19-21 June 2011 - Slovakia

Sunday 19th June - left Poland via a trip to a former coal mining area with homes built for workers by the mine on a similar principle to Saltaire or Bourneville but with a bigger and brasher look suitable for a mining town. It's being tidied up ready for UNESCO World Heritage listing but unemployment is rife after the decline of local heavy industries and it's showing on the walls of once pristine workers homes. The robust soot stained buildings are in traditional grid blocks though larger than most with big park areas inside the square of the buildings now used more as car parking. I just can't remember the name of this place though and can't find it on a map! You really need to write everything down.

Saying goodbye to Kaja and Marcin with promises to meet up again in the future (they have friends in York by god fortune!) it was great to go for a short ride with Wojtek before he had to get back to studying for a final exam which it turns out he passed first time. Good work!

Red-brick style company housing

Central square

Saying goodbyes

Going for a ride with Wojtek

Riding with Wojtek with Marcin & Kaja in their car infront

 The next few days were a real comedown from an early high point. To be honest some poor planning on my side and the weather didn't help. Forgetting that not all the world is open on Sundays, I was expecting a long but straightforward ride from Poland into Poprad, a small mountain town, in Slovakia. On arrival I'd find a tourist information office and get some accommodation booked for around 20 Euros a night which is roughly on budget. After passing through several storms and getting a good soaking on the way, I couldn't find the tourist info place and the whole town at just 3pm had shut down, or never opened in the first place.

Nevermind though, because my SatNav has a feature to look up hotels near where you are. One I'd remembered the name of from looking on the internet was Aqua Park which looked like a swimming pool / leisure complex, that would do for a night. After trudging in heavy wet gear to an immaculate reception of the 3* hotel, I asked about the price for a single room. In perfect English the receptionist came back with E130. Clearing my through a little I could only stroke my chin and consider with a hmmmm. She tinkered with the computer and came with a special price of E115, much as I really didnt want to squelch out, back on the bike and ride round again, you could only justify that price if you had a lady to impress! When it's just me, a tiny room would be fine so long as it has a working heater...

Luckily the concierge guy also spoke English and understood from my miserable face what the case was, and offered up directions to the cheaper part of town. Having found a E50 hotel and talked a room down to E30 - the big hotels were all mostly empty so there's scope to negotiate - that was me for the next couple of days. The weather didnt improve so despite optimistically setting off to try and climb Rysy, the highest mountain in Poland (you have to climb from the Slovakian side and cross the border near the top) clouds continued to roll in and before I even got to the car park, rain started pouring. It's both dangerous and desperately uncomfortable climbing into clouds, so I decided to spend the next two days resting.

Entering Slovakia from Poland

Clouds rolling in over Rysy, the highest mountain in Poland

Rainbow following a storm

It sounds like I'm being idle but you really need time to do nothing but sit round, recover and take care of little jobs like sorting photos for a couple of days a week because tiredness really sneaks up on you. Having a couple of days doing very little (I did move hotel to one round the corner 7 Euros cheaper - every little helps!) it was back on the bike to my 7th country in almost as many days, the Czech Republic...

16-18 June 2011 - Poland

Big post... did lots. Left Magdeburg on a baking hot morning for Poland, the first totally new country of the trip with another three nights CouchSurfing arranged between Wroclaw and Siemianowice. 

People I’d spoken to on the way generally pulled faces about Poland’s roads, they have a reputation for being awful. The reality though, was much worse than that... For 50kms or so at least, then they’re fine, just like anywhere else on motorways but towns became a bit bumpy again. When you cross the border from Germany, the pool table smooth autobahn suddenly, you can literally trace the border line across the road, turns into lumpy black tarmac. A speed limit of 70km/h on the motorway isn’t for any speed reasons, you just can’t go any faster. 

After starting to panic about how far there was still to go, sooner or later the mad stripes of laid and re-laid and potholed and re-laid tarmac eventually came good. Driving standards also improved, I followed 7 vehicles all sat in the overtaking lane for about 10 minutes just in a big line with not a single car in the outside lane. People just pick which side of the road is less worse and stick with it. Must just be something about border areas, so far from major cities they get neither attention nor improvements.  

