Krakow and Zakopane (Poland)

2 nights in Krakow 1 nights in Zakopane

Itinerary:

Train: http://www.c2c-online.co.uk/
Meadowhall - Manchester Picadilly - Liverpool Airport - 5 Feb 2014 (£5.80)
Manchester Airport - Sheffield Station - 8 Feb 2014 (£5.00)

Flight: Ryan Air
Onward: Liverpool John Lennon to Krakow - 5 Feb 2014 - (£33.30)
Return: Krakow to Manchester - 8 Feb 2014 - (£30.38)

Total: ~£72.00

Day 1: 

• Travel from Sheffield to Liverpool using eastmidlands train via Manchester Picadilly, 1 hr transit. Struggling to find a place to perform Dzhuhur+Asr in Manchester end up praying at Car parking lot, then found a nice prepared chaplaincy room in Liverpool airport, idiot, I should check earlier LOL.
• The train stop at Liverpool St Parkways station and take bus at terminal 4 to the Liverpool John Lennon airport. The fares is included with the train ticket, just show the driver your train ticket, it takes ~20 minutes to get to the airport.

Liverpool Airport, 2014

• Once in Krakow, its already night around 10.00 p.m, so we were wondering around the airport to find a way to get to Krakow city center where the our hostel is booked. Here, some Polish approach us to get to Krakow city with their car for 15euro each person which is ~60zl per head, luckily we have some reading saying that the bus is cheaper. The bus no 292 is available right in front of the airport to the city with 3,80zl per person. Something bad always happen, as the machine to buy the bus ticket is not accepting the bank notes, so need to change the money into coins, its available in the money exchange booth inside the airport, you can get it from there.
• it takes 45 minutes to the city center and 10 minutes walk to the hostel. The blu hostel is £5.68 per night per person with 3 bed where you need to walk across the Galeria krakowsi (Shopping mall).
• After checked in and settle down, I took a walk to the park just in front of my hostel just for a walk.

Westerplatte Krakow, 2014

Day 2:

• We decided to get to Zakopane to play the Ski and Snowboarding on the earliest morning which is on 6.40 a.m but we miss the bus Lol. so we embarked the next bus which is on 7.40 with only 15zl for 2 hr travel, man, its cheap!!

• Once we arrived the Zakopane city, we need to take the yellow color bus no 73, unique one lol, it costs 3zl to the Goodbye Lenin hostel about 15 minutes from the Zakopane city. Just mention to the driver that you are going to Goodbye Lenin Hostel, if he say yes then, you are on the right bus.
• We arrived quite earlier than the check in time, so the hostel help us to put our bagpack in the storage room. Well, the hostel is the best hostel ever!!! there are a lot of volunteer people who works and travel which really friendly and makes you feels like a home, its totally recommended, love them!!
• The hostel provide the equipment for the ski (equipment gear), we go and try the equipment, luckily my size is not there. My luck is really good, as the equipment is actually really heavy to bring to the ski slope (ski place), and I rent the equipment at the ski slope where there are a lot of agency/company/provider which provide the equipment gear with different packages and of course the price. So I decided to rent at the nearest booth with 20zl for ski set for two hours. Rent first then you pay, the payment is depend on how long you rent the equipment.
• The ski pass is 40zl for 2 hrs, we thought that it would not sufficient for us, we should take the one day pass, but second thought says that we are only beginners, and yes, after 45 minutes, one of my friends has already given up, because too tired and  no skills, he said that lol.
• I fall a lot, but it so much fun and awesome!!!!!!! it is unbeatable experience ever!!!

• Another good thing is, there is no halal foods in Poland, there is a lot of bacon hehe, so we can save more money by cooking hehe. There is mini market at the zakopane where we can buy the rice (beras), egg, and sardines with really cheap price. 
• We are too tired and and decide to have a short nap in the room to change the wet cloth after being falling a lot on the slope.
• The hostel is really friendly where you will feel like a homey and have the kitchen to cook.
• As usual, I will not stay in the room, having a night walk to see some experts skiing and nightlife around is great to see the natural life of the locals, oh yeahh!

Day 3:

• Skiing is enough for me, so decided to go sightseeing across Zakopane, take the same bus right infront of the hostel to the Krupowki street where the local is selling the souvenirs and local products. It is a long street with a lot of choice of souvenirs.
• The smoky cheese, the polish food, cheese and a lot is sold over the Krupowki's market. 

  

  Kupowki Zakopane, 2014

• Afterwards we took the train worth 19zl per person to the top of the !"£$%&^* mount, sorry dont know how to spell and worse the pronunciation lol.

  

  !"£$%^&*(, 2014

• About 3 p.m I'm by myself went to Krakow again as my flight is in the early morning next day, so I decided to stay Pink Panther Hostel with 30zl per night with 8 bed mixed dorm, well, I'm the first Malaysian ever to checkin in this hostel!! I'm happy! lol.
• Once arrived, I decided to take a walk around the city and visited, Wawel Castle where the dragon on fire, Sukienice, and the area nearby.

Day 4:

• The hostel provide the breakfast and snap some pic before leaving the city xx.

  

  Sukieniece and Krakow park, 2014

Summary:

4 days and 3 nights travel, with 72£ transport, 30£ accommodation, 12£ ski gear and pass with total of 114£ spend. I converted 120£ with balance of 40£ where a lot fridge magnet has been bought lol.