Of all the traditions in Poland, Fat Thursday is one of the most popular, one of the oldest (16th century) and definitely the tastiest. Fat Thursday (Tłusty czwartek in Polish) happens every year in February and on the last Thursday prior to Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent. It basically involves eating as many doughnuts as possible; which apparently brings you good luck. Each year, 100 million doughnuts are consumed in Poland on Tłusty czwartek, that equates to two and a half for each person. The type of doughnuts eaten are known as pączki; which are deep-fried, usually filled with jam or marmalade, sugar glazed and topped with candied orange peel.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is synonymous with the Holocaust and the largest attempt at genocide in human history. More than a million Jews, and many Poles and Roma, were murdered here by German Nazis during WWII. Both sections of the camp, Auschwitz I and the much larger outlying Birkenau (Auschwitz II) have been preserved and are open to visitors. Everyone should visit Auschwitz at least once in their lives, it is a stern reminder of the horrors that human beings can inflict on each other and the only way to understand the extent and horror of the place and the atrocities that took place there.

Kraków is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is the administrative capital of the Lesser Poland (Malopolskie) region. Until 1596, the city was Poland’s former royal capital, today it is a leading centre of Polish academic, economic, cultural and artistic life and a major tourist destination. Often referred to as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Kraków’s Old Town had the honour of being declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world. If you’re interested in architecture, Kraków will not let you down. The city features all of the great European architectural styles. The city is Poland’s cultural capital, it hosts a multitude of events and festivals each year.

Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Lower Silesia. It is a university city with an idyllic location on the Odra River and comprises of 12 islands, 130 bridges, riverside parks and numerous historical landmarks such as the Main Market Square, Cathedral Island and Centennial Hall, which is which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wrocław is often referred to as a mini- Kraków due to its cultural attributes and buzzing social scene; however it maintains its own unique and appealing character. The city is a major attraction for both domestic and international tourists and also a major industrial, commercial and educational centre for the region. Since 2005, the city has become well-known for its bronze dwarfs.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is a UNESCO World Heritage site located around 14km southeast of Kraków and is one of Poland’s most popular attractions, welcoming tourists since 1722. Wieliczka Salt Mine is a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels, shafts and chambers, underground saline lakes, chapels with altarpieces, majestic timber constructions and unique statues sculpted in rock salt. The size of the mine is staggering, it reaches a depth of 327m and extends via horizontal passages and chambers for over 287 km distributed over nine levels. Only a small part of the mine is open to the public. The highlight of the mine is a vast chamber housing the ornamented Chapel of St Kinga. Everything that you will see within the chamber is made from salt including altarpieces and chandeliers.

Plan B was to buy a second-hand BMW and, since I was clearly going to die soon anyway, get Messrs Visa and Barclaycard to pay for me to ride round Europe instead. The 20-year old 1000cc RT I chose, despite having a staggering 184,000 miles on the clock, seemed sound enough, and for the rest, well, I would just last as long as I could. I spent six months saving enough to cover the mortgage while I was away, and planned a route that would, starting in April 2006, take in 20 countries, starting in Poland and ending in France, encompassing Norway’s Polar Nord Kapp and Greece’s 40C heat wave on the way. I had no particular aims or sights to see or distance to cover. I would just follow my front wheel and see where it took me. It took me further and showed me more than I had hoped for.