I met them years ago on the cruise ship crossing Atlantic Ocean. They were listening to my travel stories sipping the wine. Later, visiting Malaga, usually by ship I was happy to meet them and spend the time together. They were showing me new places of interest around Malaga…

Today they came for the first time to Gdańsk and I was happy to be their guide in Gdansk:

Imagine that it was 39 deg Celsius on this afternoon, I never experienced in my city such a temperatures! My friends from Malaga and their two daughters were very brave! And they enjoyed old Gdansk very much… Thank you dear friends and see you again in Malaga or in Gdansk!

I met Piotr by excident in the little hostel in Gabes, Tunisia on 1979. Both of us were travelling solo North Africa. Since then we are in touch, meeting each other mostly at annual meetings of Polish Travellers.

Piotr is MD by profession, but he is also outstanding traveller and writer. He was already several times in my Wojtkówka and always I had a real pleasure to host him, drinking wine and rum and chatting about the world. Piotr was today in Wojtkówka!

He enjoyed my organic food and we were talking few hours about our expeditions and travel plans.

Piotr is a great travel companion but he is very busy person and only once we travelled together (in Saudi Arabia). I believe that we will find the opportunity to travel the world again. Thank you so much for your visit dear friend!

It was sunny afternoon in Wojtkówka and I was working in the garden when a unexpected person appeared at the gate. This was Artur – Polish traveller. I did not invite him and he did not announce his arrival.

I know Artur since many years, he is great traveller – long time ago we even travelled together in South America. He said he visited all countries but five. But few years ago he he has changed a lot. He joined Nomadmania, a platform bringing together competing travelers from around the globe—travelers who are counting up not only the countries but also the regions they have visited. He began publishing lists of the world’s countries and appointed himself a judge to evaluate travelers from Poland and abroad. On his website, he publishes his debatable verdicts. For instance, he claims I have never been to South Sudan, even though my passport bears that country’s border stamps and a South Sudanese visa.

I was polite to him but sorry, I do not invite such a people to my Wojtkówka. It is not a pleasure to meet them…

from time to time I am giving lectures about my arventures around the world and exotic places and countries. Few years ago in Lubin/South Poland after such a lecture one of the listeners approached me asking if he can join me on my expedition.

We tried to travel together to the Pacific just before COVID but the pandemic broken our plan. Now we are trying to organize another expedition to the South Pacific. It was nice to see Janusz again after few years. I offered him in Wojtkówka a light lunch and we were discussing details of the voyage.

Janusz lives on Florida. So before boarding the ship I will meet him only on the Fiji Islands. Thank you for the visit and see you there, Janusz!

Crossing the Pacific earlier this year I had a pleasure to meet on the ship traveller’s couple from Australia. They were heaading to Europe. And today It was nice to meet them again in Gdańsk:

It is their first time in Gdańsk, so it was a pleasure to guide them around the old city in Gdańsk. I showed them the most interesting places:

After athe walk around the Gdansk’s old city I invited my Australian friends to my Wojtkówka for the light lunch and the glass of red wine. They are nice and knowledgeable peoople. It was lovely, sunny day and we had a good time, eating pumpkin soup, trying my pickled cucumbers and drinking red wine:

Thank you Ala and Janusz for the time we spent together. Untiil the next meeting in Poland or Australia! 🙂

I am happy to be back home. Wonderful spring is around. Fresh green, flowers and trees in blossom:

Nights are still too cold to stay there overnight, but since a lot of work is waiting for me I am spending there most of the day. I enjoy last tulips and blue forget-me-not

My son Adam arrived from Oslo for two days and helped me to put the vegetable seeds to the ground. Few different apple trees I have are whole covered by apple flowers. No night frost in May this year so there is a big chance that the crop of apples this year will be enormous:

I had already first visitors and you are most welcome, dear friends to come here on each sunny day. I am in a hurry to clean and clear up the house and terrace to host you and have with you good time!

Our Costa ship is back in Piraeus port. I will be disembarking soon. But… In the ancient times Greeks invented many very useful things. Today they invented a new tax for the cruise passengers. Every time you willbe disembarking the ship in Greece you will pay a tax: 3 euro on the continent, but 12 euro on popular islands like Mykonos or Santorini. On the ship Costa wanted me to pay this amount. But on my bill there were only 2 taxes And they wanted cash for 6. Shame on you Costa!

