Day eighteen - the long road south

Today Tuesday 22nd July we started out early as before we leave the Curonian Spit we wanted to visit a local sight but before the hoards of tourists arrive. So we were packed up and on the road by 7.45am. Halfway from Nida to Smiltyne, where we catch the ferry back to the mainland there is a small village called Juodkrante, and here there is a hill known locally as the Hill of Witches. A large collection of wooden sculptures by various artists is displayed on the hill. The sculpture park was started in 1979 and now has more than 70 wooden objects. Most of the figures are based on Lithuanian legends and folk tales. It is the world of witches, demons, swings, small hills, chairs and other characters of Neringa legends.

When we left the hill we caught the ferry to Kliepedia on mainland Lithuania to start our marathon journey into Poland. Our eventual destination Bielsko-Biala, some 633 miles away. During our trip we have driven through about 12 countries so far and we have come to the conclusion that Polish drivers have the least respect for life, theirs or anyone elses! The roads have been quite bad in most of the Baltic countries but are getting better now the more west we head. The prize for the worst roads we think goes to Lithuania, they are so broken up and bumpy that even in the Land Rover speeds were down to 50mph, I am going to set up a chain of suspension garages in Lithuania, I'm sure I would make a mint.

Anyway enough of my rantings about the roads and traffic, we go to about 20km from Bielsko-Biala by about midnight, I say about because at some point in the 633 mile journey we crossed another time zone moving us back one hour nearer UK time so now we are only an hours difference. We parked up for the night and grabbed some sleep in the car, as it was too late to set up a tent.

Today's Selfie taken first thing this morning