July 13 14 15: Oswiecim, Poland to Baile Felix, Romania

My first stop today is the town of Kraków 70 km East of Oswiecim. My host at the apartment complex sent me packing with a healthy plate of scrambled eggs, toast and brewed coffee. “yep – that’ll see me through just fine”. 

There’s a bit of light rain about as well so I finish packing the bike between showers and set off on back roads towards Kraków.

There’s still heavy traffic about on these back roads and the light rain still persisting, I just couldn’t be bothered pulling over and putting my wets on so I just kept riding looking at the clearing skies ahead thinking ‘yeah it’ll be okay – it’ll stop soon.’

Ten minutes later I conceded and pulled into a bus shelter to put on my wets.

Off I go again “What the … ” A ferry????? I don’t remember a ferry on my route, especially this barely sea worthy, listing to the left, raft with a motor..

When I got closer it wasn’t looking any better and the old Polish pilot looked like safety wasn’t high on his list.. About then I glanced at what was driving this home made pontoon.. There was an electrical lead hanging from a pole connected to a motor sounding like it needed a major heart transplant, then to a pulley carrying a cable across the river..I lent over and said to the Big Girl – “can you swim?”…

Four vehicles and the ‘ferry’ was full, coughing into life we set off.. Glancing over to the captain – who smiled at me with his cigarette bouncing around on his bottom lip – I silently crossed my fingers.  Miraculously we made the opposite bank and we’re off again.

My reason for visiting Kraków is that this is where you will find Oscar Shindlers factory.  Yes – it is still here.

It is a museum now full of information relating to the plight of the Jewish community of Kraków under Rule of The Third Reich.

There is a little on Oscar Schlindler and most of you would have heard of the book and seen the movie ‘Schlindler’s list’.

Schlindler was a spy, a war profiteer and a member of the Nazi party, an unlikely allie to the Jews.. But it was these traits he had that saved more than 1,200 Jews from the gas chamber.

His factory was profitable to the extent that he was able to bribe the SS with goods only available on the black market and spent millions of dollars, everything he had – staying true to his workers.. Keeping them alive was his goal –  which he did and today there are over 7,000 descendants of the Jews he saved.. He died penniless..though l would most certainly say content and without regret.

Some of the factory is as it was which element I looked forward to the most. Amazing in a modern bustling city that here I am in Schlindler’s factory.. I feel privileged to be here..

Eventually I dragged myself away as I needed to be 100 kms south and the weather was turning against me.. I once again had to abandon the Twisty B roads as the rain was getting heavier and I just don’t trust these Polish drivers who have some strange overtaking moves.. On many occasions I have had to adjust my speed for oncoming overtaking drivers who have a serious judgment  problem.. Yep I feel more relaxed on the motorways in the wet.

The rain cleared about 10 minutes out of Zakopane which is my stopover for the night, a really lovely town on the Polish side of The Slovakian Tatras (A mountain range that is synonymous with spectacular views and majestic road riding) which I hope to get a dry run at tomorrow.

A quick weather check this morning and I need to get moving.  There’s dark clouds above and rain is coming. The upside is where I’m going is looking pretty good. From Zakopane to the Slovakian border is only 20 kms and from there I take route 66 over the Tatras.

The Tatras are Slovakias Alps and as I approached they looked spectacular and winding through the mountains on these roads is a riders dream, especially with clearing skies the further South I head.

The traffic is getting lighter and the tourist coaches are not on my route .. “Brilliant”.. As overtaking lanes are non existent..

Looking back to where I’d been in the town of Poprad you have a gorgeous view of the Tatras .. From here they disappear as I head further south through Slovak Paradise National Park, where you pass through small villages and mostly see hikers and mountain bike riders this time of year..

Just north of the Hungarian border the roads flatten out and I look down at the Big Girl’s temp gauge and she’s telling me that its 34 1/2°…. For only the second time on this trip I’ve got all vents open on my jacket.. ooooh what’s this ahead.. The Hungarian border”. I stop to take the customary happy snap and an adventure bike goes past me in the opposite direction, turns around and comes back to see if I’m okay.. ” Is every thing alright” are these very clear English words with a German accent.. ” Yes mate , just getting a border photo..

Fast forward at least 30 minutes and we are still chatting about our adventures..

Matthias is returning to Germany from a very similar route to me nut in the opposite direction.. Some great pointers are thrown my way, by this really nice guy and It was a pleasure to meet him.. Ok back on the road and get some air circulating .. It’s damn hot.. 70 kms to go and I reach my BnB..in the very nice little town of Eger..One quick stop at the shopping centre as I need a new screen saver for my phone and some currency as my BnB only accepts cash..

The girls in the phone shop are putting on my screen and I’m off to the bankomatt (auto teller) where I am just looking at this screen that could have been in Egyption and it wouldn’t have been any clearer.. ok I can sort this.. I will press that amount , looks about right.. A few seconds later I was a millionaire.. “you idiot” what you going to do with all this.. Your only here until tomorrow.. I’ll sort it later.. Anyway off to my BnB.. Around the corner where my host is the most gracious friendly lady & the accommodation is top notch.

Eight o’clock breakfast and I’m in no rush as it’s raining and it’s been pouring down all night. I can communicate somewhat with my host and between us we sort out where there’s a currency exchange in town. So off I go and swap my Forint for Euro.. In the meantime the rain had stopped and within 20 minutes I was riding out of my B&B heading east towards Romania..

Ok – there’s no points of interest today and the roads aren’t anything to write home about so I make the most of this milder lovely day by trying to observe more in the villages and the people that live there..

Hungary isn’t a wealthy place lets get that clear.. a lot of the villages are in disrepair and the main mode of transport is bicycles. Are the people any less happy.. I don’t think so..

I eventually see the Romanian border not by signs, but by at least a Kilometre long line of trucks waiting to cross.. The light vehicle queue is much shorter, though no easier as obviously an Aussie bike needed to be scrutinised all over as I posed a high risk to national security.. to be fair it’s their country and I am entering so take it or leave it.. I’ve had a pretty blessed run with border crossings over the last few days so I really can’t complain., Crossing the border and entering Romania the truck queue on the other side is at least a kilometre long as well.. Those guys will be there for hours…

My accommodation is only 15 km over the border 2 or 3 km south of Oradea in the town of Baile Felix which should put me within days ride of Sibiu and what’s regarded by many as the best riding road in the world. “The Transfagarasan”