Good friends are good to have

It's such an amazing thing to be surrounded (well, not so much as they live in London and/or Mexico) by inspiring, persistent and talented people you call your friends. So much motivation and faith they give you.

.    .     .     .     .

Other than seeing the above mentioned individuals, I got to Stansted without a problem on a morning Ryanair flight. Managed to hitch into London and actually got lunch out of it as well :), didn't manage to buy any of the last minute things I was supposed to buy or do any of the things I was hoping to do (as so often last minute things tend (not) to go how we (don't) plan them, right?). 

Well, over and out.

See you from Iceland!!!

U in India??

What could make anyone think so?

I guess my FB status: "10hrs and still on the same train.." might have been misleading.

After all, it's the Indian trains that are (in)famous for being slow and late. Well, they have competition right in the middle of Europe, and Poland is the place!

My train was supposed to arrive in Oława at 13:39. It did at 18:09. 4.5 hrs late. 11 hrs on the train total.

11 hours.

Three hours less than flying to Kuala Lumpur. 

An hour less than getting to Berlin and then back again. 

Same as crossing almost the whole of Java island (Yogja - Jakarta). 

Three hours more than flying to Bombay.

Although I can't be complaining. 

After roughly three hours of sleep, I had the chance to catch up on it. Big time.

Operation 'Summer on Iceland' is now in progress

You read me right - let the adventure begin!

I am just about to leave the house. Taking the 7.15 train to Oława, a little town near Wrocław, where I'll be visiting my family over the weekend.

Managed to pack all my things (although when Antoine heard my bag was a 30l one all he said was: Good luck!) and it's actually not that bad (after all, I hardly took anything..!). It's just that the mat and the sleeping bag stick out a lot and I'm a bit afraid the Ryanair folks will not let me through. They've gotten a bit too scrupulous lately, wouldn't you agree?

  

My belongings for the next 7 weeks!

Yesterday saw some last purchases and I must admit it got me a tiny bit down - the gear cost me more than the IcelandExpress flight and thus I have already spent over 700e on a trip that hasn't even started yet.. So many people have been repeatedly asking me if I'm seriously not looking for a job. Come October - I SO am. 

Gotta clear my head now, though. 

What is spent is spent and well, that's what we have $$ for, right?

Right.

Keep on telling that to yourself. 

...

And again.

...

Ok, I'm fine now :)

Let the adventure begin!

Win some, loose some

Apparently you cannot always have things go your way.

After a couple of days of pondering I decided there was nothing more to ponder about - just gotta go and buy the damn' shoes. Jim accompanied me to Podróżnik store where I left some green ones. I tried the shoes on and one of the store assistants took it to the counter as I was choosing another pair of socks (this time Expander Light Trek). I come up to pay and a different guy asks me: Can I help you? My first answer's: No, thanks. I just wanna pay. After a couple of seconds though I add: Well, actually - you could give me a discount! The guy kinda smiles and walks away, as another store assistant enters my purchase into their system. She asks me about the membership card but I don't have one yet. I ask if I can first pay for the socks and later get the shoes with the discount already ( ;) ). Well, you can get a card only with a purchase of 300 zl, answers the girl. Too bad, I think to myself and smile to the girl, while I start counting the money. She tells me how much I am to pay, I hand over the cash and suddenly realise something's off.  

Umm, how much is it again? 611,74 zl. Oh, so there is a discount after all? I ask surprised (the shoes alone are 619 zl). Umm.. no... looking up and glancing at the other employees with a bit of a conspiration in her smile. So I smile the same way, say: Thanks so much!, wish her a good day and walk out laughing. After all, she just gave me free socks and some change for a very good mocha I drink over an interesting conversation at Cafe Charlie (btw - Warsawers - a very cosy cafe worth visiting just next to Narutowicza square). 

My new and old trekking gear :)

So that was the win some part.

.       .       .        .         .

Now more of a loose some.

