Day 8 started with a good breakfast at the hotel (above) before the airport driver arrived promptly at 8:15. Back at the airport I had to pay the fees. It soon became clear why I was the only flight in yesterday, I had to pay for the whole airport. The landing fee was more than the cost of 35 litres of fuel, and that wasn't cheap. My first choice of Suwalki in Eastern Poland depended on fuel being available. They had tried calling many times but said the line was down. Gdansk it had to be.The flightplan was filed and I was on my way. One thing I remembered from yesterday was that the airport has a 2.5Km runway with aprons at both ends. When I approached yesterday, I asked whether I should land short or long. "Short" he said, so I did and having stopped almost by the end of the numbers I was then given the instruction "taxi to the end of the runway and turn right". I expected the reverse today, but no he was almost helpful. Something I am getting used to is being given a detailed clearance at an inopportune time like taxiing. The clearance will read something like "G-TREX taxi to holding point bravo1 via Alpha Line up and cleared take off. Once airborne turn right to November maintaining 1000ft. At the edge of the zone route for Kilo Mike India and maintain 3000 ft on the Qnh 1018 and expect a frequency change to Poznan Information on 123.45. Your squark for the trip is 7443" just how much of that are you supposed to read back?
The trip to Gdansk International was fine except of course they do not ppear to understand VFR flight in Poland. When entering a flight plan they will not accept VFR and expect you to give a height. Then they criticise you if you vary from that height by more than a 100 ft, and then ignore it anyway by asking you to descend to 1500ft even though the base of controlled airspace is 6500 and the ground is at 1200. The approach then into Gdansk was bumpy to say the least. I landed and followed the car. I asked for fuel and I think he told me to wait and drove off. I waited in the sun.

Eventually the huge tanker arrived and delivered 22 litres.l asked the driver if I paid in the office where the C was (like everywhere else) and he said Yes. I walked off to the office and reported at the desk to pay landing fees and other services. A furious armed security guard then approached me and spoke in Polish. I didn't understand a word. He tried again, it still didn't help. Eventually someone told me I should go with him. I followed and got in his army jeep. We thundered off in the direction of the plane and he asked me a question. I shrugged and said I didn't understand. He turned round drove back jumped out, shouted at someone then got back in. "Shut up" he said in Polish. At least I assume that is what he said as we rushed again at breakneck speed to the plane in silence. The tanker driver was still there. It turned out I was suppossed to pay him. Transaction completed Mr. Sullen and Moody (but with a gun so you have to be noice to him) drove me back. Inside the terminal everyone was much more helpful. Despite it being a large airport with 3 x 737s two MD110s and an ATR, the fee was quite modest at 20 Euros. I was given a nice cup of real coffee and the girls helped me prepare the flight plan. I asked about permission to transit the Kaliningrad FIR, they laughed and said it would take months to get permission. I submitted my plan to them and they looked quite puzzled. What is this they said "DCT KNA270020" I tried to explain and they went off to ask for advice. They are so used to all flights being carried out VOR to VOR that the idea that you might want to go somewhere else eluded them. They consulted and were told it was OK. So I was off. Another complex routing followed and I was told to line up after the MD110 had taxied past. I did and waved at the passengers!

This was my first view of Russia. Its where tha land gets very narrow.

This time the flight was quite bumpy at any height. As I tried hard to maintain the clearred height of 3500ft I had my first glimpse of Russia. I am not making a political statement, but all the black clouds appeared to be sitting over their side. I continued as the scenery became more and more desolate. Radio contact was intermittent, but at last I reached the border with Lithuania and turned north. Kunas information had no radar ( was going to make a comment that perhaps they can't afford it, but then thought London Information hasn't either) so they kept asking me my position. Gradually I became aware that they were very concerned to make sure I did not encroach on Russian airspace. Russia is the other side of the river

I found out why later. I approached Klaipeda and changed to their frequency and got no response. After three calls I went back to Palanga approach and explained I could not make contact on the radio and therefore I would like to divert into their airfield (it was my first alternate) They told me to head direct and report runway in site and gave me their wind. thought everything was fine. "G-TREX I asked you to head direct for Klaipeda" "I said I had asked for premission to approach Palanger as an alternative and he had agreed. He said no, my flight plan said Klaipeda so I must go there. The circuit is clear" so I turned back and landed. As I taxied in to an apron full of Antonov AN-2s in various stages of repair from Wreck to airworthy I thought the entire place was deserted. I walked around and found a guy pre flighting a brand new CT and said hello. He spoke no English and directed me to his friend who had a new Sting. They could do nothing with fuel, but Dinas offered to drive me to a hotel in town which he did. On the way he told me of their common practice of flying directly at the border and turning away just before reaching it. He said on most occasions you could see the Mig that had been sent to intercept them.
Tommorrow looks as though the weather is going to be bad with storms tonight at least. So perhaps it will be two days in Klaipeda. Meanwhile a good day with 522 miles covered making 2581 in all. Just about half way.