My dreamt journey

Life goes its own path, every path has its own turnings and stops. My life is not going through paths made by destiny, conditions or other people, it simply goes its own way. Life is not just a bowl of cherries, but it is also full of disappointments and unpleasantness. I often have to chase my dreams, do everything that I can to make them come true. One of them is to see some places all around the world. I love driving so I decided to choose a hard route, through different countries. Demanding roads tighten the screw and it means that I will have to work really hard. But what is my real destination? Now I know that I want to be in places where is hot and cold, safe and dangerous, I want to go through modern cities and small villages, forests, meadows, and in the place where the civilization have not come yet. That's right, my journey will such like that.

I will start the journey in my hometown – Kalisz. The whole trip will be as simple as that:

http://Maps.google.pl/My dreamt journey

As it is showed the main point of the trip is the highest mountain chain in Europe. A few hundreds of kilometers from my house, there is a place where I always find peace and the nature calm me down and there comes the perfection, no cars, no people, no houses. There is only the driver with his vehicle.

STELVIO PASS

That grey ribbon against pretence is not a mountain-side but asphalt road. Approaching the highest point from the northern side is quite long because it is 24,3kilometres with approximate slope of 7,4%.There are 48 hairpin turns on the northern side of the pass. There are some climbs that many of us dream about – and it didn’t disappoint. With roughly 1800 meters of climb, it is a true giant. Moreover, the south-east way is about 21,5kilometres in approximate slope of 7,1%(the difference in height is 1533metres) The top quarter of the Stelvio Pass, best driving road in the world according to Top Gear. This is about 2760m up in the Italian Alps. But it’s the unbelievable surroundings and the never-ending hairpins that make this climb so memorable.

The question is how to get there?

Driving in this particular way it will be really hard to overlook such cities as Zwickau or Inglstadt, in which Trabant and Audi were produced. Each of them has common origins in creating Auto Union. After them there are such cities as Lin or Wels. The first one was established by Romans, who during Marcomannic Wars set up a camp on the bank of Danube – Castra Romana. They named it Lenthia. The most interesting tourists centers are among other things: castle from XVI-XVII century, baroque palaces, churches and numerous museums. Can we drive there? No way so I will take some photos and I go further!

Wels is the second city in the country of Upper Austria, in terms of population. The density of population is about 1266 people on square kilometer, so it seems that is it too densely like for me I have to find some wilderness.

Schladming – it is a mountain town, where instead of summer tires we need to put winter ones and they have to be a really good ones, because the weather will do everything to make me work hard on the road. This is my dream so why not having fun and a bit dangerous adventure? That's why I am here.

I guess this is the best place for a longer stay. Mittersill in Austria is a wonderful place, simply magnificent.

The town invites us to fishing holidays, on the biggest in Austria private fishery grounds (working since 1866). It consists of 130kilometres running water, four mountain torrents, two barrier lakes and two smaller ones, placed in the National Park of the Hohe Tauern in the Alps. I am almost in heaven. The car is resting, fishing rods are waiting for big fish, but no fish for me, well I don't worry because actually I don't eat fish so I admire the nature and peace. From time to time I hear that my car is calming down after the great work. It's not a heaven but almost because it is just a kilometer above sea level.

Full, well-rested, bathed by portable shower I get to the car. Another part of my journey is Innsbruck, about 30kilometres on the south of the Innsbruck there is a Brenner pass (1371m above sea level). Well it sounds great :)

I am bit hungry so it seems that it is time for a snack, and again the place where I am is just great because this is where all best chocolates and beers are produced. Namely, it is Bludenz. It is famous for Suchard chocolate and Fohrenburger beer. Apart from that it is worth going by its railway because it goes through the most beautiful mountain areas. Unfortunately, I cannot go there by car so it seems that I will eat something and go further.

Lichtenstein and its Vaduz. It is famous for the fact that there are more companies and businesses than people, it is a kind of paradise for taxes. But not only! It is a very important center of culture, tourism and finances. The most important monument is a gothic castle form XII century - residence of royal family. And guess what we can go there by car but I will not do it. I'll take a lot of pictures because the castle is impressive. Well it's tome to go on.

I am quite excited knowing that I am really near the biggest and the most important point of my journey. Davos is associated in the world with the World Economic Forum which usually takes place here. Skiers in turn know this place very well because of the best winter resorts. Regular visitors call it 'davos-famos' which simply means wonderful Davos. Unfortunately, such holidays are very expensive ones. Local people are absolutely right it is a great place, especially because of the fact that Stelvio starts over there. My dreams, my world...

STELVIO:

The highest paved mountains pass in the Eastern Alps 2757 meters above sea level

The original road was built in 1820-25 by the Austrian Empire to connect Stelvio from northern-east with Bormio.

The road is known because of Giro d'Italia race. But I do not want to cycle, now way! I want to drive!!!

I am even more excited because I am going up and up, the engine works properly, quietly and it does not exceed 900 revolution per minute, suddenly they rise, 3,5 thousand and the car goes up with such power that I will be immediately. The first turning is quite fast but still very calm, the second and the third oh it seems that I have 45 more, but I do not count I just go up a little bit faster. Why not? Is it adventure or not?

Some smoke will not 'hurt' the engine, the temperature of the engine is proper, oil is normal, tires hot, air conditioning works so I do not have to worry everything goes as it should have. But when I look down a see the slope about one or two kilometers oh yes it seems that my journey is becoming more and more dangerous. I take second gear and another turning, what a fun and excitement that's the way I like

24kilometres later finally on the peak, the car is calming down not only the car me too. I feel like a child after the first serious trip, so tired and excited. I look at he mountains and I ask myself whether it is my final destination? I take second gear and another turning, what a fun and excitement that's the way I like 24kilometres later finally on the peak, the car is calming down

But it is time to go back home. Last look on the mountains, shout of joy. I need to thank them for great accpetance, full of calmness and peaoce, the roads were so good, and I was there all alone with my adrenaline and the best car ever.

Bormio, Tirano, Alessandria, these are just names names, they do not mean anything without my memories. There is a luxurious hotel, which was built on the foundations of an old mill. It is somewhere among hills of Piedmont in region of Monferrato, in town of San Michele nearby Mediterranean Sea.

Genova and Ravenna are just town I go through. Italy, in case of driving culture is a country that we may have some provisions. In fact the highway starts there, it is long and quite nice to go because it is through the coast, which leads us to Venice. In order to visit it I should get off the car but no way I love my too much :)

What about you? where would you like to go?

What is your dream destination?