I'm going to Poland this summer, and I was thinking about visiting Belarus. I would cross the border in Bialowiezy National Park then I would head down to Brest and then to Minsk. I would most likely be traveling by train. Is that the best way? And how much do train tickets cost?
Also, I would have a video camera with me, filming a travel video. I know some countries in Europe especially Russia, and some of the former Soviet countries have strict filming policies, and I heard you can go to prison. Is Belarus the same? Are there some places they won't let you film?
Also, I speak a little Russian but not very much. Should I learn some before I go, or do the people there speak English? Also, do they speak Polish in the border areas, cause I'm fluent in Polish.
Also, do they take American money? If not, can I exchange it? And where are the best places for tourists to stay? I would probably only be staying in a hotel in Minsk, and probably only for one night. I will have my tent with me, so I would like to camp if possible. I probably won't be there longer then 2 or 3 days, unless there is something interesting to see between Brest and Minsk. If not, then maybe I won't even need my tent. My plan is to spend maybe 2 or 3 nights in Bialowiezy, and then leave early morning around sunrise and cross the border on foot, visit the Belarusian side of the park and then take a train to Brest. I just wanna visit the area around the Old Fortress, so I probably won't be there for more then 2 hours. Then I plan to take a train to Minsk, spend the night, visit the city in the morning, spend about half a day and take a train back to Poland. Unless the train will travel at night, then I won't even be staying at a hotel in Minsk, I'll just sleep on the train. I don't plan to go any further then Minsk, unless I find something else that looks interesting. I don't know if there's anything between Brest and Minsk that's worth seeing, so I'll probably go straight there. Is there any thing I should know about visa requirements? Like I said, I don't plan to be there longer then 3 days, unless I discover something else that's worth visiting. Is there anything else I should know besides what I already asked?
One more thing, I'm not sure if they have trains from Bialowiezy, so is there an alternative. Is hitch hiking legal. If there's no train near the park, I would just need a ride to the nearest train station. And on the way back, I won't be going though the park, so I'll probably cross the border in Brest.
Any other information you can give me will be really helpful.
Spasiba
Also, I would have a video camera with me, filming a travel video. I know some countries in Europe especially Russia, and some of the former Soviet countries have strict filming policies, and I heard you can go to prison. Is Belarus the same? Are there some places they won't let you film?
Also, I speak a little Russian but not very much. Should I learn some before I go, or do the people there speak English? Also, do they speak Polish in the border areas, cause I'm fluent in Polish.
Also, do they take American money? If not, can I exchange it? And where are the best places for tourists to stay? I would probably only be staying in a hotel in Minsk, and probably only for one night. I will have my tent with me, so I would like to camp if possible. I probably won't be there longer then 2 or 3 days, unless there is something interesting to see between Brest and Minsk. If not, then maybe I won't even need my tent. My plan is to spend maybe 2 or 3 nights in Bialowiezy, and then leave early morning around sunrise and cross the border on foot, visit the Belarusian side of the park and then take a train to Brest. I just wanna visit the area around the Old Fortress, so I probably won't be there for more then 2 hours. Then I plan to take a train to Minsk, spend the night, visit the city in the morning, spend about half a day and take a train back to Poland. Unless the train will travel at night, then I won't even be staying at a hotel in Minsk, I'll just sleep on the train. I don't plan to go any further then Minsk, unless I find something else that looks interesting. I don't know if there's anything between Brest and Minsk that's worth seeing, so I'll probably go straight there. Is there any thing I should know about visa requirements? Like I said, I don't plan to be there longer then 3 days, unless I discover something else that's worth visiting. Is there anything else I should know besides what I already asked?
One more thing, I'm not sure if they have trains from Bialowiezy, so is there an alternative. Is hitch hiking legal. If there's no train near the park, I would just need a ride to the nearest train station. And on the way back, I won't be going though the park, so I'll probably cross the border in Brest.
Any other information you can give me will be really helpful.
Spasiba