Summary and thanks

A few days on and the walk is becoming a distant memory. The weather in Riga has been very changeable and I keep thinking how lucky I was to avoid rainy weather. Day 23 from Priekule to Bernati was the only consistently wet day, although by the evening, that day was fine and mild and at Bernati we were treated to a stunning sunset. Perhaps the walk might have gone differently if I had needed to walk through days of rainy weather with wet clothes.

From the Russian border in the east to the coastline of the Baltic Sea in the west was a total of 734kms and took 23 days. I averaged 32kms each day and 7.5 hours of walking at 4.29kms per hour. The walk finished in Liepaja – 24 days, a total of 750kms (an average of 31kms each day and 7.25 hours of walking at 4.28kms per hour).

I was accompanied on 8 of the 24 days, as follows:
Days 1 - 4, by Ziedonis,
Days 8 & 9, by Mark,
Day 19, by Janis, and
Day 24, by Anita, Lija and Selga.



I stayed with friends for 4 nights:
Day 9, near Inesi with Esmeralda Ermale
Day 11, near Zaube with Gunta Apsite
Day 16, at ‘Billites’ near Iecava with Anna Zigure
Day 19, near Zebrus Lake with Nita Apsite and Janis Apsitis.

On the other nights I stayed in a range of accommodation:
Day 1, at ‘Melderi’ on Lake Nirza at Nirza (cottage)
Day 2, at ‘Pie Raznas’ at Kaunata (cottage)
Day 3, at ‘Osmany’ on Lake Raznas at Dvarci (self-contained rooms)
Day 4, at ‘Kaleji’ at Kozori near Rezekne (fisherman’s cottage)
Day 5, at ‘Lacu leja’ at Jaunvilani (hotel)
Day 6, at the Arodvidusskola at Barkava (school accommodation)
Day 7, at ‘Rudzons’ at Madona (hotel)
Day 8, at ‘Vestiena’ at Vestiena (older hotel)
Day 10, at ‘Indrani’ near Skujene (cottage)
Day 12, at ‘Licmuiza’ at Licupe (manor house)
Day 13, at ‘Ritarasas’, Lobes Krogs, near Ledmane (hotel)
Day 14, at ‘Pukkalnini’ near Kegums (self-contained room in house)
Day 15, at ‘Slokas’ near Vecumnieki (cottage)
Day 17, at Hotel Jelgava at Jelgava (hotel)
Day 18, at Hotel Dobele at Dobele (hotel)
Day 20, at ‘Krustkalni’ near Saldus (self-contained room in house)
Day 21, at ‘Ginas’ near Nigrande (cottage)
Day 22, at ‘Musumajas’ at Priekule (self-contained room in house)
Day 23, at ‘Vizuli’ at Bernati (self-contained room in house)
Day 24, at Hotel Fontaine Royal at Liepaja (hotel).



To plan the walk, I used the 1:200,000 maps in Latvijas autoceļu atlants (a very comprehensive book of road maps). On the walk, I used the maps ripped out of that book, including the larger scale maps for the towns. I also used 1:50,000 topographical maps for virtually all the walk (28 in all). A companion book to the road maps, Latvijas Celvedis, provided information about accommodation options. The books and maps were purchased from Jana Seta, the last dozen or so by Nita for the last few days walking. I brought most of the equipment I used from Australia. There are excellent outdoor shops at 17 Miera iela and 155 Brivibas iela, where I also purchased gear.

The blog was an integral part of the walk. Ian Edwards advised me about the mobile office I would need and available blog sites. Peteris Darzins stirred me into action by linking the walk to his geography classes at the Latvian school in Melbourne. His students made me think more carefully about what I was doing, and why I was doing it, both when I spoke to them before leaving Melbourne and in the questions they posed for me during the trip. I struggled with the technology. I was eventually connected to the internet and the first blog was really just a test run. Michael Axtens in Geelong made that happen. And then, from the Day 1 blog, Juris Benkis took over and did a remarkable job to keep the communications flowing. At times he operated from his home computer in Riga, at other times when he was in the country at Cesis. Mostly, at Cesis, Juris achieved what he did from a similar mobile office as mine, at other times he sat outside the Cesis library and used their wireless connection with his laptop. I would never have written so much, or taken as many photos, if I had not been confident they would, within hours, be on the net. Juris also provided great encouragement over the whole period of the trip and I am very grateful to him.



