You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 12, 2019 08:00 PM Sark - feudal island without cars
Litte ferry from Guernsey to Sark costs 30 pounds round trip. Afrer an hour of sailind you disembark in the empty pier. Then you have to climb up about 100 m like on the Pitcairn island to the only settlement. They offer horse carriages to vistt the tourist attractions but since the island is only 5 kms long I was walking around - for free. Athd the northern tip the panoramic views of the coast are great. The paths are well-maintained and along them I found plenty of blackberries - what a attraction for the hungry backpacker! :) Unfortunately there is no trail along the picturesque western coast - you go down to see Window in the Rock and you must climb up back to the main road to walk to the next viewpoint. All roads on Sark are gravel roads... They took me as far as Little Sark (Situated like a miniature of Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Iti)
The narrow passage between two islands is a breathtaking place with great views on both sides.
After 5 hours of walking I was back at the pier tired but happy. Sark is very special place ruled stll by landlord and divided to the 40 families living here since ages. Only 600 inhabitants on the island. But what a great nature!
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Sep 11, 2019 08:00 PM To the Channel Islands
The main target of this journey is the iconic Mont Saint Michel. But looking for the best (and cheap) transport solutions I came to the conclusion that I have ideal chance to combine the French Bretany with English Channel Islands. So today the first flight of Ryanair took me to Londond Stansted airport. It was my first time in Standsted. It has huge and modern terminal - they use the train to bring people from the satelite wings to the main building. But shame on you Stansted - the free internet does not work. They want all your data, but the button CONNECT is never active...
I was waiting three hours writing and reading to board finally the turbo-
prop plane ATR72 of Aurigny Air. This is the airline of the Channel Islands. It took us more than an hour to get to the island of Guernsey. In the little airport I grabbed couple of maps and tourist brochures. The mail settlement on Guernsey - St Peter Port is 6kms away so I took a public bus to get there - it cost me 1 pound in cash - Guernsey has own pounds - it means that it has a kind of sovereignty. And that's why I am here...
My host from Couchsurfing is an expat from Nigeria - found him easily.
Weather is nice. Let's hope that everything will be OK!
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Sep 10, 2019 08:00 PM New voyage to the Western Europe...
I make the laundry and in the evening my backpack will be packed again! :)
Low-cost airlines operating from Gdansk are giving me many cheap opportunities to travel to the different corners of Europe.
I decided to visit few places I did not see in the past. So the plan of the next journey will be like this:
Gdansk - flight - London Stansted - flight - Guernsey - ferry - Sark Island - ferry - Guernsey - ferry - Jersey - ferry - Grenville - bus - Mont Saint Michel - bus - Rennes - train - Nantes - flight - Manchester - flight - Gdansk.
Depatrure tomorrow morning! :)
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Sep 09, 2019 08:00 PM Flying to Gdansk
In the sunny morning I still had enough time to take a walk to the GreekCatholic cathedral of St Yur (St George) This main church i Lviv has a beautiful baroque interior. But the advantage of the morning visit was to see the morning liturgy listening to the singings...
Trolleybus no. 29 from the university took me to the airport for just 5 hryvnia paid to the driver. It is cheap but very slow - allow 30 minutes or more and add 15 minutes for waiting at the stop. Once in the modern airport it goes smoothly. Consider to buy in the duty free one liter of local coconut vodka for just 4 euro :) The wizzair staff here do not care much about the size and weight of the cabin luggage. After 1.10 h of flight I landed in Gdansk. Great event, great time in Lviv - I will be there again!
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Sep 08, 2019 08:00 PM Pork ribs in Ribernia
As a budget traveller I usually stay away from the restaurants but Mr Kamil invited me to the most original restaurant in Lviv. It is located in the huge basement of the Old Armoury or Arsenal. They serve here only pork ribs grilled on the two big carousels (see pictures). The order is placed on the paper table cloth. No cutlery, so you use fingers to eat. In addition you can have also paper apron to stay clean... Great and tasty experience. Thanks a lot Mr Kamil!
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Sep 07, 2019 08:00 PM Three castles in one day...
My friendly countryman Mr Kamil, living in Lviv was so nice and offered me today an interesting excursion by car to three different castles located some 50 kms east of Lviv. The firts one was Zlochiv, where in the courtyard they have nicely mantained garden with sculptures and fountain. There are ttwo separated houses concverted into museum. They charge 15 hryvna for entry to the garden, but 90 if you want to see the museum. Then after some 15 min drive on the road full of holes we reached Podhorce Castle - it is now asking for restauration but 300 years ago was one of the most elegant castles in the Kingdom of Poland. Entry costs 50 hryvnia - like 2 euro only - in the empty rooms you can see many full size reproductions of the old paintings. The we went to Olesko castle where the Polish king Jan III Sobieski was born. Paying 60 hryvna you can visit furnished rooms with many old paintings... Oh, beautiful and interesting day! Thank you Mr Kamil for your warm hospitality and the time we spent together!
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Sep 06, 2019 08:00 PM First meeting of top Ukrainian Travellers
I have been invited as a special guest to the Meeting of the top Ukrainian travellers. I was talking about 55 years of my travelling with the backpack around the world... This was the challenge because they wanted to give the speach in Russian :) They liked it! This was also the chance to meet Harry Mitsidis - the founder of Nomadmania and the top Ukrainian traveller - Konstantin - see he picture.
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Sep 05, 2019 08:00 PM Excursion to Drohobych
Drohobych is a little provincial town located some 85 kms from Lviv. It has old history and the monuments of old architecture. I decided to go there by public bus. The bus station in Lviv is not easy to find. They build the new one and temporary buses depart from the street heading to the station. No reliable timetable, but I was waiting only half an hour. We departed when the little bus was full. Ticket cost 77 hryvna (like 3 USD) the drifer of the junk bus is driving most of the way one hand, keeping the mobile in the other one and talking....
After 1,5 hours we reached Drohobych rail/bus station. It is located 4 kms from the center so I took no.2 city bus (5 hryvna) to get there. In the market square there is a solid city hall with a high tower, but the real jewel of the town is the St Yur orthodox church (now museum -entry 30 hr) made of wood, with nice paintings inside. No wonder that UNESCO placed this church on World Heritage list...
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Sep 04, 2019 08:00 PM Evening in the Lviv Opera House
Lviv has beautiful old-hstyle opera house and today I had a chance to spend there great evening. "Merry Widow" - famous operetta was in the program and I must say I was enhanced bythe music, solist and ballet. The tickets are easily available online and inexpensive. I had really good time.
In addition on the seat next to me I had charming Irene from Brooklyn... Unforgettable!
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Sep 03, 2019 08:00 PM Flying to Lviv
Today is the beginning of my winter travel season. I am flying to Lviv invited to join the First Meeting of the top Ukrainian travellers in Lviv - Lwów in Polish)
It was only 1 hour 5 minutes on the low-cost jet flight. The Lviv airport was empty. No maps in the information desk. I took 20 minutes walk to the bus stop on Lubinska street. Bus 138 took me to the city center, where near the Mytna Square I booked room in the hostel.
The bus cost 7 hrywna, no tickets. The people entering the bus are throwing the money on the mat near the driver (see picture) He is giving the change, if necessary - driving...
I found my hostel - Hostel 7. First impression is very bad - they want more money per night then confirmed. I showed the confirmation - OK. But now new problem appeared - they asked to pay for the first night in advance and I did, but they say that they did not received this money.
I amwaiting already one hour while they clarify.... Eh, Ukraine!
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