Travel broadens the mind
It is said that ‘travel broadens the mind’. In my opinion, it can true but regarding intelligent people only. I do not see anything educational in a trip to Egypt, paddling in hotel pool heated water, taking a photo on the back of a camel on a background of the pyramids and finally return to the Polish enriched with a tan and photos.
Sure, if you live in Krakow and you have the money You can just take a krakow airport taxi or use any other kind of krakow airport shuttle, get on a plane and fly to Barbados and just relax without guilty conscience. But we can also take advantage of more economic means of transport like a bike for example 😉
Of course it’s OK that people needing to forget (even for a few days) about all the problems (which by the way will be waiting for them after returning to the country) are leaving. They just want to relax, but didn’t You ever wonder on embarking on a real expedition? At least once in your life? The journey which would make You forget about the existing problems (because there would be new – as the fight for survival ;)). Didn’t You ever fancy undertaking a real journey which (with no doubt) would be the best school of life, and which would remain in Your memory for a very long time?
As a professed lover of cycling I was surfing the Internet recently looking for some new, interesting routes, I could to go by bicycle together with your friends.
Admittedly, searching the travel forums, I came across many cycling enthusiasts’ – both amateurs’ and proffesional bicyclist’s recommendations of many perfect routes for a day or even several days journey by bicycle. But among all these forums and other websites I found a brill blog of Charles Werner – kolemsietoczy.pl (by the way recognized as the ‘Blog of 2013’ ).
As I read on this blog, the author together with his travel companion – Piotrek, they have visited almost half of the world on two wheels and at the rock-bottom cost probably, and caring for the environment at the same time, what I esteem positively 😉
The aim of their first expedition were the Alps. 2011th year, 1500 kilometres , 150 euros , 14 days. The guys have thrilled to the 2-weaks expedition along the top of a mountain in Europe. They wanted to see a piece of the world, but did not choose the easiest way, didn’t go to the krakow airport, katowice airport or I don’t know… any other airport. They did not use any kind of krakow airport shuttle because they did not have to – after all, they were not going to go anywhere by plane. They went by bikes.
This whole situation is more surprising becouse they’ve decided to do this without any earlier travel experience. Therefore they have to learn everything on the route. I do admire people with such courage, such ambitions and such a positive attitude to life as they have – because undoubtedly It need people to have all these qualities to go on such a journey. Well, they have gone, come out of top, and the whole 14 -day project has eat away at about 600 PLN.
Of course they have not ended up on the one expedition. The boys decided to visit Zakopane, Zakarpacie Ukraińskie – on two wheels, and they also have passed the Balkans in the same way and it took 37 days during which they visited 11 other countries on the way.
The guys deserve even greater respect due to encourage to go to Iran also. As Werner write on the blog – they were apprehensive going into this place. It is constantly heared about threatening local religious leaders frightening of using the nuclear weapons. However, it did not discourage them to leave and did not stop to arrive in and get know this beautiful country, which as they’ ve seen later wonderful, kind, friendly , warm and very hospitable people live in, in no way similar to dangerous religious fanatics – media make them out. Werner writes on his blog that the first Iranian they met on the way asked them if something happened and how he can help them. By the way, I wonder if Poles are seen the same way by foreign newcomers…?
As you can see, the guys did not have any problem to get help from the local people if they needed. Along the way, they also visited Armenia, Georgia , Iraq and Turkey. Caucasus and the Middle East were the longest bike trip they did. That kind of journey undoubtedly ‘broadens the mind’. After reading Werner’s inspiring blog I am more and more fancy setting of the long journey by cycle. People such as Karol Werner and his friend Piotrek show that everything is possible, you just have to really want it.
So, if you need a res t, take a krakow taxi, go to the nearest travel agency, buy a last minute – all inclusive trip and just relax, but if you want to learn something, and to gain experience for a lifetime get on Your bike and go ahead.