Monday May 25, 2009

The kind family made us breakfast. We collected our clean clothes, then said our goodbyes. They were extra-ordinarily generous and kind. We cycled on into Augustow and bought a map from tourist information. They advised to stop using the main road and take a longer route using smaller roads. We followed thier advice. We stopped at a small town the use the internet in the library, then stopped again to buy food, where we met an English speaking shopkeeper.

We cycled on into the evening, entering a national park. The region was forested, so we continued hoping to find a field. As the sun set we found a clearing, with a camp site. I looked at the details, it was only about 1 euro to camp, and I thought it was worth the money, as it was late and there were no nearby fields, only forests. Daniela didn't want to waste a euro, as even though it is only a small sum, there was still some hope of finding a field and camping for free. There was a pub by the camp site, and some locals spoke to us. They were friendly, but I couldn't face another night on the beers. We cycled on.

We spotted a railway station, behind which were some houses and a field, in a clearing. It looked deserted, and we would have to cross live railway lines to get there. I suggested to Daniela that we head back 1 km to the camp site. Daniela crossed the lines and found someone willing to let us camp in their garden. Then I crossed the lines to join her. It took both of us to lift my bike up over the small way by the railway tracks.

I feel as though I may be becoming a charity case, asking to camp in fields when so close to a proper camp site. I don't want to take advantage of peoples good nature, but on the other hand want to meet new people and share experiences. I think its a fine line, especially as I am beginning to look like a hobo too.

We began to put up the tent, then some locals came by and touched their neck with the fingers, a sign for drinking. We followed them over to a garden bench, where we were given food and several rounds of vodka. I was a little left out of the conversation as my polish is non existant. In a break in the conversation I managed to come up with Polska Wodka dobry, which was probably incorrect, but well recieved all the less. Aparenty I was the first English person to stay in the village!

It was dark by the time we returned to put the tent up, the people we had eat with brought out a torch and helped me put up the tent. Daniela was struggling to walk in a straight line and everyone found putting the tent up very amusing after the vodka.

I woke in the middle of the night as a train passed feet from where we were camped, I recalled our decision not to camp in the camp site and thought for a second that we had done something stupid and put up the tent by the tracks, then I remembered we were in someones garden and went back to sleep.