All that aside, I rolled into a new build estate on the edge of Wroclaw to meet CouchSurfing host Asia. She’s incredibly well travelled, a biker and fiercely proud of the city, with good reason. Wroclaw is beautiful with big Renaissance Germanic style buildings, each in distinct pastel colours arranged in figure 8 squares that all interlink through little alleyways and snickets. It’s compact, interesting, full of little details, gnomes hiding everywhere and bursting with life. We saw kids playing on movement sensing music mats, a garden exhibition, photo displays and a Capital of Culture bid tent. I voted twice.

Central Wroclaw

Wroclaw central square

Asia, CouchSurfing host

Wroclaw cathedral

The moon over a bridge to Wroclaw island

After having a beer to get out of the rain as a passing storm blew over, we went for a curry then a walk along the riverside and Wroclaw Island past the biggest cathedral as the moon was hovering just over the horizon in an orange haze. Another great night with interesting company.

The next few days were fantastic, the very best you could hope for. Through sheer luck I’d arranged to stay with a couple, Kaja and Marcin, in a town I’d never heard of, Siemianowice Slaskie. Apart from the joy of spending two nights in the same place, I’ve never been more welcome and well looked after from the first to last minute! Kaja’s family had us over for a BBQ on Saturday night at their gorgeous house. 

Getting the BBQ going

With Wojtek & Hania

Marcin & Kaya

Cute couple

Earlier on Saturday I'd been to the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp. There’s no point making too much comment as everyone takes their own personal experiences and thoughts away. The main things that hit you though are how open the location is, and just how vast the site is. Auschwitz site 1 is apparently so busy you have to go round in tour groups which would be enlightening, but I’m glad I chose Birkenau to be able to walk round and take it in at my own pace.

It’s obviously a very sombre place, people walk round barely making a noise. Given its size there’s space to avoid the crowds of tourist groups which is good, but when you wander around a bit and end up the only person in the area, you soon start looking to find a few other people to keep in sight. Photo's on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stumuxlow/sets/72157626873908645/

I had to go, and was expecting to be in a bit of a funk over the next few days. Fortunately though, I was so lucky to be able to contrast the very worst of the world, with the very best, the kindness of strangers. I was watching a random travel program where a Croatian farmer said something akin to, “happiness is in small things”. There was no greater contrast to the incomprehensible evil of nations than time spent with new friends who’ve taken it upon themselves to make a stranger welcome in their family.

14 & 15 June 2011 - Netherlands & Germany

On the way from Belgium, there was just time to get to the highest point in the Netherlands, not mans greatest achievement, but its another high point to tick off. The site has a car park with a maze, cafes and an observation tower. A group of miserable looking monks were arriving in a knackered Volvo 440, hope they'd not travelled too far, it's no Tibet!

Vaas - highest point in the Netherlands

Border of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands

I’d met Wendy and her boyfriend Maartin last year and couldn’t wait to see them again, not least because Wendy lives in a former school as part of a group of live-in caretakers / security people for the owners until its ready to be developed. The bonus is indoor parking, riding a motorbike indoors, in a school, is always fun.

The three of us went for a meal, met a baby blackbird that was stalking outdoor diners then caught The Hangover 2 film. 4 stars. Much better than expected despite all the “I can’t believe this is happening again” lines.

A cheeky bird stops by for a drink

Indoor parking

There’s so much to love about the Netherlands, from gorgeous streets to cinemas that serve bottled Grolsh and have sofas for couples to cuddle up, why not! If Britain had got the art of making streets down as well as the Dutch, it’s unimaginable how beautiful it could be now.  Roads with shared surfaces between cars, pedestrians and cyclists with no road markings, railings or any other furniture just make traffic and people behave appropriately for the space. I’d be amazed if there’s better anywhere in the world.

Typically tidy Dutch street without excess clutter

Got away early after wishing Wendy well for her year or more working in Australia for a monster 500km ride to Magdeburg in Germany. Motorway miles on a motorbike are awful, especially 6 or 7 hours in one go. The wind noise drones on and there’s nothing to see at the roadside. All you can do is get some good in-ear earphones and load up some podcasts to while away the miles. Midlife Gamer, Outside the Cinema and How Stuff Works are all good listening.

Magdeburg was over the border of the old East Germany, and whilst it’s subtle, you can still see a difference between east and west in now redundant lookout towers, old roadside checkpoints and huge pine forests. 

