We left as kayakers and came back as dissidents
Fed up with living in Communist Poland, Andrzej Pietowski, Jacek Bogucki and their friends set off to paddle one of the toughest rivers in the world. Their lives changed forever.
In the late 1970s, a bunch of fun-loving young Polish guys fed up with living under communism built themselves some kayaks and set off on an adventure. Despite their initial lack of experience, equipment or money, Andrzej Pietowski, Jacek Bogucki and their friends became the first to paddle one of the world's deepest river canyons - the Colca in southern Peru. They were about to return to Poland as heroes when the military imposed a crackdown on the burgeoning Solidarity movement, leaving the kayakers in a risky position. Andrzej and Jacek tell Jo Fidgen their extraordinary story, which is featured in the upcoming documentary Godspeed, Los Polacos!
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Picture: The kayakers
Credit: Canoandes聽Inc
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- Thu 26 Aug 2021 11:06GMT大象传媒 World Service News Internet
- Thu 26 Aug 2021 17:06GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
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Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected