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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Nov 14, 2013 08:00 PM Dreamliner to New York - first exprerience
My fligth Gdansk to Warsaw was on time. Then there is no need to go again through the security (and drink your water) - you going directly to the gate.
LOT's dreamliner was waiting... Thi was my first time on such a plane...
First experience: yes, I had enough space for my long legs. But seat configuration 3+3+3 is not convenient - in my favorite 767 there are only 2 seats at the window!
It took us 9 hours to get from Warsaw to JFK.
I am a partiot bys sorry the LOT's service was not so good - they schoul train again the attendents. And on such a long flight at least the beer should be free!
Planes are almost new but there was no water in one restroom and on the other one the sink was permanently full of water!
We landed at dusk. Going to Manhattan you have to take the airtrain for hefty 5 USD to get to the subway station (Jamaica or Howard Beach) and then you pay 2,75 for the subway ticket. Welcone to NY!!
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Nov 13, 2013 08:00 PM New voyage! By plane, by train, by car, by ship...
I pack my backpack again! November in Poland is a time of the rainy weather, cold, short and dark days. That's why I try to take advantage of the end of each year to travel to warmer regions of the world, to see new places, but also to take a look at the previously visited places from a new perspective and to experience new adventures. Also in this year, I set out on such a journey. Look at the map... In a period of one month I would like to take a ride across the United States from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific - this time by train. Then I plan to drive rented a car along the coast of California down to Los Angeles, and finally to board an inexpensive ship to sail south - through the Panama Canal - to Florida! I plan to be back in mid-December.
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Nov 10, 2013 08:00 PM Polish Globies Meeting!
I just returned from annual 3-days meeting of Polish Globies in Rzeszow. What a event!
This was a chance to see again my old friends - the passionate travelers. There was a time for discussions, information exchange and just for the jokes...
We were watching there slideshows from all over the world till late night. Most of them reminded me my previous voyages through continents, but this year was something new: Northeast Passage by yacht. My 3 presentations (Robinson Crusoe Is, Ogasawara and “Born to travel”)
gained much applause. I had a great time. I took the walk around the Rzeszow Old Town - after 50 years - it is well restored now and worth a visit!
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Oct 31, 2013 08:00 PM 11th Around the World Voyage is completed!
The autumn sun was shining yesterday when I landed in Gdansk airport. Welcome home! The 11th loop around the globe is completed! It was another interestig trip, I had a chance to see many new places. I did not experience any unpleasant adventures. Police was nice to me (see the picture in front of the empty police post in Indonesia).
I met many interesting people... I crossed by ship the rough North Pacific.
I will tell you my secret: on the cold North Pacific I started to think about coming back to the much warmer South Pacific :)
Now it is the time to unpack my sfuff, to make the laundry...
Next week I will join the annual meeting of Polish globetrotters. And then... I will pack my backpack again. November in Europe is not very attractive! :)
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Oct 30, 2013 08:00 PM I love Paris...
Yes I love it, but when we landed at 6.30 am it was only 5 deg Celsius here. De Gaulle airport offers you only 15 minutes of free wi-fi internet. They will disconnect me in a seconds... No... please, don't!...
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Oct 29, 2013 08:00 PM Till the last hour...
Well - the Anker beer was good, but now I know that maybe it was wrong decision :)
When I arrived in the early morning to Padang airport they informed me at check in that I have to pay an airport tax (in cash = no credit card payment) 100 000 rs. Uuuuu! In Beijing and other airports Air Asia had included tax in the ticket price. But not here!
I was forced to change 11 USD extra with a poor rate to cover this expense!
Early arrival to Kuala Lumpur. But I have late departure from Kuala Lumpur. I decided to use my time to the last hour: Air Asia offers cheap fare to beautiful, but unknown to me Langkawi Island. I decided to fly there and to spend there 5 hours going around the island by car. This was very good idea! I saw great beaches and a lovely waterfall! - see picture...
Now. back in Kuala Lumpur I am ready for the night flight to Europe. 13 hours on the plane plus two flights in Europe. I am tired but happy!
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Oct 28, 2013 08:00 PM Padang, Padang, Padang...
Do you remember this wonderful song of Edith Piaf? Well, the word was little different (padam) but... :)
The minibus drivers in Bukittinggi were calling potential passengers: -Padang. Padang, Padang! And that's when I remembered the song...
