DAY 21: London to Aushcwitz - in Oswiecim, Poland
Breakfast was starting early at the hotel so I was there at 7am, on the road by 7.30, ready to get the final stage under my belt. It was the first day of the whole trip where it was warm enough to start the day in shorts and short sleeves as the sun was shining brightly. Within 3km I crossed the border on the main road into Poland. There was the usual headwind but no hills to speak of and I rolled into Oswiecim around noon having taken it easy all the way. It was only later that I discovered that Oswiecim is pronounced 'Auschwitz' - up till then I'd believed it to be the town where the camp was situated. Doh!
I gulped down a burger and chips where the chap behind the counter, a fluent English speaker called Bartosz, asked me all about the trip. He was cheerful and interested and made sure I had everything I needed. I then called in at the Aushcwitz camp entrance for photos before sitting on a bench waiting for the time to check into my airbnb. Janusz walked by and asked if I was okay. I must have been looking rough and was sat in the shade outside his apartment. Though his English was limited he understood what I'd achieved. He wandered off down the road and returned with an ice cream, and later brought water and an orange from his flat!!!
My home for the next two nights is a pretty newly built apartment. My bike's in the hall and it might not turn a wheel tomorrow!
Almost 72km today, and a grand total of 1963km. Which is the same as my year of birth!
I'll let you know if there are any adventures on the train journey home: should be fun!
Poland border, before 8am on a Sunday
And so this is Poland....(to the tune of the Christmas song)
A few muddy tracks today but lovely flat terrain, with the usual lakes
The Polish version of an avenue of trees, and a very fine one it was.
A Magnum on a petrol station forecourt - how very audax.
A horse show of some sort in Pszczyna - pretty, stocky ponies but that's as far as my horsey knowledge takes me, and I was too early for the competition to have started.
Nice venue, though
Trees in spring.
Bartosz - his English was so good I thought he might have lived in the UK for a while. But I guess Oswiecim is the town in Poland most visited by English speakers.
Entrance to the camp. Returning here tomorrow.
The old girl done good! Bought in 1996 after I'd been cycling for a year and wanted to keep going. She's seen me through an RRTY (a 200km ride each month for a year) as well as a couple of 300's. I have a sexier model at home, but don't tell Tif.