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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 18, 2010 02:00 PM Krasnoyarsk in Siberia...
Due to the time zone changes it was already 5.30 in the morning when we landed in Krasnoyarsk. There was 15 deg Celsius in Moscow, but ony 2 deg here, in Siberia so I was running fast to the terminal building. No rain but foggy...
Taxi drivers wanted to charge 800 roubles for the 45-km ride to the city. I decided to wait for the first city bus at 7.40 and I paid only 48 roubles pls 6 for the backpack. After one hour drive I saw uncle Lenin is still standing with one hand in the pocket on the Revolution Square. From this place I took a walk to the Inna's Homestay at Lebedewoy St 109/44 - it is nice flat and the owner speaks good English... Recommended!
I took a long walk to the bank of Yenissey. It is one of the biggest rivers of Siberia, it looks very impressive in Krasnoyarsk... It is not easy to find internet access in Krasnoyarsk - I found it finally at the post office at 106 Prospekt Mira - they charge 29 roubles per hour plus transfer...
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Sep 17, 2010 02:00 PM On my way to Siberia...
Russian Kaliningrad is for the fourth time my cheapest gateway to Russia. The twice-a-day bus Gdansk to Kaliningrad costs still only 50 zlotrys - like 16 USD.
We stoent about one hour at the border and reached Kaliningrad station at 11.50 am. The bus from Kaliningrad Station to the airport goes every hour. The nearest was at 12.30. I had enough time to change money - there is a changer at the railway station but you can get better rate at the shopping center just opposite... Ther pay 30,50 roubels for USD.
I was on time for the Aeroflot flight to Moscow. New terminal D - domestic looks very nice but no internet access except the business clas lounge. The flight to Krasnoyarsk was on time and quite good hot meal was served... Welome to Russia!
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Sep 16, 2010 02:00 PM New expedition to the East!
The summer is over and I am departing for a new, long journey! I enjoyed so much last year's sailing down the Lena - The Queen of Siberian rivers, that I decided to try to make a similar feat at another big river of Siberia - Yenissey. The feat, because the lower part of Yenissey is still a special zone. To go there, you need a special permit from the the Russian authorities including FGB. I would like to get up to Norilsk - a closed city where nickel, platinum and gold are exploited. In mines of Norilsk, in the extreme conditions of Far North during the Stalin times Gulag prisoners worked, including the Poles. From Siberia, I intend to go to the western China to see Takla Makan Desert, and then to cross this great country from end to end by rail, stopping in the places which I do not yet know. This is unusual route and like in my previous travels, a lot of unknowns and challenges are waiting for me on the way. Please keep your fingers crossed for me! If there will be internet connection on the route you will find hot news from my journey in my travellog . Look at the map - it will be again more then 15000 kms, I believe...
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Sep 05, 2010 02:00 PM Last day in Oslo
There are two hills with the nice views of the city and Oslo Fiord: Ekeberg i Holmennkollen...
But most of the time I spent in the Vigeland Park, where great sculpture park is located. Entry is free and it is one of the top attractions of Norway. More then 200 sculptures in bronze and granite are on display on the open air. Gustav Vigeland was famous Norvegian sculptor and people here are very prouf of him. I had still a nice, sunny weather and the walk through the park was really great. But sorry, it is the time to come back home - to prepare another, much more serious expedition. :))
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Sep 04, 2010 02:00 PM Kon-tiki and Fram on display...
Oslo, Norway. For the passionate traveler there are at least two important museums to visit in Oslo: Kon-tiki Museum and Fram museum. Entry is not cheap (60 NOK each one) but Norway in general is expensive country for the foreigners...
In Kon-tiki you can see the rafts of Thor Heyerdahl - famous sailor exploring the oceans and islands like Easter Island and Fatu Hiva (it brought me a memories of my stays there).
Fram was the ship used by the expeditions to Arctica and Antarctica in early 20th century by Nansen and Amudsen... Very interesting day!
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Sep 03, 2010 02:00 PM Oslo after 10 years...
Lovely, sunny day. It is worth to buy 24-hours ticket for the city transport (single ticket will cost you 26 or even 40 NOK if if you buy from the driver). With such a ticket you have unlimited rides on buses, trams, subway and city ferries. Take such a ferry from the castle jetty for a short circle tour to the islands of the Oslo Fiord! It will give you a nice opportunity to see the city skyline and the waterfront...