Padang is second big city on Sumatra. Minibus from Bukittinggi cost 25000 rs (like 2.20 USD) but if you are rich enough to add another 2 USD you can have "door to door service" from your guesthouse to the hotel of your choice in Padang. It is worth to invest because bus terminanal in both cases are located out of the city...
I reached Padang in the afternoon. It is hot, hot again here because I went down from 900 m to the level of the sea. Padang is hot, noisy and polluted but walking around the city I discovered something worth to recommend: In the mouth of the river there is an old port with old commercial boats - it looks like a century ago - the porters still carry heavy loads aboard - like in Sunda Kelapa in Jakarta. Picturesque place! The junk motorboats take also passengers - local people from here to the smaller islands. Then the boy on the motorbike helped me to find the Chinese Temple - He just offered me a free ride (see the picture) - because the route was a bit complicated.
People here are nice and helpfull.
Chinese temple is closed - it needs a restauration but they allowed me to go inside anyway to see the paintings. Trees are in blossom here. But tomorrow I will already fly home via Malaysia... It is time to spend my last rupees: a big bottle of Anker beer cost just 19000 rs!
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Oct 27, 2013 08:00 PM Who knows about Lake Maninjau?
Sunny day! It is possible to see both volcanoes!
Many travelers know Lake Toba on Sumatra Island. But probably very few people try to find their way to the beautiful, but much smaller volcanic Lake Maninjau.
It lies in the former crater some 25 kms from Bukittinggi. It is possible to reach the lake by public transport but if you will find the companion it is worth to rent a car with a driver - this will allow you to visit also other places, to stop for the photos and to enjoy the scenery without rush.
That's what I did and now I can say as a queen: "Poor Toba!" - Minanjau seen from the crater rim (some 600 m above the lake) is unforgettable. Now I know that town Bukittinggi is nothing special except the market and clock tower. But the rural area around Bukittinggi is just lovely - do not stay only in this noisy town!
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Oct 26, 2013 04:00 PM Indonesia = it rains over the volcanoes!
Bukittinggi lies on the level of 903 m. But it is still in the shade of two nice volcanic cones, almost 3000m high: Merapi and Singgalang.
It was raining today the morning. But at 10 am weather improved and I decided to walk around the town. On the main Square they have tall clock tower - the symbol of the city, printed on T-shirts. Commercial street goes from the tower to the main mosque, and right behind it you will
find the stylish entrance (10000 rs fee) to the zoopark with the museum of the local Minangkabau tribe. Behind the museum there is a bridge which will allow you to cross to the former Dutch fort with some old cannons.
College students from Bukittinggi today were hunting for me - the only white tourist in the town asking if they can practice English talking with me.
Sure, you can! I was very polite and patient, but - sorry - when the third group approached me I excused myself and escaped to the "Panorama Park" to see the canyon and Japanese War Caves.
Big, ripe papaya cost here half a dollar - that's my lunch. Sorry, no rum or any substitute in the Muslim shops. Islamic behaviors seems to be very strict in Bukittingi!
The town is full of police and soldiers. Mr President will come tomorrow to open a new bridge in the countryside. I hope they will allow me to go to the province anyway!
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Oct 25, 2013 04:00 PM Crossing the equator again
There were already 5 people in the shared taxi where I boarded this suzuki for the 14-hours trip. We paid 250000 rs each. Bumpy road, holes full of water, some places suitable only for 4WD vehicles - that's how does look this part of Trans-Sumatran highway. In two points in
the middle of the nights local men were waiting to help the driver to find the way in the mud and stones (and to collect money for that service). I survived, but it was difficult night - I remember similar one from Africa - where I was going by shared taxi from Mali to Guinea Bissau.
A lot of switchbacks and bends... The morning found us already in the valley, where the road was winding between the rice fields.
At 7 am I crossed again the equator in the village of Bonjol. They built there a special gate on the road to commemorate the place (see the picture).
Before 9 am We reached Bukittinggi - crowded town located at the bottom of 3 volcanoes. I was dreaming only about the shower and the bed in the primitive "Mitra Arena" hotel, where the bugs are marching on the walls.
More - tomorrow!
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