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Drove home from Poland yesterday, 19.5 hours, 1077 miles, 7 countries, 5 stops, 1 Chunnel. Gonna repeat it all going the other way next month!
Polish motorways the best, German services €0.70 for a dump, more roadworks in Germany than UK, why is fuel 60% more here than in Poland. Some great place names Peter shag en, Wankum. Less than 20 cars on the Chunnel train, though customs in less than 1 minute, it takes 2 hours at Heathrow.
Anyway what have I missed besides the Jacks & Pep both losing?
I like Poland as a country.
Thoroughly enjoyable
Still a lot of bureaucracy & religious undercurrent. It’s taken 7 months & I still haven’t got my work permit, so I’ve had to come home for a month or so. My Japanese colleagues have been waiting over a year for their documentation. To quote one of them, they want our business but they don’t want us.Quote:
Originally Posted by WJ99mobile
The people are great, it’s very easy living, I haven’t struggled with the language once. The contrast between history, communism and recovery makes for interesting architecture & photography. Most prices are the same as UK, food & fuel are cheaper but other things like cycles and cars are more expensive. The local non league footie team stadium is opposite my house.
Would it be fair to say that undercurrent has become intertwined with current government? There are a number of abusive anti-LGBTQ+ policies coming from their current government.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Certainly an element and the abortion debate is fractious. We have around 200+ Poles in our UK factory and they did a questionnaire for us, the #1 reason moving from Poland to UK was religious restrictions.Quote:
Originally Posted by surge
O once had to drive from Grenoble on the foothiils of the alps to Helmstedt on what was then the inner German border. About 1100KM. About 690 miles without stopping except for a coffee in Germany ,but up though and out of the alps via Geneva and Switzerland.
wouldn't want to do it twice.
In March last year I brought a 10-foot Riley snooker table, bought on Ebay, from Orlando to Iowa over 2 days. Set out late on day1 so did 438 miles to Atlanta in 6 and a half hours. Intended to have another stopover for day 2 - 925 miles and 14 hours Atlanta to Des Moines but it was dry, roads were quiet so we made it home by midnight.
Shared the driving with my 19 year-old who did very well as we were riding a 16-foot box van rental. US roads aren't good and I can still feel the 5 precious 200lbs slate slabs thumping around whenever we hit a rough patch.
Must have been crazy but saved a lot of cash doing it ourselves and to have some nationwide outfit transport it for me would involve a number of loading and unloading procedures for the trip and there were no guarantees it would all arrive without mis-hap.
Cardiff to Cadiz is my longest drive, and back again. Hoping to drive to Greece at some point.
I never realised Atlanta to Orlando was only a 6 1/2 hour drive, we have often seen flights from the Uk to Atlanta for a few hundred quid, the flight from Atlanta to Orlando was a similar price, if its a 6 1/2 hour drive, i would be a nice saving to drive it, maybe a overnight stop after a few hours to break up the driveQuote:
Originally Posted by Cowbridge Blue
We've lived in the states for a decade and taken many road trips to exciting places we've read about. Socially the US is a mess but it's countryside and National Parks are wonderful.Quote:
Originally Posted by blue matt
Windhoek to Pretoria in 1984. Didnt do the shorter route via Botswana as, presumably, in those days the road through hadnt been built or it wasnt deemed safe. Roughly 1025 miles mainly on dirt tracks taking about 22 hours if my memory serves me correctly.
