clink-bang-pop!

Honestly, I'll pay people for their labors. I will. I swear. Again it happened to me. It took me four hours and five different bikes shops before someone would fix my tire. I was suprised I didn't need a new wheel after walking it that far. The guy "fixing" it assured me I didn't need it. He put the wheel on.
I rode off and right away it was clink-bang-popping. I came back tot he guy and he said there was nothing wrong with it. I kept pointing to my ear and yelling like he was one of my students in Kyrgyzstan, "LISTEN!!!" He assured me nothing was wrong. I realized this was going to go no where cuz he had already "fixed" it and he knew he wouldn't get any more money from me for anymore work.
Naturally after struggling so hard to get out of Lithuania and being only 30kms from the border I knew there was only one thing I could do... Make a run for the border.
Making the worst, most awful noises I have ever heard I made it into Poland. I have never been so excited to get out fo a country. I literally was begining to feel like Lithuania would never let me go.
So, I made it to Suwalki Poland. Oh, and can I just make a side note.... Who knew Poland was so hilly? Damn!
I ended up getting the pimp daddy room at the hotel I stayed at because that was all they had left and all the other hotels were booked up. They let me name my own price. Holla! However there was some dirty art on the wall.
Here in Suwalki they have imformed me the back tire is unrepairable and that I need a new back wheel. They don't have them. They didn't think anyone in town or any of the towns near by would have them. I have decided to bus it down to Warsaw. I figure it is major city and hopefully someone can get me a new back wheel there and maybe speak English...since I know no Polish.
From here to Berlin or from Warsaw to Berlin are about the same distance. So, if I can get my bike fixed I'll still feel like I did it.
However, this whole ordeal has made me realize I want to compile a book on bike problems in a 100 different languages. So, friends if you know some other languages please send me a note with parts of a bike in whatever language you know. I haven't actually flipped out over this. I'm kind of proud of my resolve I have had through this whole thing. If something constructive can come from this whole thing than I won't mind that it happened. Stay tuned for if my bike makes it....