UPDATE OF INDEX

 25th Aug 2023

zUPDATE OF INDE

To remind my reader of how to view a particular location: 

Click on to the 'arrow' next to the relevant year at the 'blog archive' list top right of most recent blog. This opens up the months with titles. Then click on to relevant month arrow and that will open up the blogs in that month.

 

It's a long scroll down to the latest on this list!

Incidently, if using a 'smartphone', scroll down to the bottom of the first page where you  should opt to 'view web version'. This allows you to select the 'arrows' as above. 

If you wish to enlarge a photo, just single click on it.

List of Posts

2011

Jan

1.      The Beginning

2.      At Sea - Now Antwerp - Belgium

3.      Stranded in Le Havre - France
Feb

4.      Crossing The Pond

5.      Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk - USA

6.      Virginia - USA

7.      Washington DC - USA

8.      Columbia - South Carolina - USA

9.      Charleston - South Carolina - USA
Mar

10.    Miami - Florida - USA

11.    Fort Lauderdale - Florida - USA

12.    Savannah - Georgia - USA

13.    Boston - Massachusetts - USA

14.    Boston - Post Script - USA

15.    Niagara Falls - Ontario - Canada

16.    Toronto - Ontario - Canada

17.    Winnipeg - Manitoba - Canada

18.    The Canadian - Toronto to Vancouver - Canada
Apr

19.    Vancouver Island - British Columbia - Canada

20.    Seattle - Washington - USA

21.    Amtrak. Seattle to San Francisco - USA

22.    San Francisco - California (Part 1) - USA

23.    San Francisco - California (Part 2) - USA

24.    San Diego - California - USA

25.    Tijuana to La Paz - Mexico

26.    La Paz - Mexico

27.    Mazatlan - Mexico
May

28.    Guadalajara - Mexico

29.    Mexico City

30.    San Christobal de Las Casas - Mexico

31.    Antigua - Guatemala

32.    San Salvador - El Salvador

33.    Managua and Granada - Nicaragua
Jun

34.    San José - Costa Rica

35.    Panama City

36.    Flight to Lima - Peru

37.    Lima - Peru

38.    Nazca - Peru

39.    Cusco - Peru

40.    Machu Picchu - Peru

41.    Andean Explorer - Peru

42.    Puno (Lake Titicaca) - Peru

43.    Arequipa - Peru
Jul

44.    Panama to Auckland - New Zealand

45.    Bay of Islands - New Zealand

46.    Lake Taupo - New Zealand

47.    Cape Reinga - New Zealand

48.    Russel Birdman Festival - New Zealand
Aug

49.    Rotorua - New Zealand

50.    Napier - New Zealand

51.    Wellington - New Zealand

52.    Blenheim - New Zealand

53.    Nelson - New Zealand

54.    West Coast, South Island - New Zealand

55.    Queenstown - New Zealand

56.    Lake Tekapo - New Zealand

57.    Christchurch - New Zealand

58.    Kaikoura - New Zealand

59.    Auckland - New Zealand

60.    Across the Tasman Sea
Sep

61.    Sydney (Part 1) - Australia 

62.    Sydney (Part 2) - Australia 

63.    Melbourne (Part 1) - Australia 

64.    Melbourne (Part 2) - Australia 

65.    Tasmania - Australia
Oct

66.    Adelaide - Australia

67.    The Ghan - Adelaide to Darwin - Australia

68.    Darwin - Australia

69.    The Red Centre - Australia

70.    Back to Adelaide - Australia

71.    Onwards to Brisbane - Australia

72.    Brisbane to Singapore (Part 1)

73.    Taxis
Nov

74.    Brisbane to Singapore (Part 2)

75.    Brisbane to Singapore (Part 3)

76.    Singapore (Part 1)

77.    Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia

78.    Up Country - Malaysia

79.    Singapore (Part 2)

80.    Mozart. Malaysia to Sri Lanka

81.    Colombo - Sri Lanka

82.    Coffee
Dec