For a city not on any tourist maps, Magdeburg was a good night. CouchSurfing again with a great host which pretty much goes without saying from that site. A walk around town to see the best of what’s there and a few beers was a perfect end to a long day.

The old Post Office sign

A Hawley / Clow development

Hundertwasser's last big scheme before he died

Magdeburg new bridge

Bridge detail

Magdeburg old bridge

Day 2: Monday 13th June - Belgium

Having ridden down the A1 the previous day in near pouring rain for 6 hours to Tunbridge Wells, and despite a walk into the old spa town for a drink with extremely warm and welcoming couch-surfing hosts, getting into still wet boots on an overcast day that promised more rain was a less rock-and-roll start to the journey into Europe than I'd imagined.

Steve & Jo, Tunbrige Wells

A direct ride to the Channel Tunnel that got damper as time went bye saw me late for the 10.50 'departure'. In my mind I was preparing excuses to avoid paying for another ticket, but the automatic machines just allocate you to the next train, so a panic over nothing. I'd used the Channel Tunnel last time and despite the long ride down there, had to use it again. The environment is completely alien, more video game / City 17 than England with sturdy grey concrete barriers directing traffic in formal slowly moving lines lines and transporter trains that look like nothing you'll see anywhere else. I love the strangeness of it all and going back a second time it's just as good. A chat with two still-smiling-after-a-wet-weekend-camping-in-England Dutch bikers meant I could give out my first 'Muxlow Enduro' business card designed and printed by my friend Pete just the day before setting off.

A speedy motorway ride through northern France into congested Belgium flew by with just a stop at a motorway service station, not for petrol, but the finest snack food known to man; waffles...

I've been waiting a long time for you my friend...

Ghent was the destination, staying aboard the Ecohostel Andromeda, a barge converted into a hostel, tremendously uber-cool and a great place to stay, but I should have noticed one of the windows in our room next to the riverbank didnt have a fly screen over, the midge bites are just dying down 5 days later... Ghent was a real surprise, beautiful old buildings in the city centre betrayed an ordinary ride through the suburbs. A meal with a friend Lien who I'd met in Croatia last year, and was studying in town was perfect before an early night was on the cards to try and dry out as the day had been constantly drizzling.

Ghent centre

Ghent centre

Lien's favourite place in town - Titanic point

Ecohostel Andromeda

Day 1: Sunday 12th June - leaving

The big day came in a flash and hot on the back of a night on Richmond. I was up at 7ish with the bike mostly packed over there previous few days there wasnt too much to actually do but keep adding little bits and pieces to make it even heavier. Trying to put it on the centre stand outside the house (you have to move the full weight of the bike as opposed to the side stand where it just leans over) took two people, something that didnt bode too well for the months ahead.

In no time 10.30 came and friends started arriving, there's been an air of fantasy about the whole trip idea that even though it was happening, just didnt feel true. It's possibly a normal sense to doing something for the first time, there's nothing to compare it to and so much is running through your head that you can't speak any sense or think about anything other than not falling off! Happily, with friends and family waved goodbye, as ever unable to think of anything suitable to say for such a big occasion, I got the bike rocked off its stand and away without toppling over which is all too easily done.

To be honest, this is one of the hardest posts to write, I could go on and on about how I'll miss everyone which should really just be taken for granted, and I need to cut it short to save drowning anyone reading with too much completely soppy sentiment! After being chuffed about not falling in a heap on the drive, the first thing that came to mind on the road from Tunstall to the motorway was the strange feeling of riding down a road that I've done thousands of times before, but that this time it wont stop at Leeds... Any road, your road, if you just keep on going a bit further can take you anywhere you can imagine, its just a question of when you turn around and head home. So I've got to leave this one here with a huge thanks to everyone, especially Mum & Dad, lately for all your interest, friendship, support and belief.

Finally!

At last, here's some photos of the first few days:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stumuxlow/

And the first video (thanks Pete!) is online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crfLHBy9RB4

Some actual updates coming imminently

Where does time go...

Well this morning I was going to do a post on the first few days but looking at the distance today from Magdeburg to Wroclaw, another 6 hours or so of motorway riding, I'll have to say bear with me a couple of days...

Must brush up on my blogging skills, but hopefully in Poland there'll be less distance to cover and more frequent stops, so I'll get caught up then!