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Honestly, I don’t know – all I know it is not how a native English speaker would think. I was in Poland for just under a week and am ashamed to say I didn’t learn any Polish. After six days in Poland not a single word is recognizable. Główny is a perfect example (it means “main” as in the main train station).
It was too easy to communicate by pointing or just using English as most of the people I encountered spoke it perfectly. I didn’t want to be that tourist who couldn’t be bothered to learn at least a few words in the local language, but I was. I had many excuses – not enough time, it’s too hard, I’m too old – but really there is no excuse. Sorry Poland, I’ll try harder next time.
The language may be hard, but I found everything else about Poland to be easy. The spring weather was beautiful (50s during the day, cold at night); transportation cheap, frequent, and reliable; and the donuts are out of this world (just don’t ask me to pronounce “pączek”).
My Home Exchange, which goes for $500 a night on AirBnB, was a beautifully designed sun-filled space in a historic building and close to everything.
The three-hour walking tour I took was very informative and left me with more things to do than I could possibly fit in. A side benefit of walking tours is meeting fellow travelers – this time I chatted with Terri, a solo traveler from Georgia, the only other American I’ve met so far. It’s always nice to meet someone else who understands the benefits of traveling alone.
Despite the abundance of things to do in Kraków, I spent two days outside of city. One at Auschwitz (separate post coming soon) and another to the mountain resort of Zakopane, an easy two and a half hour train ride away.
The hike to a lake high in the mountains took two hours each way. The hearty vegan cabbage stew at the crowded lakeside lodge gave me the energy to walk/slide (lots of icy sections) back down to the bottom of the mountain. I did over 28,000 steps that day but it was the simplest trip to arrange with trains, a shuttle to the national park with it’s $3 entrance fee, a walkable resort town, and just a few minutes from the train platform to my bed at the end of a long day.
As much as I enjoy traveling solo, I miss my #1 travel companion and imagine the adventures we would be having together with each step I take.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about how this trip is very different from others I’ve taken, how everything just seems to work better in Europe, and how I kind of miss the unpredictability of travel in more distant lands and times.
Perhaps I’ll write more about these ideas, or not, but in the meantime here are some glimpses of my first of ten weeks on this trip (including a few shots from Wroclaw, Poland where I landed, and from Bratislava, Slovakia where I had a quick overnight stay).
Reminder – New Blog Address: My blog has moved to retiredtim.com. Please bookmark the new URL. If you are subscribed, you will hopefully still receive emails when I make a post. If not, just go to retiredtim.com and subscribe.
March 11, 2026 @ 10:16
Wonderful, as always, Tim! Loved the shout-out to Vicky Ann, and I caught the link to her Viet Nam adventures.
I would love to hear about your experience at Auschwitz. When the Chorus went to Germany in ’17, I went to Buchenwald ~ sobering doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Anyway, continue to enjoy, and I look forward to your next post(s)!
Pam
March 12, 2026 @ 16:29
Thanks, Pam. Yeah, I’ve been having a hard time writing about Auschwitz – what can I say? It’s something you have to experience.
March 11, 2026 @ 12:46
Beautiful pics, Tim!!! Cannot believe you will be away for 10 weeks!!! This is so exciting. Looking forward to traveling vicariously with you once again!
March 12, 2026 @ 16:29
It’s already going by too fast!
March 12, 2026 @ 07:33
Oh Tim Martha and I spent a week in Poland last May! We loved it 4 days in Krakow and 3 days in Warsaw! My Grandmother was Born in Poland. I love all of your posts but this one is really special I cannot wait until we can exchange conversations about POLAND
March 12, 2026 @ 16:30
Did you bring back some porcelain to go with your beautiful collection? Let’s get together when I get back!
March 12, 2026 @ 15:19
Thanks Tim for taking us along for the ride. Your adventures make a grey day in Westerly much brighter. Keep writing and taking such beautiful pictures. Sending you lots of love and best wishes for safe travels. Miss you here. be well and God bless you as you spread some positive vibes across the globe.
March 12, 2026 @ 16:31
Glad you’re with me, Madeline. Thanks for your good wishes. I’m soaking up positive vibes so I can hopefully release them when I get back.
March 12, 2026 @ 21:48
More amazing images than I can count!! I am in awe of your adventurousness!! We miss you, but have a wonderful adventure!
March 15, 2026 @ 08:41
Thanks, Stevi. I am! (Miss you all as well).