One thing I never mentioned in this blog: rainy clouds seem to be following us everywhere. It was rather depressing to look at weather forecasts when in Finland it was going to be sunny all the time... lucky for me the forecasts are never accurate, at least on my road trip.
Anyway, here I am, after a few... alcoholic beverages, at a hostel in Nis in Serbia. It's been awesome. After leaving yet another fantastic host (Denes) this time in Budaors, a suburb of Budapest and the lovely city, I have arrived to Nis. And I guess it's a part of the slavic culture to make your guests feel like at home. I won't go into details but Eastern Europeans do know how to accommodate their friends even if it's about couchsurfing.
About driving: We left EU for the first time today. The roads in Hungary were in quite good condition, but I wouldn't say Serbia is any worse. Sure there are some quite... historical tracks at times, but mostly the infrastructure's in quite good condition. Not to mention the motorways on which you have to pay a certain fee to drive.
Tomorrow, if everything goes as planned, we'll be arriving to Sarajevo after a tour in Nis.
tiistai 30. kesäkuuta 2009
lauantai 27. kesäkuuta 2009
Budapest
Again, after a few beers even though I had them yesterday Im here.
So our trip took a detour in Zakopane where we stayed for a night and got to know the place a little. No hiking this time though, Ill have to visit the place sometime again.
We arrived to Budapest yesterday afternoon after some hassle. Everythings been great since, its almost like Finland here with the drinking culture. You can see a LOT of people in the parks drinking some beer during nighttime. Our hosts also been good in showing us the local culture without the most popular tourist attractions.
About driving: the roads in Slovakia Hungary are well-conditioned, and at many places brand new. the drivers are less of maniacs here than in Poland, this might be because the roads are not suited for driving on three lanes even if there are only two.
So our trip took a detour in Zakopane where we stayed for a night and got to know the place a little. No hiking this time though, Ill have to visit the place sometime again.
We arrived to Budapest yesterday afternoon after some hassle. Everythings been great since, its almost like Finland here with the drinking culture. You can see a LOT of people in the parks drinking some beer during nighttime. Our hosts also been good in showing us the local culture without the most popular tourist attractions.
About driving: the roads in Slovakia Hungary are well-conditioned, and at many places brand new. the drivers are less of maniacs here than in Poland, this might be because the roads are not suited for driving on three lanes even if there are only two.
torstai 25. kesäkuuta 2009
Krakow
Past midnight seems to be a suitable time for writing a blog... and after a few beers.
Anyway. In addition to Bialystok's foods and hospitality of Wojciech, we've had the pleasure to enjoy some local food in Krakow as well. Dumplings called pierogami are worth tasting, as is something called zapakanka... (sandwich with cheese and mushrooms and ketchup) mind the spelling. :D Anyway, everything seems to have been boiled in fat. But it's tasty. Pizza will also be stuffed with 1cm cheese filling. Of course our hosts have been awesome so far.
Visited: Auschwitz, salt mines. Both are worth seeing even if the latter is quite touristy for my taste.
About driving: 1550km so far. The roads have gotten worse since passing Bialystok. The road from Krakow to Auschwitz has quite a few construction sites, which means the road will actually be driveable in a few years. Polish drivers are the worst problem though, even the trucks will pass you if you drive 90km/h (the limit). I'm not surprised they have a few thousand roadkills a year. Insert safety dance here. Oh, and while passing Warsaw we experienced a phenomenon: at one point the weather was 31,5C and sunny and 2,5 hours later 17C and raining so heavily we had to stop because we couldn't see shit.
Anyway. In addition to Bialystok's foods and hospitality of Wojciech, we've had the pleasure to enjoy some local food in Krakow as well. Dumplings called pierogami are worth tasting, as is something called zapakanka... (sandwich with cheese and mushrooms and ketchup) mind the spelling. :D Anyway, everything seems to have been boiled in fat. But it's tasty. Pizza will also be stuffed with 1cm cheese filling. Of course our hosts have been awesome so far.
Visited: Auschwitz, salt mines. Both are worth seeing even if the latter is quite touristy for my taste.
About driving: 1550km so far. The roads have gotten worse since passing Bialystok. The road from Krakow to Auschwitz has quite a few construction sites, which means the road will actually be driveable in a few years. Polish drivers are the worst problem though, even the trucks will pass you if you drive 90km/h (the limit). I'm not surprised they have a few thousand roadkills a year. Insert safety dance here. Oh, and while passing Warsaw we experienced a phenomenon: at one point the weather was 31,5C and sunny and 2,5 hours later 17C and raining so heavily we had to stop because we couldn't see shit.
tiistai 23. kesäkuuta 2009
In Bialystok
After a few beers in Bialystok at a home of a friend (thanks Wojciech) who I alerted on one day's notice I'll finally get some sleep :) even if it means waking up in 7 hours and here I am writing a blog...
So yeah, my day pretty much consisted of driving a car from Tallinn to northern Poland with the assistance of my sidekick Kennet. In total the drive-o-meter appeared 850km in the end of the day.
What can I tell you about driving in the Baltics? First of all, they appear to have forgotten speed limit signs of 50km/h everywhere after road construction sites have been completed. And a shitload of 70km/h as well. But all in all I was pleasantly surprised by the overall condition of the roads, there were very few exceptions.
Tomorrow the trip will continue to Krakow.
So yeah, my day pretty much consisted of driving a car from Tallinn to northern Poland with the assistance of my sidekick Kennet. In total the drive-o-meter appeared 850km in the end of the day.
What can I tell you about driving in the Baltics? First of all, they appear to have forgotten speed limit signs of 50km/h everywhere after road construction sites have been completed. And a shitload of 70km/h as well. But all in all I was pleasantly surprised by the overall condition of the roads, there were very few exceptions.
Tomorrow the trip will continue to Krakow.
sunnuntai 21. kesäkuuta 2009
D-Day -1
I just realized I have to wake up tomorrow at 6AM, cruise on a boat (motherfucker) and drive through Baltics to Bialystok (northern Poland), some 820km.
See http://www.viamichelin.com
See http://www.viamichelin.com
lauantai 20. kesäkuuta 2009
D-Day minus 2
The preliminary plan for MATKA09:
Finland
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Slovakia
Hungary
Serbia
Bosnia & Hertzegovina
Croatia
Montenegro
Croatia
Slovenia
Italy
Austria
Czech Republic
Germany
Poland
Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Finland
Starting 22nd June at 8AM. Back in 33 days after 6000km+ on 25th July.
Finland
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Slovakia
Hungary
Serbia
Bosnia & Hertzegovina
Croatia
Montenegro
Croatia
Slovenia
Italy
Austria
Czech Republic
Germany
Poland
Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Finland
Starting 22nd June at 8AM. Back in 33 days after 6000km+ on 25th July.
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