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[wildrover]

Hi Jeepers....   just putting out an idea to see if anyone is interested....    I am a Brit who is now living in north west Poland on an old farm...i have a bit of land for camping , a nice place for a barbie in the garden , and i live in a pretty national landscape park....I have contacts with off roaders in the area , and Poland is ideal Jeep country....

I first came to Polska bringing aid to a kids home here , so maybe you could combine a trip to Polska to bring aid , have a great time and experiance a new culture...   The food and the beer is great here , and cheap , the women lovely...what more do you need....     

I hope one day to make a living out of hosting off roaders and Harley people here , but for now its free to camp here , and have my services as a guide etc...

My part of Polska is only 650 road miles from the UK...if you get off the ferry in Rotterdam at 0830 , and drive steady , you will be at my farm around midnight..

It will be a pleasure to provide routes to anyone who wants them , and i will meet you at the border to show you the way...   anyone interested.....?

[Bulldog67]

mmmm, sounds cool, but I better start saving for a 1300 mile round trip with a 6.6 V8

do they do those trains to Poland that u can sling ya car on?

[isle of man]

Count me in....

[Nosebolt]

do like the idea of an aid run, what sort of thing are needed over there?

also bear in mind i have yet to get my CJ to cheapfest, so Poland may be optimistic

[Bulldog67]

  

im just bein optimistic, but then again, i do have a box full of magic parts 

[momos]

majic beans more like! 

[ivanidea]

I was in Poland in 1990 (long before I had a Jeep).  Drove through West and East Germany, and returned through a united Germany.

I was with my friend, who married into a Polish family, so he spoke the language.  We stayed with the family, and in the days of the Zloty, I was a millionaire (about £75).  It was good to have somebody who could translate since Polish is the worst language I have ever had to try to speak or read. 

I stayed at Bytom, a mining area in southern Poland.  The food and beer was very germanic, and the vodka was tasty.  The locals were friendly.

If I drive to Poland again, it would be in my road Jeep since it is the more economical diesel engine, although I would consider putting my 'toy' on a trailer.

[wildrover]

do like the idea of an aid run, what sort of thing are needed over there?

There are several kids homes around my area , and more than a few poor people...out here , if you don,t have a job , you don,t have any money , what the state will give you is enough to stay alive , nothing more...

Nobody is starving , but its a hard life for poor familes with kids , so anything for adults or kids would find a good home over here....   I am currently trying to get help for a home that caters for unmarried mums and their kids , but its not easy , as i am pretty poor myself...   In the past , when i lived in the UK , and had money , i threw a lot of effort into a kids home near Lobez , the place was a bit of a disaster area , but now is actually much nicer than the place i am living in....!

I began all this by taking aid to Belarus , now thats a really depressing place , but constant fights with the government , and mafia wore me down , soon after a home in Poland asked me to help , and i began twice yearly trips here to help them....Beware tho , i fell in love with the place and wound up living here...!

Getting money out of people is not so easy , but i found it was very easy to get books , computers , toys , clothes etc out of people...   The kids out here are really nice too , not like some of the spoilt little monsters back home....

We used to spend a few days with the kids giving them the gifts etc , then after this it was our turn to have fun , a bit of off roading , visiting , military and historic sites , beer and barbies in the forest , whatever people wanted to do....

None of the people i dragged along to Poland didn,t like the place , all who came returned again...   The people are friendly , the beer twice the strength for half the price . good food....a bit like the UK was fifty years back..!

I would be happy to advise anyone on collecting aid , getting a convoy together , driving in Poland tips etc....    my email is    wildrover@op.pl   if anyone wants to get in touch..    Ian ( Jan ) greenwood

[jimyj]

Yep may be up for this , just depends on funds and time , as normal . But yep looking at a decent road trip for next year .

[wildrover]

If there are a few people from the UK interested in coming to Polska i will contact some peeps in other countries , try to make it an international get together....Although Poland is often considered as Eastern Europe , its actually in the middle , so not too far for Jeepers from Germany , Sweden , Denmark , Norway , Latvia , Lithuania , Estonia , Romania , etc etc....To the east is Ukraine , Belarus , Russia etc , but for Jeepers from these places a visa is needed of course...Incidentally , if anyone fancies venturing into the depths of Ukraine you can go there with an EU passport for up to 90 days without any visa , i have friends and contacts there...The people are friendly , the beer lovely...the roads terrible...

If anyone wants to check out on a map where i am , look on the 173 route between Drawsko pomorskie and Polczyn zdroj...if you have a good map you might find the village of Gawroniec , thats walking distance from my farm , otherwise , look for the small town of Ostrowice , thats about 4 kms from me....

[Bulldog67]

?

http://www.maplandia.com/poland/zachodnio-pomorskie/swidwin/gawroniec/

[wildrover]

Great map...thanks for that Bulldog...if you follow that 173 road from Drawsko pomorskie to Polczyn zdroj untill just before the blue blob marking the village of Gawroniec , you will see a minor road going off to the right towards Nowo worowo....i am a short distance down this road...   My address is actually plocie , but if you follow the signs for Polcie you won,t find me , i am on the edge of the village , thats if you can call a few scattered houses a village..  It will be great if we can get a Jeepmeet sorted here , a few beers and a barbie , and a few runs through the forest to the lakes....