Was about to get my Carcassonne flight when I decided to check if every country had the same price (it's not uncommon to have quite some differences). It seemed the same in € and ₤, so I wanted to go back to the Polish version of the site and couldn't do it. Got myself the ticket in ₤ and that was it.

Till today I managed to get on the Polish Ryanair (was checking some other flights) and saw that if I buy the ticket through here. it would be 12 €. I paid 22.99 ₤.

So there you are, I so overpaid. 

No free socks nor free coffee for me.

Operation 'Summery South of France'

You've heard of the 'Summer in Iceland' operation, right? Have been mentioning in and out for a couple of months.

However, what you haven't heard of, as the first seed for the plant that is called another trip came to life on the weekend (yes, it's been on my mind in different forms ever since I got myself the Iceland flight, but nothing was close to serious), is the 'Summery South of France' operation!

So, without further introduction - I'm finally gonna spend some time in Montpellier and Marseille!

After coming back from Iceland I'll have a full day to get from Gatwick to Stansted. Am thinking about trying to hitch to Cambridge, seeing the place, staying overnight and then the next morning hitching/taking the coach to Stansted (only about 45mins by NationalExpress). Somewhere around the 29th/30th I'll meet with Paula and we'll finally get the chance to travel together and catch up after a year! The way I see it - we rent bikes (rental/maybe some friendly CSers) and explore the coast with baskets full of freshly made delicious baguettes, mouthwatering cheese and a bottle of wine, while looking more than classy in our summery flowery dresses and straw hats (regardless of the fact that I'll only have trekking gear with me, so no summer and no flowers).

Last time, my 'Spring in Spain' operation turned into 'Spring in Andalucia', as I stayed behind in the south and didn't reach Barcelona (nor France, which was part of the concept at the very beginning). Well, that's about to change! Montpellier is only 350 km away, so it would be a waste not to hit Catalunia! Plus, the fact that those were the cheapest seats we could find to either Germany or Poland helps a lot :)

So actually, the 'Summery South of France' operation will be a south of France+(Andora?)+north of Spain+east of Germany kinda thingy. 

Can I have an A M E N?

The price of your first steps into trekking

Operation 'Summer in Iceland' is approaching big time and I've been panicking a bit those last couple of days, I admit it.

I do not have any gear needed for trekking, especially in a bit of a cooler climate. Thus, decided to ask my friends for advice, asked A for advice, asked store assistants for advice - I've asked pretty much everyone around. Am still as stupid as I was, trekking gear wise, and even more confused than I thought possible - there's so much choice and such price ranges that I'm at a loss.

1.

First, it was the shoes - the most important part. I knew it was gonna be expensive (of course, 'expensive' has a different meaning for everybody, for me 100e on a pair of shoes is definitely so), but was hoping for something under 500zl (125e). I don't see that happening, though. Almost everything I've been advised is 150e and more. I've come to terms with it already, especially that a trekking shoe from a decent company should last you a decade. I guess when you think about it in terms of an investment and break it down to 15e a year for comfortable and safe shoes, it's not so much anymore.

Also, trekking shoes are not enough - a good pair of sandals is a must as well. Up until now, I walked everywhere in my pair of beloved sandals I got myself on Mallorca 2 years ago. Unfortunately, I had to let them go.. They were glued so many times, I've lost count. However, this proves you don't need damn expensive ones to hike, cross rivers, dance in clubs and sight-see churches in, as that's all they were used for. And more. So, I have officially 'sold out' to the 'backpacker's must's' and got myself a pair of Tevas (hate it that wherever I go, everyone will be wearing the same freaking shoes; though they are supposed to be super comfortable and unbreakable - we'll have to wait and see)

The old (10e) and the new (129.99zl = 35e). Oh, and yeah - the old ones used to be green as well ;)

2.

