Tallinn still

June 30, 92

Alexander is a guy I met who found me a place to stay and is showing me around town. He is lots of fun and everyone is friendly here too. I am waiting for him right now as we are going to the swimming pool.

Today he took me on the French ship, Le Henniff, that is docked here. It was ok, we had fun.


Right outside my window a band is playing My Way. This city is so beautiful. The swimming pool is at the docks and it is very pretty there. I'm going to wait outside and listen to the music.


July 1, 92

CANADA DAY!

I would really love to keep cycling! Maybe I will meet someone who is going to Nordkapp that I would be able to join up with. But then I need a tent and a new bike as well.




July 2, 92

Today is Brent's birthday (my brother). Happy Birthday Brent.

Well, I'm waiting to see what happens. I really would like to keep going. Russia would be way too cool but I don't have the equipment nor the visa. Maybe another time. I was talking with a local person about doing it and they said the roads wouldn't be good for a bike but that I could probably trade my bike for a horse and travel that way. After thinking about that for a while I decided that I wouldn't want to chance having the horse die on me but that when I went home I would learn to ride and take care of them so I could do a long trip on horseback. That sounds very appealing.

I wish I could keep cycling...

Tallinn

22h00 June 29, 92

It is so nice here! I'm staying right downtown and paying 30 EEC (about $2.50) per night. I bought cheese, juice, yoghurt, bread and pâté at a store and it cost me $10!! We ate dinner tonight and it was 6 EEC. So it is cheaper to eat in a restaurant. Although the bread is cheap.



I met three cyclists from Stuttgart. They heard about us at the borders from the guards and were able to cycle across the Polish/Lithuanian border. They had wanted to be the first cyclists through the newly established borders but we had beat them. Neat. They are leaving tomorrow for Moscow and maybe St. Petersburg. Too cool. They also don't go as far or as fast as we were going. They were really prepared with lots of extra parts. I think that was slowing them down as well.

Estonia

9h00 June 29, 92

So that is the trip!

Daniel is off to Helsinki and from there he plans to go to Cape North and then down through Sweden, Norway, Denmark and back to Germany. (I didn't know until I returned home but he quit the trip at Nordkapp because of the weather and took a train back to France.)



We talked about going on together and I would like to continue cycling but besides needing a new bike I don't think we could stand each other for much longer. Well, maybe it would, we have the "wrinkles" ironed out but he has such a temper.

I have learned a lot about myself. Physically I'm tougher than I thought. I survived the burn from the river, the mosquitoes, diarrhoea from the water in Warsaw (which I still haven't gotten rid of yet!) and the elements, wind, rain and heat, and was able to keep up! Actually it wasn't too bad.



So if I stay in Tallinn maybe I could find a job here. It sure is nice here. Beautiful like Prague, but on a smaller scale. Boy do my cycling shorts stink! I am going to wash them now!

The church bells are ringing, it's 9am. I love the bells.

Latvia

The Lithuanian/Latvian border was no problem for us to cross. They were very friendly, and very young, looked like teenagers. Again we went through numerous checkpoints but no problem.

So we take the turn of and end up walking our bikes for one hour (5km)!! I was so exhausted. I dare not say anything as I think Daniel decided to go to the beach for me as I had been disappointed that we hadn't stayed on the beach earlier today. The road was far too rough to ride on. Then we came to a gate. Great. The border again. Daniel asked where we would be permitted to camp and the guard let us camp right on the beach where the border was.

I sat in the freezing cold ocean for a few minutes - I would have liked to sit there longer as it felt so good on my quads and knees - but I was scared that Daniel would get mad if the camp wasn't set up right away. It was so painful to walk.

The next morning I was surprised that I could move! And I was in luck as Daniel said his legs felt really heavy. Otherwise we would have done 200 km that day as he had planned the night before and I was dreading it. We ended up doing about 120 km.

I mentioned about getting a new wheel in Kuanas after the other replacement ended up giving out. That day Daniel had thought I was slacking off and when I had to stop he got mad at me for being so selfish - not thinking about him and wanting to take a break by making excuses about my bike. I couldn't believe it as I felt I had being working hard. Only once did I ask him to go slower and he replied that I had better keep up or I would be on my own. At this point I had clued in that I was really just coming on his trip and had to follow his rules and had been mistaken about it being our trip.

Then, on our last day yesterday we were going so fast and I needed a rest and I asked and he just stated that it wasn't time yet. At that point we had gone 100 km in 3.5 hrs. I pushed myself very hard the entire trip with my motivation being that I would be left behind if I didn't.

Anyways, the racing wheel broke just past Saldus. When I stopped Daniel just kept going. Oh well, I was surprised we were still together anyways. A man stopped and brought me about 40 and then I got a ride in a big truck into Riga. I wasn't planning on saying anything to Daniel when we past him, but he had turned around. So the driver stopped and we made arrangements to meet in Riga by the big clock.