83.    Kandy - Sri Lanka

84.    Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka

85.    Back to Colombo - Sri Lanka

86.    Galle - Sri Lanka

87.    The Ancient Cities - Sri Lanka

88.    Trincomalee - Sri Lanka

89.    Negombo - Sri Lanka

90.    Tiruchirappalli - India
91.    Kerala - India

2012

Jan
92.    Goa - India
93.    Bombay - India
94.    Delhi - India
95.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 1) - India
96.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 2) - India
97.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 3) - India
98.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 4) - India
99.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 5) - India
100.  Calcutta - India
Feb
101.  Rangoon - Burma
102.  The Train To Bagan - Burma
103.  Bagan - Burma
104.  Mandalay (Part 1) - Burma
105.  Mandalay (Part 2) - Burma
106.  Inle Lake - Burma
107.  Ngapali Beach - Burma
108.  Bangkok - Thailand
109.  Siem Reap - Cambodia
Mar
110.  Phnom Penh - Cambodia
111.  Saigon - Vietnam
112.  Hanoi - Vietnam
Apr
113.  Sa Pa - Vietnam
114.  Ha Long Bay - Vietnam
115.  Beijing (Part 1) - China
116.  Hong Kong
117.  Beijing (Part 2) - China
May
118.  Mongolia
119.  Siberia - Russia
120.  Trans-Siberian to Moscow
121.  Moscow (Part 1) - Russia
122.  Moscow (Part 2) - Russia
123.  St Petersburg - Russia
124.  Helsinki - Finland
125.  Rovaniemi - Finland
126.  Up To Kirkenes - Norway
127.  Hurtigruten (Part 1) - Norway
128.  Hurtigruten (Part 2) - Norway
129.  Hurtigruten (Part 3) - Norway
130.  Hurtigruten (Part 4) - Norway
Jun
131.  Bergen to Oslo - Norway
132.  Oslo - Norway
133.  Copenhagen - Denmark
134.  Hamburg - Germany
135.  Hook of Holland - and Home
Jul
136.  The End
Aug
137.  Post Script - London
138.  Stand-by For More...

2013

Sep
139.  To The Democratic Peoples Republic Of Korea (North Korea)
140.  Pyongyang 1 - North Korea
141.  Pyongyang 2 - North Korea
Oct
142.  Kaesong and Panmunjom - North Korea
143.  Back to Pyongyang - North Korea
144.  Pyongyang 3 - North Korea
145.  Samjiyon and Mount Paekdu - North Korea
146.  Daehongdan County - North Korea
147.  Chongjin - North Korea
148.  Hamhung - North Korea
149.  Wonsan and Mount Kumgang - North Korea
150.  Mount Kumgang 2 - North Korea
151.  Mount Kumgang 3 - North Korea
152.  Wonsan Again - North Korea
153.  Back To Pyongyang and On To Nampo - North Korea
Nov
154.  Nampo and Back To Pyongyang - North Korea
155.  Train To Beijing - North Korea
156.  The Finale
157.  Impressions of North Korea
158.  Vids From North Korea
Dec
159.  Zambia
160.  Battledore Farm - Zambia
161.  Cool Bananas - Zambia
162.  Banana Hazards - Zambia
163.  Back On The Farm - Zambia
164.  Continued Jollities - Zambia

2014

Jan
165.  Christmas In Darkest Africa - Zambia
166.  Lusaka 1  - Zambia
167.  Lusaka 2  - Zambia
168.  Livingston (I Presume) - Zambia
169.  On Safari - Botswana
170.  Ndola N'Home - Zambia
Feb
171.  Onwards To Sarf America
Mar
172.  Buenos Aires and The Wedding - Argentina
173.  Around Buenos Aires - Argentina
174.  Jujuy Province - Argentina
175.  Salta - Argentina
176.  Cordoba - Argentina
177.  Mendoza - Argentina
178.  Santiago (Part 1) - Chile
179.  Olmue and Valparaiso - Chile
180.  Santiago (Part 2) - Chile
Apr
181.  To Osorno and Bariloche - Argentina
182.  Bariloche - Argentina
183.  Ruta National 40 - Argentina
184.  El Calafate - Argentina
185.  Tierra Del Fuego (Part 1) - Argentina
186.  Tierra Del Fuego (Part 2) - Argentina
187.  Iguazu - Argentina
188.  Buenos Aires - Finale - Argentina

