or, how I laid the kayak onto the big pond…

Danube’s accepted me for the whole time. She gave me the most beautiful things she could and I humbly dare to say that we’ve become friends. She guided me through whole Europe. She protected me. I could drink from her and swim in her as well…

She carried me on her shoulders all the way to the sea. Many times I felt that she’s preparing me, trying me out and now, calmly, she lets me continue with the next chapter of my journey.

Everything just somehow happened, it’s quick but also a full blast. The closer I was getting to the sea the more it’s calling me. Of course, some may say… How can a sea call anyone? The answer: I’ve no idea how it does it.’

It’s a dark night when I arrived to the sea, I took the kayak off the tug-truck. I checked in and, standing on a terrace, I was looking into the darkness. I knew that the sea’s in there. I could feel it. But it’s as dark as the night surrounding me.

Next morning I woke up thinking about the sea. I walked down to the ground floor, made myself a cup of coffee and walked out to the terrace. GOOD MORNING SEA… Humbly, I sat down so that we could enjoy the coffee together. The sight will stay vivid in my mind for a long time. A few months back I started from Prague and today I’m sitting at the shore of the Black Sea.

There could be no better welcome than to reach for a diving mask and fins and plunge under the water surface. I really enjoy those moments. I give myself to the water and let it show me its secrets. It’s true that I didn’t stay in for too long. After all, my neoprene suit is waiting for me in Istanbul. But I could feel the sea again with everything that belonged to it.

The kayak had to wait on the shore for a little longer. Before setting off it needed a thorough check to make sure that it’s in a good shape for the sea. It’d got a few scratches on the way. Still, although it’s dragged over and over there’re no larger repairs necessary. So, at least, I gave it a good washing under fresh water. I let it dry up and marked all the small wounds to make possible to notice when they start getting worse and the new ones appearing.

After three days of preparations and resting it was time to continue again. The Romanian national television crew arrived to shoot a report with me and then I headed towards the new exciting sea experience.