For anyone heading out further east to Russia , Belarus or wherever , you are welcome to stop by , have a rest , borrow tools or whatever on route...my place is about halfway between the UK and Moscow , so not a bad place to break the journey...Facilities at my place are not exactly top notch , but its warm and dry , and i can arrange more upmarket accomadation if you want it...I am not exactly fluent in Polish , but i get by , and i can soon sort out a friend who speaks English and Polish if anyone has any problems...it will be nice to meet you...

[Tony Hill]

True story.

Some years ago I was carefully negotiating my new (but very secondhand) Range Rover between the bigger rocks on a track in mountainous South West Ukraine. Head out of the window, low range, gentle foot on the gas (already holed the petrol tank once) when I heard a horn.

Looked up to see a Lada Niva overtaking me, man and woman in the front, three kids in the back, everyone smiling and waving .... except the pig in the open trailer they were towing!

Haven't been back for a few years but Poland (I only know the East) and Ukraine were fantastic off-roading!

T
 



 

[wildrover]

I was in Ukraine myself last summer...i made the mistake of going on my Harley....i really should have known better after wrecking the heavy duty suspension on a Landrover in Belarus and Russia , but for some reason i convinced myself the roads in Ukraine would be better...they were not , bloody lethal on a motorcycle , especially at night...

I loved the country though , and the people , and i am definatly going back someday soon , but this time in my Jeep....

Funny enough i too holed a fuel tank in Belarus , but this was not off roading , just crossing a not so level rail crossing , hit the nato hitch on the line , and started leaking fuel....  i Have done a bit of off roading in Russia , the Ladoga competition...now those guys are really nuts....!

[wildrover]

 #1
Growing numbers of tourists visit Poland every year. They are attracted by the diversity in landscape the country is famous for. While the North consists of lakelands, which contrast with the beachy landscape of the Baltic coast, the South is dominated with a band of mountains and alpine scenery, which make Poland like a fascinating jigsaw puzzle composed of colorful regional pieces. But where should the holiday-makers head to get the most out of the beauty of the country? The article (the north-south tour) is here to help you take in the country's main highlights.

The region of Poland that draws the most number of holiday-makers is Pomorze, also known as Pomerania. You can find here beautiful beaches that are main attractions for the sand-and-sun-seekers. The resorts of the Baltic such as Miedzyzdroje, Kolobrzeg, Ustka and Leba are the most attractive for sunbathers and water sports enthusiasts. You can also discover here the Tri-City (Trojmiasto) which includes Sopot, Gdansk and Gdynia. The two latter ones are the major ports of Poland that are famous for playing an important part in Polish economy and commerce. For sightseeing at a slower pace there are the villages of Kashubia. The place will definitely not be a disappointment for those with an interest in history, as you can spot there the great variety of historic buildings such as castles, cathedrals or small village churches. While exploring the area, you can't omit the famous Malbork Castle (south-east to Gdansk), the jewel of the Teutonic Knight's architecture. Finally, for those who enjoy cycle tours there is the Slowinski National Park renowned for its shifting sand dunes. It is also a haven for wild birds. More than 250 species, including the rare sea eagle, are found here.

For those who want to explore more nature, Mazury (Masuria) is the region to go to. Known as “the land of a thousand lakes", northeastern Poland is also blessed with natural forests and rivers which provide excellent conditions for canoeing down the Czarna hancza or Krutynia rivers. The ports of Gizycko, Wegorzewo and Mikolajki attract yacht enthusiasts who enjoy sailing on the lakes. The region is also a paradise for cycling lovers as it allows plenty of opportunities for hiking tours. For unspoiled scenery you can head for Bialowieza National Park with its bison reserve or to Biebrza National Park with its rich bird life and Poland's largest swamps.

Another place most frequently visited by holiday-makers is the capital of Poland, Warsaw that lies in the Mazowia region. Here you can admire the meticulously rebuilt medieval buildings of Warsaw's Old Town, stroll through the charming landscaped gardens of Lazienki Park, or to the heart of the city to take an elevator to the observatory deck to see its symbol-the Palace of Culture for a great view of Warsaw. Those interested in Jewish history and culture should visit places such as the Nozyk Synagogue, Jewish cemetery on Okopowa Street (one of the largest in Europe) or the Historical Institute that will provide you with history of this community.

The most picturesque and varied region for vacationing, though, is Malopolska also known as Lesser Poland. It has, without a doubt, more tourist attractions than any other region in Poland. Cracow, one of the noblest cities in Europe, attracts with its tranquility as well as the spiritual and historical wealth of the country. Attractions here are too numerous to count: the Market Square (the largest in Europe), the Loth Hall, the buildings of the famous Jagiellonian University, the Wawel castle to name but a few. Cracow's main rival is Zakopane, a lively resort at the foot of Poland's highest mountains, the Tatras, and the best-known town in the mountainous Podhale region. Holiday-makers love to spend vacations here as the town offers plenty of opportunities to spend free time in an active manner: from hiking in the mountains, gliding in cable cars over Mt. Kasprowy Wierch to walking along Krupowki Street and enjoying its cafes, restaurants and exclusive souvenir shops. The most important place for pilgrims is Czestochowa, the country's national shrine that attracts tourists from all over the world. The holy picture of the Black Madonna at the Monastery of Jasna Gora is the town's most precious treasure.

Hopefully you enjoyed the tour of Poland that was provided in the article. The places mentioned above are just a small sample of the many locations that you can go to vacation in Poland. There are many other numerous regions that are conducive to individuals vacationing desires. Hopefully after hearing about the fabulous destinations, you will want to make Poland your number one tourist stop. See you there!