You need something between the shoe and your bare skin, so you oughtta buy some socks as well. Excuse me, not just some socks - trekking socks. Not even just trekking socks, 'cause there are tens of those. Male and female; long and short; light, thicker and thick; more breathing or more cooling or more warming; with more or less amortization (seriously? never thought of my socks as something that gives/doesn't give me amortization..); for blisterless heels or odourless feet. And the list goes on and on. And the brands. And the prices. How do you go about spending 80 zl (20e) on a pair of socks, if usually u don't spend more than 8zl? I had a slight moment of madness when I was considering Icebreaker's socks but luckily came back to my senses. Have ordered a pair of 29.99zl (7.70e) Brubeck ones and will get myself some other pair tomorrow, so I can compare different companies and see how much truth there is to it, and how much of the same ol' we get with every other kind of purchase.

3.

Then, I started thinking about the sleeping arrangements. I have gone camping before, but never in a cold or even mildly cold weather. The average temperature now will be around 4-5 degrees, so my plain sleeping bag will not be enough. Was considering buying a new one, but the price I was quoted (430zl = 110e for a small warm cotton sleeping bag) got me running out of the store as if I were being chased. Then, I figured I could get a silk sleeping bag liner - it is supposed to make a bag a couple degrees warmer, plus can be used as a sleeping bag itself in warmer places (which I hope to be going more and more to). However, that also is a bit of a cost - around 50-60e. Still remains to be bought, will get back to ya about that one.

4.

A sleeping bag will not be enough though, so we come to the subject of mats. As we know, the amount of heat we lose when sleeping on cold ground is huge, so however warm the sleeping bag is, we need a mat. I wanna buy the simplest lightest one out there (probably around 20zl = 5e), not really thinking about it as something that has to last. My parents are convinced I need the self inflating one (cheapest at 160zl = 40e). We'll see whose conviction's on the winning side.

5.

It turns out trekking calls for special underwear (same as any other sport these days, I guess). I wonder, how did people ever manage to do anything outdoors 50 years ago? Without all those wonders traveller and sports stores are full of, I mean..

Nywayz, back to the underwear - it might be chilly at nights, that's for one. Walking a couple of hours a day makes you sweat, that's two. Of course trekking underwear can get expensive, that's three. Luckily, Brubeck's on winter/spring collection sale, so ordered myself some pants (39zl = 10e) and two tshirts - a 64zl (16e) and a 45zl (11.5e) one. That's actually a good deal, I think.

6.

Already before going to Roskilde I got myself one of them fast drying travel towels (120zl = 30e) I'd had my eye on for a long time. Tested it and although it takes some time getting used to the texture, it definitely does dry you, and itself, faster. I think I'm gonna get another one (after all, a month and a half with one towel, however fast drying, might not be the best idea). This time I'll probably buy something a bit cheaper and check out the difference. 

7.

One of the accessories I wanted to get was a head torch. I remember how sorry I was in Indonesia that I didn't have one and had my hands freeze whenever I wanted to see anything. Which was quite often, seeing how I was trekking a volcano in the middle of the night. Again, the choice is huge. Not wanting the shittiest one (though couldn't find any real cheap one in the real world - Allegro's full of them) but neither wanting to spend 50e on it, I went for a 28.89zl (6e) Energizer (33.58 zl = 7e with batteries) - should be enough. 

8.

Another thing I still need to buy is a decent warm polar blouse. A nice thermo longsleeve would come in handy as well, although I don't consider it a necessity. Other than that, I believe all the basic equipment's been covered.

Oh, you might wonder where the tent's gone missing. Luckily, that part's being taken care of by A. Thank you A! :)

If you think I've forgotten anything, please lemme know!

For your consideration

 Magu Bee might not have lived 30 years but she's somehow figuring out the same lessons.

It's a very good read, so go ahead folks!

30 Life Lessons From 30 Years

 

 

A daddy's bee

Yesterday, I went to pick my father up from the airport. 

We come back home, he unzips the suitcase and says: "I probably shouldn't have bought it and don't really know why I did, to be honest. But here you are", to later give me 3 objects wrapped in newspaper. I can't figure out what it might be by the seize or weight of it, so I quickly open the packages and crack up immediately. 

