Monday 12th. July, 2004
09.30
Service Station Somewhere Between Krakow & Warsaw, Poland.
Bump bump bump bump.
The bumping began just after 05.00 and as bad as anything on the road from Moscow to Riga; but the Crimson bus didn't have as much rattling & pinging of glasses hitting each other on each bump.
Bump rattle bump ping bump bump rattle ping.
At one point the bus stopped, probably to change drivers (AKA having a cigarette & coca cola). The stationary bus, with motor running, managed to generate a new rattle, between the frame of the vehicle & an internal panel, the panel in my bunk, by my ear. I managed to quiet this by lying face down on the pillow, with left elbow placed on the panel, exerting pressure. This succeeded in quelling the vibration that stopped, of its own accord, when we set off a few minutes later.
Bump rattle bump bump ping bump rattle ping ping rattle bump. Carsten's Symphony Of The Beast began again.
At the exit from these services, onto to the single-lane national highway, indicates left to Krakow & right to Warsaw. I would like to go to Krakow, where Jeff Fayman & his family have recently arrived. I would like to go to Warsaw, to play music (following a night in a stationary bed). A win-win situation, then.
12.18
The Beast says we are making good time.
The bumping has subsided somewhat, although it did get worse since the last entry. A glass has smashed in the kitchenette area & glass is about on the kitchen top & corridor.
The countryside is quite beautiful & we have been driving through small communities. Some of these might strike urban eyes as "quaint". I love buildings in the vernacular. The contemporary architecture, while no doubt providing welcome modern amenities such as water, light & heat, to these eyes, clashes with that vernacular. Most noticeably, the proportions don't work. When Wimborne moved into the modern world, c. 1967-75, it was very much the same. In Wimborne, any building over 100 years old was considered fit for demolition.
18.25
Hotel Acceptable, Warsaw.
If the high-speed data point was actually connected to a server, this would be a Hotel Very Acceptable. An Ethernet cable does connect the desk to a computer, but the firm that installed the wiring hasn't connected the system to a server. Not a great deal of use, then. Pooey pooey.
A Room With Two Views: East?
South?
A day off after a long, bumpy, hard drive. Gentling & catching up.
20.31
A mostly grey, damp day.
Tuesday 13th. July, 2004
13.44
Hotel Almost Very Acceptable, Warsaw.
Mostly grey surroundings. As I type the sun begins to shin e through clouds.
A good night in a bed that was not bumping about after 5.00 am, sat, read, saunerised, about to pack. Lobby call at 15.00.
Apparently one of our three buses took the long way round to get here. On leaving Slovenia, the road sign pointed right to Poland and left to Somewhere Else But It Ain't Poland. The driver turned left. This was a regrettable decision for all involved.
15.17
Satch Bus en route to venue.
I have been listening to Soundscapes from shows that were very badly received. Strangely, a lot of music sounds (to my biased ears) very powerful. Perhaps, as if the crowds didn't hear what was being played, rather than not liking what they were hearing.
A place for music?
Lotsa Stuff?
He Told Them Who I Am?
Bass Player With Fruit?
23.24
Satch Bus.
A strong, generous audience in a sports hall. At least this venue is not the Warsaw Congress Hall, a gift from Uncle Joe to his chums the Polish people, a pit of terror and sonic hell.
Soundscapes: Steve & Billy both joined me, and stomped.
Steve's set was strong & well received; Joe's also. Highlight: Mr. Drummer doing some wonderful toms on Searching. The jam: lots of fun.
Wednesday 14th. July, 2004
10.16
Satch Bus, Crossing the Polish border into Switzerland.
Bump bump bump bump fucking bump.
Driving out of Poland is as bad as driving into Poland. The motorway is single lane in both directions with lotsa bumps. The bumping woke me at 05.05. I got up at 09.00 after briefly falling asleep between about 08.30 and 08.50. One characteristic I've noticed, of these brief returns-to-sleeping after being-awake-for-a-while, is that the dreams are disturbing. This morning, I was suffering a terribly disturbed dream, with no resolution available, and then knew: this is only a dream. So I woke up and the irresolvable came to an end.