I received a good deal of encouragement both before I left and through the comments on the blog. This was a life-line. Sometimes I heard about it in phonecalls with Anita, and at other times I was able to read the comments directly. So thanks to Ian Edwards, Des Cowley, Andrejs Lanskis, Kate McMillan, Caroline Dawes, Maree Kennedy, Philippa Kelly, Meryl Sexton, Peteris Darzins, Lija Anderson, Jana Anderson, Anita Anderson, Michael Axtens, Rosemary and Reece Barker, Colin and Sue Wilson, Brigita Strode, Mark Bormanis, Juris Benkis, Andis and Rudite Berzins, Janis Apsitis, Jacqui Hansen, Lita Krumina, Clare Ashby, Toms Darzins, Bob and Carole Boyd, Viktorija and Andrejs Macens, Janis Balodis, Linda Ozers and Janis Cecins, Litsa Pavlou, Christina Finch, Anita Apele, Sarmite Pujena, Sally Farrar, Peteris Klavins, Ross Howie, Paul Santamaria, Juris Rungis, Janis Vejins, Michael Rozenes, John Brauns, Ilze and Gunars Nagels, Mara Bormanis, and Marija Perejma.

The Latvian print media took an interest in the project:
Diena, 29 July 2008, page 17 – Laura Supstika: ‘Ar kajam pa Latviju’.
Zemgales Zinas, 14 August 2008 – Linda Lindenbauma: ‘Kajam pari visai Latvijai’ (http://www.zz.lv/portals/vietejas/raksts.html?xml_id=9674) (www.delfi.lv/news/national/novadi/article.php?id=21670310).
Bauskas Dzive, 18 August 2008, page 6 – Aina Usca: ‘Melburnas tiesnesis solo cauri Latvijai’ (www.bauskasdzive.lv/archive/photos.html?xml_id=55625).
Saldus Zeme, 19 August 2008, page 8 – Ieva Vilmane: ‘Pari visai Latvijai dodas ar kajam’.
Latvijas Avize, 23 August 2008, page 7 – Sarmite Pujena: ‘Kajam skerso Latviju’.
Kurzemes Vards, 27 August 2008 – Kristīne Pastore: ‘Australiesa Greima milestibas celojums’ (http://www.kurzemes-vards.lv/?doc=47510).
The news report on Latvian national television, on 22 August 2008, has already been posted on the blog. The news report on Liepaja television, on 21 August 2008, will be published on the blog when the promised electronic copy is received.



Gunta and Ziedonis have provided tremendous support throughout. They were very concerned for me and tried to reduce the risks I faced. Ziedonis arranged all of the early accommodation. He drove long distances on a number of occasions to check up on me and to deliver Anita and others to our meeting points. Ziedonis also planned the welcome at Liepaja. Anna encouraged my tentative plans for the walk and during the walk itself, arranged much of the later accommodation (and food) and the media coverage. Janis told me a couple of days before I set out, that if I ever got into trouble to give him a ring and he would be there within 2 or 3 hours. I didn’t need to take him up on the offer, but it was a comforting thought. The hospitality shown by Esmeralda, Gunta, Anna, Janis and Nita was critically important – it allowed me to recover and recharge both physically and mentally.

Lija, Janite and Anita have all provided great encouragement and support. Jana’s blog comments were always a highlight. Lija made comments, she walked on the last day and she popped up at Billites. I was also very pleased I could see her final concert at Licupe and stay the night there. Anita visited at Pasiene, Madona, Inesi, Zaube, Licupe, Billites and Bernati and we were in daily phone contact. The walk was always a ‘traka’ idea and Anita supported me all the way. I would not have walked past the first couple of days otherwise.



And finally my thanks to all the people I met on my journey. Vladimir from St Petersburg was an exceptional contact. But there were many others – Glenys and Imants in Priekule, the shopkeeper in the tiny settlement near Mali, the two young girls, Iluta and Amanda, at Remte, the 3 journalists and their camera crews who met us at Liepaja (particularly Laura from Liepaja television) and the many people along the way who asked me where I was going and couldn’t believe my response. I have had an amazing opportunity to see a lot of Latvia and to meet many different people. I very much appreciate the experiences I have had and all those who made it possible.

Just another day on Latvia's TV news

Day 23 plus one - Bernati to Liepaja

16km (750km) - 3 hours 30 minutes - weather fine

The welcome at Liepaja was overwhelming, and was largely orchestrated by Ziedonis.
Anita, Lija, Selga and I walked along the beach from Bernati. We could see Liepaja in the distance - it is Latvia's third largest city, and Ziedonis' birthplace.

I was extremely sluggish - having completed the primary objective it was difficult to get motivated this morning. Fortunately, the early rain had been blown away by the famous local winds.
As we approached Liepaja, Anita kept in touch with Ziedonis by phone - we had to arrive at about 1pm. Our objective was the south mols - a breakwater stretching hundreds of metres into the sea and part of a system protecting the entrance to the harbour.

