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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Jan 05, 2009 07:00 PM Back to Africa!
The flight from Gdansk to Warsaw was on time. In Warsaw there was minus 20 deg Celsius at the sunrise when I started to Amsterdam. Why? I use in this voyage again raoynd - the world ticket offered by KLM and partners - that's the best solution... Flight from AMS to Accra Ghana took me 6.5 hours. They serve even wine and beer but their MD-11 is crampy and packed-up to the last seat. It was black on the plane - 90% of Passengers are Africans...
We landed at 8 pm in the dark. 28 deg. Celsius! Almost 50 deg difference in one day! Hot and humid... Bus to the junky terminal, a lot of waiting - they are nice but pretty well disorganized. Long waiting in front of the immigrations and then for the luggage. I was happy to get finally my backpack. Thanks God money change desk is in the baggage hall, they pay 1,20 new cedi for 1 USD. Plenty of private cars works as a taxis - they will cheat you - the ride to the center should not cost more then 10 cedis. Smell and noise of Africa. It is my 9th visit to the Black Continent, isn't it? We started driving in the darkness.
It was 9.40 pm when we arrived to the Calvary Methodist GH - it was full. I was lucky to find the room nearby - at the Holy Spirit Cath Catedral. They charge 25 cedi for clean single with shared bath and continental breakfast. It is good to know - they are not in the guidebooks! Uff! Shower! Welcome back to Africa!
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Jan 04, 2009 07:00 PM 8th time around the world - why not?
Is this possible to chart on the map eight route around the globe via new, unknown places that fascinates me? Yes, it is! Just now I am listening to the Nat King Cole's lovely song "Around the World" and I am packing again my old backpack. The new adventure starts tomorrow... It is hard to predict if I will be able to follow all this route marked on the map. Especially the first - African segment could be difficult, but I'll try anyway... The preparations and planing took me more then half a year. It will be more then 3 months on the road across 6 continents. Regarding the lenght of the route it will be probably the longest of my eight round-the world voyages.
I will be sorry to leave here my 2,5-m high christmas tree - it still stands in my sitting room. But all this exciting world is waiting for me and I am ready to go and put into effect my next drem. My friends, keep the fingers crossed, please...
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Oct 25, 2008 02:00 PM My book is launched!...
Finally I got the first package of my books. Just look at the picture... What do you think? Too many photograps? My idea was to use also the margins to expose photos in the big size.
It is interesting to me what will be the opinion of the readers...
For those of you who know Polish and want to have the book (30 chapters, 304 pages, full color) - you can order it from this page:
http://www.kontynenty.net/zamawiam.php
Enjoy!
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Oct 17, 2008 02:00 PM My book has been printed!
It was a huge work and took me few months. 304 pages, B5 size, more then 240 pictures. It is of course about my travels and the adventures during the 40 years of my traveling. Kilimanjaro and Everest trek, Sahara and Antarctica, remote islands of the Pacific and Grand Canyon. Sorry my friends - it is only in Polish but I do hope that you will enjoy the photos. Be tolerant please - I am the beginner author and the target was to print it at a minimal cost... They bind the book now and it will be for sale in November... Enjoy!
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Jun 19, 2008 02:00 PM Sweet strawberries in Wojtkówka...
From Halifax I took a inexpensive Condor airline flight to Frankfurt and then LOT flight to Gdansk. 23 deg Celsius! Summer... Another interesting voyage is completed! With some adventures I saw new, interesting part of our world...
Home, sweet home... My Wojtkówka is not far from the Gdansk airport. I found it green and full of flowers. It is harvest time for the strawberries... A lot of work is waiting there for me but it will be also a time to meet my friends and travellers from all over the world. I expect first guest next week already. Welcome to Wojtkówka!
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Jun 17, 2008 02:00 PM Hazy Halifax - Nova Scotia...
Air Saint-Pierre has only two planes: turbo-prop ATR and 8-seater Cessna. I took the firt one flying today to Halifax - the capital of Canadian Nova Scotia province.
In Saint Pierre there was a lovely sun when we departed, but in Halifax it was cloudy and hazy.
I left a backpack in the cloak room in the airport (2,50 CAD plus tax) and took airporter bus to the downtown. The airport is located some 40 km off the city and there is no competiotion so they charge 18 CAD one-way for the ride.
The Citadel located on the grassy hill is the main tourist attraction in Halifax. Keep handy another 12 CAD for entry fee! Canada is expensive! In the Citadel I liked most the guards in Scottish skirts. They are happy to be photographed. What a pity that weather was so bad. I took few more pictures on the main Barrington street ( many English-style georgian houses) and St Paul church - the oldest in Halifax. The waterfront of Halifax reminds me a litte bit San Francisco's Fishermen's Wharf - you will find there many little restaurants and souvenir shops... Brrr... it is raining... Time to fly back home...