Riga

Once in Riga I went to the big hotel, similar style to the one that had only cost $2 but it was $200 per night! I used the washroom and got oriented there. Everyone was really nice and one lady said that we would be welcome to stay with her for the night! Great!!



Then to find a bike shop. I asked some students and one ended up taking me around to find one. I ended up getting another new rim. It wasn't great but I only needed 300 km more out of it.

Daniel and I met up no problem. I was actually surprised to see him as I really didn't think he would come. I think it made things easier from now on that I had the confidence to go on my own and wasn't so worried about being left behind any more.





All I had found to eat was bread and cheese so we ate that and then ate lots of ice cream. This woman that invited us into her home was an Aussie and spoke English!! They went out to a party and didn't come back. Neither Daniel nor I got much sleep though as there were so many mosquitoes! It was awful.

We looked around town the next day and met up with a man who showed us around a bit and then offered us sandwiches as well. Then we cycled around to look for bread, after leaving one place because the line up was so long and we hadn't moved in an hour. We never found any as everywhere else was sold out.

We had eaten in a restaurant for lunch but it had been expensive and no good. It cost $4! (After eating double the amount and better food for $2 it was expensive!) So we left town and cycled about 20 km to set up camp.

The next day we did 180 km. We stopped in Salacgríva and bought supplies. We had to use up the rest of the money we had exchanged. We bought eggs, cheese, two sweet breads, lots of cookies and cakes, and six loaves of bread, and it didn't even come to $1!


Estonia

So we crossed another border, they were again young and friendly and there was many stops. We went to Párnu and stopped at the beach there. The water was great!! Really warm and the beach was so beautiful. That is a great place! Unfortunately we couldn't camp there and continued on.

Then yesterday we did the final 120 km and ended up in Tallinn!

Lithuania

June 28, 92

Well, the journey ends here in Tallinn. Today we did our last 120 km (in 5 hrs). Yesterday was 180 km.

Going back over the trip:



At the Polish/Lithuanian border we weren't allowed to cycle across it. The guy kept letting cars go and ignoring us and saying no so we just waited. Finally a Red Cross van came along and he told us to put our bikes in it and we went across with him. There were so many check points. The border must have been at least 500 m long! The line up at the other side to go to Poland was enormous, there were people camping even! On our side there was an American in a big camper who kept honking his horn and yelling at the border guards to let him through because he was an American.

He drove us to the Lithuanian side and there was a market where everyone sold "junk" on the hoods of their cars. There was lots of toilet paper there so we thought there wouldn't be a problem getting any (and then never saw any again!).



I loved Lithuania! But that was when the problems really started with Daniel. I had problems with my bike and the new tire and he wouldn't wait, "that's your problem". On the way into Kaunas I was sure I would be doing the rest of the trip myself. On Sunday morning my bicycle broke just outside of Kuanas and Daniel said he wouldn't wait . While I was waiting outside while he checked us into a hotel (which cost us less than $2) I spoke with a man who ended up finding us someone who would fix my bike tomorrow (a Sunday!) - incredibly lucky. So Daniel agreed to wait.

Kuanas turned out to be really nice. The people were all great there too and it was dirt cheap! It cost nothing to live there! We had dinner out and each had two main courses, extra everything and two deserts and it was about $1. So it turned out to be a nice place to stop.

The next day we started out and after 60 km (which took 5 hours because of very strong headwinds!) I realized I had left my passport and money in the hotel!! Oh god! I had put it under my pillow for safe keeping. I thought that was the end and I had a terrible feeling. Daniel would never go back or wait for me and I would have to do the rest of the trip by myself. Well, I could always get on a bus as I was too scared to do it on my own.

I finally took a deep breath and told Daniel. He didn't freak at me even. I was surprised. He said we must phone there and at the next crossroad there was a collective farm and they phoned for me (I drew pictures of what had happened) and they said that the hotel had it!

One of the men drove Daniel and I back to Kuanas and then when we got back they invited us for dinner. They really had laid out a feast for us! It was amazing! The strawberries and strawberry juice were delicious! So again we were lucky and I was surprised that Daniel waited.

Then we continued cycling and the next four hours got us 40 km. I peddled so hard! Especially when I was the lead rider, I worked harder than I ever have! I gave everything but the wind was so strong and really slowed us down. I was exhausted when Daniel decided it was time to stop.

We ate supper and rested for a bit and then at sunset (11pm) the wind died down and we got back on our bikes and rode until 9 am the next morning when we reached Klaipeda. We did about 120 km.

For a while (about 2am) I had to concentrate very hard not to fall asleep. At 4am Daniel wanted to stop and I said we should keep going to the coast. If we stopped I knew that I wouldn't be able to go until later on in the morning.