Inside, a bee family awaits me:

I think one's nickname/ online persona is pretty much official once one's parents acknowledge it, don't you? :)

They don't come fresher than that!

Yup, am a freshman again! 

Applied for Warsaw Uni and got accepted. 

Don't get me wrong, though - I do not wish to study. I wish to have the magical student status, along with the discounts and health insurance that go with it. At first I was thinking about getting into uni and showing up only the 1st week (to get the beloved green piece of plastic, i.e. student ID card) but later changed my tactics. Seeing how I will most probably be staying in Warsaw for 4 months come October, I decided a government-sponsored language course (i.e. studies) might not be such a bad idea. The question was where to apply and I'd narrowed the pool of faculties to Indian, Arabic and Russian studies. 

Indian - I so want to speak Hindi. 

Arabic - it's so useful and in demand right now. 

Russian - used to take it in high school, lots of Russians everywhere, easy 'nuff to learn for a Pole. 

My heart was with Indian studies but I knew a) anyone you'd be looking at job-wise will be doing business in English b) not a chance to aquire the language well enough in 4 months to be able to do anything with it. Arabic - take point b) and multiply by.. well, a lot. 

Thus, I have to refresh my cyrillic.

Chillaxation

The weather in here is going crazy.

When I woke up at 6 am today (unemployed people cannot say 'no' to tutoring, even when it starts at 8 am on the other side of town), it was already raining. Decided to reactivate my rain boots, which I promised myself not to wear after constantly having them on for a couple of days in the row back in Roskilde, and happily set off to the center, glad that I wouldn't get wet.

2 hours into the day and it became so hot, I could barely stand to walk (pun intended ;) ). 

I had a flash of 'I should just take them off and walk barefoot', but as I was going to hand in my documents at uni,* I decided against walking into the board's room with shoes in my hands and badly painted toenails out in the open. After uni went to see T, an Indian friend whom I interviewed today, and later had lunch with A, who was pretending to be finishing her thesis at the library. By the time I got to Rue de Paris (a chain restaurant with crepes), I was boiling inside my pretty purple shoes. I took them off the moment I sat down and never put them back on. 

While I was crossing the street in one of the main points of the city, and gathering looks from my fellow pedestrians, as well as some of the drivers (everything from beaming smiles, through ridicule, to utter surprise), I suddenly found myself asking myself a question in my head: "Would you have done that a year ago, before you started travelling the way you do?" And the answer was "Most certainly not!"

And so I smiled to myself and gladiy welcomed this relaxed state of mind that visits you whenever you realise you don't give a darn what anybody thinks, 'cause you're doing your own thing (yes, even if it's walking with your rain boots on your hands, instead of your feet).

.      .       .        .       .      .

Originally, it didn't even cross my mind to write about it. However, have spent the last couple of hours going through some travel blogs and just finished reading a post about the advantages and disadvantages of a year long trip one Polish couple embarked on some time ago. The first thing they say is:

"Above all, we've gained something we might call a piece of mind. It's hard to explain. We stress less about things, there's more patience in us, more optimism."

("Przede wszystkim zyskaliśmy coś co można chyba nazwać spokojem ducha. Trudno to wytłumaczyć. Mniej się wszystkim przejmujemy, więcej w nas cierpliwości, więcej optymizmu."

To read more, for Polish speakers, click here.)

It was so fitting to what I felt today that I needed to comment on it as well. 

Their words express my exact thoughts.

 

I have noticed that I stress a lot less, I do not pay so much attention to (irrelevant) things, it's gotten easier to just let go, forgive and forget, not worry when it's not necessary (which is most of the time, I assure you).

Although it's quite easy to point the results of the change that has happened (is hapenning?), it really is hard to explain the way feelings and the mind have altered. 

 

The only way I can put it for now - travelling has given me the skill of chillaxation.

Anyone out there got a similar experience?

*For more information, read tomorrow's post :)