We left Warsaw by train at 7:55, in a carriage already half filled with droopy people who had travelled for up to 2hr30min (from Krakow). Through the familiar flat forests and flat fields we went, stopping at largish towns until Bialystok, Poland's 11th biggest city. I expected that many would have left us, but we continued with only a few new faces, and it was a while before D pointed out that whereas we had been the 2nd carriage in a long train, now we were the last, the other 6-8 behind us having been uncoupled. That's where all the Bialystok people were.
So we got to Kuznica, where our tickets were checked, again, by a
rather officious Polish lady, then some police came, then Polish customs
checked our passports, and then some Belarus officials did them again,
in more detail, and looked at our official 'invitation' to Belarus
(filled out by our tomorrow's tour guide) and our travel insurance
details. All OK for us, but the guy opposite and his boy were removed
from the train. All this lasted over an hour, then we were on our way
again and crossed the border.
Our 2 carriage train at Kuznica
This road is the border between Poland and Belarus.
Then came another track, with movement sensing alarms, that hooted as we went slowly past.
We went along more slowly, and we thought people were getting up ready for another intermediate station. But when we stopped, we were at Grodno, and we were last out. We had to queue yet again, have our documents looked at again, and asked questions in Belarussian. We didn't know whether we had anything to declare, so they just waived us to have our bags scanned, and at last we were free.
So we found our beautiful bnb, on the 10th floor of a daggy block, went for a walk, found a money changer at the station, and then a big supermarket.
Crossing the Neman River into Grodno, although we didn't know it.
Garbage bin
From our balcony, overlooking an infants school? Kids from about 2-6 came in from 8am, but it is school holidays, so it might be operating as a child care centre. Lots of space, gardens, and colourful play equipment.
We went along more slowly, and we thought people were getting up ready for another intermediate station. But when we stopped, we were at Grodno, and we were last out. We had to queue yet again, have our documents looked at again, and asked questions in Belarussian. We didn't know whether we had anything to declare, so they just waived us to have our bags scanned, and at last we were free.
So we found our beautiful bnb, on the 10th floor of a daggy block, went for a walk, found a money changer at the station, and then a big supermarket.
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