We woke up around 6.30am. I decided to take a bath. Than I begin to pick up the stuff. Then we went to have a breakfast. After breakfast we move all our things to the motorcycle. Xavier was faster then me and he left me to pay for the hotel. When I was ready I directly when to the motorcycle. But I was first near the motorcycle! I take off the film, by which we covered our motor. While I was struggle with the film-cover two drivers approach to me. They seems to be from Moscow. (they seems to be from Moscow because of the numbers on there trucks). I talk with then little bit (just ordinary question: where you are coming from, where going to, why motorcycle, etc).
I start motorcycle without any problems. We put our things inside and continue the trip. When we just start the movement the separate reverse switch-on pedal was broken. (its stand in middle position). At the first moment Xavier become agitated of this, but then we checked that all other gears is ok and we forget about this. (the reverse speed is not very useful in general and we particular do not use it at all).
We visit the gas station. We dont need the gasoline, but fill the tank
and Xavier bought the oil for engine in the small can (its more easier
to fill the engine from it).
|
While he was at the shop I tried to understand what happens with reverse pedal. I took off it completely. I found that the problem is just in the pedal (not in gearbox). The groove on pedal was rub out and we just need the new pedal. We also asked about post office at the shop.
After gas station we tried to find the post office, but without success and we decided to keep on driving.
We found that we where very near to Poznan. Only 30-40km from the city.
When we where already in the city (Poznan) Xaveir selected the road to Berlin (not to the center or city). At the first moment I think that he decided not to spot at the town, but directly move to the Berlin. I became little bit upset, because I want to send some letters from Poland (I have no time and a chance to do this in Varshava). But later I realized that we cross the city to visit the Castorama and send letters.
So, we are in the city, on the road to the Berlin. Xavier told me that we enter Poznan from other side.
We are in the traffic jam. After some time, Xavier turned to machine to the right, to the wayside and we pass the most cars from the right side!! That was GREAT! Previosly we (Xavier) drove very carefully and do not perform any maneuvers. So now this method of jam passing make a great impression on me and makes me fill like Im in Moscow (no rules, no limit on the road!!!). On our way we saw the advertising of Castorama. Fantastic! How did Xavier feels that we need this way and this direction?! Later I ask him this question but just said about the luck.
On the crossroad we ask one young girl about the way to Castorama. Than we turn back (breaking all rules! Xavier! I love you!) and keep on moving in the right direction.
We saw Castorama. Approaching the shop. We saw the post office! We are lucky today! We are parking near the Castorama. Asking the security to look after our device and went in.
We spend a lot of time inside but didnt found the ring (from valve chamber). But we bought some special spanners. Than we back to our motorcycle.
I left with motorcycle and Xavier went to the nearest shop to buy some envelops and stamps. Im studding the road atlas and call by the cellular phone. Xavier comes back with all stuff and immediacy left me to made a call. So I begin to write a letters. After some time Xavier comes back and join me. I help him to put the stamps.
After such difficult job we back to Castorama to have something to eat. We are sits in a small restaurant and have a good meal.
During this meal we discussed several thing, for example Xavier told me the problems he has with making reports for newspapers. He told me that now he just performed the orders and didnt proposed the ready material. I asked him if I can help him somehow to made a reports. Xavier said the may be he has an idea. By I asked him not to tell me what he think about until we reached Berlin or Paris.
Xavier saw one very nice girl at the Castorama and its seems that he is still thinking about Poland girls.
After dinner we visit post office and send the letter. We have to pay additional money because we didnt have enough stamps.
I proposed not to use the E30 road but select the other one to avoid traffic jams. We visited gasoline station to check the oil level in the engine, because we forgot to did this earlier.
At some moment we turned to rather small road. There was very bad road. We where shivered with a lot of hummock on road. At one moment Xavier stopped and told me that something happed with the front wheel. We checked the wheel and found that the cord was damaged in one place, but we decided to keep on driving.
Later we turned on even smaller road and its become good. We drove via forest and the road was very beautiful. Than we visit one more gasoline station to fill the tank and spend last Poland money. (Here Xavier meat one more girl). We also learn that its only 30km to the board.
We drove along fields from one side and bogs from other. We san see very nice sunset.
We drove along old and deserted railroad. Somewhere there no any rails on it. At the end I saw the red light signal! Interesting, how long its shine?!
Suddenly, we saw a McDonalds (it was very strange after bogs!). But directly after it was a board.
Here at Poland-German custom we found biggest problems! I never expected this!
We passed the Poland side without any problems. First, the German boys told Xavier that he need the original green card for Motorcycle. Xavier has only the fax, that confirmed the he has a green card and the number of green card. Two people said that the fax is Ok and the third one insist, that Xavier need the original card. After some time he also agreed that the fax is Ok. But before they ask us to put our motorcycle on the parking near the custom. The custom people ask Xavier to following him and Xavier enter the building. What he was doing there I dont know.
