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.