Chapter 1 is on its way

I got myself and two suitcases the two blocks to the Powisle train station and got onto the train to Siedlce with the help of a gracious woman who lifted up one of the bags. The ride to Siedlce was easy. A very nice young man asked me in Polish if I wanted help and thankfully I can understand that much Polish and can say Prosze. Dorota was waiting for me. We went to the Hotel Janusz and got my settled into a room. Then we had lunch at a typical Polish restaurant. From there we went exploring to find me a second hotel for when I return to Siedlce. Off to Dorota's flat to relax a bit and then we drove out into the country to pick up her mother, who had been visiting friends at a summer home. I met one of the students who will be at the 2nd summer camp at Reymontowka. After that she dropped me at the hotel and I took off walking for the bankomat to get money and then to the supermarket for water and chocolate for the next day's bus trip. About 7 PM a thunderstorm blew in convincing me the best thing to do for an evening meal was to simply go downstairs to the hotel restaurant. A lovely meal. After that I really crashed out only to wake about 1AM for awhile. Don't know why, for that is 6 PM at home, hardly a time to wake up and get going.

Dorota picked me up at 7:15 and we went to the bus pickup point. I watched and managed our luggage while she took her car home to her flat and then walked back. We were away from Siedlce at 8 AM, stopped at Radom about 10 AM at McDonalds for the bathroom, Coca-Cola, coffee, and ice cream -- all the necessarium of life.

We arrived at the Krakow airport about 3 PM. We found about half the team assembled there. The remaining members arrived on the Chicago-Krakow flight-- but alas two team members are missing their luggage. Once the necessary paperwork was filed for the luggage, we started for Zakopane. Supper was waiting us, we briefly settled into our rooms, and then we met for a short team meeting for introductions. We are a heavy midwest group -- 3 from Minnesota, 4 from Iowa, one from Wisconsin, 1 from Michagan. The remaining members of our group of 14 come from states such as Connecticut and D.C. It will be a good group.