Post: Krakow, Poland
Early on in this trip is became obvious travel is endless compromise. So many chimney stacks in the distance never investigated, so many covers never opened and so much temporary fencing never climbed. Even on the first stop, Japan, there were theme parks we tried to shoehorn into our schedule but just never found time. There's no time to waste bemoaning travel not accomplished else you'll sacrifice the things you should be doing now to worry about things you didn't do then. In travel, as in Kung Fu, one should attain fluidity - 'be like water' as Bruce Lee said. Adapt and respond to the changes and challenges, seek and exploit the opportunities you discover. One day you're sitting bored in a hostel wondering what to do, the next somebody is looking for fuel-splitters to drive across the country. This unknown element and spontaneity make it fun. Travel, like exploring, should be an adventure of uncertainty and discovery.
We've all drooled over pictures of heavy industry and military sites in Eastern Europe but I wasn't kidding myself into believing I'd get to explore them. My resources and cash flow were minimal, language skills negligible, local knowledge none. Krakow was like Japan again but without the luxury of a hirecar and time to run websites through babelfish and decipher the engrish. Regardless of preparation and motivation a severe bout of Bazalgette's Blight (Tyburn related) and gastroenteritis (meat dumpling related) knocked me over so hard I never had the chance to explore anything anyways.
As a tourist, nay as a PERSON, Auschwitz is a must. Words enough have been written about the gas chambers and the Nazi's but seeing and feeling the grim remains is bleak and sobering. Do it. The Wieliczka salt mine was recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco and anyone with an inclination towards the underground will find this nine level, 300km long salt mine spectacular. Take the regular tour, then definitely take the optional museum one to. The simplicity but effectiveness of their basic wooden machinery and mining methods is impressive. They constructed huge machines for hauling salt, people and even horses up the mine shafts using little more than timber and rope.
Hopefully I'll find the time to return to Poland around other trips, I'd love to see and learn more about this country with a turbulent and fractured past, not to mention check out some of the 20 odd smokeless chimneys looming on the horizon.
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