2015

Jan
189.  The Saga Of My Nearly Lost Hat - UK
Jul
190.  We Wish To Apologise... - UK
Aug
191.  Those Blasted Announcements... - UK
Sep
192.  Tuscany By Train - France
193.  Mulhouse to Montecatini - Italy
194.  Florence - Italy
195.  Around Montecatini - Italy
196.  Lucca and Pisa - Italy
197.  Venice 1 - Italy
Oct
198.  Venice 2 - Italy
199.  Venice 3 - Italy
200.  Turin - Italy
Dec
201.  'Nam Revisited - Vietnam
202.  Saigon Again - Vietnam

2016

Jan
203.  Merry Keesmah - Vietnam
204.  Up The Mekong - Vietnam
205.  Happy Noo Yeer - Vietnam
Mar
206.  Snowdrops - UK
207.  Turkey - An Inspiration
208.  Istanbul Or Bust
209.  Budapest - Briefly - Hungary
210.  Brasov - Transylvania - Romania
Apr
211.  Bucharest - Romania
212.  Onwards To Istanbul - Bulgaria
213.  This Was Constantinople - Turkey
214.  Up The Bosphorous - Turkey
215.  The Turkish Bath - Turkey
Sep
216.  Up The Kennet - UK
Oct
217.  Down The Baltics
218.  Tallinn 1 - Estonia
219.  Tallinn 2 - Estonia
220.  Tallinn 3 - Estonia
221.  On To Riga - Latvia
222.  Around Riga - Latvia
223.  Riga Finale - Stuck Up A Steeple - Latvia
224.  Vilnius...And The Dark Side - Lithuania
225.  Vilnius...The Bright Side - Lithuania
Nov
226.  A Damp Day In Warsaw - Poland
227.  Berlin And Bed Bugs In Brussels - Belgium
228.  Cultural Day In Lille - France
Dec
229.  Bah Humbug And Chrexit - Vietnam
230.  Laid-Back Laos - Vientiane - Laos
231.  Va Va Vang Vieng - Laos
232.  Vang Vieng Voom Voom - Laos

2017

Jan
233.  Luang Prabang - Laos
234.  Luang Prabang And Elephants - Laos
Oct
235.  Ariba Ariba and Off to Cuba
Nov
236.  Havana Wander - Cuba
237.  Havana Further Wander - Cuba
238.  On West to Viñales - Cuba
239.  Cienfuegos - Cuba
240.  Ye Olde Town of Trinidad - Cuba
241.  Santa Clara. Viva La Revolución - Cuba
242.  Varadero. - Cuba
243.  Guanabo. Playa del Ested - Cuba
Dec
244.  Back to Havana - Cuba
245.  Havana Finale - Cuba
246.  Chrexit 2017 - Thailand
247.  Phuket and Beaches - Thailand
248.  Phuket Town - Thailand
249.  Saigon Again - Vietnam

2018

Jan
250.  Wats in Chiang Mai - Thailand
251.  A Day Out in Chiang Mai - Thailand
252.  More Chiang Mai - Thailand
Feb
253.  Chiang Mai - Bangkok - and Home
Apr
254.  Silly Signs
May
255.  By Plane to Ukraine
Jun
256.  Kiev Part 1 - Ukraine
257.  Kiev Part 2 - Ukraine
258.  Chernobyl Disaster. The Background Story - Ukraine
259.  Chernobyl Part 1 - Ukraine
Jul
260.  Pripyat. The Ghost Town - Ukraine
261.  Chernobyl Part 2 - Ukraine
262.  Bermuda or Bust - Bermuda
Aug
263.  St. George's - Bermuda
264.  More Bermuda
265.  Carnival Time - Bermuda
266.  Hamilton - Bermuda
267.  Finale - Bermuda
Sep
268.  Update of Index 2

