Adventures of a Traveling Gay Couple

That said things moved very quickly. We declared our love for each other after spending hours on Skype often sat talking until until the early hours. We spent 6 months communicating this way and the result? an amazing bond of trust and enlightenment. We knew everything about our pasts our family and our friends. We knew we had the same shoe size and can wear each others clothes even though we had never met.
One highlight I would love to share was our first Valentine's day together (well almost) remember we still had not met or kissed or even hugged, just endless hours of talking. Valentine's day fast approaching we decided to cook together via Skype. We prepared the same italian dish and ate by candlelight as if we were in the same room the most amazing experience and one I shall cherish forever. Read More letters and poems

Meeting for the First Time in Philadelphia airport we were so nervous and yet already so in love, a strange combination and yet a start of an amazing relationship. As we hugged and kissed for the first time we both shook with anticipation, we both agreed we needed a drink to settle our nerves and head to the airport hotel lounge for a vodka martini. What I had not realised was how much Polish men and women drink, we had a couple of drinks in the bar and head back to Robert's home (lovingly referred to as "Hotel Kiersnowski") where I was greeted with more vodka and meet Robert's mother, grand mother and numerous aunts. I was very overwhelmed at this point, when Robert suggested after a tour of the house that we make a quick exit and explore the neighborhood and it's bars.

On meeting us I think it is fair to say that we are not want you might call a typical gay couple, we certainly don't fit to any stereotype and have no desire too. We like any other couple who have found there soul mate are very much in love and if you were to spend sometime with us you would know this to be true, that said we are not gay activists and we have no intention to force our relationship on anyone. Good job really as we choose to live in a very religious community in a remote area of north eastern Poland, Choosing this lifestyle means we are forced to be discreet and can only show affection when we spend time with our closet friends.

A little bit about me!

Having been raised the eldest of three in a secluded farming area of Wales, UK, i neither had time nor the ability to have many close friends. Our daily trip to school consisted of a 1hr cycle ride then a 2hr bus ride each way every day, we choose to go that is. I remember many a time my brother and I cycling very slowly down the winding country lanes purposely riding slowly to miss our bus to school. We would throw our bikes into the verge about 100 m before the bus stop and hide until the bus had past. Cycling home was always great fun but that would come to an abrupt end when our parents would then assign us chores to do on the farm and in the farmhouse. Although my childhood in comparison to today's children would seem dull and lifeless and frankly alot of hardwork, I am however proud to say we wanted for nothing and I have some very fond memories of time spent caring for and playing with my brother a year younger than me and my sister 8 years younger.

Friends have come and gone throughout my life, and as mobile phones and social networking were just mere ideas whilst I was in university, I like many others lost touch with friends as we moved on with our own lives, that is until i meet Robert!

A little bit about Robert!

We could not be more different, Robert born to Polish parents in Philadelphia, USA. Robert the second and somewhat unexpected youngest son lived very much in the shadow of his brother 15 years older than him. Raised a devote catholic by his grandmother and babysitter, she very much moulded Robert's early years, attending an American religious school five days a week, spending Saturdays in school speaking Polish and on Sundays after church committed to two hours every week learning Polish traditional dancing.

People often ask us how we came to talk and what made us move forward with our relationship in the early days and the answer is destiny, we were simply meant to be together everything in our colourful lives prior to meeting was preparation for our lives together as one. I recall looking through Roberts Facebook profile pictures back in nov 2008 and getting an overwhelming feeling that friends not only featured in Robert's life but were the backbone and substances to his life and I was right, this made him incredible attractive to me a good looking guy in his early 30s with so many good friends I knew this man had a warm heart and I wanted to know more.
Whilst this observation took approx a few minutes to assess Robert simply saw my profile photo of me holding a black cat and decide to get in-touch with me. You might ask? why but believe me when i tell you the following 4 months of blossoming relationship was a huge surprise to me and even today nearly 3 years later I often stop in amazement of our relationship and what we can achieve.

Late September around 3am on a monday morning we arrived in Siemiatycze after getting lost on route along the network of narrow lanes and small villages that cover the Podlaskie region of Poland. We had been driving 36hrs non stop and really looking forward to final reaching our destination. To my surprise we were greeted by Robert's mother with traditional Polish hospitality and once we ate and drank some homemade vodka, we slept incredibly soundly in our new home.

I remember waking on my first day in the area by the sound of church bells and i recall my first experience of the strange tranquility that surrounds the city at night and early mornings. Looking from my bedroom window i see red metal rooftops, chimneys and forests, i can smell the aroma of burning pine, hear birdsong and see reflections from the lakes a most welcome sight after such a long journey and still today i find great peace from the feeling i get when pausing to appreciate the natural beauty and a simplified way of life.

