28. Pushing (the bike) into Warsaw

Civilization, at last.

Rain, mud, and the lingering smell of cow dung has been the theme of the week. Speed was sacrificed in favour of staying as dry as possible, while camping in the forests and biking on small country roads.

Wet, wet, wet.

Some days I had to get off and push the bike forward almost as much as I was riding it, but that's ok. I am just happy that the bike is still just as good as it was when I started in Haparanda.

Actual photo.

The cold weather has had benefits as well. It is like calling in an air strike on your own position when the enemy is coming. It will hurt, but at least your enemy - in this case the mosquitos - are hurting even more.

Why are they doing this.

Many people in Poland go to church on sundays, but the two gentlemen on the picture above had other plans today. For some reason they are fishing in a stale drainage pond next to Poland's biggest highway.

Of all the places you can go fishing, this is probably the worst.

The only inlet to this pond is a 50cm wide tube from the river on the following picture, and the water isn't even flowing. I wonder what on earth they are catching here.

Let's go fishing.

I hope they don't eat whatever fish they catch. And I pity their wifes.

Wife: What are we having for dinner tonight?

Old man: Lead poisoning. Just like last week.

First sight of the Warsaw skyline while crossing the Vistula river.

It felt great riding into Warsaw today (the first big city since Vilnius). Finally I'm gonna experience a day or two without damp clothes, and it is time to buy a new pair of shoes.