Nov

269. Colombia. Caramba

270. Bogota. A Prelude - Colombia

271. Transport around Bogota - Colombia

272. More Bogota - Colombia

273. Medellín - Colombia

274. More Medellín - Colombia

Dec

275. On to Cartageña - Colombia

276. Santa Marta - Colombia

277. Bogota. Post Script - Colombia

278. Chrismiss 2018 - Thailand

2019

Jan

279. Saigon Again - Viêt Nam

280. Vietnam Underground - Viêt Nam
Apr
281. Amsterdam Cultural Tour - Holland
282. Yodel-ay-ee-Hoo around Switzerland
May
283. Yodelling on and back - Switzerland
284. Down the Balkans to Ljubljana - Slovenia
285. Down to Split - Croatia
286. Split to Dubrovnik - Croatia
287. On South to Montenegro
June
288. Cetinje - Montenegro
289. To the beach - Montenegro
290. Bar and back home - Montenegro
Sept
291. To Japanada (or Canapan)
292. Vancouver Island - Canada
Oct
293. All Aboard the Westerdam - Canada
294. Juneau (Juneau What?) - Alaska
295. Onwards Westwards
296. Past Kodiak Island and Beyond
297. Across the Bering sea
298. Kushiro Briefly - Japan
299. Arrival Yokohama - Japan
300. Kyoto Intro - Japan
301. More Kyoto. Day 1 - Japan
302. More Kyoto. Day 2 - Japan
303. Hiroshima - Japan
304. Nagasaki - Japan
305. Brief Visit to Kure - Japan
306. Tokyo - Japan
307. Sayonara Nippon - Japan

Dec

308. (Not) Christmas Again
309. No 'Ell in Far East - Thailand
310. OMG!. Pattaya - Thailand

2020

Jan
311. Sodom and Gomorrah - Thailand
312. Back to 'Nam Again - Vietnam
313. Đà lạt  Part 1 - Vietnam
314. Đà lạt  Part 2 - Vietnam

Apr

315. Lockdown. Week 1

316. Lockdown. Week 2

317. Lockdown. Week 3

318. Lockdown. Week 4

319. Lockdown. Week 5

May

320. Lockdown. Week 6

321. Lockdown. Week 7

322. Lulok Island. Part 1. Arrival.

323. Lulok Island. Part 2. The Village.

Jun

324. Lulok Island. Part 3. The Hills.

325. Lulok Island. Part 4. The Aztecs.

Jul

326. Lulok Island. Part 5. The Coast.

Aug

327. Lulok Island. Part 6. The Capital.

Sep

328. To Stockholm - Sweden

329. More Stockholm - Sweden

330. Yet More Stockholm - Sweden

331. Uppsala - Sweden

332. Tällberg - Sweden

Oct

333. Mora - Sweden

334. Back to Stockholm - Sweden

335. Finale Stockholm and Home - Sweden

Nov

336. Zanzibar or Bust.

337. Stone Town - Zanzibar

338. Nungwi - Zanzibar

339. The East Cost - Zanzibar

340. Bwejuu - Zanzibar

341. Back to Stone Town - Zanzibar

342. Tortoise and Spice - Zanzibar

Dec

343. Temple, Shops & Slaves - Zanzibar

344. Mainland Tanzania and Back - Tanzania

345. More Stone Town - Zanzibar

346. Further Haunts & Sights - Zanzibar

347. Final Fling in Zanzibar

348. On to Ndola - Zambia

349. Gone Bananas Again - Zambia

2021

Jan

350. Back to Livingstone (I presume) - Zambia

351. The Falls and Zambezi - Zambia

352. Booze Cruise and Wildlife - Zambia

353. Back to the Bananas - Zambia

Feb

Now back in Stasi UK and travel illegal or difficult and expensive until 202?