While Xavier fighting with German officers I was walking in the street. I saw a lot of duck flocks that are flying to the East. This was very nice. The flocks were rather large and there where a lot of them.
But after some time I began to nervous, wandering why Xavier was SO late. I decided to visit him at that building. That was a building where truck drivers have to fill out the declarations. Xavier told me that officers explain to him that we cant pass. Xavier told me that we have to fill some forms and then, may be we could pass.
Xavier told me, that he absolutely sure that we have all the papers (visa, green card, motorcycle documents, etc) but officers do not allow us to pass. He also told me that he do not quite enough understand why the Germans do not allowed us to pass. May be we do not have the paper, that confirms that we passed the Poland like a tourists.
But the situation was quit worse. We didnt have an idea what to do. Xavier has a long conversation with the officer-woman, who worked at the building. As I understand later, this woman sympathize us and proposed to fill some form, that may be help us to pass. Then this woman call to here boss (the man who didnt what us to pass) and said that she thinks that we have all the papers. Here boss told us that we must talk with Poland custom officers.
We spend some time in the building. We wait until the new shift arrive (the woman left us) and tried again to fill some forms. Xavier ask to write something in this forms, but they where for tracks and you have to indicate there the mass of your cargo etc. So, I didnt have any idea what to write there.
At last, Xavier said to me to find the main Poland custom officer and ask him what this stupid German officers what from us. I back to Poland part of board and ask the officers where I can find the Chief Officer. I arrive to the small building, with a long queue near it. I was brave enough to pass it and ask where I could find the Chief Officer. One man looked at me and said that Chief Officer was absent now and I have to wait. I wait some time and other man appeared. He asked me the he is Chief Officer and how he could help me. I said that we following to Berlin and we have problems with German custom, so could he check out our papers? AND THIS MAN AGREED TO SEE OUR PAPERS. Thanks to him!! He arrived to the paring, saw our papers and said that Poland custom and police do not have and questions to us. He said, that consider us like a tourists that are traveling on motorcycle.
I must said that German officers has saw how the Poland Chief Officer arrived and checked our papers. Immediacy after this Xavier come back to the building and said that we have everything and there is a problem on German side. Only after these German offices begins to check our papers.
The same officer, that didnt not allowed us to get in to Germany, said to Xavier that Xavier should pay some tax. Xavier agreed. After some time calculation officer give to Xavier the paper with the sum. Xavier went to pay. Than he come back and said that the price was too height. Officer told to him, that this tax was provided not by him, but by government. Xavier said that he knows this, but its seems that officer made an error, and is it possible to see the document with tax rate. Officer said that Xavier must go to some other place and check the sum. Xavier let me once again and then come back again. Xavier said that when he arrived to the place where we could check the tax rates the bad officer called to the operator there and said that yes, he made an error, and please, lets Xavier come back to pick up new bill.
Finally, we paid everything, start the motorcycle and left this custom. We were very tired. We spend there about 6 hours and fills terrible. But we keep on driving.
We stopped to by the road map. It was 80km from the board to Berlin. We passed 60km.
I found a printer in a trash can at the parking
 |
We enter the Berlin. Spend some time to find the right block and the street. Several times passed the same street, trying to find the house #2. Without success. We left the street, moved around and finally back to this street. When we passed the street third time I notice that the house numbers on one side rise up and on other rise down. So, we found the house #2 but because it was a crotch at the end we was on other street. We turned back
Its rather intrusting block! We saw very nice prostitutes there!
We turned to the other part of crotch and finally find the house #2.
Xavier was here before, so he remember some details. But because it was evening, we where very tided and Xavier was here many years ago, of cause he could not remember the way. After we found the house we spend a lot of time to pull the motorcycle inside the yard. It was a special blocks in front of enter to prevent cars drive inside. We take off some protrude parts of motorcycle and using plank we moved our devices in to the yard.
When we ware in the yard the girl come down to see us. She was Xavier friend, while he lived in Germany. Together (Xavier and the girls) go upstairs to the flat and I stands downstairs. Then Xavier come back, we covered motorcycle by film and toke our things.
The flat, where we are going to stop was looks like common flat in Russia (the flat where several families lives with share bathroom and kitchen). The walls was not new and the clothes everywhere. So, I was impressed and I loved this flat very much! It was a garland with lamps in the bathroom! Looks nice! I spend dome time in the bathroom, looking at different thing and found 2 Russian objects! The post card and the anti-police pills (if you drink alcohol and you want to drive you have to eat them to prevent smell and decrease the possibility that police will find that you drunk).
Also, downstairs was a table on the wall with Russian text Registration. There was an artists lived somewhere and the exhibition on the first floor.
We got a beg and after some time we decided to go for a sleep. We spoke about girls, life and the problems at Poland-German board.
This photos are made on the next day in the morning. I put then here
just because this page has a lot of text, and the next one has too many
photos. The pictures are made at the same court.
 |
 |
 |
