Getting into Lithuania was unlike anything I experienced anywhere. I figure it's because that's where the most recent entrance was to the ex Soviet Block. The cars were backed up for a few blocks. The guards would let about 10 cars through at a time. At the first checkpoint guards took everybody's passports, questioned everyone, then took the passports into their office, scanned them, and checked them out thoroughly. Then they gave everybody their passports, and asked more questions. That's just for the first checkpoint, there were five checkpoints that I had to go through.

Lithuania was beautiful, especially old walled city of Vilnius. Things weren't too smooth for me though. Not a single hostel I looked for actually existed, and none of the campgrounds that were mentioned in my guide books or on the local maps I bought were where I thought they would be. I ended up poach camping both nights in the rain in thick forrests. I had a hard time getting through the brush, let alone trying to clear space enough for a tent, in the rain, in the dark . . . just kept thinking, what would McGuiver do?