After what felt like forever, we were finally going back to Poland — and this time, in the summer!
For me, it had been a few years since I had experienced a proper Polish summer, so I was actually curious to see how it would feel to be back during the warmest part of the year.
Of course, before we could enjoy any Polish sunshine, we first had to survive the journey there. 😂
Off to the Airport
Instead of taking the train, we decided to drive our car to the airport.
With three people and all our luggage, taking the train would have been a lot more complicated. Driving was not only easier, but also much faster. We could throw everything into the car, get on the road and not worry about dragging suitcases around train stations.
And, because apparently Taiwan wanted to give us one last little goodbye before we left...
It was raining. 🌧️
Luckily, we arrived at the airport smoothly, without any major problems.
And surprisingly, there were even games at the airport to play! So while we were waiting, we had some fun instead of just sitting around staring at the departure board.
Honestly, airports should have more things like that. 😂
Our First Time Flying Etihad
This was also our first time flying with Etihad Airways, and I have to admit — I was pleasantly surprised.
The airplane looked very new and modern, and the food was actually good. And you know me... food is an important part of judging an airline. 😂
My favorite was definitely the dessert.
Nothing makes a long flight feel shorter than getting a decent meal and a good dessert.
This time, instead of flying for 13+ hours straight to Europe and then still having to transfer to Poland, we flew through Abu Dhabi.
The first flight was around 9 hours, then we had the transfer in Abu Dhabi, followed by another approximately 8-hour flight to Poland.
And honestly? I actually preferred this.
Breaking up the journey made it feel much more manageable. Sitting on an airplane for 13+ hours and knowing you STILL aren't at your final destination is exhausting.
With the Abu Dhabi route, at least we had a chance to get off the plane, walk around a little and stretch our legs before getting on another airplane.
Of course, the total journey was still over 20 hours.
Every time we travel between Taiwan and Poland, I feel like I lose approximately two days of my life. 😂
And somehow, I also spend around two days without sleeping.
The funny thing is that I don't really have problems with jet lag.
My strategy is basically very simple:
I arrive in Poland and immediately switch to Polish time.
I don't try to slowly adjust. I just follow the local schedule, go to sleep when people in Poland go to sleep, wake up when they wake up, and somehow it works for me.
Maybe being exhausted enough helps. 😂
Abu Dhabi Airport
Abu Dhabi airport was huge.
And it was absolutely packed with people transferring to other flights. It really gives you an idea of just how many people use this airport as a connection point between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
There were people everywhere.
And we were just one tiny family trying to survive our journey home.
There was actually a slightly stressful part about this trip.
We bought our tickets only one or two weeks before the US–Iran war, and because of the situation in the region, we weren't even completely sure whether our flights would operate normally.
At the beginning, some airlines were cancelling flights, so naturally we started wondering whether our trip would even happen.
Thankfully, our flights had no problems.
Everything went ahead as planned, and we eventually made it to Poland.
Honestly... I Wasn't Very Excited 😂
To be completely honest, travelling this far is tiring.
And I was actually feeling quite lazy about going back to Poland this time. 😂
Don't get me wrong — I love Poland. It's my home country and there are many things I miss.
But after living in Taiwan for so long, I have to admit something:
Taiwan has spoiled me.
When you get used to the convenience of life in Taiwan, going back to Poland can sometimes feel like going backwards.
If you've never lived in Taiwan, you probably won't understand what I mean, so let me explain...
Finding a public toilet in Poland isn't always easy, and when you finally find one, there is a good chance you have to pay.
So you need to carry coins with you. In Taiwan, I'm so used to finding toilets everywhere that I barely think about it.
Depending on where you are staying in Poland, your options can be quite limited.
Sometimes having a car — or renting one — is basically necessary.
And then there is... Healthcare. But I'll talk more about it next time.
Finally... Poland!
But let's go back to the beginning of our trip.
After all the flights, transfers, waiting, worrying and approximately two days without sleep...
We finally arrived in Poland! 🇵🇱❤️ And we were greeted by beautiful weather.
After leaving rainy Taiwan, seeing the sunshine in Poland felt pretty amazing. There was just one tiny problem. Our phones.
We had trouble getting SIM cards that actually worked properly with mobile internet.
So yes... Another inconvenience on the very first day. 😂
At this point, I was starting to wonder whether Poland was personally trying to test my patience. But never mind.
We eventually got our rented car and were finally ready to continue our journey.
Well... The rental car was supposed to be clean according to the booking. It wasn't. It was dirty.
But honestly, at that point, I didn't care anymore. We had already been travelling for a bit over 20 hours.
We just wanted to get in the car and go.
So we loaded our luggage, got inside and prepared for another two hours of driving before we could finally reach our destination and, most importantly... REST.
And that was only the beginning of our Polish summer adventure. 🇵🇱☀️
More stories from our summer in Poland coming soon!
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