All day, I had been wondering about the police presence at train stations in the east of Poland. And then, while on the train, the cell phone chirped, providing the explanation.
Not the welcome I would have expected, but coming from Germany, I do appreciate the gesture of being warned before being shot.
The request to “Turn back immediately!” sounded rather harsh and insistent, but at that point I had been awake for 14 hours, had been on the train for 11 hours and was physically and mentally tired. Honestly, central Poland is not exactly the most exciting landscape in Europe. Flat and wide. Very wide. Unlike my tireless cell phone, I had neither the power nor the energy to turn back immediately. Besides, where to? I am on a mission to find the center of Europe!
So I just got off the train in Augustów and did what I’m particularly good at: Appearing innocent. I noticed that the police only checked people who looked like foreigners. I quickly asked a fellow passenger for a cigarette, lit it and put on a football-induced sad face. That way, I could pass for a Pole and sneak through the – admittedly not very rigorous – checkpoint.
In the park, I sponged a few megabits from the public Wi-Fi to catch up on what I had neglected to do before the trip: reading the news. That’s how I learned that Poland had set up a restricted zone on the eastern border, with foreigners no longer being allowed to enter. (Hence the text message in English, and apparently only to foreign cell phones that were traveling in the forbidden zone.)
Many people aren’t aware of this, but we are all foreigners, in most countries of the world. In Poland, I might still try to argue that we are all European, but I am not sure if the soldiers in the forest are up for such discussions. Also, as a German who is conscious of his country’s history, I don’t really want to be marching around Poland uninvited. The grandmothers and grandfathers of contemporary Poles have suffered enough from what my grandfathers once did here.
But it is a sad development, because I had really been looking forward to long walks along the Augustów Canal. With that canal leading to Belarus, that might not happen.
Fortunately, I found an accommodation that didn’t care about names or documents. Or rather, only about documents depicting ancient kings.
And now I’m sitting here, in the middle of the Suwałki Gap, and I can neither go forward (because I would be shot) nor back (because then I’d have to admit that I was in the restricted zone). For an employee on annual leave, that would be the dream situation, because “unfortunately” you have to extend your leave and can’t return to the office or the factory floor.
It honestly amazes me how unimaginative most people are. It’s so easy to “accidentally” “lose” your passport while on vacation in a faraway country. Or to “miss” the return flight. And poof, you have to extend your stay by two weeks! I once missed the last ferry from the Azores and had to stay on the island for a whole three months. That was really bad luck. 🙃
Now you want to ask: But how can I afford such long holidays? The answer lies in the very first photo, in my mobile phone. With each iPhone that I didn’t buy, I financed a trip around the world. The good old Nokia phone cost me 6 euros and has been doing its job for 15 years now. It is particularly practical when traveling, because the battery lasts so long, you don’t even need to bring a charger.
Now I have to find out what type of activities are still allowed in an exclusion zone.
The Happy Hermit 
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I had a bachelor professor in college who each year traveled abroad on his meager government salary, and he told us students how it was that he did it. “You eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for 9 months of the year to save your money so that you can enjoy luxurious meals in the south of France or northern Italy or on the islands of Greece during your summer vacation.”
At sixty-seven years old and half a century away from that good advice, I wish now that I had taken it.
And if he had gone to Poland or Estonia instead of France or Greece, he could have gone more often. (If he had the time.) :P
I am also not super-dedicated to saving, but luckily, I am not very materialistic by nature, nor do I have a craving for expensive wine, restaurants or cars.
Also, I am not very social, so I eat at home most of the time anyway, which really saves a lot. Because I enjoy eating in my pyjamas or while listening to some radio show, it doesn’t even feel like I am compromising on something. And the stuff I cook is definitely more varied than the peanut-butter sandwiches. ;-)
I get most clothes from second-hand shops, and most books from the library. (Except the bloody expensive law books.)
Each time I save 30 or 40 euros, I think: That’s another night in a hotel.
One big secret is also how affordable traveling can be, if you go off-season or if you don’t go to the four or five places that everybody knows. The second- or third-tier places are often more interesting anyway.
Even in 2024, I easily find hotels or apartments for 30 euros/night in Europe. And that’s in summer, at the peak traveling season.
Bon jour le hermit, Europe has not changed very much. Wars then cold war then war again.Border guards and alerts and trains and so on. It is better to stay at home because it is much safer n much cheaper , and better especially if you have a beautiful woman with you. Ciao. Franklyn Le Boo, Canada.
All beautiful women in my life – if there were any – either left me because they found me too boring (“you just want to stay at home all the time”) or because I was travelling too much (“you are always gone”).
I am not sure about safety, though, because a great many people die at home or at work. Of course I will regret this statement should I fall into the Augustów Canal tomorrow. :/
There are some constants or regular occurrences in history, but on the other hand, it’s pretty amazing that I can now travel around a united Europe, crossing national borders without even showing a passport or an ID.
And the countries I am travelling in now didn’t even exist 110 years ago. Before that, it was the same kingdom. Or take Wroclaw/Breslau, where I have just been. It used to be third-largest city in Germany. Now, most Germans wouldn’t find it on a map. Or on the way here, I passed through Görlitz/Zgorzelec, originally one city, then divided between Germany and Poland, and now growing together again as a European city.
Lastly, I need to point out that travel in Europe isn’t really that expensive. A couple of bucks for the train, 30-40 euros for an apartment, and because the latter comes with a kitchen, I don’t spend more on food than I would at home. (Usually less, because I am walking around all day, instead of eating out of boredom.)
”…a football-induced sad face”!!! It’s been a while since I have read your posts, and here I am with my silly laughter on some Scottish train :) It’s interesting to notice how often you recall your Azorean quarantine ;) Hope all goes well with your (timely) European celebration. Bem haja!
There is nothing to be said in general against reading my blog, but while on a train in Scotland, you should really enjoy the scenery.
(Oh gosh, you just missed the Harry Potter bridge!)
And indeed, not all places are equal. Each time I think back to the Azores, I am filled with profound happiness and complete tranquility.
I really wouldn’t mind if there was another cat/house-sitting job on any of the other islands. ;-)
The only thing I am not sure about: Would I enjoy it less, because now there will be more tourists? Or would I enjoy it even more, because now people’s homes would be open and I wouldn’t be treated with suspicion anymore?
I wait for the next installment of your blog with bated breath! Meanwhile I will try to find my old Nokia phone. It probably still works.