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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Apr 14, 2016 06:00 PM Sibiu in Romania
Intercity bus travel in Romania is provided by many small companies so foreign tourist has a problem to manage. But I discovered very useful web page to check almost every intercity connection. Try www.autogari.ro it is updated and you will find also there reservation phone numbers. The only problem is that this help desk as a rule do not understand any foreign language so you have to ask you Romanian friend to make the booking for you.
Today I spend 3,5 hours in the bus traveling from Cluj to Sibiu. Ticket cost me 35 lei. Sibiu is well-known historic town, also the informal capital of German minority in Romania (yes, they have Grermans here since ages). The old part of the town is very compact - located on the hill with 3 elegant squares filled with old achitecture. Squeres architecture is renovated and bright, but in the side streets hundreds of stylish houses are waiting for restoration.
I took city bus no 13 to get to ASTRA open air folk museum. Before boarding the bus you have to buy a ticket, ot better two in the vending machine - it will cost you 1.50 lei each way. From the last stop there is like 200 m to walk to the gate of the skansen. They brought from the whole province, windmills, watermills, ferries, workshops, wooden churches and plenty of different stylish houses. It is worth to see. I paid 3,50 for discounted ticket. The only problem was that all those buildings were closed, so you cannot see what is inside. Maybe because it is not a tourist season yet...
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Apr 13, 2016 06:00 PM Cluj in Transylvania
After 3 hours drive in the public bus (ticket costs 28 lei) I am in Cluj - Napoca - historic city founded by Roman emperor. Cluj is famous for its universities (a lot of students in the streets) and many monuments. I enjoyed rich interior of Franciscan church and ornate opera house. They have here very strong Hungarian minority and you hear Hungarian language on the streets very often. That's because before WW1 whole Transylvania was a part of Austro-Hungarian Empire. I had a pleasure to meet here new friend Florin - he lives here since years and he explained to me the present situation. He also gave me a chance to taste traditional local dish - mici (mititei) - a kind of fried meatballs. Thank you Florin!
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Apr 12, 2016 06:00 PM Oradea in the sun
Last time I have been to Romania in the communist period, some 40 years ago, so everything is new to me... People do not smile... But Oradea is very nice and partly restored. Union Square with its palaces and churches is the highlight of the city - see the picture.
They just finish the restauration of the fortress built by Austrians. I took a long walk along the picturesque river to go to the northern bank where is located Republic Street - the main street of the old part of the city. Ornate theatre building is worth to photograph, but many palaces from the Austrian period are in ruin. On the left side of the theatre there is very helpful tourist information office - the distribute the maps of the city and can book for you the bus for onward travel. I am going by bus to Cluj-Napoca and there are 3 different bus stations in Oradea!
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Apr 11, 2016 06:00 PM Debrecen - Hungary and onward to Romania
In the heart of old Debrecen you will see huge, yellow Kalvin church. For 600 forints they allow you to climb the tower for the view and the terrace between towers. Behind the church there is museum and old collegium. In front of the church is the Kossuth Square – lovely pedestrian zone where I was enchanted by the fresh green of the spring and thousands of tulips. There are more streets in the old town closed for the car traffic. St Anna catholic baroque church is worth a visit, they have also nice theatre from the beginning of 20th century.
In the afternoon I took the Eurolines bus through the border to Romania. In fact it was the minibus. We were driving by windy country roads. At the border crossing Romanian officers collected ID and we were waiting some 20 minutes to be released. It is only 8 kms from the border to Oradea – the capital of Crisana province. On the southern side of the river near the fortress I found my rustic Gobe Csarda – lovely inn where a single room with bath costs only 80 lei… Lovely place to stay!
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Apr 10, 2016 06:00 PM I am flying again!
Early spring works in my Wojtkowka are done so I decided to use cheap flights to travel to the new destinations in Europe. Low-cost airlines offer really good fares. All you need to do is to browse their websites, check the pricess day by day and -if you are flexible you will find something inexpensive to the interesting destination. I decided to visit Debrecen in the south side of Hungary an then - Romanian Transylvania. First from Gdansk I took Wizzair flight to the north - to Malmo in Sweeden, and now I am waiting for the wizz directcflight to Debrecen/ Hungary. Sleepy Malmo airport is very clean and they offer free internet acces. If you have boarding pass printed from online check-in there is no need to go out of the transit zone and enter the waiting room again...
From Malmo to Debrecen we wre flying only 1, 5 hours squeezed in the the full plane. Then I saw the green (more green than in Poland) fields an we landed in the little, empty airport. In the past it was military airport - I saw a row of solid shelters for the combat planes. The terminal was empty and poor. They annou ced on the website that city bus is departing from the airport to the station after each arrival of the plane. The bus stop is not easy to find. It is in the car park, some 80 m from the terminal exit. I was waiting there more than half an hour with other people because the previous bus departed before the scheduled time (it is very common in this part of Europe). I paid 400 forints to the driver and after 15-minutes ride I reached Debrecen - second big city in Hungary.