About 800m before the mols, we encounted the 'media pack' - Laura and her crew from Liepaja's TV news, Selga and hers from Panorama (the current affairs programme from Latvia's national television) and Sarmite from Latvijas Avize (a national newspaper).
Laura inerviewed me, in Latvian, though with Anita close by to prompt me. Then Selga spoke with me and then with Anita and Lija. I was pretty hyped up and my Latvian became much freer and more coherent.

We then continued our walk for the very last stretch. On the mols we saw a number of people and the Australian and the Latvian flags blowing in the strong wind. Gunta and Ziedonis were there. Ziedonis was holding the Australian flag and his friend, Ilgvars, the Latvian flag. Gunta gave me a collection of amber pieces that she had, on an earlier occasion, collected from the Liepaja beach. Ilgvars' wife, Velta, had a small Liepaja flag for me.
Laura and the Liepaja television crew were there to record the final stages of the walk. Gunta provided the obligatory champagne and I completed an interview with Sarmite and chatted further with Laura, although this time in English.


Then it was time to walk out on to the mols. The wind was up and the waves were crashing over the pathway. We walked the 400m to the end of the wider section. Beyond that it was impossible.
All was done. We returned to the cars, and this time I willingly accepted a lift to the hotel where we will stay before returning to Riga tomorrow morning.
What has been achieved? The realisation of an idea that has given me a much greater connection with Anita's heartland. It was something that has captured people's imagination and so many have willingly helped to bring it to a successful end.
I am extremely grateful to all who assisted both in Australia and in Latvia and for all the support I received. Although the most common word used to describe my project was traks (mad), it was said in the kindest possible way.
To my blog readers, the opportunity to pass on my observations and thoughts has been very important to me. I might have emptied my mind of all work-related stresses by the physical exertion, but I have needed my nightly intellectual stimulation. To know that you have been following my journey has been important and I have greatly enjoyed reading your comments.
Every time I have accessed the blog I have cringed a little at the opening statement. What was meant as simply a statement of my 'proposal', sounds more like a confident declaration of my intention.
The blog only really has interest because when it is read, there is the element of uncertainty - will I make it or not? Some have said that they had no doubt I would. But it is not as simple as that. Physically, the possibilities of something going wrong were great. I had no health issues of any consequence and no accidents or injuries. Apart from 'the blister'. I got sick of writing about it. For the last week, it has been in decline and not any sort of problem.
The mental element of walking over a long period is more difficult. I have had some tough times but the company on the walk, the contact with Anita, the girls and our friends, and the brief conversations with the Latvians (and at least one Russian) I met on the walk have helped keep me going.
And now that it is over, I can return to walking sensible distances each day. This may not be my final contribution to this blog, but I certainly won't be describing what I saw on my daily walk.

Day 23 - Priekule to Bernati

55km (734km) - 14 hours - weather wet, later fine

I have walked across Latvia from east to west. Apart from 16km to Liepaja, tomorrow morning, the walk is complete. I am very tired tonight and am finding it difficult to formulate any meaningful reaction.
Today was a very long day and over the last 4 days I have completed 175kms and travelled over more than one third of Latvia's breadth.
I had hoped to start early, but needed supplies. I arrived at the shop next to the market at 7:45. I waited till 8 when it opened.











I then walked through the town, noting the church, the castle, the gate and the manor.
It started to drizzle but I didn't put my jacket on till I was already quite wet.
I walked the 23km to Barta. I was wet through - my top from condensation from my jacket and my shorts, boots and socks because they were uncovered. I decided I needed a change of clothes. I was looking for a bus shelter when I spied an open ended barn. I carefully changed my clothes and ate some lunch. It was 12:45pm.
The next stretch was to Nica - about 20km which took till about 5pm. It only stopped raining about half an hour before. At Nica, I had an early dinner. Anita, Lija, Gunta, Ziedonis and Selga arrived and I set off for the final 12km to Bernati.






By the time I reached the Baltic Sea, the others were already on the beach waiting for me. We walked alongside the water's edge for about 4km to ensure we reached the most western point.
The weather had improved dramatically, and it was still and not cold. We met a journalist (Kristine) and photographer (Egons) from the Kurzeme Vards.


They completed the interview on the beach whilst be waited for the sunset. There was a big red ball but little else to give me much confidence about tomorrow.
After the interview, we visited the equivalent marker to the one we saw near the start of the walk. And then to our accommodation where, at 9:30pm, we were served a second dinner. I happily tucked into the food.
Tomorrow, Anita, Lija and Selga will walk with me to Liepaja. We will probably walk along the beach.
I have fallen asleep a few times whilst writing this. I will leave any further thoughts till tomorrow night.

