In one of the churches of Olomouc, Czechia, August 2026

Every long journey eventually begins with a farewell.

As my summer leave slowly drew to a close, I found myself appreciating the simple pleasure of staying close to home. After weeks spent crossing much of Europe, these final days were not about travelling far, but about enjoying familiar places with people who matter most.

They became a gentle ending to one chapter before another was about to begin.

I spent this time with Mum, Giovanni, and my family in Nowy Sącz, making the most of every remaining day before my departure for Addis Ababa.

One of our first excursions took Giovanni and me through the beautiful Rożnów Lake region.

We drove to Tropie, a place where history and landscape seem inseparable. Hidden among forested hills overlooking the lake stands the tiny Romanesque Church of Saints Andrew and Świerad, one of the oldest churches in Poland. Built almost nine hundred years ago, it remains wonderfully modest, inviting visitors not through grandeur but through simplicity. Standing there, surrounded by silence and greenery, it was easy to understand why hermits and pilgrims once chose this place.

Later, we continued along the shores of Jezioro Rożnowskie, stopping to admire the views before finding a quiet place beside the water for a drink. The lake shimmered under the summer sun while sailing boats drifted lazily across its surface. There was no particular plan for the afternoon. We simply enjoyed the luxury of unhurried conversation and the beauty of southern Poland.

Sometimes that is enough.

A few days later, another journey awaited us.

Together with Mum and Giovanni, we set off towards Velké Karlovice, in the eastern Czech Republic, where we had planned a short stay at a spa hotel tucked away among the Beskid Mountains.

The journey itself became part of the holiday.

Our first stop was Niedzica Castle, standing proudly above the turquoise waters of Lake Czorsztyn. For centuries the fortress guarded the historic frontier between Poland and Hungary, and its walls still carry countless legends, including the famous tale of the Inca treasure supposedly hidden somewhere within the castle. Whether true or not hardly matters. Places like Niedzica remind us that history often becomes richer through the stories people continue to tell.

Not far away, we stopped in Bukowina Tatrzańska for coffee.

The terrace overlooked the High Tatras, their jagged peaks rising sharply against a cloudless blue sky. We lingered longer than planned, simply enjoying the panorama. The mountains seemed almost close enough to touch.

Crossing into Slovakia, we spent some time exploring the High Tatras, where alpine villages sit quietly beneath towering granite peaks. Every visit there reminds me why this mountain range is often called the smallest alpine range in the world. There is something wonderfully intimate about it—grand enough to inspire awe, yet close enough to feel welcoming.

By evening, we reached Velké Karlovice.

The hotel proved to be everything we had hoped for. Comfortable rooms, excellent food, long evenings over dinner, mornings beginning slowly, and hours spent moving between the swimming pool, saunas and jacuzzi. There was no rush to see anything. The greatest luxury was simply having nowhere we needed to be.

From there we explored nearby Olomouc, one of the Czech Republic's most beautiful yet often overlooked cities.

Its elegant squares, colourful Baroque façades, churches, fountains and cafés immediately won us over. Walking through the historic centre felt like discovering a smaller, quieter cousin of Prague—equally rich in history, but without the crowds. The magnificent Holy Trinity Column rising above the main square, together with the astronomical clock and centuries-old university atmosphere, gave the city a remarkable character.

It was one of those unexpected discoveries that often become highlights of a journey.

The return to Poland became another excursion in itself.

We crossed the border through Český Těšín and Cieszyn, two towns divided by a river yet connected by centuries of shared history. Walking from one country into another took only minutes, a quiet reminder of how borders in Europe have gradually become places of connection rather than separation.

Further east we stopped in Wisła, nestled among forested mountains and known as the source of Poland's longest river, before continuing to Szczyrk, where ski slopes and hiking trails attract visitors throughout the year. Even in summer, the Beskids possess a calm beauty that invites slow exploration.

By evening we were back in Nowy Sącz.

The final days passed with family—my brother, his wife, and the children. Shared meals. Conversations stretching into the evening. Familiar laughter around the table. The kind of moments that rarely appear extraordinary while they happen, yet later become some of the memories we treasure most.

And now, the suitcases are open once again.

The holidays have come to an end.

Soon I will leave Poland and begin another chapter of my life and career in Addis Ababa.

Every posting starts with uncertainty.

New people.

New landscapes.

New challenges.

Looking back over these weeks, I realise how fortunate I have been: to share them with Mum, with Giovanni, with family and friends, travelling through places both familiar and new, collecting not only photographs but moments of genuine happiness.

Now another journey begins.

Ethiopia is waiting.

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