Sunshine and Olly

by Jonathan Blaustein

Last year, my trip to Poland was life-changing. 

Coming off of a properly slow period for my art career, (and my motivation-level as an artist,) the European adventure woke me up again. 

Getting to move around a foreign country, (where I knew no one,) just relying on instincts, and some good research, felt like a vision quest from a younger time. 

By 50, having spent so many years subordinating my innate desires to the parenting lifestyle, (especially living in such a remote environment,) going to Poland in 2024 changed my personal trajectory. 

Travel can do that. 

It’s a personal investment that has the potential to make us smarter, and better. 

Still though, there were some rough edges last year. 






I got yelled at by three old folks for not knowing where I was going. 

(In a park, a public toilet, and on a train.)

I shrugged my shoulders sheepishly, and played the dumb tourist. 

I also lost a full day, (precious currency,) by taking the train all the way from Gdansk back to Krakow, so I could fly home the next day. I compounded the mistake by staying at the airport, thereby depriving myself of an entire evening roaming a beautiful city. 

Instead, I did laps up and down the halls of a Hampton Inn, before getting a tummy ache from the greasy breakfast potatoes. 

Worse yet, I didn’t travel with hand sanitizer, so all the germs from the airport and airplane overwhelmed my immune system, and I got violently ill the day I arrived home. 

I gave that norovirus to Jessie, so we both were sick for nearly 2 months. 

Rookie mistakes I was determined to avoid this time around. 

And did I?

Yes, is the short answer. 

With the experience of the previous year, this time around, the travels were seamless. 

No mad dashes to pee, wondering if I had enough coins in my pocket to pay? 

No wasted walk to the train station to buy my ticket in advance: this time I did it online and showed my QR code on the train. 

I availed myself of a few insanely cheap Ubers, rather than walking to a meeting and turning up sweaty, or hoofing it to the train station to catch an airport shuttle train, which would have taken 3x as much time, and barely saved me any cash. 

For my international travel, I prepared sandwiches that wouldn’t wilt, made sure all my stops were on the way, (so as to avoid wasted time,) booked long-enough stopovers everywhere, (at least 2 hours,) and to top it all off, I scored a triangle ticket, so I was able to fly into Krakow and out of Warsaw. 

The total fee for six flights, into one city and out of another, was $700, and I didn’t even have to pay an up-charge to pick my seats, as they gave me my aisle-seat preference included. 

(Highly recommend this $15 inflatable neck pillow from Rick Steves, to support the neck in the narrow seats on the 8-10 hour long-haul flight.)

Hotels are affordable in Poland, and food and transportation are downright cheap, so I was able to spend 9 nights out on the road, (including one on the plane,) for a legitimately affordable budget. 

Going at the right time of year + lots of travel research + learning from your mistakes means less money wasted, and less stress on the body.

Which allowed me to spend all of my time meeting with people, making new photographs, or resting up for more urban adventuring. 







As I said last week, I’m hoping to share much of my experience this year, as opposed to hiding it for some future, special reveal. 

I’ve had enough of playing career games. 

Time to remember I developed an audience in the first place by never holding back, and having all the content be free and available. 

Game on. 

Hotel Room View, Right Before Leaving, Warsaw