Day 22 - Past Nigrande to Priekule

39km (679km) - 9 hours 40 minutes - weather fine

What an amazing day! I visited a Soviet missile site near Embute. The site was decommissioned a few years after Latvia obtained its independence in 1991.
I approached the day with great anticipation. I had seen tourist information which promoted the site. It appears on my map as 'bij PSRS armijas rakesu baze' (former USSR army rocket base). It was a total detour of 8km, but I was not going to miss the opportunity.
I approached by a minor gravel road through the forest. At an intersection the road material became heavy bitumen. An avenue of trees led to 2 gateposts and the remains of a guardhouse. As I walked further in, there were many piles of rubble (mainly concrete and bricks) beside the roadway where buildings of some sort had been demolished. I tried to imagine the rubble as missile bunkers, but it was difficult.
The forest was all around. I was sure that I recalled photos of bunkers. However, time was pressing and I couldn't stray too far off the road and into the forest.
I was very disappointed, but tried to be positive about the emotions that had been evoked by the anticipation of the visit to the site. I decided that I would walk to the end of the road marked on the map for the base.
Something mysterious had happened to the camera on my mobile; as I tried to take a photo, there was a message that the free memory on my mobile was critically low and I must delete material immediately. I was trying to do this as I walked further down the road.







Then suddenly, in front of me were the domed tops of 3 bunkers. Just like the photo I had seen in the tourist guide. As I walked over towards the first bunker, a car pulled up - a Lada (virtually the only car in Latvia until after independence).
The person who got out of the car was a Russian. He was the only person I saw at the base until, about an hour later as I was leaving, another car drove in.

He told me he had worked at the base between 1964 and 1967 and that he was a journalist from Leningrad (though later he wrote 'S. Peterburg').
In the midst of all this, Juris phoned back to give me advice about the memory problem with my phone. I gave Juris fairly short shrift as I thought my new friend might disappear.
We spent about an hour walking over the area containing the 3 bunkers. I have no Russian, he had next to no English or Latvian. He wrote things in the dirt (the dates he had worked there), we exchanged information on pieces of paper (name, blog, email), we gestured, he spoke Russian very insistently, I nodded and spoke back in Latvian and English.
We climbed on top of the domes - there were round holes, surprisingly small - not even 2 metres across. One bunker had water to about 3m below the top. I thought that if I fell, or was pushed, into the bunker I could never get out.
My friend, Vladimir, had a torch and battery pack. He showed me a narrow hole where you could squeeze down underground. I took off my pack and followed him down. The room was about 3m square. Vladimir turned his torch on and moved into the next room. I started having second thoughts and came back above ground. Later, I regretted not having discarded my head torch from the equipment I carry with me, as Vladimir's torch produced only a very weak light.
Back at his car, Vladimir showed me material he had downloaded from the internet showing the location of missile sites in the Baltic States. Most seemed to have 3 missiles.
Vladimir had been touring around some of the sites. Later, as he drove past me, he stopped and wrote down the name of an internet site which apparently contains photos of the sites - 'Martin Trolle'.
It was with some regret that I left, though with considerable satisfaction that the visit had proved so successful. The 1962 Cuban missile crises was a time when I personally was fearful that there would be a nuclear war. Missile silos are perhaps the single most potent image of the Cold War.
I walked to Embute, which I had been told was renowned for its natural beauty. I stopped to read the information board about the Bishop's Castle, the ruins of which were on the hill above. Throughout Latvia, there is very informative material displayed with text in Latvian, Russian and English.

Reinis, the parks officer, came to speak to me (in English) to tell me about the wonders of the area. I climbed the hill to look at the castle ruins and another hill to look at church ruins.
It was nearly 3pm and there was still 16km to Priekule. I put my foot down and, at some stage, I checked my speed against the km markers. Usually, I walk a km in 10 1/2 minutes. Today, over 4kms, the first two each took 9 1/2 minutes and the next two, only 9 minutes each.
I was starting on the next km when I needed to make a decision about which road to take. A car stopped (one of 3 or 4 today), and I had a discussion (in English) with the driver about the merits of turning left or going straight on. Straight on was 7km and left was 5km but a much poorer road. I turned left. The road deteriorated into a track mostly underwater. At about 5:45pm, I managed to arrive at my accommodation for tonight - a private home with a separate building for guests.
The saimnieks (host) spoke fast Latvian. He told me I would be having dinner with an Australian woman married to a Latvian, and I must be ready by 6:30.
Usually it takes a couple of hours to unwind before I think about much else particularly after a full day like today.
I had a shower - but had to use the one in his home as the guests' bathroom was being worked on. The saimnieks was pushing me, reminding me of the dinner arrangement.
All this is leading up to my explanation as to why I have committed a cardinal sin and broken the first (and probably only) rule of cross-country walking - never accept a lift in a car.
I came back from the shower and was almost ready when the saimnieks sent an English speaker in to hurry me up and to say that my lift to dinner was waiting. It was the saimnieks himself who was the driver. I hopped into the car without thinking, and he drove me less than a km to my dinner destination. As we pulled up I realised my grievous error.
Earlier today, I had been thinking of just this issue as I knew that the accommodation was about 1km from the centre of town where the map showed there was a kafejnica.
Anyway, dinner was with the Dicmani. Imants was born in Priekule but came to Australia in 1950 - his family was on a Soviet list for deportation to Siberia. Imants is married to Glenys, an Australian. The have been coming to Latvia for the Australian winter for the last 12 years. They now live in an old library which they bought and renovated (it is one of the few buildings to have survived the war). The rest of the year they live in Adelaide. For the first couple of years when they came to Latvia, they had stayed in my present accommodation.
When Anna made the booking she apparently told the saimnieks that I must be fed and I did not eat meat. He had passed on the problem, which he assumed was peculiar to Australians, to Glenys. I had a very large meal of zuccini slices and vegetables and very pleasant conversation, in English.
I insisted that I walk home which created further problems for Glenys as she was to also provide breakfast. Rather than give it to the saimnieks when he came to pick me up they had to drive it around themselves. Thank you Glenys and Imants, and Anna.
I had planned to leave at 7am. Anita asked me to give an arrival time at the coast so that the media can arrange their schedule. I may have to wait for the shops to open tomorrow morning, at probably 8am, so I can carry water and food for lunch. That might make 5pm difficult to achieve. For now, and it is late, I should, however, go to bed.