Mar

354. Single Life - UK

Apr

355. Single Life 2 - UK

May

356. Single Life 3 - UK

357. My Little Covid Rant

Dec

358. More Frustrations and Events - UK

359. Chrexit 2021

360. Onwards to Bangkok - Thailand

361. Back in Bangkok - Thailand

2022

Jan

362. Pattaya and Jomtien Revisited - Thailand

363. Art in Paradise Pattaya - Thailand

364. The Highlife in Bangkok - Thailand

365. The Train to Kanchanaburi - Thailand

366. The Bridge - Kanchanaburi - Thailand

367. More Sights around Kanchanaburi - Thailand

368. 50 Ridiculous Rules

369. Out and About around Kanchanaburi - Thailand

Feb

370. Back to Bangkok - Thailand

371. Bangkok and Home - Thailand

May

372. Return to Warsaw - Poland

373. By train to Ukraine - Ukraine

374. Checkin' Kyiv - Ukraine

375. More Kyiv - Ukraine

376. Encore and Farewell Kyiv - Ukraine

377. Train back to Warsaw - Poland

378. Krakon to Krakow - Poland

379. More Krakow and Home - Poland

Aug

380. Old Buffers and Geriatrics Pool Society

Oct

381. Silly Signs and Nutty Notices

Nov

382. To Brussels and Beyond - Europe

383. Tally Ho! To Tirana - Albania

384. Touring Tirana - Albania

385. More Tirana - Albania

386. Yet More Tirana - Albania

Dec

387. Toodle Pip Tirana - Albania

388. Chrexodus 2022

389. Saigon Saigon - Vietnam

390. The Journey to  Đà Lạt - Vietnam

391. Đà Lạt Revisited - Vietnam

392. Đà Lạt Day Tour Part 1 - Vietnam

393. Đà Lạt Day Tour Part 2 - Vietnam

394. On to Nha Trang - Vietnam

395. Hué - Vietnam

2023

Jan

396. The Dee Em Zee Part 1 - Vietnam

397. The Dee Em Zee Part 2 - Vietnam

398. Uncle Sam in Vietnam - Vietnam

399. Hué back to Sài Gòn - Vietnam

400. New Year in Saigon - Vietnam

Jul

401. Bits and Bobs

402. To Portugal. Algarve - Portugal

403. On to Lisbon - Portugal

404. A Trip to Bélem - Portugal

405. A Day in Cascais - Portugal

406. Encore Lisbon - Portugal

Aug

407. To Porto (or Oporto) - Portugal

408. Up the Douro - Portugal

409. By Train Again to Ukraine - Poland/Ukraine

410. Around Lviv. A Start on Svobody - Ukraine

411. Lviv and the War - Ukraine

412. Churches and More in Lviv - Ukraine

413. Lviv Finale and Home. Eventually - Ukraine/Poland

Dec

414. Chrexit 2023

415. Off to Taiwan - Taiwan

416. A Start in Taipei - Taiwan

417. Taipei 2 - Taiwan

418. Taipei 3 - Taiwan

419. Up Taipei - Taiwan

420. Taipei. Post Script - Taiwan

421. South to Tainan - Taiwan

422. Hot Springs in Guanziling - Taiwan

423. Further South to Kaohsiung - Taiwan

424. More Kaohsiung - Taiwan

425. Around the Coast to Taitung - Taiwan

426. North up to Hualien - Taiwan

2024

Jan

427. Return to Taipei and Onwards - Taiwan/Vietnam

428. Taipei Finale and Home - Taiwan/UK

LVIV FINALE AND HOME. EVENTUALLY

1st - 4th Aug 2023

Monument to the Victims of Soviet Crimes.

The monument above, to the south-west of the Old Town, is supposed to depict 'a brutalist, angular figure breaking out from iron prison bars'. Frankly, I couldn't work out which way up it was meant to be!

