Day 31

I found out why town was so quiet last night, I gained an hour crossing from Poland without knowing, hence it was an hour later than I thought!

Well I've made it to Villnius! I took the wrong road out of Alytus which I think turned out to be a blessing. The route may have been longer but the road was quiet. Everything was fine until I got to the edge of Villnius when all roads turn into superbusysuperfast nightmares if you are on a bike and one ends up bombing down dual carriadge ways with lorries screaming past at a rate of knots. But thankfully Vilnius is fairly small so the chaos did not last so long.  Vilnius reminds me somewhat of Warsaw, with its old town in the centre where restaurants, museums and hostels are congretgated. I arrive in the early evening so afetr booking in I eat, then sleep.

Day 30. Lithunia.

Another massive day. Northern Poland close to the Lithuanian border is loverly. Somewhere I'd like to return to with friends. It is full of little villages, lakes, rivers and cabins for hire. The main town on Augustow is very nice. Lots of cafes and a big forested park in the center. A great area to visit if you like outdoor sports, swimming or just lazing on the lakeside.

The Lithuanian border was interesting. Now every quiet due to Schengen but the old facilities remain, now gathering dust. The quiet road to the former Soviet Union border gathers extra lanes once used by truckers queueing to cross. Buildings remain idle that once contained guards wearing peaked caps. Now just a lone Lithuanian police car, petrol station, money changer hut and broken glass liberally strewn over the now superfluous lanes and obligitory border markers remain.

I reached Alytus in southern Lithuania. Found a hotel and went for a wander to try and find a restaurant. Everything is strangely and curiously closing. I find a sandwich at an off license and sit in a suare and people watch. 

Routine

I find that my days in the saddle have taken on a sort of routine. I usually wake half 8 nine ish, eat, eat and eat and then set off for about tenish. Packing and putting the bags back on the bike always prooves to be more of a faff than it should be, but that is probably due to the fact that I am not fully awake yet.

The first few hours are often slow as my legs take a while to warm up and wake up. Lunh will be anywhere from a town centre, village park, petrol station or roadside bench. The afternoons are usually where I make my miles. The sun is lower, it is a bit cooler and my legs are alive! From about 5 or 6 I start to think about stopping and hope that I find somewhere within an hour or two. Two hours on the road equals another 30+kms, so ut gives me a certain amount of leeway. Evenin is quiet, shower, food and then bed!

Day 29.

Just outside of Pultusk there is a rather neglected Soviet war cemetary. I stopped out of curiousity and took some snaps. Generally a long day in the saddle however. A late finish in Grajewo as I could not find a hotel for bloody miles.

Day 28.

Headed north out of Warsaw but on the wrong side of the river, so had to turn back as the bridges are in the city. Should have looked at the map a bit more closely! I felt confident however as it was a Sunday and I thought the roads would be quiet. I though wrong. The roads were mad, crazy busy as all and sundry were out to day trip into the country and spend time by the rivers, lakes and forests that lie north of Warsaw. Made ot to Pultusk just missing a massive thunder storm that came down about an hour after I booked into my room.

Day 27.

I woke at about half 4 and could hear a faint duff duff in the back ground. I deduced tht it must be the river side bars and felt that I may have missed out. I fell back to sleep but didn't really move untill lunch time. I think I was just a bit knackered and needed the rest. Perhaps it was a good idea not to go to the bars! My afternoon was spent being lazy on the beach watching the boats go by. A trip back to the old town for dinner was followed by a trip back to the beach bars in the evening where I bumped into a group of Poles who were a bit waisted and lookng for fun. The main beach bar in the evening you have to pay to get in. A fence and bouncers prevent entry but the lads wanted to try and jump the fence. After a futile trudge around and a few warning shouts from bouncers we decide on the more traditional method of entry and pay. However the bar had a clothes smart dress policy and as the lads were weraing trainers they were denied entry. I had flip flops on, was granted entry (it is useful being foreign sometimes) but decided against it as the music was R and B schlager and the door policy annoyed me. So bed it was.

Day 26.

Bit of a wasted morning due to Garmin related stuff, but enough whinging about that. The afternoon was spent sightseing and general wandering aimlessely. I went up the Palace of Culture and Science to admire the view. I like going up big towers and looking at whichever city I am in. Close to my hostel there is a rather nice park with a massive fountain area that in the evening contains a light and holographic display. It was rather good and very popular. I think about going back to the beach bars but realise that I am knackered and decide to crash.


https://www.warsawtour.pl/en/tourist-attractions/multimedia-fountain-park-multimedialny-park-fontann-161002.html

Day 25

Getting into Warsaw prooved as frustrating as I thought it would be. A case of the disappearing cycle path replaced by the 4 land highway. But get in I did, found a hostel in the the very pretty, and very remeniscent of Poznan, old town. As I was in a new city a wander was called for, and it prooved fruitful as I found a few nice bars under a massive bridge and then more by the river side. The old town i am finding to be a bit odd as it is bustling by day, but pretty much dead by midnight. 

Day 24

A night in Sochaczen. A town that couldn't be more different that Konin. Pretty, little and bustling with life. At the centre is a lovely little square where people congregate and glance over towards the ruined castle on the hill near by. My route here was long, 150 km today. I think I managed to find the surrealest town in Poland, Krosniewice. It is surrounded by a new ring road with no obvious way to leave the new road to get into or out of the town. It seems the city planners anted to avoid at all cost contace between the inhabitants and the outside world. As I could make out the inhabitants consisted mainly of smart well presented late middle aged women and alchoholic late middle aged men who were not so well presented but were keen to make friends until they relaised that I was not going to part with my Zlotys for them. Firts impresions can be a funny thing!