Day 21 - Past Saldus to past Nigrande

received late after technical difficulties:

34km (640km) - 7 hours 30 minutes - weather overcast and windy, early drizzle

Today marks 3 weeks of walking. When I set out, I had difficulty believing that I could continue walking for so long. I thought that at least I would need one or more rest days. Perhaps that is an indication of the power of the challenge I set and the parameters for achieving the objective.
The eastern and western points in Latvia were easily defined and a walk from one to the other was a simple, though not insignificant, concept. Walking about 30km a day, staying in mainly commercial accommodation and including some friends' houses to stay at, limited the flexibility of approaching the walk.
Most things have worked wonderfully well and this has left me really with not much more responsibility than putting one foot in front of the other.
This morning, Ieva (journalist) and Ingus (photographer) from the Saldus Zeme arrived at 8am to interview me, but not to walk. It was cold and drizzling and generally uninviting.
Ieva asked most of the questions in English. She asked me, 'Don't you ever get boring when you are walking so long'. I should perhaps have answered, 'Not just when I'm walking'. I didn't think that Ieva wanted me to take her literally.
When I finally set off the drizzle had abated and I was photographed in full stride.
I found out tonight that the newspaper comes out on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I am almost out of the paper's circulation area so I may miss this one too. Anita passed on another interview request today - for a women's magazine. Where is New Idea?
I have finally seen some genuine wildlife (apart from a couple of wild pigs as road-kill). Two days ago, Janis pointed out 2 deer, about 150m away. But yesterday, on the way to Remte, 2 more deer (mother and doe) rushed out of the forest, about 20m away, and across the fields.

Today, I felt I walked strongly, particularly the first 20km to Pamparli. It must have been the two dinners last night or at least the pork dumplings in the soup.
Pamparli has an attractive little weir - I assume it powers something, perhaps a mill. The buildings in the town all seem fairly new, though a factory building had as its centrepiece what looked like a church steeple. It possibly was as, during Soviet times, the churches were used for all sorts of purposes including as storage facilities.
There was some forest walking before arriving at Nigrande. The facilities were marginal for what seemed to be a reasonably sized town. There was no kafejnica, although I did find a yellow highlighter I had been looking for (to mark the route on the maps).
Tonight's accommodation is at Ginas, which promotes itself as 'green'. I can't quite get used to the toilets where you must put the paper in the rubbish bin. The saimniece, Valda, is very helpful and at dinner-time invited her English-speaking, teacher, sculpture friend to converse with me. She offered to show me the local sights by car, but I had to decline as it would have been contrary to the rules of cross-country walking.

Tonight, I finished Bernard Schlink's, Homecoming. It is a strange book - the narrator's search for his father who his mother said had been killed during the war. And the story of his relationship with Barbara, with whom (in one of the many strange coincidences of the book), he may share a sister. Parallels are drawn between the relationship with Barbara and the joining of East and West Germany when the wall came down. And much much more, including a bizarre student 'retreat' conducted by a law professor and the constant references to The Odyssey, the classic 'homecoming' story. I was disturbed by the violence of the relationship in Schlink's, The Reader, but very much enjoyed the book of short stories, Flights of Love. This book is beautifully written - say 7 out of 10.
I have started the next book, Victoria Hislop's, The Return, about Franco's Spain. It is a large book and I probably won't finish it by Thursday.
I haven't been able to access the blog today so I am unaware of any comments. I had better try and discuss some further thoughts about victims and the media in a separate email to Jana.

