Day 462/463:

Massive flooding in in Southern Poland… Roads flooded, closed and washed out.

And after 6 hours in a car to go what should have taken 1 hour, it turns out rain doesn’t only effect cars it also slows trains down and my train was 4 hours late…..

Fortunately the train from 3 hours before was only 41/2 hours late, which left me on the platform in the 40 degree windy rain for a mere hour and a half. Finally I got on a fairly empty train for the 3 hour (uneventful) ride.

I arrived in Warsaw about 8pm and went to the Taxi queue, and when I went the the first cab the drivers directed me to the one at the back of the line, “odd”, I thought, but maybe it was his turn, or the other were busy drinking vodka and such, so I jumped in a gave him an address and he started driving.  Then I saw the meter start to climb VERY quickly.  It probably should have been a 3 or 4 kilometer ride, but we hit that really quickly, so I started watching it and it was just rolling up really fast and we definitely didn’t seem to be travelling quite so fast.  Then at a stop light I finally saw what was up when the meter went from 7.1 kilometers to 7.5 kilometers WHILE stopped… he had a little switch by his leg and was adding distance!

I said “HEY HEY HEY” and I pointed and he said “no, no, no, its ok, were are there!” he turned a corner and stopped on the beautiful square where a hostel was supposed to be.  The meter said 31zl, but I got out and grabbed my bag, then handed him 15zl (what I think the ride should have cost), he start to raise his voice, but I looked across the square and saw two police officers and said “Police?” questioningly. He said “no, no, no” and jumped in his cab.  Freaking shadies…

I walked around the square looking for a hostel that was in the Lonely Planet, which of course was full.  But I asked them for a recommendation for somewhere nearby that was nice, and they called some place and told me 86zl for a private (about twice the cost of the dorms at the hostel).  By this point I said “sure, whatever, tell them I am coming”.  When I got there the woman at the front desk was extremely rude and told me the bathroom was in the hall and handed me the key to what might go in the running for the dodgiest room I have ever been in (and that’s saying a lot).  At this point I just don’t care and ask one important question “Do you have internet? WiFi?” (I wanted to give the wife a call)

“No! Pizza Hut down the street!”

Fortunately though, I did manage to make a reservation to move to a proper hostel in the morning… As long as it doesn’t rain I am looking forward to this very awesome looking city tomorrow, but with my luck…..

The next day turned out MUCH better, the weather was great, and I met up with a local, Isha, who reads my blog and gave me the most extensive tour of Warsaw I could have imagined.  We wandered and wandered, the entire time she told me all about this city which has changed hands and rulers over and over throughout the last 1000 years.  It has a very intense history and the people here, just in the last 20 years, have control of their country once again.  It was the perfect way to end my time in Poland and am uber-thankful for all the touring, company and spicy vodka that Isha provided!

Outside the presidential palace. Honoring the president who recently died in a plane crash.