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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 01, 1970 12:00 AM Transdniestria - the state who does not exists...
I bought a bus ticket for 40 hrywna -The shortest route from Odessa in Ukraine to Chisinau - capital of Moldova goes through Tiraspol - the capital of strange mini-country existed from the collapse of the USSR. They should be the part of Moldova but they do not want to...
The staff of the hostel in Odessa said that they did not hear about any problem with border crossing. Yes - the local people do not expect any problem, but the foreigners are the target for the corrupted officials of Transdniestria on entry and exit. They will collect the passports - only from the foreigners. They will take you out of the bus. You will enter one one by one the "control room". They will ask there for a bribe... Very rude people... On both borders the same situation... I refused to pay... - They ask me to go outside and called the next person. During the next search the officer asked me to put everything from my pockets on the table... I know Russian - I survived paying only 10 hrywna - like 2 USD. But the Japaneese guy the day before lost there 200 euro! Never more to Transdniestria!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Sinai. Monastery of St Catherine...
This famous monastery is located in the narrow valley - just 4km - one hour walk from my camp in Al Milga. It is a must if you are visiting Sinai - the scenery is just fantastic.
Roman Empress Helena buit here in 4th century the chapel on the place where God from burning bush spoke to Moses... Then - in 6th century they built walled monastery of Sta Catherina.
The monastery is open from 9 to 12 only. Entry is free, but they charge 25 pounds for visiting the museum with containing iteresting icons and manuscripts (optional). You can see the ornate church and the a bit dirty chapel of Burning Bush. What is bad? - more and more people want to see the place and in the morning there is a crowd of tourists. It is better to come around 11 am to have little more privacy. Few people climb the rocky slope on the left side for the better picture of the monastery - I did! Hope to show you this picturesque spot soon.
In the afternoon I took the one-per-day bus from St Catherine to Dahab on the Gulf of Aqaba. Bus departs at 1 pm and it took 2 hours to reach Dahab. Cost: 16 pounds. Try to have front seat for the great views!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM I am flying west tomorrow...
Yes, it will be new voyage... I always spend summer in Poland enjoying flowers and birds in my Wojtkówka but there are regions where the summer is practicaly the only season suitable for the visit. The great Polish-Canadian globetrotter - Remi Mielcarek recommended to me "The Icebergs Alley" - I want to see it and - by the way - also some landscapes of New Foundland and The Labrador. It will be also a good chance to find the remote French territory of St Pierre and Miquelon.
It is expensive region in comparison to Asia or Africa so it will not be a long voyage - I want to be back in Poland soon to enjoy our summer...
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Micronesia to Australia...
Chuuk - Federated States of Micronesia. On the main island - Weno there is an old Japaneese lighthouse - not in use now but they say it is great view from there. I wanted to go and to see. Sorry - it is on ptrivate property and there are different owners of the access road - the do not agree let you go through! That's Micronesia!
On the hill nearby there is catholic St Francis Xawier High School - they welcome visitors. Nice Father Bill took me to the roof of the building for the great view. The lighthouse is also visible in a distance. Once it was Japaneese military communication center - it survived American bombings and now is is valuable peace institution.
In the afternoon it was the time to say goodbye to Chuuk. I took a flight via Guam to Cairns in Australia - quite ne w route!
It was 11 pm when I landed in Cairns. Customs are screening here in details for food, wood and shells - dont bring them to avoid the talk I had!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Alamos - silver town
Sorry - More in the evening......
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Tucuman -Argentina
Sunday, but it will be laundry day because I became sweaty and my jeans stink a little bit already. I am almost off of my pesos. The hostel does not accept payment in dollars or by credit card. I expect change problem (Bolivia is much easier and sweeter for the traveller!)
In the hostel for the included in the price ¨desayuno¨- breakfast they serve two pieces of bread, some jam an a coffee - how can I carry my 18 kilos in the heat on such a diet!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM 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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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Guanyin Goddess Statue - 33 m-high!
There are many temples on the Putuoshan Island. Those on the green mointain ridge are connected by the path - I was going from temple to temple enjoying the views and the atmosphere of the sacred places... Eventually the path took me to the main Puji Temple - biggest on the island. Ponds full of the lotus flowers are there and huge statue of the Buddha of the Future. Crowd of pilgrims inside...
But the best-known place on the sacred island is the huge, open-air terrace with the 33-m high statue of the Goddess of Mercy - they call her here Guanyin... Well, with hundereds people around it is hard to contemplate the landscape. But this is China - 2-mln city is recognized as small one... It is very hard to find the place to be alone!
Back on the mainland I plan to take the train to Huangzhou - another historic place... Cloudy, rainy evening - I pray for the better weather!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM Republic of the Monks - day one
(posted four days later)
It was still dark at the Ouranopolis jetty when I was looking there for somebody with my travel permit to Mt Athos. They are not well organized... Finally I found a gentelman in the car speaking with the people through the window. We (all men) were staying in the long line. He checked my passport, asked for 30 euro fee and gave me this valuable paper...
I embarked little ferry "Agia Anna" they charged from me 9,80 euro for the trip to Agia Anna jetty and we departed soon. Everybody was waiting for the sunrise to see the scenery. After an hour I saw the first monastery on the coast. Few people including the monks in black disembarked and we sailed onward. Second monastery, the third. Some of the like castles on the coast. The main port is Dafni - all suppy for the republic goes this way. But I sailed further, knowing from the literature that the most picturesque landscapes and monasteries I can see after Dafni. It was true...
Disembarking at little Santa Anna jetty I was surprised. -Where is skete (sub-monastery) Agia Anna I am booked for the night? They showed me a little chapel up on the hill some 250 m above the sea level. Uff... It was sweaty walk up and up. But at the little monastery courtyard friendly monk treated me on traditional way: I got a glass of spring water, glass of ouzo (local alcohol), lukumi cake and a little cup of the strong coffee! I got my bed in the 6-bed dormitory and in the afternoon I took a walk to the monastery of St Paul. Back in Agia Anna we attended the service in the church and then we got a simple meal. What a view from this eagle's nest!
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Jan 01, 1970 12:00 AM To the Caribbean! By ship will be cheaper!
Could you believe? The one-way flight from Europe to the Caribbean is more expensive that the voyage aboard the ship! Of course you have to know when and where buy your last-expensive inside cabin, and have the companion... :)
So I set out on another voyage! You know how much I like the islands, particularly those ones in the warm climate zone. It will therefore travel to new, unknown islands. At the beginning I fly cheaply to Malaga, Spain. There, I get on the ship, which with stops in Madeira and the Canary Islands sails across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. It will be great chance to escape the wet and cold European autumn, but I also know that I am going to the Caribbean in the hurricane season :) Please keep you fingers crossed! Thank you!
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