Our bags were once again raided, this time for my mustache scissors which were, it seems, a millimeter too long to fly with.

Anyway, it was too early on Tuesday morning to offer any contest, and we had a long day of travel ahead.

More from the FloGrappling EuroTrip Blog Series:

• Pt. 1: A Table-Side Theft, Handcuffs & Lemon Pie with Reda Mebtouche (Paris)
• Pt.2: Pints & Ping Pong with Marcus Phelan & Richy B (Ireland)

From the cold Dublin airport we flew to Berlin, where we caught a 30-minute cab to wait in the train station for an hour, so we could purchase tickets to — ultimately — Koszalin, Poland, a far-north city in the land of fields that many Pols we crossed throughout our journey referred to as "a shit hole."

We had eight minutes from the moment we purchased our tickets until the train arrived, just enough time to grab a German Subway sandwich for our five-hour journey through the heart of Europe.

Our first train took us to Pasewalk station on the eastern border of Germany. The station was the only real building for what seemed like miles. Inside, a smokey casino where voyagers played slots while waiting for the train, and where the clerk at the desk demanded a 50 cent fare for the bathroom.

The train station in Pasewalk, Germany, featuring a casino

From there, a commuter train to Sczcecin in Poland, where our final train had already arrived, and which we just narrowly made. Then, the longest leg of the journey: a two and a half hour train to Koszalin.

While on the train, the hotel clerk called to tell us that our hotel rooms had been changed, and we would have to come to a different address to get our keys. I got the feeling we had been swindled, and that we were about to endure a true "Americans in a foreign land" experience.

When we arrived, we hauled our luggage on foot half a mile to the first hotel to pick up our keys. Many of the buildings looked somewhat run down, but the hotel seemed like the crown gem in the city. So when the clerk handed us our keys and gave us walking directions to the new hotel, we were a bit nervous at what we would find at the end of our walk. But to our surprise, the rooms at City Apartments Mlynska were grand. A huge, memory foam bed, a full kitchen, heated bathroom floors and a washer/dryer unit. Exactly what we needed after 14 days in Europe with one suitcase each full of clothes.

The enormous room at City Apartments Mlynska

The clerk at the hotel gave us a couple of discount cards to "the best restaurant in Koszalin," so, naturally, our first meal in Poland would be at the Gospodo Jamnesnska. A good decision, indeed. We ordered two plates of perogies (the best I've ever had), and some other Polish delicacies, and ate until we couldn't eat any more. We had a big day ahead of us.

The world's best perogies (in my humble opinion)

We woke on Wednesday ready to tackle the Secret Camp at Academia Gorila, an ADCC training camp which attracts athletes from all of Europe to prepare for the Trials. Among those expected: Trials winner Santeri Lilius, Pan & European champ Adam Wardzinski, Pan, Euro & Brasileiro champ Maria Malyjasiak, ADCC veteran Mateusz Szczeinski and many more.

We met with legendary FloGrappling photographer and Poland native Dominik Borowczyk (@borojitsu on Instagram) to take us to the camp after coffee.

Unfortunate timing for us: Mateusz was sick, and neither Maria or Adam would make it to the camp. But luckily for us, Santeri was there to put on a show, and several up and coming Pols caught our attention (specifically, Mateusz Mazur and Pawel Jaworski).

The training format, run by Kamil Wilk, was an interesting simulation of an ADCC Trials run. Four sets of  two rounds alternating six minutes then three minutes of takedowns only, preparing for overtime at ADCC Trials, the one set of eight minutes followed by four minutes from the feet, preparing for the ADCC Trials finals.

After training, Santeri and Boro took us by the city's landmark (a prison), then to a lunch restaraunt called Kukuryku (as in the sound a rooster makes).

Santeri & Boro at lunch

There, we talked about some interesting difference in Polish and American customs, and the Polish love for Pope John Paul II.

We returned to Academia Gorila for an evening class run by Santeri, and were welcomed to the hard-nosed Polish jiu-jitsu game. Those guys fight relentlessly for top position. Each of them was strong as an ox. And, all products of Mateusz Szczeinski, their ankle locks were gnarly.

Mateusz is an ankle lock legend, reputedly tapping many of the most stubborn legs in jiu-jitsu, so I found myself quick to play a tight passing game, and even quicker to tap when my ankle was exposed. 

When we finished, I stayed around to shoot an episode of Fix My Game with Santeri (coming soon!).

Sad news, folks, I had brought my photo camera with me to document the experience, but forgot it in the locker room at the gym. On the upside, Mateusz found it for me. But if you're looking for photo evidence from this leg of the trip, it's currently on a memory card 5,000 miles away.

Seriously, if you're ever in Koszalin, this is the only restaurant you need to visit

We returned to Gospodo Jamnesnska for more perogies, and for a taste of the Golanka (pork ankle). Then, we packed — again — for a morning train and an afternoon flight to Oslo.

The plan was to wake at 6:15 am to walk to the station for a 6:48 train. I woke at 6:34 to a knock on my door and a missed text from Trey reading "I'm headed to the train. I'll meet you there."

I have never run so fast, especially not while carrying a 50 lb bag and dragging a worn out piece of luggage behind me in the rain.

I was panicking, trying to navigate through the foreign streets of Koszalin, and just when I thought I had made it, I remembered the tunnel I had to cross to get to the platform. When I finally crossed, there were two trains, both about to depart. I pleaded with someone to tell me which train was going to Gdansk. Of course it was on the platform across the tracks.

I sprinted over there, and, dripping with sweat, boarded the train as the doors closed behind me. I walked from the back car to the front car and sat beside Trey, ready to take another train across Poland, then catch a flight to Oslo, Norway.