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Apr 02, 2016 06:00 PM Giving lectures in Szamotuly
From time to time I am giving lectures about my travelling, about countries of the world and how to travel on a cheap.
Today I took a train to Szamotuly - little but charming town in central Poland. Local Curtural Centre invaited me to talk about my voyages to the seven continents. The big hall was full of people and everything was perfectly organized. It took me 2 hours to go through the slide show and to answer many questions. Many people bought my book, asking for the dedication of the author. It was a pleasure and satisfaction for me... And I earned some money for the next air ticket :)
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Mar 15, 2016 09:00 PM Sunny Warsaw!...
The night flight from Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul took us 11,5 hours. The airbus 330 was full. Then there was long waiting for the connection to Warsaw, also on Turkish Airlines plane. I just landed in Warsaw airport greeted by wonderful, spring sun. The big voyage is almost completed. How nice is to listen again to my home language spoken around! I am waiting for the LOT plane to Gdansk.
(later) Fortunately they did not checked the weight of my carry-on pack (there was much more kilos, then the allowance). When you fly to Gdansk it is worth to have a seat at the right window to see the beautiful Old City on descent. Welcome home! It was sunny, but cooler then in Warsaw…. The 2,5 months grand voyage is completed!
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Mar 14, 2016 09:00 PM It is time to sail back...
Perhentian islansd offer also great smnorkeling and diving, but this costs extra money. I saw underwater gardens in many places of the world, so this does not excite me.
January, February, half of March on the trail...
Now it is the time to come back home. My friends write me, that the spring is arriving to Poland!
In the morning I took the speedboat back to the mainland. Then in Kuala Besut I found the bus to Kota Bharu - I costs only 6 ringitts but be prepared for the slooooow journey. From the bus station in Kota Bharu city bus no.9 took me to the airport. Flight to Kuala Lumpur (Cheap Air Asia) was one hour delayed, but I have enoungh time to wait in KL...
Now I am sitting in the bright KLIA1 airport using excellent free internet (no internet on the Perhentian Islands)...
The voyage is almost over, I fly back to Europe, dear Friends!
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Mar 13, 2016 09:00 PM Views from the Jungle trails
On both Perhentian islands you will not find any roads. All transport to the tourist resorts goes via the sea... But there are jungle paths so I decided to try them today. I did not use expensive water taxis but... boat hitchhiking to go island to island. Because the boats coming with the tourists from Kuala Besut go to few different resorts. If you are lucky - they will take you for free! At the beginning they took me from my Coral Bay to Flora Bay - the nicest place on Besar Island.
Then I took from there jungle trail across the island to the PIR resort on the other side. Path is poor but I took me only 40 minutes. Nice view was also on the descent to PIR. Then I hitchhiked again to be taken back to Kecil Is - to the village. There are food and vegetable stalls, so this was good opportunity to buy bananas and a plate of nasi (rice) and have a lunch. Here on the island fruits are expensive - be prepared to lay 7-8 ring per kilo. People are nice - tourists from the resorts do not come to the village, just me...
From Long Beach there is only 10 min walk across the island to my Coral Bay... Very sweaty, ale what a great day! People are coming here to stay on the beach - not me!
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Mar 12, 2016 09:00 PM Lovely Perhentian Islands
To get to this beautiful islands you have to use the speedboat (slowboats are rare). In Kuala Besut close to the jetty there are many little agencies. Each one will be happy to sell you return ticket to the islands for 50 ringitts. You pay, they put you on the passenger’s list with the number of your passport, you go to the jetty, you pay Marine Park tax -5 ringitts. And you wait until agency of your choice will have the list completed (10-12 pax). Then you have to put on the lifejacket and you will start bumpy, 40- minutes journey. Seats are hard, so take care about your backbone!
There are two Perhentian Islands separated by little channel: Small (Kecil) and Big (Besar). What a colors of the waters! People who arrive here have accommodation booked in advance and are delivered by boat to the destination resort or hotel. I do not have booking, so I decided let they drop me in the only fishermen village – on the Kecil. It is very small place, but they have very ornate mosque.
Mistake! In the village they have only 2 guesthouses and both are full because of school holidays. Somebody is calling other places on same island. Yes, there is a budget room for 106 ringitts per night, but on the other side of the island – in Coral Bay. You have to take a water taxi for 15 ringitts to get there. Yes, I jump on the little motorboat and we go around the island along the rocks, green coast and pristine beaches in the bays.
My room is without any view, but has a bath and a/c. At the sunset I am going to the beach to swim in the crystal clear water and to enjoy the view. Welcome to another paradise island!
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