Running with the storm

To Białystok and beyond - on Friday I journeyed to Ziggy and Zosia's place, Mamrotowo, north of Podlasie's capital. The journey was memorable - we drove out of Warsaw as an almighty storm was brewing, a storm that would kick off as we reached Marki, some 10km into our route, and would continue, unabated for another three hours.

Above: The sky's getting very dark, yet sunset is not for another 40 minutes. Before reaching the next set of lights, the heavens would open.

The lightning to the north and to the east of us would flash several times a minute; the rain was so intense that traffic was moving at 50kmh (30mph), with dancing stalagmites of rainwater bouncing up off the asphalt ahead. When the hail started, it sounded like our car was being pounded by shrapnel of anti-aircraft artillery. Under every roadbridge along the way, two or three cars were parked on the hard shoulder, waiting for the storm to abate. It showed no signs of doing so. Neither Ziggy nor I had ever seen such rain, lashing down with such intensity for so long.

Above: We reach a roadside restaurant outside Ostrów Mazowieckie. An hour and half separate the distance between the two photos - 90km. We spent an hour here (mushroom soup, cabbage soup with pork ribs, gołąbki, a huge golonka (pork knuckle), two portions of chips, one beer and two cokes - 40 zł or eight quid). We came out and it was still pouring, and would continue to do so for another half and hour or so.

Driving back today, I saw that north-east of Wyszków, the wind had brought down some 15 or so trees which must have blocked the road shortly after we passed on Friday night.

I returned to watch the news and hear that Poland has been visited by the third wave of floods this summer, while Russia burns (Moscow +38C forecast for Tuesday). The weather is getting ever more extreme.