A good and full night's sleep from the hotel has kept me in good spirits as I board the train. An inquisitive Polish man however soon puts me in worst. He overhears a phone conversation I have with a friend where I detailed the plans of my trip. I hang up and he says cycling 130km a day is crazy, he says my bike is too heavy for the journey, he says I need more money, he says sleeping in fields is dangerous because it's Polish hunting season. Essentially he disagrees with every element of my trip, but I don't care, what does he know about cycling anyway? He says he does the MTB Morocco bike races and cycles 70 to 100km every day as training. After everything I went through to get my bike, the idea that it might be the wrong one makes me nearly cry. He finishes by telling me that I am very, very brave and I feel better. Or very stupid he continues, and I feel worst.
A conductor comes into our cabin and shouts some Polish at me. Mr MTB morroco engages him in some conversation, before passing the conductor 50 schlotti (Polish Dollar)(probably spelt wrong) and getting 30 back. He gives me the 30 schlotti (about 8 pounds) and I find out he just paid a fine for my bike being onboard. I say I don't know how to thank him. He says just say thankyou. I say thankyou and he gives me 2 apples, perhaps as a reward for the correct way of showing gratitude. I say thankyou again, but I get no more apples.
I'm sitting on the platform waiting for the next train. It's all getting quite distressing as it doesn't stop raining in Poland and I am not prepared for it. I don't know how I'm going to keep my tent dry, I don't know how I'll sleep if it's wet. A woman walks towards me on the platform and I am instantly drawn to her, it's hard to explain. She obviously recognises that I am lost and alone, she shines in the dark station and she gives me a hug. Such an act I would usually find confusing, but somehow nothing has ever felt more right than this moment. She tells me everything will be perfect, but I already know this. She floats off and takes me with her, her body stops being like anything I've known, instead becoming shaped by a mist of dancing blonde ether. The ether turns to flames and she cackles madly as she starts dragging me to the electric train rails. I've fallen for the oldest trick in the book, the siren, and I feel like an idiot as I plummet to my certain death. I bolt upright, snort twice as loudly as I ever have and open my eyes to be met by a small cabin jammed with polish people staring at me. I tip my cap at them and lean back into my chair. I close my eyes. I hope for some better sleep. I'll need it for my journey.
A conductor comes into our cabin and shouts some Polish at me. Mr MTB morroco engages him in some conversation, before passing the conductor 50 schlotti (Polish Dollar)(probably spelt wrong) and getting 30 back. He gives me the 30 schlotti (about 8 pounds) and I find out he just paid a fine for my bike being onboard. I say I don't know how to thank him. He says just say thankyou. I say thankyou and he gives me 2 apples, perhaps as a reward for the correct way of showing gratitude. I say thankyou again, but I get no more apples.
I'm sitting on the platform waiting for the next train. It's all getting quite distressing as it doesn't stop raining in Poland and I am not prepared for it. I don't know how I'm going to keep my tent dry, I don't know how I'll sleep if it's wet. A woman walks towards me on the platform and I am instantly drawn to her, it's hard to explain. She obviously recognises that I am lost and alone, she shines in the dark station and she gives me a hug. Such an act I would usually find confusing, but somehow nothing has ever felt more right than this moment. She tells me everything will be perfect, but I already know this. She floats off and takes me with her, her body stops being like anything I've known, instead becoming shaped by a mist of dancing blonde ether. The ether turns to flames and she cackles madly as she starts dragging me to the electric train rails. I've fallen for the oldest trick in the book, the siren, and I feel like an idiot as I plummet to my certain death. I bolt upright, snort twice as loudly as I ever have and open my eyes to be met by a small cabin jammed with polish people staring at me. I tip my cap at them and lean back into my chair. I close my eyes. I hope for some better sleep. I'll need it for my journey.
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