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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Sep 27, 2012 04:00 PM Landed in beautiful Ladakh!
Flying from Delhi to Leh it is worth to apply for the left window seat (I did not know about it) Just after the sunrise the clouds disappear and you will see great panorama of snowy peaks. You are in The Indian Himalaya!
Leh airport is deep in the valley. First impression: crystal clear air and cold, cold...
Then you feel like in the rocking boat: high altitude - you are on 3500 above sea level. Slowly, slowly, take your time. No effort!
I found companions to take a little bus to the town: 200 rs for 4 pax.
Then I got a room in Khan Manzil Guest House. It is empty. The season is over, only few tourist took the risk to come...
But good news: the mountain road to Kashmir is still open!
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Sep 26, 2012 04:00 PM From Russia with love...
India still require tourist visa to enter their country. Years ago I was receiving it on a spot and free of charge.
Now they want you to fill up electronic form, to pay like 80 USD in their embassy in Warsaw and... to come after 3 weeks to collect the passport. I came (In August), but it was still not ready. Praying, waiting extra 4 hours in the office I finally got it... Success!
It is beautiful, warm Indian Summer in Gdansk.
Early in the morning I boarded plane from Gdansk to Warsaw. Then to Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow. Surprise: having 3 hours for the connection to Delhi I got a voucher to the "Classic Lounge" on the second floor of terminal F. They offer here free pirozhky, buns, softs, tea and coffee. And free internet!
Things changed to the better...
So I can write to all of you Dear Friends from Russia with love
Wojtek
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Sep 25, 2012 04:00 PM I pack my backpack again...
I am leaving for India. The fifth time, if I'm counting well. India appears to me as a colorful and fascinating country, where every time I find a new, unknown yet areas to explore. And just a week ago, after disembarking the expedition ship ground sag under my feet. So why to rush? My journey starts from Indian Himalayas, and there tourist season just ends. I'm afraid that the snow soon will cover high passes, through which my route is charted ...
From Ladakh I plan to get to the legendary and still troubled Kashmir. And then again to the foot of the high Himalayas hoping, that the good weather will allow me to photograph the high mountain landscapes. And then I'm going to say goodbye to the mountains and visit two unknown to me eastern states of India - Orissa (Odisha) and Andhra Pradesh. News from the route I'm going to post in my travel log - if the internet will be available. Keep the fingers crossed dear friends! Thanks in advance! :)
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Sep 18, 2012 04:00 PM End of the Arctic Adventure
I am home. I happily survived all this cold, icebergs, strong icy winds. Was it worth? Yes, it was,
But due to the limited amount of the wildlife it was more like a historical voyage. And if you have a choice go first to the Antarctic!
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Sep 17, 2012 04:00 PM Kangerlussuaq
Only 550 peple live here, but the place has nice climate - 300 sunny days per year. This is our disembarcation point.
What a surprise! At the end of the fiord there is no harbor - so we are forced to use the zodiacs for the last time to ge with our luggage ashore.
Kangerlussuaq exists becaise they have here airstrip suitable for jets to land. During the cold war Americans used it for military planes. Now it is the hub for Air Greenland. Their only airbus flies from here to Copenhagen and small planes and helicopters took arriving passengers to the countryside of Greenland.
Let you know that there is still 12 kms from the landing to the airport. Our expedition was taken there by bus. I am flying home!
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Sep 16, 2012 04:00 PM To the Sondre Storm Fiord
Some people say that it is the longest fiord in the world. It is 180 kms long. At the far end of the fiord there is small settlement of Kangerlussuaq built by Americans during WW2.
There was strong wind when we tried to find the entry to the fiord. Not easy task. But with the use of all those satelite maps and GPS our captain found it.
There are little rocky islands at the mouth of the fiord. In the fiord the wind was still heave but the views were stunning! We stayed hours on the upper deck to enjoy it and to take the pictures. Glaciers, 200-m high rocky outcrops, different color layers of the rocks. Thanks to our chef we got a hot chocolate during this part of journey. Tasty in the cold!
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Sep 15, 2012 04:00 PM Ilulissat - UNESCO World Heritage site
I have been here 14 years ago. In June I saw a lot of icebergs by little port was free of ice. Today it was full of ice chips and some bigger
pieces too - hard to believe! We were docking. I took the walk (about an hour) to Ilulissat Icefiord. They have there a glacier who produces
10 percent of the world icebergs. Recently they built comfortable boardwalk to the fiord but for the better view you have finally climb rocky hills.
Not easy because there were showers in the morning and the rocks were wet. I was politely waiting for the sun to get better pictures. And I got them!
In the afternoon we were cruising Disco Bay in the zodiacs enjoying the views of the giant icebergs. It was sunny. Just great!
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Sep 14, 2012 04:00 PM Karrat Fiord full of icebergs!
Karrat Fiord is little known to the sailors. We approached this place at sunrise. I I think that it willbe one of the most beautiful places
I saw during this expedition. Can you imagine the entrance to the fiord between 200-metres high cliffs? Then at the end of the fiord it is getting wider.
There is small, hilly island in the middle. We landed on the rocks of this island from the zodiacs. Climbing the hill for the view.
The view od the nave blue waters of the fiord and white icebergs glittering in the sun was gorgeus!
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Sep 13, 2012 04:00 PM First settlement visit in Greenland
Sun was rising over the hills on the horizon when I was drinking my morning tea with honey. Weather is nice again! An hour later we reached Upernavik - first settlement in Greenland. 1100 people live here from shrimp and halibut. The village, spread out on the terraces
looks lovely thanks to the neat, painted in bright colors houses. That's how I remember Greenland from my first visit years ago...
No zodiacs or rubber boots today - we are docking at the little pier!
Upernavik is picturesque. I visited the museum in the little house and the local lady was so kind to give me access to the net for 15 minutes. Thank you!
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Sep 12, 2012 04:00 PM Graveyard of the icebergs - Cape York
During the night we pushed our wattches by one hour again. Night became shorter. At 6 am the expedition leader woke us up announcing that
we will land soon in the Cape York area. Quick shower, the I run to get my breakfast... And then we have another announcement: waves are high,
wind is still strong and the captain cannot find the safe place to the shore to anchor. It is cloudy. I see the high rock of the Cap York through the window. Unfortunately the summit is in the clouds and I cannot see the 28-m high monument with a "P" letter on it. It was founded by the family of the famous explorer Perry who first (people believe) reached the North Pole.
No landing again due to the poor wheather. Instead they offer us the cruise through the Iceberg Graveyard. That's how they call the huge, vast area
dotted by the the icebergs of different shapes, high as a 2-3 storey house. It really reminds the graveyard under the dark, sad sky.
After more then an hour we found the exit from this labirynth. We are sailing south through the rough sea.
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