Christ Redemptor is exciting - you have all Rio below. I do not feel well in the crowd of the tourists but they want to see it too :)
Unfortunately there was the invasion of the little wasps at the bottom of the statues. They were very nasty. Two found the way under my shirt and I got two bites. Not very pleasant, but I think I am resistant after many bites received on the cherry tree in my Wojtkowka :)
|
Apr 13, 2015 04:00 PM Rio, eh Rio!
Accommodation in the famous Rio is not cheap. I stay in the cheaper Botafogo quarter - half an hour walk through the tunnel from famous Copacabana beach. Samba Green Hostel is in the quite street and serves in the morning huge buffet breakfast which is included in the price. Dormitory bed costs 40 reais - like 13 dollars.
I took a walk through Copacabana once again after 30 years. Palms, beautiful ladies, music and a wide, white sand to enjoy.
I still wait for my luggage. The LAN /TAM staff yesterday in the airport ware arrogant - they gave me lost baggage report (PIR) but without the number so my friends in Poland cannot help me to find it. Is it really in Madrid. Who knows.
But I enjoy Rio after years. It is hot (too hot for the warm clothes I wear to the plane) and funny...
|
Apr 12, 2015 04:00 PM Very hard day...
Do you think that always everything goes so nice.... No.
At 4 am nieighbors in the hostel made a noise - this was end of sleep
I was crawling by car the city - no signs showing way to the airport
There was little damage on the bumper of the car, I bought insurance but AVIS agent wanted extra a raport from the police that there was a hole in the road
In the last minute we went to the nearest police station to get the report from the stupid policeman
Flights were dlayes due to the fogg. I reached Santiago and I was running gate to gate to catch the flight to Rio - I did.
On arrival to Rio I recognized - no luggage.
Ignorat LAN clerk said that they probably sent it to... Madrid
I am in Rio - without toothbrush, shaver, T shirt and camera chargers.
Greetings from Rio!
|
Apr 11, 2015 04:00 PM From Temuco to Concepcion
In the morning I had a time to climb the forested hill overlooking Temuco. In 1851 the peace treaty between Mapuche Indios an Chilean Gvt was signed here to stop the war and mass killings of native Mapuches. There is a nice monument made of timber to memorize this event. Nice view of the city too.
Then I was driving back north to Concepcion - university city with nice park and elegant main square. It is the time to get ready for the next flights. Tomorrow in the evening I hope to reach Rio.
|
Page:
143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153
|
|
|