Received by SMS yesterday:

34km (640km) - 7 hours 30 minutes - weather overcast and windy, early drizzle

Seem to be in a black hole here. Will have to try and send in the morning ...

Technical note
Mobile phone operator LMT claim to have the best coverage in Latvia (of 3), but what Graham thinks is a black hole is the third white patch from the bottom left corner of the map below which, incidentally, shows you how far he has got(and by no means in a straight line)! See you in the morning (GMT + 3).

Dougal Mako Anderson

Will this young man follow in his grandfather's footsteps?

NB See photo updates of Days 20 & 19 below!

Day 20 - Lake Zebrus to past Saldus

47km (606km) - 10 hours 50 minutes - weather overcast and fine later

A huge day. It would have been long anyway but the decision to avoid the main road added about 6km. I had just started on the alternative route when a man asked me where I was going. When I said Liepaja, he was most perturbed, and said something like 'niksts'. I told him that there were too many cars on the other road and that, 'This way is longer, but better'. And so it turned out.
The walk was in 3 parts - 25km pretty much non-stop to Remte, 16km to Saldus and 6 more to the accomodation at Krustkalni.
At Remte, I was having lunch and talking to Anita on the phone. Two young girls wandered over to where I was and also sat down. I said to Anita, in English, that two girls had sat down. I then heard one of them say to the other, 'divas meitenes' (two girls), so I asked her whether she understood English. She said she did and we had a conversation, mainly in Latvian. Iluta is 11 and Amanda is 9. They go to the school in the old manor house, next door to where we were sitting. I think the substantial parkland at the back of the muiza (manor) was connected to it. There is a large oak tree 5.3m in girth which is known as the 'milestibas koks' (love tree). Lovers or those about to be married tie ribbons around the tree's trunk.


Broceni, near Saldus, has some heavy industry. Saldus is bigger than Dobele, but also seemed to have a good feel about it. A lot of work is being done, including major reconstruction of the main road I took out of town.
In Saldus, I bought supplies and had a meal - I was determined not to miss out again. The meal was surprisingly good - I was given the English menu where the meal was described as 'hot potty with chiken'.
At the accomodation, I was met by Aivars, the owner, who said that he had been told that he must feed me (Anna had made the booking). He asked me when I was leaving in the morning and I said, 8am. He said, 'She won't be able to get here by then'.
My Latvian was quite inadequate for this conversation so I phoned Anita. She spoke with Aivars at length, then with me, then Aivars with me. The upshot was that I had frikadele soup (loaded with, probably, pork dumplings) and rissoles (almost certainly pork). I only managed the soup. Breakfast is a little unclear still, but I think I am getting porridge. After breakfast, I am to wait till 8:30 when a female journalist from a local newspaper will arrive. She wants to interview me and then walk with me for 50km. I am doing just over 30km tomorrow, which should be challenging enough for a start.
Last night, Janis explained the importance of the sauna for Latvians. The sauna at Zebrus is wood fired and is part of the renovation. Janis demonstrated the use of birch leaves to beat and massage. The leaves seem to capture pockets of heat that are transferred to the body. The aroma of the birch leaves is released by the beating. It was certainly a relaxing and interesting experience.
It looks like Anita and Lija will stay on Wednesday night at Bernati and walk with me the next day to Liepaja. Anita (in a team with me, Tanya and Rosemary, with Reece in support) completed the 100km Oxfam walk in April this year, in 33 hours, losing 5 toenails in the process; they are growing back slowly. Lija joined us on some of the practice walks with her friend Amity (Tanya's daughter).
Anita and I also completed a long walk in July 1987, when she was pregnant with Jana. We decided that we would walk to Abrene. Abrene was a part of Latgale, but was appropriated by the Soviet Union when it reoccupied Latvia at the end of the War. There seems little hope that it will ever return to being part of Latvia.
In 1987, Austris Grassis, and others, established a cooperative and purchased a chateau in the Loire Valley in France. They called it 'Abrene'. We purchased 3 shares and after our trip to Latvia in June 1987, we set out to visit Abrene.
I had bought a book, 'Long Walks in France', which included a walk along the Grande Rondaneur (?) tracks, from Orleans to Chinon. We caught the train from Paris to Orleans and set out. We had a day pack and a few items, but no rain jackets. On the second day it started to rain, so we bought jackets. We walked 200km in 10 days, staying in a hotel or similar accommodation each night. We had a walk guide book that set out where you could stay and get meals.
I recall that the places we stayed included Beauchancy, Chambord, Amboise and Tours. The walk was clearly marked and followed roads, paths through fields and forest tracks. About 10km from Chinon, we went off the track and walked to chateau 'Abrene'. Whilst not as grand as Chambord, Abrene had a large chateau building from the 17th century and extensive grounds and other smaller buildings.
We returned to Abrene in April 1989. I completed a Latvian language course with Austris, and Liga Streipa from America. Brigita Strods was the saimniece (and one of the first commentators to this blog).
Austris is a very fine and inspiratiional teacher and my only regret is that he could only spend a small amount of time teaching us. Nevertheless, on the course, I made greater improvements in my spoken Latvian than at any other time.
In the years after we visited Abrene, I completed the Year 12 (VCE) course, on two occasions (the first time sitting the final exam at the Sorbonne as we were again in Paris), and then completing the 3-year university Latvian course, taught principally by Trevor Fennell, the Professor of French at Flinders University and a world-renowned expert on Latvian grammar.
'Abrene' only lasted a few years. Austris now lives near Mazsalaca, and on the recent 3x3 camp, an evening was spent at Austris' home. Anita described it as a 'Latvian idyll'.

Day 19 - Dobele to Lake Zebrus

24km (559km) - 5 hours 30 minutes - weather overcast and hot

Today has been one of the best days. Janis arrived just before 10am. We walked and talked non-stop to the lake. Janis is a strong walker and a very competent navigator - he will be a formidable rogaining competitor. I hope he can persuade Ilze to join our team for the World Champs.

Janis' grandfather and Anita's father were brothers. We talked about the family history and many of the stories I had heard from Anita and Janis had heard from Vaidelotis. Vaidelotis had studied in Grenoble, France; later, as a student, he had shown the King of Albania around Riga; he was conscripted into the German army near the end of the war; he was Chief Architect of Riga until the fact that his brother was in the West was given as the reason for removing him.
Mark spent a lot of time with his second cousins, Janis and Matiss, and their girlfriends, Ilze and Oksana and there is now a very close bond.
Janis works with Anita's cousin, Marcis, in the architectural side of his business which also includes building and plumbing supplies.
Janis studied for the IB; in English with Latvian as his language subject. He also completed the Latvian requirements for university entry. After a year as a scholarship student at an American college (in Ohio), he was admitted to the architecture course at the university in Riga. Last Christmas he completed the design and construction of a (huge) new showroom for the plumbing supples business.

The house at Zebrus is about 150 years old. It is an old farmhouse. Its walls are stone, rendered with clay and calcium and are over half a metre thick. It is like a museum inside - like stepping back in time to when Nita's great great grandfather farmed the surrounding land.
When the Soviets occupied Latvia at the end of the war, Nita's grandparents were sent to Siberia. The property only returned to the family after Latvia's independence. Nita's brother, Andris and his partner, Barbara have assumed the responsibility for restoring the house. Andris is one of Latvia's best architects and Barbara teaches at the Art Academy. They have done tremendous work at Zebrus.
Nita and Anita drove down this afternoon to see that I was properly fed and otherwise looked after. I have just eaten enough to see me through at least two more days. They have already left to return to Riga, leaving supplies for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. Liels paldies visiem, Nitina.

Nita also brought down about 10 more 1:50,000 scale maps to take me through to the end of the trip. It has helped me plan a better route for tomorrow. Rather than walking for 30km along the busy Liepaja road, I will take a parallel road to the north through Jurgi and Remte. It will be about 6km longer but it will be infinitely safer and more pleasant. I must walk about 44kms tomorrow although I will break the walking at Saldus and have a meal before completing the last 5 or 6km.
Anita and I have sorted out how the last couple of days will happen and Anna has booked the last of the accommodation. She is in Finland visiting Jukka's new grandchild. If Jana sends me the promised photo of my latest grandson, Dougal (Hamish's and Phelia's new son), I will let you all see him.
From Jana's latest comment on the blog, you will see the task she has to complete by next Friday - 'Media plays a major role in how we view victims of crime, often to the detriment of the victim. Critically discuss in relation to either gender, age, race, or class'.
Now, let's have your ideas please so that Jana is not prejudiced by her parents' long absence overseas.
I think Juris is going to post a link to a site where the Zemgales Zinas article is reproduced. There are already 24 comments. It is in Latvian of course. Thank you Linda for your interest.
Thanks also to the other recent commentators. Linda, I would appreciate some cabaret acts to entertain me along the way. Juris sent me a list of songs I could sing or hum along the way - Nancy Sinatra features of course. Which song?
Viktorija and Andrejs and Andis and Rudite lived through the preparations at Mezaparks and I am pleased your interest has been maintained. And it was a real pleasure to hear from Litsa and Christina, my work colleagues. I did look at the Writers' Festival programme with considerable regret that I would not see Kate Atkinson, Paul Keating and the other big names this year. Christina, Tassie sounds great - not much vehicular traffic on the Overland Track.
What is Jana's essay topic driving at? It should be a piece of cake for you, Christina. Does the media show victims to their detriment? The reference to gender, etc. would seem to suggest that we are talking about females, old or young, African, middle eastern or Asian and people from lower socio-economic groups. Are female victims of sex offences portrayed in a way that is to their detriment? Victims can't be identified, but I suppose in the sense that the media reflects the trauma that female complainants must go through, this might discourage complaints and therefore be to their general detriment? This is hard. Jana and I need some help on this one.
Janis has just told me that the sauna has heated up, so I had better finish now.

More Latvian media links:

www.zz.lv/portals/vietejas/raksts.html?xml_id=9674
Zemgales zinas (regional daily) interview at Billites

www.delfi.lv/news/national/novadi/article.php?id=21670310
One of Latvia's leading portals; more than a few comments posted

www.bauskasdzive.lv/archive/photos.html?xml_id=55625
Bauskas dzive (regional daily) interview at Billites

Day 18 - Jelgava to Dobele

29km (535km) - 6 hours 45 minutes - weather fine then overcast

Dobele is a fine little town. From a discussion I had yesterday, it seems that some people from Riga are looking for somewhere cheaper and less car-dominated to live. The places I have walked through over the last couple of days are still close enough to Riga to be attractive.
In the centre of Dobele (and next to my hotel) is the Lutheran church and extensive parkland around it. The church has the date 1495 on it but I am not sure that the present building is that old.

Down by the Berze River are the remains (now being restored) of a stone castle dating from 1730, although there was an earlier wooden castle in the 14th century.

Off-blog Juris and I have been having a debate about the dubious historical facts I sometimes give - usually though my statements are suitably qualified!
I usually take 2 or 3 hours after finishing walking before I think about venturing out. This evening, after an hour and a half of sight-seeing I feel exhausted again.
Tomorrow will be a late start as Janis is coming from Riga to walk with me. The walking should be better than today as it will generally be on minor roads.
I have had plenty of time to study the roadside rubbish. Most consists of plastic bottles, cigarette packets, lolly wrappers and only very occasionally bags of household rubbish. I do not get the impression that the current situation is any better or worse than in Australia. Though some particular rubbish crosses all national boundaries.
The only highlight today was when Ziedonis stopped on the roadside for a chat; he was on his way to his job near Liepaja. The bad news, he relayed, was that the road on the day after tomorrow will be worse than anything I have yet encountered. It is the main Riga-Liepaja road and carries large numbers of trucks from the port at Liepaja. There is really no option and it is only for one day - though an exceptionally long one.
Today was another day of counting down the km signs on the roadside. I was reminded of when I participated in the Red Cross Murray Marathon when I was at university. You had to paddle 400km from Yarrawonga to Swan Hill over 5 days, They were very long days - 11 or 12 hours and I would try and paddle as far as I could before I took a break. First, I would paddle for over 3 hours, but as the day progressed, the paddling time between breaks reduced to about 30 minutes.
On a day like today, the rest breaks are kept to a bare minimum. I took my pack off and had something to eat after 13km and then afte the next 12.
I think I am getting fitter and although very tired at the end of the day I am not in the state of perpetual exhaustion I was on the Australian Alps Walk. I didn't weigh myself before this trip but I would be surprised if I lost 7 kg like I did on the Alpine Walking Track.
We carried full packs (with all camping gear, a few days food and more clothes) and although averaging 18km each day, we walked for 8 or 9 hours and we ascended and then descended at least 1000m every day.
This trip is a significant challenge - to cover the distance from border to coastline it requires a mental and physical discipline to keep up the momentum of the walk. It is also, a somewhat 'grand' (or grandiose) concept to walk several hundred kms right across a country.
Anita reminded me that one of stimuli for the walk was a walk completed a few years ago by someone she met on a 3x3 camp in Latvia. He had walked the boundaries of Latvia - a very significant achievement as it can't be less than 2-3000kms.
'Walk across Latvia' or 'Walk around Latvia', I don't think they will catch on as popular activities, though I would hope the present walk has captured the 'popular imagination'.
The Australian Alps Walking Track is a significant test of endurance, and organising ability. Amongst serious walkers, it is a great achievement to complete the Alps Walk (and needs an incredible amount of luck with the weather).
I know therefore that the satisfaction I gain from this walk, if I keep going for another few days, will be a personal satisfaction and one difficult to expect others to share. What will remain though will be the memories of the many people who have given extraordinary support for my venture, both in its preparation and over the time I have been walking.
So tomorrow will be a relaxing stroll with Janis followed by some pleasant socialising with Nita and whoever else makes it down to Zebrus. And then the serious walking will begin.