Battle

I feel like I make it sound like the trip is all rainbows and butterflies. It is in general an amazing experience, but every day is a battle. Every hill is a challenge, and every kilometre takes effort to complete. It takes a lot of physical and mental strength to keep going every day. Every day I have moments when I feel like it's tough, the sun is burns, traffic gets too dangerous, bag is too heavy, it gets hard to find accommodation for the day, I get lost, I can't decide which way to go, difficulties to communicate to others due to language barrier... The list goes on and on, there are countless challenges that I am forced to face every day. Plus there is always the safety factor - am I safe where I am at, will I be safe at the destination, are my things safe, and will my bike be safe? Constant questions and doubts are going through my mind all the time.
Yes, I am on a holiday, but it is not the relaxing type of holiday. It's action!
Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, I'm just pointing it out that it is not always as easy as it seems.

Yesterday I had a short trip to Warsaw. On the way I also passed through the city where Chopin was born -  Żelazowa Wola. I stopped there to have an ice cream, that's all. :D
The trip to Warsaw was fairly simple. I went on a road that wasn't too busy most of the time. When I got closer to the destination, I used the cycling paths or the side walks. One funny thing happened though. I was about half way between Sochaczew and Warsaw, and police decided to stop me. They rode at my side and said something in Polish, then stopped. I assumed they wanted me to stop, so I did. The two officers got out of their car and came up to me and one of them (a rather handsome fella :D) started speaking Polish.
-Something in Polish.
-Sorry, I don't speak Polish.
-You don't speak Polish?
-No.
-Do you speak English?
-Yes, I do understand English.
-Where are you from?
-Latvia.
-Latvia?
-Yes.
-Do you have any ID?
-Yes. (Found my passport and gave it to him)
-Rituma Marta. Ok. Where do you live in Poland?
-I don't. I'm just passing by.
-Ahh, OK.
-What seems to be the problem?
-(He then inspects how my bag is placed on the back rack and tells something to the other officer) Hmmm, ok, nothing.

And then I got my ID back and they just let me go. It was a very strange encounter.
I found my host's flat fairly soon. It was early evening when I arrived. He made some pasta. Then he showed me the way to the city. I cycled about quite a bit. Stopped at the Citadel and enjoyed some time swinging on swings. This was great as I hadn't been on swings for a very long time. Felt like a child again.
In the city I met with a person from Couch Surfing. He showed me around a bit, and then we went for a couple of beers. He did a similar journey to mine two years back; cycled from Poland to England.
When I got back to my host's studio apartment he and some of his friends were about to have a midnight BBQ. So I joined them, it turned out to be a very fun night. :D

I got some nice breakfast (at lunch time, haha). And now I shall continue my journey. I have about 60 km to cycle today, so not too far.

Distance: 65 km