There are lots of museums around town and I failed dismally to visit all but one. This was the 'National Museum and Memorial to the Victims of Occupation' on a small street (Vul Bryullova) near the monument above. It sounded interesting. I went there on a Monday. It was difficult to find (not helped by the guide book giving the wrong address!) and was only marked by a small plaque above a metal door....which was locked. I rang a small doorbell and a wizened little man half-opened it and peeked out. He spoke no English but I gathered the museum was closed, but maybe open the next day. So I returned on Tuesday. It was open. The reception area was rather grotty and the same wizened little uncommunicative 'guard' was inside together with a rather dour looking woman. The 'museum' is a dilapidated ex-jail (Lonskey Prison, built in 1923) which housed prisoners from, in turn, nasty Polish, Nazi and Soviet occupations. 'Activist' Ukrainian nationals, as well as many innocent civilians, were brutally treated; imprisoned, tortured and many executed or just murdered,  by these occupying powers.

Left: A description of the museum/prison. All the other signs and wall-mounted descriptions were in Ukrainian which wasn't much help for a tourist. Click on to enlarge and read.

The museum was on two floors and was really rather untidy and not actually very interesting. I was the only visitor at the time.

Right: There were lines of, mostly empty, cells on the two floors. A few were ex-prison offices with photos of deceased 'nationalist hero' prisoners on the walls and descriptions in Ukrainian. In one cell a video, on a loop, was being shown. It was gruesome, with film of people being shot (executed) and piles of bodies, men, women and children, being carried on carts or dragged away, to be dumped in open pits. 

Left: These were the 'ablutions'. It reminded me of the 'facilities' in the Junior Officers' Block after a particularly 'boisterous' evening, involving 'thunderflashes' in the Mess when I joined the army. Luxury!

I think the place ceased to be a prison in 2009 and obviously not much refurbishment has been done since.

Right: There is another delightful watering-hole nearby; the Sim Porosyat Café. Very 'rustic' with a creaking, splashing waterwheel and small comfortable seating areas on two floors. The waiter and waitress were colourfully dressed in their Ukrainian Vyshyvankas (shirts).

Left: Another shop selling 'Vyshyvankas'. I bought one last year in Kyiv.

I think I have written enough about the sights and scenes around Lviv and still have many photos not shown. I can't stress enough what a pleasantly quaint (with modern facilities), clean, friendly and interesting place it is. It was, of course, bereft of foreign tourists but there were many Ukrainian ones, which was fine by me! The accommodation, local transport, eating and drinking facilities were first class and remarkably inexpensive (by UK standards). I was much impressed.

So, as mentioned in the blog on my arrival, I was booked onto a bus due to leave at 3.30pm on the 1st August and was told it would get to the Polish border town of Przemysł (pronounced 'puzhemsuw'. These Polish words are so 'difficult' to pronounce) at 8.00. I subsequently booked a cheapo hotel room for that evening and a Flixbus ticket  (the trains appeared to be all booked up) onwards to Krakow on the morning of the 2nd.

The bus departed on time and was full up. So far so good. At 5.15pm we pulled into a service station area, presumably near the Ukraine/Poland border. There were about 15 other buses parked up there. I tried to find out how long we would be waiting here. Unfortunately nobody, including the 'conductor', on our bus spoke English.  Everybody had got off their buses and proceeded to a) queue for the loos....there was a constant 50yards long queue for the 'ladies'. b) go shopping in the Supermarket c) got out rugs and picnics and relaxed on the grass areas. There was only very limited seating around the shop.

Left: The 'supermarket', which was well stocked with food etc. and even produced cooked meals. I suspect with a name like this it would attract some 'controversy' in UK? There were very long queues of shoppers here also.

Right: The picnickers. I eventually found a lady who spoke English. I asked her how long we would be staying here. Her answer was "about 10 hours, but it varies". What?!!!. Obviously my fellow travellers had done this before, or knew the form, and were unconcerned and well prepared! The road ahead looked clear so I couldn't understand what the problem was. Someone else told me, with a shrug of his shoulders, that there is a shortage of customs personnel at the border. My problem was (with the language difficulty) that I couldn't afford to lose sight of our bus in case it suddenly decided to set off. I could sit on the bus of course, but needed to get some rations and make use of the facilities. I hung around and kept my eyes on the bus. It did move occasionally as others in front of us left. There appeared to be absolutely no information broadcast as to 'departures'.