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Jun 16, 2008 02:00 PM Miquelon - remote France in America...
Three times a week public ferry sails from Saint Pierre to the other island of the French Territory - Miquelon. Ticket for round trip cost 22 euro. It takes me less then an hour to move from busy Saint Pierre to the remote, sleepy island... Miquelon in fact is bigger then Saint Pierre island. There are two hilly pieces: Proper Miguelon and Langlade connected by the long, sandy causeway. It is not easy to move around unless you are on organized tour /is cost hefty 56 euro from St Pierre/ or you can rent for 60 euro/day one of two cars offered by rental agency.
Anya from tiny tourist information office helped me to reach the Cap Blanc lighthouse, Mirande and Anse du Gouvernement fot the nice views. The church in the main settlement is also worth to see. It was sunny afternoon when we returned to the dock... Ferry to St Pierre departed on time... Another lovely day!
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Jun 15, 2008 02:00 PM Bonjour, ici Saint Pierre!
Last time I was speaking my poor French 3 years ago in West Africa. Now I can practice again! I am in the little French territory in North America. The archipelago of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, situated in the North West Atlantic ocean, 25 km off of the coast of Newfoundland, is a little bit of France, at the opening of the Gulf of St-Lawrence, facing Canada. 4 600 km separate these islands from Paris. St Pierre is hilly islqnd - I climbed the mountain overlooking the capital for the nice view and pictures. I have good news: the sun is shinning again! Strong wind but thanks God no rain.
I am climbing little, narrow streets full of brightly painted houses to get to Pension Dodeman, where I have a room for 45 euro. Yes, Saint Pierre is even more expensive then Canada! You pay here 70 euro cents for the postcard and 93 cents for the tasty french baguette.
In the afternoon I took a zodiac tour worth 14 euro to Ile aux Marins - a small, pictureasue island situated across the harbour from Saint-Pierre. Ile aux Marins used to be a fishing village of 600 souls. Modern fishing techniques contributed to the gradual desertion of the community. Today, Ile aux Marins it is like Ghost Village - a museum and a unique window on the past.
The total population of this territory is only around 6 300, divided up in the following manner : 5 600 people live in Saint-Pierre and 700 live on the bigger but wilder islqnd - Miquelon. I plan to go there tomorrow by ferry. À bientôt!
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Jun 14, 2008 02:00 PM They wat to put you in one bed!
New Foundland.Canada. What does mean "budget accommodation" here? Except the capital city of the province _ St John's where you will find few hostels you have to look for "bed and breakfast" institutions. The problem is that very few of them offer twin rooms (rooms with two separate beds). So if you have a companion and you want to pay less it is not possible to share twin room - they want you to sleep in a double - with one wide bed.
In Fortune where I am I stay in the new-open Harborview B&B. The place is empty, but they wanted 75 CAD for double with shared bath. I offered 60 - we never paid more- I said! -No!
-You have a choice to have 60 dollars or to keep the room empty!
I'll keep it empty! - he said...
Fortune is a little, sleepy village. Few people on the streets. Ferry ticket office is still cosed, but I believe that the ferry from St Pierre will arrive to pick up us (In June they operate only on Sun and Wed).
I see St Pierre et Miquelon on the horizon. Bon voyage!
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Jun 13, 2008 02:00 PM Wet day on the road
It was the time to say goodbye to Gros Morne National Park and go to Fortune for the ferry to Saint Pierre. I found the task very difficult due to the lack of public transport. The only bus (microbus - in fact) to Fortune goes from St John's. But I recognized that it is not coming to Fortune two or three huurs before ferry's departure. Ferry departs at 2.45 pm on Sunday. Bus departs St John's at 1.30 pm and arrives to Fortune at 7 pm. (Why?) So if you plan the ferry ride you have to be in Fortune the day before.
Rental agencies are limited in New Foundland. No rentals in Fortune. If you rent a car in Gander you have to return the car in Gander or St John's - no other choice!. I was driving in the morning to Gander. Car returned. Then I tried to find the lift south at the fuel station. No chance - even if they go south they do not want you... Then I was staying half an hour in the light rain on the road. First car took me 70 km. Then I stayed again on Trans Canada Highway like 40 minutes. More then 100 cars passed by... I am getting wet... Yes, old couple gave me next lift. But those are exceptional cases and exceptional people. I am dissappointed: I heard that people in New Foundland are helpful. But is seems that this opinion is exagerated. I reached Goobies junction in the afternoon. At 4 pm Footie's Microbus (one per day) took me to Fortune (hefty 35 dollars for 2,5-hours ride). I am again on schedule... Wet but happy. And ready for the next adventure...
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