My attempt to travel alone.

My natural sense of direction is not something I generally brag about and Poland definitely should not brag about their general knowledge of the English language (or at least willingness to use it) or their friendliness.

I am considerably open to asking for directions every 5 minutes to be confident in the way I am going, but these Polish were sending me in circles so I tried to just figure it out on my own. I wanted to walk to the beach, one said to follow the river, another said that that isn't possible. I walked around the town about 4 times. Fine, whatever I will just start walking north, I eventually I have to hit the Baltic Sea...can't miss it, right?! I passed a lot of industrial looking ports and a lot of creepy neighborhoods...by this time I am watching the road signs and following the tram tracks. I have walked about 5 km not knowing if I am walking in the right direction. At 6.5 km, I was so frustrated from not knowing where I am going that I decided to get on the tram and go back to where I started to try again. I think I walked in so many circles that my 6.5 km by road signs is not accurate or at least I like to tell myself that.






Now I am back in Gdansk and so I go to the train station...again with the unfriendly Polish...so I am back to trying to figure this out on my own. Although directions aren't my stong point, I can usually figure out machines...there was a machine to buy your ticket to Sopot (the beach). Fine, I'll go to the touristy, resorty town where people speak English. Bought the ticket in less than 2 minutes and in less than 30 minutes I was in Sopot. Done and done. I feel accomplished for getting there, but not satisfied because I wanted to get there by foot.

The beach is beautiful and there is a 512 m long wooden pier (the longest wooden pier in Europe). I think you were supposed to pay to walk along it, but I just gave the "I'm confused and you're not speaking English look" and they eventually let me go because they didn't want to have to deal with my incompetence any longer. Love how that works. I hung out on the beach for a while, walked along the pier and the famous street of (I don't remember what it is called), but apparently paparazzi and famous polish people are commonly seen here. I wouldn't know the faces so I didn't see anyone famous.





Oh and the night before, one of the street performers was this man who sang opera in the highest pitch voice I have ever heard...