Backpacking Buddies: Ola Mueller From Poznań, Poland

While backpacking in Poznań, a local lady wanted to be part of my Backpacking Buddies series. Her name was Ola Mueller. She didn’t have a travel blog but wanted to have one. However, as a rarity, she’s the first and only person in this series who is not officially a friend of mine. However I am a friend of hers (her words) and since I’m such a nice honest blogger, I felt it the right thing to do to include her in the series because she classes me as a friend and can’t wait to feature. It has been one of her dreams, as she told me back in 2015. Today, a little later than billed (by 4 years!!), her dream becomes a reality. Welcome to the world of Ola Mueller…

I’ve used Ola’s words and photos which she sent me in the past. See it as whackpacking Journal For Plague Lovers years after the writer disappeared. In that case, writer Nick Jones used the words of writer Richey James Edwards.

Who are you and where are you from?

I’m Ola Mueller. I have a German name and come from a family of German and Polish. I have lived all over the world, including in Sofia in Bulgaria, Irkutsk in Siberia and Gdańsk in Poland. I speak Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, German and English. Plus I understand a bit of Bulgarian from my time living there.

Where did you meet Jonny from Don’t Stop Living?

We first met in the lovely kitchen at the Little Bucharest Hostel in Romania in 2014. Jonny was blogging on the table in the kitchen with a cup of tea and I came over and introduced myself to him.

Where have you travelled to so far?

Well I’ve lived in a few different parts of Poland for a start so I know Poland very well, especially Pomorskie region. I’m a Kociewian girl at heart so I love places like Tczew, Kokoszkowy and Starogard Gdański. I also love Morskie Oko in the south of Poland. It was so beautiful, I felt in love.

During my time in Bulgaria, I toured a lot of that country but also many bordering countries. I’ve been to Northern Macedonia, Greece (Thessaloniki), Romania and Turkey. Here are some photos.

What is your biggest adventure to date?

I have visited Russia a few times, and I love it. It’s a wild country! I have lived in Irkutsk and Saint Petersburg. However my biggest adventure was the Trans-Siberian railway to Irkutsk. I even toured the Republic of Buryati and saw the biggest Lenin head in the world.

I met a lot of people on that trip, and of course I improved my Russian a lot. Then I will be so busy until I finish my master. Some photos from Trans-Siberian.

Where will you go to next?

Who knows, but I hope it will be the next big adventure! My friend Zhenya and I came up with a plan to visit Georgia someday and in 2016 I backpacked in Denmark. I also plan to visit my friend Agnieszka in Birmingham and finally improve my English!

What tips do you have?

I don’t have many tips. I usually spend time with my Grandma. Recently I’ve been working 91 hours a week in Poznań so i was swamped with work.

Do you have a blog?

No I don’t but one day, why not. You are my motivation Jonny. I’m a big fan of your Don’t Stop Living blog!

That’s all Ola Mueller had to say. She also uses the names / monikers of Saszok, Alexandra Miller and Aleksandra Mueller.

Here is a video of Ola Mueller drinking Grzaniec hot wine with me while I was backpacking in Poznań: