DAUGHTER SURPRISES HARDWORKING DAD FROM POLAND WHO HAS NEVER HAD A HOLIDAY, WALKED ALONG A BEACH OR STAYED IN A HOTEL WITH A TRIP-OF-A-LIFETIME TO BALI.

Daughter Iwona Pinkowicz (pictured) said her passion for travelling and desire to discover new places and cultures comes from her dad and treated him to an adventure he never thought was possible

 

 

Polish-born Iwona Pinkowicz secretly booked the long haul adventure to Singapore, Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands in Indonesia so her hard-working dad, Marian, could witness all of the places he had been talking about for years. Pictured is Marian cycling around Gili Trawangan

After the plan was revealed to a shocked Marian, the factory worker, Iwona and her fiancé set off for his first long haul expedition

In a heartwarming tale, a daughter decided to give her dad, who had never walked along a beach let alone stayed in a hotel before, the trip of a lifetime to say thank you for all the sacrifices he had made over the years.

Polish-born Iwona Pinkowicz, who lives in London, secretly booked the long haul adventure to Singapore, Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands in Indonesia so her hard-working dad, Marian, could witness all of the places he had been talking about for years but had never been able to visit. 

Paying for his first long haul ticket, hotels, souvenirs and food, the digital marketer booked the 16-day trip for November last year and kept the whole thing as a total surprise for the 60-year-old who lives in a rural Polish village. 

'My dad is very conservative and often doesn't show his emotions but when we told him about the trip he was overjoyed! I remember one of the first things he asked was 'why have you spent so much money on me?' which is typical of him!' Iwona told MailOnline Travel. 

'After the initial shock he told me that, although he might not show much excitement on the surface, deep down he was overwhelmed and extremely thankful to my fiancé and I for our generosity.'

Apart from a quick flight to visit his daughters in London, this would be the first time Marian would set foot on a plane.

'He experienced his first long-haul flight, first night's sleep in a hotel and first bout of jet lag in the first 24 hours!' Iwona said. 

'Everyone on board was able to watch movies and listen to music, but my dad couldn't do this as he doesn't understand English!'

The trip started with a two-night stay in Singapore, before luckily managing to avoid the volcanic ash cloud from Mount Rinjani to reach Bali.

For Marian, who worked full-time in an industrial sheet metal factory doing manual work and roof repairing, this would also be the first time he would experience spa treatments, walking along a beach and seeing sunsets over the sea.

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Iwona said Marian is great man who has worked hard throughout his life, sometimes holding down two jobs at the same time to provide for the family, and she felt she owed it to him to walk along a beach for the first time. Pictured is Marian walking along the beach for the first time in Gili Trawangan

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For Marian, who worked full-time in an industrial sheet metal factory doing manual work and roof repairing, this was the first time he experienced spa treatments, walking along a beach and sunsets over the sea. Pictured is Marian relaxing in their luxury Bali hotel 

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The trip incorporated a trip to Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands in Indonesia. Pictured is Marian stroking a cat in Gili Trawangan

It would also be a break where the family man could get a much deserved relax in a paradisal setting, having spent most of his life working 5am to 10pm double shifts at work.

And forget scrimping and watching the pennies, among Marian's first hotel experiences was five-star accommodation in Bali. 

'I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I saw my dad sunbathing for the first time and his face was a picture as we were crashing through the waves on his first ever speedboat trip!' Iwona said. 

'He also experienced his first rooftop cocktail at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, saw certain wildlife in the flesh for the first time (including wild monkeys blocking roads in Lombok) and absorbed a completely foreign culture strolling through temples in Bali.

'My dad had never really tried much Asian cuisine before the trip either, but he's a big fan of it now!'

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The whole trip came as a total surprise for the 60-year-old, who lives in a rural Polish village, and has never travelled beyond the country for a holiday. Pictured is Marian cooling himself down in the Bali heat 

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Forget scrimping and watching the pennies, among Marian's first hotel experiences was five-star accommodation in Bali

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The trip provided Marian with the opportunity to witness first-hand the places he had dreamed of from watching TV

After Bali the trio did a day trip from Gili T to Lombok, where they rented scooters and rode them around the island. Following this they headed back to Bali for one night before flying back to Singapore for a final night there before heading back to London.

The trip provided Marian with the opportunity to witness first-hand the places he had dreamed of from watching the Discovery and National Geographic channels from the comfort of his small-town home in Przemysl in south-east Poland.

'My dad loves watching engineering, travel or wildlife programmes, he loves them all,' Iwona said. 

'His memory is incredible and he has a great ability to absorb information and facts about various subjects from what he watches. He always seems to surprise me with interesting facts about something whenever we speak.'

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Iwona said it was an amazing feeling watching her dad seeing and doing things for the first time, as she had been lucky enough to travel to countries like Philippines, Japan, USA, Australia and Israel

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Simple things that many people take for granted like relaxing by the swimming pool were an incredible experience for the dedicated family man 

The 32-year-old marketing worker, who also does photography in her spare time, moved to London when she was 19 in hope of creating a better future for herself and her family. 

Iwona said: 'My dad is an easy going person and it was really special spending such precious time together in breathtaking locations.

'The trip was special not because of where it was but because of what it was, a treat for someone dear to me.

'I want the message to be that if anyone has the means and the opportunity to be able to treat their closest friends and family they should do it. 

'It's one of the best feelings in the world. I hope our story will inspire others to do the same.' 

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Iwona said it was really special spending such precious time together in breathtaking locations and she hopes their story inspires others to do the same if they are able