So we slept on the beach in Klaipéda. We took a ferry across to the sandbar and stayed there from 9:30 till noon. There was an awful mechanical voice coming out of the speakers that were all down the beach. Klaipéda wasn't very pretty but the sandbar was neat.





I went to the grocery store and that was quite the experience. I stood outside in a line to get in and then it was a mad rush around the store to get everything and then line ups to buy each separate item. It was crazy. We had experienced these line ups in Kuanas but it was Daniel who bought the food then. In one place I waited an hour for him to get bread and cheese.

We then continued on. I thought we would be able to spend the day at the beach but Daniel wanted to keep going. I thought we did another 60 km but the map only showed 40 km so it was slow going. When I finally got off the bike at the border I could barely walk! We asked the guards how far to the sea and a place we could go and camp and they said there was a turnoff in 400m. Unfortuantely then we had to walk down a small trail for a long time, I don't know how I managed to walk at all.

on to Poland!

Here we are in the square outside of Maria's house where we met to begin the trip.


Opole
June 11, 91

Well, insensible me has gone on this wild adventure, but did you ever doubt it?

So far so good.



The change is the people between Czech and Poland is incredible! It is so nice to be back in a country where people are friendly. At the border I made a mistake (after having stood in line ups for hours!) and I thought, "Oh no! Now I will get yelled at and it is going to be a big problem!" Well, not at all! Everyone was very helpful and they put us in a room and gave us drinks while they found a guard who spoke English. We received a very nice welcome into their country. I commented that I was surprised at how friendly they were and they gave me their reasons why they believed the people were different stemming from a historical perspective.

The next change that was also immediately apparent was how green Poland was. As soon as we crossed the border, and there are lots of trees as well. There is still lots of industry and pollution here though. When we go through the towns the people look at us and some come and talk with us and they are interested in who we are and what we are doing.



The second night we stopped stopped to camp beside a little stream off the road a bit for privacy. The first day we went 130 km and we went only 100 km on day two because the border took so long to get across. The border guard had said we could camp anywhere we thought was good. We set up camp and I was bathing nude in the creek when an army patrol came along! Daniel stalled them and I got dressed real fast. We had picked to camp right on the border between Czech and Poland. (There had been a sign and I guess that was what it had said, whoops.) The men were nice about it though and one of them kept saying "big problem!" They had to wait for an officer and it took a while to solve the problem. Then they took us to a nearby farm and asked the farmer if we set up our tent on his land.

They had the sweetest little girl and she was very fun to play with. I am still amazed at how friendly everyone is.

Today we cycled 110 km. Again we slept on a farm. They offered us showers and have invited us to dinner! Great!! It was the best meal I have ever had I'm sure! When I asked what it was the farmer made sounds like a pig and indicated the blood dripping out from it's throat. Wish I didn't ask.



Bedzin
June 12, 92

Today we did 110 km and are again camping beside someone's house. And again they have asked us in for coffee and if we would like to bathe! It is so nice to be around such friendly people. Daniel and I aren't always getting along at this point. He is incredibly good looking but he is very headstrong.

Praha, week 3

June 6, 92

It has been a good week. I've enjoyed living in the flat and Maria is very nice to me. She is very happy to have someone here as she is not able to look after it herself. I cleaned her apartment when she was gone, not everything as that would take years! It is so dirty. She is very grateful. I am as well as it looks like I may not get paid for working either so I really need the good rent!

Csaba (another UBC exchange student from Hungary) came to Prague to see a friend who is studying here. We had a very fun weekend together. His friend has been studying here for 3 years and does not have one Czech friend. It seems like everybody has certain ethnic groups they don't like, there are communists, Slovaks, Czechs, Hungarians, blacks, skinheads and Gypsies. It seems like they all agree to dislike the Germans though and they said I look very German so it may be part of my problem here. I read an article in the paper that was "pro-skinhead" and said nice things about what they had been doing. I was told that the reason the Czech people like them is that they chase out the Gypsies.



We went to a Jewish memorial on a site where there was a children's' camp. It was very devastating. I had to leave. I can't even write about it now.



And here is a memorial set up for Jan who lit himself on fire here in protest of the communist invasion.


I have also met a tall and very good looking Frenchman who is going to cycle around Eastern Europe and has asked me to join him. I told him I only have $300 left but he said that is plenty. I showed him my bike and he think it is good enough. What an opportunity! Nothing has worked out here, except meeting Maria and living in her flat. Well, I could always go for one month and then come back and teach in a camp for the summer. The other program is supposed to be better anyways.

Daniel is being sponsored to do his cycle trip. He is planning on going north to Estonia and then heading east through Russia all the way to Mongolia and even Vladivostok!

Hummm....