09 - No plan = best plan ! Loose yourself in the countryside

17/04/2014

It's time to leave Krakow. Bartosz gives me a full bag of food, I'll need it... Because now really begins the aventure.  Until now I went visiting my friends in already-known places. Until now I knew where to go and who to meet. What's my plan now? Well I want to reach Slovakia but first I can have a look at the Polish countryside. It might be very interesting too.

That was random

No particular place to go

For this first day I'm hitchhiking with no destination, no plan except see what's gonna happen. My friends in Krakow told me I should see the nice countryside between Bochnia and Limanowa, 2 small cities not far so let's go this way !

Due to a long and alcoholic evening I start this journey very late, it's already 4 PM ! My first target is Bochnia but I have nothing special to do there, so I just go with the flow, quickly deviate from my way and go wherever my drivers can take me. The area is very lovely, cute little towns between grassy and colourful fields on the hills... But every time I'm dropped in a new place I feel more lost and in the middle of nowhere... What the f#@* am I doing ?

In the world's asshole we say in French

It starts to get dark, I'm on a crossroads in a veeeery small village. The only people passing by are going to church because next week end is Easter ! Thanks to the speakers that relay outside what's going on inside I can hitchhike enjoying Christian songs in Polish. I really really hope to get out of here quickly :>

Finally a car stops and takes me to Nowy Wiśnicz. I decide to stop there for the night because it's already 10 PM ! I still don't have any place to sleep. I would rather avoid the hotel and I'm getting hungry... I have to find shelter and food ! But I'm in a small village and there's almost none in the streets, so what's the plan? What would you do in my situation, huh? But I'm not travelling alone, I have my guitar ! So I find a pizzeria,  go to the bar and ask :

- Hey I'm a musician, I come from France. Can  I play in your restaurant for 1 pizza?

The woman is at first very surprised, they're not used to see foreigners here, so imagine travelling musicians !

"Ok why not !"

I didn't expect it to be that HUGE !

With all my musical experience I have no fear anymore, no worries about am I good enough for this or that. I have such a self-confidence now I can go in any place and ask for playing, even after a long and exhausting day ! And make people enjoying ;)

I had my food, so now I need a shelter. It's midnight  and I'm getting tired,  I give up choose the easy way and ask people in the streets for a hostel. Did I already mention how kind Polish people are? It's very late and these guys can barely speak English but they take me in their car to a first hotel which isn't good because closing at 7 AM, then call their friends and discuss a lot to find me a new one and take me there. Thanks !

Atlas Hotel

The owner of the place is Andrzej, white hair, big smile. And fortunately, he speaks English ! He tells me that the night will cost 70PLN (17€). Will I pay for the very first time my night?... He welcomes me and takes me to my room. In the same time we start to discuss about me, my trip, and his aswell  ! He's been travelling alot when he was younger and now that his son his getting older he dreams about leaving again... And maybe do a trip like mine...

In the morning he invites me for breakfast, we keep on discussing about travels. He gives me again extra food for my trip and offers to take his car to show me around. That's very nice from him, again ! We go with his son to small but lovely villages, must-see places for a complete visit of the area.

The entrance of the Nowy Wiśnicz castle, the friendly guard let us go

Castle from the back

In a small village they have a yearly competition about building the highest stick like this

Centuries-old wooden church

A non-wooden church

After the visit, Andrzej takes me to a place where I can easily start hitchhiking to Slovakia. He leaves, he didn't even ask me to pay for the night.

That's how to travel with no plan and a true heart. 

Thank you Andrzej ! I hope you'll make another world trip

Comments

[Resi (Theresa)]

awesome Robin! go on, I really hope to see you again sometime!! And yes, that's true! travelling without a plan is the best way to do it! And with a ture heart! true words my friend. You get what you are. I just came back from South Africa, was the same there, travelling by motorbike with a tent and a looooot of good people on the road! Next step for me: hitchhiking trip from Austria to Portugal in August, open end ;) And back by bicylce, let's see how it will work - hahahahahaaaaa!
I am very happy to read your stories, keep on going with writing, i will follow! and btw: awesome pics, awesome quality....
But here a word of warning: take care about you and all the others around you. Things happen just too fast, you wouldn't believe.... So the motto should be: do everything you want but do it smart! Always look on both sides when you cross the street, know about specific dangers in the country you are, and just keep attention. Take care about yourself, it's the only thing you have on travels! Sorry for these words, I just had to say them.
So, I wish you all awesome things on earth and more ;) Enjoy all the serendipities you will have! Don't forget us here in boring Europe - hahahhahahhaaaa, byebye Robin, hugs and kisses from Strawberryland/Erdbeerland in Vienna

[Stefan]

Hi Robin
nice to see your blog. I like to follow you on your big your. So nice you just had good people around you so far. But i guess the warnings of Resi are important. I will also try to keep that in mind for my next trip to Brasil in 23 days ;-). But i am positive, that everything will turn out good for both of us. You really have such a nice journey so far. Not just the nice things happend in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. All the places you go you have such good people around you. In all the countries. That's so good to know. Unfortunately i don't play guitar ...

Keep on rocking Robin
Stefan

[Robin]

Thanks for the warning, I'll keep it in mind :) I followed your storyline on fb but I didn't see your pics ! Maybe you didn't have time or Internet while in the wild. Why are you going to opposite direction of me? :( I'll fit sure come back to Erdbeerland, you'll see a grown up man with tons of new memories to share ;)

Bye bye and take care also, you know how dangerous are viennese streets ^^

[François]

Ce qui t'arrive est toujours aussi incroyable! C'est sûrement parce que tu es toi-même un gars incroyable...Bonne continuation dans des mondes inconnus!