I am watching from the upper deck to the statue of the lion erected at port gate, waiting for new bill. It was possible only after 3 hours. “They can do nothing if their system is on strike”. Finally I said goodbye to “Costa Fortuna”. I like this old ship – especially the oldaps on the walls and the globes in the self-service restaurant:

There is no direct bus from the Piraeus cruise port to ATH airport. It was necessary to walk about half an hour with all my stuff to the stop opposite the orthodox cathedral (picture below). Express bus X96 goes every 30 minutes, my was departing at 1.05 pm. Once you are inside you can pay the hefty fare 5.50 euro taping your card on the screen. Payment will be saved on your card. It is the express only by name: it stops often – allow as much as 1,5 hour to get to the airport. If you have the window seat it could be nice sightseeing!

I am already on the ATH airport, waiting for the evening flight to Gdansk. I hope everything will be on time. Please keep your fingers crossed! 🙂

This is very unusual destination. One of two volcanic calderas where shops can sail into former volcano cone. The second one where I have been twice is Deception Island in the Antarctic.

on Santorini settlements are not located on the level of the water, but up – on the rim of the former crater. It is a serious half an hour plus climbing to get from the landing pier to the village. Recently they built alternative – the cable car will take you to Thira for 10 euro each way.

Bit today is is strong wind and our tenders do not operate in the morning, waiting for the improvement of the weather…But even the view from the ship anchoring in the caldera is fantastic! They started transfer to the land just after 9 am. Costa used big local tenders for transport. I decided to go ashore. Sea was bumpy!

We landed in the little “old port” at 11 am. I decided to climb by wide path the wall shown on tje picture above. Mules were also offered for 10 euro. They are nightmare of the climber (like on descent to Grand Canyon years ago) blocking the path, pushing you to the wall… And what a bed smell on the whole trail! But the views are really great!

After 45 minutes of climbing I reached the white village on the cliff. I did it! When Inwas here in the past I was much younger. Nothing changed in the village – chain of shops, cafes, towers of little churches. And crowd of tourists of course. But the views are worth the effort!

Santotini is very unique place. Locals are preserving the style and the color of the houses. It stands like the icon of Greek tourism

My walk back down to old port took me much more effort, but I was back on time for the last tender. The wind was still blowing – just in case take your windbreaker! 🙂

It is legendary island on the Egean Sea. More then 50 years ago I saw it for the first time, coming from Piraeus aboard junk “Apollon” ship. No pier at that time – we were landing from the barges. Pelicans were wandering on the coastal square asking for the food. And today?…

There is new port opposite the old one whete cruise ship’s dock. From there motored sea buses for 2,50 euro are taking thousands of tourist to the stylish old port where not only souvenirs but also product of world-famous companies are offered.

Flowers in the windows of traditionally white houses. Little orthodox churches with blue and red copulas. In the past the windmills were the icons of the island but very few remained. It is woorth to escape the crowd and dive into the labyrinth of narrow streets…

I came to the old port from the ship by foot, taking on tye way the pictures of dry hills doted by white houses. There were also few little beaches, but the water is still too cold to swim:

Tomorrow we will visit Santorini…

In the sunny morning we were still sailing along the Bay of Izmir. I decided to take one-hour sunbath on the deck. We docked at 12.30 and 40 min later I disembarked to the little passenger terminal. The info desk was empty…But you can get the map in the “i” signed office building on the little square left side of coastal boulevard.

I have been to Izmir before, so after passing the gate I turned right to the coastal promenade. There are many hotels and cafes so it is easy to ask for the password to internet.

After passing Konak Pier – converted now to commercial center I continued along the cost. On the left, on the other side of tram line I found big Ataturk Square – the place which could be called the heart of Izmir’s old town. In the middle of the square there is precious Clock Tower with little mosque in the back. Gracious palm trees and pigeons are around…

Nice pedestrian alley goes from here to nearby bazaar area with many mosques, rows of colorful shops and nostalgic tea-houses. Tourists are rare in the crowd and this creates the atmosphere of the aithentic Orient. I had a nice walk in the labyrinth…

From.the cruise terminal to the bazaar it is like an hour walk – good exercise if you liki tho see and enjoy street life. I returned for the late lunch on time. Great day – tomorrow we plan to reach Greek Mykonos island. Ahoy!