Interesting to be in Poland as the EU (European Union) attempts to pass a new Constitution. Poland is asserting itself in fighting for a stronger voice in the Union with more voting rights. According to Warsaw, the way the EU is now operating, Germany has more power and they want it to be equalized.

I did not take the time to visit downtown Krakow, instead opting for a good night’s sleep and down time in the hotel. Unlike the twenty and thirty year olds on the Team, I can’t keep up a pace that would allow me to see more of the countries we are visiting. Sleep, stretching and down time are part of my formula to make it to the finish line. I am thankful for the days when we stay in a hotel central to the sights and for the days off.

It is much easier to communicate here in metro Poland as many speak English. It’s been tough to ignite in the Czech Republic, for instance, where I hand out a sticker and point to the website but have no way of explaining what we are doing because the languages are so foreign. I expect this will be the case all across Russia and through China and Japan, excepting when we can also engage our interpreters. However, today I successfully described what we are doing to some Poles as if I were playing charades. They enjoyed it and took off with a pile of stickers. The Poles seem much happier and as a result have been very friendly.

Those team members who went to downtown Krakow described it has having the beauty and charm of Dresden interspersed with the realities of being a part of the Eastern Bloc. We are planning to go out on the town tonight as it will be our last night with our fabulous Italian driver, Fabio Buccafusco. Fabio leaves us tomorrow and we are going to miss him very much. He has been great support in every way, and a lot of fun. As we venture into “never never land,” it would be wonderful to be able to take him with us.

I’ve had a flurry of emails responding to my piece, “Dam the Bottled Water.” I am thrilled to report that it has raised awareness and a number of readers are reporting changes in their approach to buying and drinking bottled water. One friend who has stopped buying it will be contributing what she would normally spend on bottled water to BPR, and has circulated the message to a far reaching community asking them to do the same. There is some opposition to the idea of closing off the bottled water market, one individual arguing that free enterprise supports those who want to bottle water to make money. Another voice is suspicious of the quality of water from our taps. I cite the example of NYC which I understand has some of the safest drinking water in the USA and I can personally state that it is some of the best tasting. Yet, NYC is one of the largest consumer areas for bottled water, including chi chi water from places like France and Tuscany. For me the one convincing argument in support of bottled water, propounded by team mate Simon Isaacs, is the need for it in emergency and crisis situations. When all systems are down, it is often the only feasible and effective way to quickly get water to victims of crisis. For example when Katrina hit New Orleans.

Another issue raised by my piece is the disposal of all the containers. In the Czech Republic there were roadside recycling bins, for plastic, paper and other. I don’t know where the stuff goes from those bins but I was thrilled to have somewhere other than the general trash bins to dispose of the bottled water containers emptied by us on the run.

After Russia, in about a month, we will pass through Mongolia and then into northern China where there is an extreme drought and wild fires. The media reports that the reservoir which provides Beijing with its water supply is at 3% of its capacity. Many team members are wondering what our water supplies will be when we leave Moscow. Beginning in Belarus we will be filtering water from the tap and storing it in camelbaks and bike bottles. Getting our hydration and nutrition needs met will certainly be more of a concern in upcoming Phase Two of our odyssey.

Today I ran the 7:30 to 9pm shift from Siekiuki to Falecice, Poland. The late shift is tough because everyone else gets to eat and relax while you need to stay ready to run until 9pm. But generally this shift is cooler and the traffic begins to subside. Tonight it was a veritable nightmare. I started in a light rain and within a mile was off course. Then most of the run was on a highway that made Vermont’s Interstate 89 a comparative farm road. The semis whizzed by me as I squeezed onto the small bits of dirt shoulder. There were dozens of highway memorials and I convinced myself I could smell the alcohol on altered drivers passing by me. I ran like a scared jack rabbit and was ever so thankful for the presence of two pilot cars keeping watch over me. After the run I treated myself to a Polish beer and pierogies. There are small food kitchens all along the way selling homemade Polish goodies. Where we stopped the woman behind the counter was a delightful Polish woman I would have loved to take home as my grandmother.

We are now far enough north and late enough into the spring/summer months that daylight lasts through the run. One of the benefits of running west to east around the world is that the sun is mostly at our backs. For people like me who don’t like to wear visors or sunglasses, this direction is perfect.

Next I will be writing from Belarus with another border crossing tale.