The city of Siemiatycze gently nestles in a small basin and built up around three lakes (locally called Zalew). Two of these lakes are natural and one man made, each one with it's own character and charm, beautiful tranquil lakes with differing backdrops of old and modern quaint Polish homes, numerous churches of Catholic and Russian Orthodox religion in the foreground with surrounding pine forests and mixed deciduous broad leaved trees in the distant.

This is my fourth visit to Siemiatyzce, previously we had visited for two to three weeks at a time. The difference now is that we plan to stay all winter and make this our home, rather niave of us to think we could simply leave our home in Wales and drive across europe to set up home in this area of Poland but we did and what followed was one of the biggest challenges of my life and with more to follow life was about to change dramatically.

Autumn 2010
I find myself once again exploring the forests and lakeside paths surrounding the city of Siemiatycze. The vast area is a network of paths, woodland, lakes and streams and i can honestly say this is the greenest city i have ever visited. Exploring the tracks and paths of sand by mountain bike, miles from anywhere i took to thinking about my journey and how this actually came to be and perhaps if i had known what lay ahead i may of been to nervous to face the challenge.

Awesome a Purple Star for my very first lens - our story is ongoing and i update this lens regularly making improvements and adding new photographs. My other lenses may be of interest to you as i uncover the mystery surrounding many ancient Polish traditions, culture and recipes.

I look back to our time in Poland this spring with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. I dearly miss my newly found home and whilst grateful for my opportunity to travel worldwide, I miss the serenity and solitude that not only I grew up with in Wales but also discovered in the Podlaskie county of Poland.
Taking a breather from our latest travels I now have the desire to express my thoughts and feelings again. I become to realise this is my blogging therapy.

We have been travelling and living in and out of our suitcases for the last three months and we have had the fortune to re-connect with family and friends on route.

We left Siemiatycze waved off by our friends and family and set about our 3rd attempt at a 36 hour non stop trip across Europe, leaving behind our doberman and our newly adopted mini short haired terrier cross, knowing fair well that four months later our beloved pets would put on weight and be spoilt with treats by mamasiu. (polish for mother)

Tears in our eyes we were both feeling sad to be leaving, even with everything we had been through in Poland during the last eight months ( I will get back to this in another blog) we still have very strong connection with the area. Our third road trip we were optimistic about our journey and aimed not to get lost this time round, a crucial element of our trip is time keeping and getting lost was simply not an option. Our ferry from calais to dover was booked and paid for and too miss it would incur an extra $200 fee and as we were planning on the fuel costing over $600, we simply could not afford any extra charges.

All was well we had been driving 4hrs and managed to sail through Warsaw city centre without getting lost a major accomplishment believe me. A further 5 hrs driving and we would cross the border into Germany and with this in mind we were happily enjoying the drive through the night on some newly laid single lane roads in western Poland. I remember noting lots of development and new distribution centres lining the roadside most of which has appeared in the last few months, the new narrow roads already choked with a large number of trucks ferrying goods in and out of Poland an obvious sign of change for this region.

Suddenly my mind was drawn to the road ahead and signs indicating a bend in the road suddenly became a warning sign for a fast approaching roundabout almost too late Robert hit the brakes and we slowly slid towards a clapt out polish car that sheepishly crept around the island and just inched out of our reach as we came to a standstill. I held my heart in my mouth and went pale, Luckily Robert has much better control than me and we continued as if nothing happened. We made good time a few red bulls and lots of caffine we even had time for a sleep in France we had by now been travelling 25hrs and had travelled 9 hrs east to west Poland, 10 hrs across Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and France. Arriving at the ferry 3hrs early we were surprised to be allowed to board a much earlier ferry and began our trip back to the UK.

So ends my second long stay in Eastern Poland been here since October and leave May 29th. Eight whole months with a short break in Slovakia for the Winter Skiing and no bones broken this time.

We have both been working out and cycling all spring but got to stop drinking the beer and lose a few more pounds before our big day!
Like last year when we left I feel kinda sad to be leaving especially since the weather has been so awesome and after such along winter it almost seems as though we leave just as Siemiatycze comes alive.

Lot's of fun ahead a few weeks in the UK, hoping to spin with DJ Betty Ford (one of the UK upcoming female Drum and Bass DJ's soon to hit the east coast of USA) and hang out with some great friends and make preparations for our wedding in September! One things for sure things are never dull :)

Sometimes i like to sit back and watch my future husband just to see him interact with people. Robert connects with people of all ages, creed and race, this always reminds me of the reason for falling so madly in love with this guy from day one.

When i first got the request for friendship i thought, "okay maybe a few new friends couldn't hurt" and on looking through Robert's photograph album on Facebook, I suddenly had a wave of admiration for this guy. Robert obviously loved his friends and family and believe me when i say neither of which are in short supply. Still almost three years later I am amazed at Robert's ability to communicate with complete strangers engaging their attention and ultimately their friendship.