Camping paradise

I am in love with Baltic States! It's the best camping location one could ever get! One camping ground better then the other. And the views... It's incredible how green and lovely those places are. We decided to be one day late for Russia just to have a bit more time to see it all. But it's not even near to enough, so I am certain we will be coming back! It's definitely worth it! We were really deeply impressed! Not by the big cities, cause neither Vilnius nor Riga managed to convince us in 100% (though they were nice indeed), but the rest of the countries did. It seems to consist only of trees and lakes. If any of you is planning to do some camping I can really recommend this direction. Perfect location, perfect facilities, simply amazing!

Right behind the border between Poland and Lithuania comes a perfectly organized tourist info which can provide you with detailed information on all the camping grounds and hotels in those 3 countries. From our side we can recommend Camping Slanis in Trakai, where you can swim in an extremely clean sea with a view on a castle, Camping Sigulda Pludmale, where we were for a change bathing in a river in a sweet little valley in the middle of a national park and camping in Toila, right at the see. All nice and clean, ranging between 12 and 15 Euros (for us 2 and the car). We didn't miss any opportunity to take a bath, though I have to admit it took some courage to bath in the cold Estonian sea.

There are only 2 disadvantages about this region, mosquitoes and the poor condition of some roads, but for polish people both shouldn't be much of a surprise :) But honestly after driving through Warsaw, we though we've seen it all. Well we were wrong. And we found it out the moment when I decided to drive a bit on my own. Let's say I had my first off-road training. It will certainly be useful later on. And few moments later David ended up on an unpaved road, or should we say 20km of deep sand driving? It was shaking so badly that our side door started popping out. It was hanging somewhere between being open and closed, making a terrible noise. That is why we were extremely happy when we saw a VW sign in Estonia, in Tartu. We were hoping we can get some advice. We lost our hopes when we read that the repair services are closed on Saturday, but we decided to come in and ask anyway. It turned out that Estonian VW dealers not only speak fluent English but also really know the cars they are selling (including the ones they used to sell 20 years ago!). The sales manager we met analyzed and solved the problem in a few minutes, making our further trip much more enjoyable. And once again showing us how nice and helpful people in this area are.

That is why we entered Tartu in really good moods. And the city made it even better. It was certainly my favorite location so far. Not too big, not too full, simply nice and pretty. And it really has something to offer. I was especially impressed by the ruins of the old cathedral (being used for university classroom in good weather periods, definitely the best looking one we have ever seen!). But also the rest of this student city will stay in my memory as one of the nicest spots I have been too. I didn't regret we decided to go there instead of Tallinn, not even for a minute.

So if you are still trying to plan your summer holidays, pack your bags, grab a car or a tent and come to visit the Baltic States. I am sure you won't regret it!

We're on the road!

Making plans sucks! It really does! Plans mean deadlines and deadlines mean you're not as flexible as you should be. Especially on a big trip like that. I wish we could just drive without much of a direction or any set dates. In Europe it could even work. But as soon as you need visa, you need deadlines. And we have one. We should be in Russia on Saturday. And I can tell you it sounds easier then it is.

The last few weeks were really hardcore. Packing, moving, organizing last important things and working till the last day. We have been preparing for weeks now and I'm kind of glad it's over. We could have prepared better, we could have use some more time, but we decided to leave on Sunday and so we did. Half an hour before we took off I was still cleaning our bathroom, carrying the last few boxes out of the flat. Fortunately we managed to pack Karossi earlier. We were afraid we will never manage to pack all the things we want to take, but we actually ended up with some space left.

We decided to make a camping ground near Dresden our first day target. I don't remember when I was camping for the last time, so I was totally excited with the idea. And I have to say the first day went really well. But the whole thing felt nothing like a beginning of a great adventure. More like a small weekend trip. I tried to think about the things we are leaving behind, about the great things ahead, but it just didn't work. It was great to sleep in a car and camp again, but that's it.

On a second day we decided to go to Zabrze to visit the family. I was really glad we could use the only polish highway that is really nicely built. The road is wide and nearly empty, so that I even dared to drive a bit by myself. We were only surprised to find we have to pay for the ride this time. But it was definitely worth it.

We felt so good at home that we really wanted to stay a bit longer and try to make up for it later on. But finally we decided against it. And it was a good choice! Driving through Poland was a nightmare! Our hopes were high when we took the new, really pretty highway A1, but it didn't last long as it was suddenly closed after 30 or 40km without any explanations. The rest felt like driving through one huge construction area. And the 100km through and around Warsaw nearly drove us crazy. But we still thought we would make it on time to our next stop. Until the storm started. It was so sudden and heavy that it made us stop by the next hotel we saw. The rooms were way below the standards but one look outside the window made us take the keys without complaining. We were just a bit afraid if Karossi will survive staying outside the whole night but he fortunately did. I am not really afraid of rain, but this storms were so powerful and strong that it really gave me shivers. We drove further next day and when we saw all the trees along the road which were not only broken, but also pulled out of the ground we decided taking a hotel for that night was a great idea. And though we originally planned to stay in Poland a day longer we decided to change the country and hopefully the climate.

And that is how we ended up in Lithuania, which made a great impression on us so far. Trees and lakes wherever you look! And some very friendly people. We were also surprised to discover how nice and tidy it all is. And we managed to find some really great camping spot near Trakai. Directly at the lake in the middle of the forest. If all goes well we will spend 2 nights here as we decided we need a short brake. After weeks of organizing and the whole journey through Poland we just need some time to take a breath. And to finally get the feeling of a big trip. And I have to say it's already working! The first place we stopped to grab some food was already an adventure, since we spoke no common language. We suddenly felt like real tourists :)

And we finally started meeting some other travelers! That was the thing I was really looking forward to, so I was very glad when Christoph stopped near our car. For a few months now he has been riding his bike all across Europe, which is just the first part of the world trip he planned. If those of you who would like to know how it is like I recommend  http://www.andres-worldcycler.de.