I used to leave near Wankum. By the way, when you say that you haven't had a struggle with the language do you mean that you have mastered Polish or that you have found English speakers wherever you go? And whereabouts are you in Poland? I've been to Poznan, Kłodzko, Zakopane and Krakow. As soon as things open up I will do a slow road trip (i.e. 10/11/12 days or similar and taking in walks along the route) to Berlin via the Romantische Strasse (Nuremburg, Würzburg and Regensburg) and Leipzig, park up in Berlin, return home for a week or 10 days, fly back to Berlin and meander back via Hanover and a few other locations before my former-hometown on the Dutch border and pop into Gent on the route. Hopefully, taking some footy games in en route. I would also ensure that I only speak German to Germans. I may also have different friends join me on different legs of the route.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
I've done a number of 2,500 mile road trips in the States. I don't like the culture there or the big cities (soulless in the main) but the geology in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and parts of California is stunning. (I've also completed pleasant road trips in other parts of the States too). I went to many places linked to Native American culture (including a number of pow-wows) and non-Native Americans were either very thin on the ground. Although I generally like to visit non-English-speaking countries, last week I bought a ticket to see Santana in Salt Lake City and will build a road trip around it so that I can visit northern Utah, Wyoming and Montana.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowbridge Blue
I've done road trips around several parts of Europe including Romania, as well as places further afield such as Jordan. I also aim to buy an old car cheaply (perhaps with an MOT due to expire) and drive it as far as I can (Turkey or Morocco and even further away if possible) before giving it to someone free in a poorer country where they can cannibalise the parts.
Virtually everyone I've come into contact with has spoken English, fortunately at work it's a prerequisite as it's the language of the (Japanese) company. If the person doesn't speak English then we normally get by with a series of grunts and nods. I can read quite a few words and once you start to understand the structure it helps. I've got no chance with pronunciation though. Rz = J !!! The closest city is Lodz pronounced Wootch (dz = ch and what look like an L is more of a W as the L has a line through it)Quote:
Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie
My favourite so far is when I went into an Ice Cream shop and the elderly lady behind the counter dragged out what I think was her grand-daughter, who was around 8 or 9 to ask me in English what flavours I wanted.
I'm in a place called Ksawerow, outside Lodz, about 90 minutes SW of Warsaw.
I used to work in Venray NL, not too far from Wankum
I lived in Kevelaer, 25km east of Venray.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
I know a few Poles at my company that moved to our Prague office for the exact same reason. Seems like it's a big issue for the younger generations there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Interesting thread this. In another life, I think long-distance lorry driving would have been the ticket for me. In this one, my biggest trek was Portsmouth to Briancon (French Alps) and back in a white van. But it's on my bucket list to ride my motorcycle from Athens to Cardiff using only small A and B roads.
I worked in London With Poles, on and off for eight years. My Polish isn't bad (spoken) and i can understand a bit. When you are forced into a situation, it seems that you have to try and learn new things. I did that, and i can communicate in a basic way with polish people.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie
We are driving to Sarasota Fl in a few weeks.
14hrs apparently.
Probably going to stop in Savannah GA overnight.
Wife’s uncle is buried at Kleve, not far away, shot down on his first flight in 1944Quote:
Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie
Recommend more time for Savannah.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wash DC Blue
You can google info on the many tours available in Savannah which is a great visit. My recommendation is for the Tour of Homes & Gardens in the Historic District which, if it appeals is one to look forward to. Sadly I just looked for 2021 and it isn't happening this year. The architecture is splendid and may owners have spent a lot on recreating how homes would look in their pomp (inside and out) and during the festival open their homes and gardens for viewing. A fabulous day strolling around the houses but need to book well in advance.
I drove to Sarasota once. From Orlando so it didn't take too long :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Wash DC Blue
Whilst we’re talking US, what’s peoples thoughts on Route66. It’s still on our bucket list but seems be losing its appeal.
Thanks Mate, I appreciate that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowbridge Blue
Taking our two senior dogs with us one of which is blind and deaf.
It’s just going to be a rest stop unfortunately.
It seems to be a bit tacky nowadays.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
I don't see the appeal of Route 66. The first part seems to be quite a boring route in reality.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
Attachment 4435
Did this last year 👍
Attachment 4436
Doing this next.
Route 1 / 1A is better....IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
We have spoken to various people ( in disney queues ) who have driven similar to get to Orlando , Maine, NY, Phille and washington, set of lunchtime, arrive and hit disney in the morning, 16 hour drives seem the norm for someQuote:
Originally Posted by Wash DC Blue
its going to be touristy, of course it is, its that type of thing now, but by all accounts if you leave the " route " and venture away from the tourist bits you an still find the old traditional americaQuote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
I sometimes visit German friends who live in Kleve.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot