Entry to Poland via bus ride past the Tatra Mountains was a beautiful introduction to a brilliant country. Soon after arrival I partook of their culinary excellence in sausages and also a kind of odd cordon bleu that they barbecue, whilst overlooking the Tatras from the northern side at Zakopane. The addition of the fine drop of ale known as Zywiec made for a pleasant afternoon with a nice vista.

Krakow deserved more of my time. I had a reasonable stay in the city but could have spent longer acquainting myself as I was only there two days and spent one of those out at Oswiecim and Wieliczka.

The famous salt mine at Wieliczka was an experience. Despite the guided tour being in Polish, it didn't stop the descent into the multiple underground levels of sculpted salt works being a highlight of the trip. There were all sorts of things built into chambers in the mine including huge church features and Polish hero engravings.

Krakow didn't prove so welcoming on the cheap accommodation front. I moved out of the Youth Hostel I was in as it was dirt cheap in the true sense of the phrase - my throat getting sore from the dank air and bedding, so I thought I would upgrade and after being approached on the street moved to a private room for a whopping 20 Euro. A big step up from 5 Euro and one of the most expensive stays on my otherwise cheap trip, but a necessary switch.

A trip to Oswiecim (Auschwitz) soon made me feel a bit more grateful for whatever accommodation came my way. There's probably nothing more humbling than the unfathomable historic goings-on at a place like that. The tide of grief is somewhat tempered by the vast crowds but still this remains a must-do for every visitor to the region.

Czestochowa was amazing. The cathedral complex that houses the Black Madonna is astonishing - it is like a palace. It gave me a good opportunity to say a few prayers for my Grandmother who just had a stroke back in New Zealand.

I got in very late to Wroclaw and managed to get the last bed in a teacher's dorm which continued my exquisite luck when it came to accommodation as it had only been vacated due to a last-minute pullout. Poland was the first country I'd been to where booking in advance was a good idea so it was a difficult adjustment.

Wroclaw was amazingly picturesque and quite possibly my favourite city in Eastern Europe. There are multiple bridges criss-crossing the tributaries of the Ober with huge green spaces interspersed with centuries-old buildings, it is all lovely and I would loved the couple of days I spent relaxing there.

I admit I didn't do terribly much, just a few beautiful museums and churches, and a nice 'Panorama' of Raclawicka - a famous 1794 battle where the Poles actually beat the Russians for a change.

The last visit was the city of Poznan, an historic centrepoint of Polish history, with a dominating Town Hall in the centre of its Rynek. The Poznan Citadel and Army museum were the highlights of the town. It was nice to see a war memorial as Krakow and Wroclaw have little that is similar.

After that I exited Poland via the Sudeten Mountain town of Jelenia Gora.