First time in Poland for Chris !!!

Hi All,

Other than the UK – from where I began – this’ actually as far north as I’ve ever been in Europe (I might make the exception of Amsterdam which at a glace looks a similar latitude to that of Warsaw, though that was for the purposes of a „stag” weekend so I feel hardly counts). I would hardly say I’ve travel extensively in the southern reaches of Europe but I’ve been about a bit – and picked-up my share of hilarious anecdotes en route. I shan’t bore you, dear reader, with a list of towns and regions, I’ll even spare you the countries quoting from ‚How Bizarre’ I’ll say „you wanna know the rest, hey, buys the rights, How Bizarre!” Some I’ll be back, perhaps all……. how can you ever say you’re finished with that.

Special mention might go to Munchen / Munich which I’ve been to several times because a close pal of mine lived there up until recently. I’ve gotten to know and love the place. Not only a great city, it is located in a part of the world as beautiful as anywhere on the globe

Barcelona is the same story, I’ve also been several times to see an friend of my youth who’s made that his home

I’ve always found that the best way of seeing a place, have a mate who lives there. Preferably somebody who finds their way around in that way that gets to the insides of a place, to the heart and the soul; somebody who finds the strange place on the untrodden side street that’s like nowhere else and yet perfectly typifies so much you’ve seen of that city without being able to articulate, without being able to put your finger on it and say „ye, that thing”. It’s not summed-up by the architecture, or the stationary gate of the populus, or the scent and taste of the local diet, or the curve of the roads, or any – or all – those things but you’d recognise it if ever you woke-up there unexpectedly. Something in the air, or better, something in the tone of the place. Any-the-who…………. I digress………

I’ve missed-out on the „new world”, the Americas & Australasia (a strange division given the lack of obvious barrier between the end of south-east Asia and the top of Australasia, some parts of Indonesia [where I have been] are closer to Darwin than they are to Jakarta, and you could get from Papua New Guinea to Australia on a pedalo; as to the separation of „old” and „new” between Asia and Alaska I’ve heard of Russians reporting being able to see Sarah Palin’s house from there; once again, I digress……). I’ve been more of a Europe, Asia and Africa (both sub-Saharan & north coast) kind of guy. And for that not a great range in Asia, only a handful. Although it has the places I’ve stayed the longest.

It was in Thailand I did my EFL training and initial teaching

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– which brings me to where I am now in Poland. They’ve been good enough to let me have a go here, joining the Nazsa family. Though early days I think I’m gonna be pretty happy. Though flatter than I’m used to it’s a beautiful country – and it being summer helps anywhere.

When it comes to going places I tend to reflect back on all my visits and think „what a waste of time”, what was I hoping to see, what did I think was going to happen when I got there……… [I suppose it has made me richer in some small way (not a financial one)] Yet for all that, even now as I write, I’m thinking where else I must go. And I’d be kidding myself more than you, dearest reader, if I didn’t admit I’ve already got a list of definites lined-up. But……………….. I wouldn’t be surprised if the list waits while Poland proves to be a long stay………………… we’ll see.

I will force myself to draw this to a close as I’ve banged on too much already. It’s the digressions that get me…………………………..

Chris