In the central part of Oslo after 10 years from my first visit I see many changes. First of all - they built here a new, grandiose opera house. You can climb it by outside stone sidewalks to the top of the roof to enjoy the view of the fiord. But the guards in front of the Royal Palace have still the same uniforms and they are very informal - talking with the tourists...
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Sep 02, 2010 02:00 PM To Norway on a cheap...
When I started traveling the world some 40 years ago nobody was dreaming about low-cost airlines. Now there are a lot of them to make happy the budget travelers from many countries. Can you imagine: I bought a round trip air ticket from Poland to Oslo-Norway for just 55 zlotys (less then 20 USD)? Well... The Ryan Air plane landed in the Rygge airport - some 70 kms from central Oslo so you have to add an extra cost of the transfers to the bill... From Rygge airport there is a free bus to the nearest railway station (4 kms ride) and then you have to pay 123 Norwegian crowns for the train. After 50 minutes you are in the Oslo downtown.
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May 05, 2010 02:00 PM Home, sweet home... Cloudy Europe.
The time difference between Alaska and Europe is like 10 hours! Europe was cloudy when we wre approaching Frankfurt. I was waiting 6 hours in the FRA airport for the connection to Gdansk. Worth to know: at the entrance to the wing A upstairs you can find a chairs to sleep... And at the entrance to wing B there is desk of the Zurich Bank where they offer free internet access. With some effort at the gates in the wing B you will find free coffee/tea self-service stands. For the backpacker they are a chance to spend less in the expensive environment.
I landed in Gdansk late in the evening, happy to be back home after a long journey. I was afraid that due to the volcano eruption on Iceland the return will not be so simple... But is was!
Another big trip is completed: South America, New Zealand, Australian outback, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan end to end, Russian Sakhalin and frosty Chukotka, new places on Alaska. It was wonderful juurney - not only because the great landscapes and adventures, but also because on the trail I met many fantastic people of different nationalities. Thank you to all of you! You made this great voyage even more attractive!
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May 04, 2010 02:00 PM Bye - bye Alaska!
The sea was very choppy in the night! I did not sleep much. Morning in Homer was wonderful when our ferry arrived. But I had limited time to enjoy the views today - it is like 5 hours drive to the Anchorage airport, I will also spent a time for the breakfast, car refueling and return to the Budget location... Hard day... I did not drive too fast to avoid the next meeting with a state trooper. Scenery was just great!
In the north (international) terminal of Anchorage Airport (access from south by the free shuttle bus) a long line was waiting for the check-in at Condor desk. Fortunately the flight was also one hour delayed... I boarded the 767 and at 3.40 pm Alaskan time we started over the snowy hills. On the monitor I saw a route connecting Alaska with North Greenland. But sorry - no views through the window. We were flying over Arctica on the altitude of 10 kms - all the time over the clouds...
The Grand Voyage is coming to the end... After almost 4 months on the trail I am flying home!
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May 03, 2010 02:00 PM Alaska - Kodiak Island
Do you know that Kodiak is second large US island (after Big Hawaii) and in the past for some time it was like a capital of Russian Alaska?
It is easy to buy a ticket for Alaska Marinie Highway ships on the internet. I did. A ferry to Kodiak departs from Homer. I reached Homer by car at 9 pm. Homer do not have monuments but on approach to the town you will see from the viewpoint great panaorama of the bay and little spit - narrow mini-peninsula in it. On the tip of the peninsula is the ferry landing. It is a must to stop here... Before I got to the ferry moose walking the main street stopped me for the few minutes... Fun! KENNICOTT ferry boat reminds me Columbia I took in the past from Ballingham to Skagway. Terminal staff allowed me to park the car for free in front of the building for 2 days and soon we departed...
In the morning I saw Kodiak - unspoiled island with snowy capped mountains. The weather was sunny, although very windy. My new friend from Kodiak - Ceci took me to the places of interest (thanks a lot Ceci!). I returned to the ferry at 5 pm. Bad news: due to the stormy wind departure will be delayed by 1 hour and the ship will sail the longer route. As a result I will come to Homer with at least 4 hour delay...
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