Poland

Gooner1200

Guest
Various people on here (you know who you are) gave me advice on my Polish trip and i can only say thanks as most of it was very useful.

Out of neccesity (new baby due mid May)it had to be a quick trip and i was pushing it a bit going so close to the due date but it was still an absolute blast.
For anyone who is interested the details are on my blog, http://web.mac.com/stevegarton/iWeb/Site/Home.html

I learnt a few things
1. The GS is deserving of its reputation. 120mph on the Autobahn, 10mph on a rutted backroad are dealt with equal ease
2. People really do react differently to you when you are on a bike
3. Polish drivers really are shocking
4. It is possible to ride from Krakow to Hertfordshire in one day - but i would not reccomend it - ever
5. I should have done more trips ages ago
6. Touring on a bike is the best fun you can have without taking your clothes off!!
 
Nice one steve

I enjoyed the read / pics ( Nice Blog ).............


Regards Bigboy
 
Probably as perfect a motorbiking blog as you will find.

It is well written, pacy, dramatic, funny, sole searching, educational and thought provoking.

If only more of us could write like that. :beerjug:

BTW: I love observational humour and couldn't help but feel you could have eeeked out a bit more on the German vs Russian trendy look.
 
I'd forgotten about the Antwerp ring road until I read that. :blast

Bought back far too many bad memories. :eek
 
bigalmac said:
Probably as perfect a motorbiking blog as you will find. It is well written, pacy, dramatic, funny, sole searching, educational and thought provoking. If only more of us could write like that. :beerjug:
Click to expand...
I was just thinking the same thing myself. Cracking write up - after that, my Polish trip report wont be seeing the light of day. Seriously, that was very good. :clap

Reading the write up bought back loads of memories - including riding back home in 1 day (but I rode from Germany to Carmarthen), sitting in the same square in Krakow, the Wieliczka salt mines, Aushwitz etc etc. :D
 
:thumb2 A very enjoyable read, well done that man..
 
Am touched....

Cheers chaps!
Glad you liked the blog...it does capture the trip....started working out where next now!!
 
Great wrietup Steve but can we have some more pics of Jandar :bounce1 :bounce1 :thumb
IMG_0567.jpg
 
Gooner1200 said:
Various people on here (you know who you are) gave me advice on my Polish trip and i can only say thanks as most of it was very useful.

Out of neccesity (new baby due mid May)it had to be a quick trip and i was pushing it a bit going so close to the due date but it was still an absolute blast.
For anyone who is interested the details are on my blog, http://web.mac.com/stevegarton/iWeb/Site/Home.html

I learnt a few things
1. The GS is deserving of its reputation. 120mph on the Autobahn, 10mph on a rutted backroad are dealt with equal ease
2. People really do react differently to you when you are on a bike
3. Polish drivers really are shocking
4. It is possible to ride from Krakow to Hertfordshire in one day - but i would not reccomend it - ever
5. I should have done more trips ages ago
6. Touring on a bike is the best fun you can have without taking your clothes off!!
Click to expand...
Great Blog - you must be a glutton for punishment doing all those miles in one stretch.

I am away in Europe next week and quite fancy a jaunt over to Poland, can you tell us the general availability&Price of hotels over there and ones with secure parking as I have heard the polish have light fingers!!!

MAny thanks in advance

AndyT
 
At this time of year accomodation will be Ok I think as for the Polish being a tad light fingered personally I think no more so than anyone else. Can't really help with secure parking. I stayed in a holiday inn express in Krakow and it had secure ish parking. Anyone could get in and out of the car park but it was well lit and I parked up by the front door in full view of the reception.

I would not obsess to much about it, treat it like the UK but with a different language and use the same precautions - good chain - alarm if you have one and park in a well lit hotel car parka nd I am sure you will be OK.

Enjoy the trip...am sure you will have a blast!
 
I stayed at about 6 different hotels / motels of different quality and had no problem with bike tampering / theft. I remember one which was located next to a nightclub and the bike was parked out front in an open air public car park next to a busy road. I must admit I feared the worst, but as it happened I had no problem. (The receptionist in fairness did tell me I could park it in the hotel foyer (just like the LWR) but we couldn't get the GS Adventure through the doors). I padlocked the bike and panniers but next time I would probably take the panniers off and keep them in the room. Personally I would just take the same precautions you do in this country.

Prices were comparatively cheap. I paid in Zlotys but I seem to remember it converted to about £25 - £30 a night including breakfast. :thumb2 I used the GPS to find hotels or just stopped at one I liked the look of, and the only place I couldn't find somewhere to stay was Warsaw - apparently there was an international conference and there wasn't a single room available in about 10 hotels I tried.
 
Thanks guys. I'll definately try and sway my friends in this general area as I really want to go before it changes to much.

On the subject of Poland and Polish Women, the girl in the office has just left to become a model and what a stunning looking girl she is too and just so down to earth and heard working. She is in the Miss UKPoland competition which is for Polish girls who live out side of Poland. Heats are held all over the world. She is number 11 ;-)

http://www.misspoloniauk.com

Come on Kinga:thumb
 
Great blog…..:clap Ive been promising for years to make a trip to Auschwitz…..I could never properly explain to people why I felt the need to go….you summed it up nicely.. Going to try get over there this year…

:bow



K
 
Oh I forgot to ask, do you need any special papers to enter Poland, Original owners papers and any special insurance required!! Any tips gratefully recieved.

regards

Andy:thumb
 
I took my reg doc and driving licencse and tha was it.....not sure if I should have taken more but everything was fine.....they are in the EU now so its not exactly he wild west.....
 
AndyT said:
Oh I forgot to ask, do you need any special papers to enter Poland, Original owners papers and any special insurance required!! Any tips gratefully recieved.
Click to expand...
As Gooner pointed out, Poland is now in the EU so no "special papers" are needed, but the customs were very thorough before letting you out of the port - in fact probably the most stringent border crossing I've had. I docked at Gdynia (just north of Gdansk) at about 8.30am and didn't get out of the port till about 9.30am. The customs / guards wanted to see the original paperwork (ie logbook, insurance papers & MOT) for every single vehicle that came off the ferry - in addition to passports. I had everything in 1 folder and just handed it over, before he disappeared into his booth, then came out about 2 mins later. I spent 1 week in Poland and honestly feel that I couldn't have done it any quicker if I wanted to see the Wolfs Lair (in the North East part of Poland) and spend a whole day in Auschwitz / Birkenau (in southern Poland).

USEFUL TIP: Keep all original documents in 1 folder in the right hand pannier (easier to get at with the bike on its side stand) - but take 2 photocopies of everything. Keep 1 copy in the other pannier and leave 1 copy at home just in case. Certainly takes the pressure off you a bit. :thumb
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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