We pulled out at 00.30am. It had been only a 7hr15min wait! So, I naively thought, we would get into Poland soon. We travelled on for about 30 minutes, then another halt for about an hour before finally reaching the customs post. The process through here was straightforward if slow. OK, onwards again to the Polish customs. It wasn't far BUT the bus stopped with engine running and us on-board for a further 3 hrs before getting into the customs hall. The Polish customs insisted that we took in all our baggage and either hand-searched or X-rayed it. What were they looking for? Weapons? Illegal immigrants? I think we got going again at about 5.30am. We reached Przemysł town at about 6.00am Ukraine time and, conveniently, at the railway station. It had been a total of about a 15hr journey.....with no sleep. The lady who sold me the bus ticket in Lviv presumably meant arrival at 8.00am! We were early! Anyway, I had no need for accommodation (and fortunately I don't think I paid for it). I went into the station ticket office and managed to get a 1st Class rail ticket to Krakow (for only £15 equivalent). The train left at 6.00am Polish time (they are an hour behind Ukraine). There was an amusing Polish couple, unrelated, a young man and woman, in my compartment who both spoke perfect English. He normally worked as a 'financier' in London and she was a travel consultant working in Warsaw. We passed the time most convivially. It was a very comfortable journey, with breakfast, arriving at Krakow Central at 8.55am. 

I suppose the lesson I learnt, should I ever re-visit Ukraine, and I might well, is to make sure to book a return rail ticket at Warsaw!

I had booked (while on the train) a room in another 'cheapo' hotel in Krakow. As it turned out this was a very comfortable and well located establishment with a most helpful and jolly manager. It was also, by chance, within easy walking distance of the railway station. If any of you are interested I can strongly recommend the 'Old Time Residence' at 32 Szlac Street at about £40 per night. There is a laundrette nearby.

I was due to spend two nights here before flying back to London. I will not bother to publish much from Krakow as I 'did' the place at length in a blog in May 2022. Nothing much has changed and it remains a most pleasant (with lovely ye olde worlde centre) city. It is very popular with tourists at this time of year. A few shots to follow.

Right: A pub in the Krakow Old Town with a rather apt notice! There were still Ukrainian demos going on the the main Square...same as last year.

The Old Town and bars attract many British tourists and, similar to last year, several of them are the 'tattooed, bull-necked, fat, unshaven, knuckle-dragging, loud-mouthed football supporter types", and their menfolk! Football was on the TVs in some of the pubs.

Right: The lines of pleasant pubs and cafés which surround the Square. 

Left: A young lady in national costume who tried to get me to have my photo taken with her, for a price. I declined the offer. She managed to get families with children to pose and dressed them up in colourful headgear kept in her basket. She was doing good trade.

Back on a Wizzair flight from Krakow (rip-off cabin bag charge as normal) to a gloomy London Gatwick (LGW) airport. It was rather depressing re-encountering the scruffy, chaotic LGW with its grumpy staff (several of whom have difficulty with the English language) when compared to the much better, efficient and more cheerful facilities in the countries I have just visited. I arrived at 8.30pm, and caught a train at 9.30pm to the grotty town of Reading accompanied by some semi-intoxicated passengers. Arrived at Reading at 11.20pm and told the train to my next destination left at 00.17am. On arrival there there was no further service, not even any station staff present, to my home town. At 01.15am I was forced to get a taxi from outside a raucous pub (still open and playing loud music to a mob of inebriates). I was charged £45 for the 9 mile journey!

It's so nice to be home! 😒😠 Where next?

PS. I've now been back home for a couple of weeks. It is so noticeable, and depressing, to see how fat and dishevelled the local British people are in comparison to those in the  places (Portugal, Poland and Ukraine) I have visited recently! The women here are mostly flabby, if not hideously and morbidly obese; many with ugly tattoos and metal-work stuck through their noses and lips. The menfolk, nearly all of whom nowadays appear idly unshaven; not proper beards, just unsightly stubble, are ill-dressed and scruffy. Where is their pride? (Sorry I shouldn't have mentioned 'Pride'! That is now reserved for the LGBTQIA+ community).