Anita has the last word ...

Hello to you, who have faithfully followed the blog to its inevitable conclusion – and to those who have more recently joined Graham’s journey! The story is not quite over!

You may be interested, maybe not too surprised, that Graham, in his not inconsiderably weary physical state upon completion of the walk, did not betray one skerrick of his exhaustion to the welcoming committee! I well understand that there is a psycho-physical explanation for this phenomenon. Nonetheless, his articulate turn of phrase and sense of humour when interviewed by the TV and newspaper crews pricked my eyes, broadened my smile and warmed my inconspicuously, incrementally expanding chest!

[When approached by the TV Dzintare crew he took initiative and asked in Latvian, pointing to his map, „Am I in Liepaja?”. When he was assured of his location, he was asked something like, how he felt being in Liepaja, to which he responded, „I think Liepaja is the best city in Latvia ....today.”]

There are a number of interesting behind-the-scenes stories relating to the grand welcome at Liepaja planned by Ziedonis. Ziedonis, for some considerable time, had put his heart and soul into the welcome project. He had prepared a detailed spreadsheet of all the tasks involved, a time-frame and designated persons to carry out the tasks [those persons being himself, Gunta and me]. The plans were various. They included firing off-shore ‘pistoles’ [I think this was fireworks rather than gun salute!] at the southern mols; [He was confident he could obtain licence from the local authorities, to avoid possible military repercussions!]; the preparing of an official finish banner; notifying local print and TV; and flying the flags of both nations – Australia and Latvia. We had discussions about Ziedonis having spotted a convenient structure on the mols that would lend itself to rigging ropes up which the flags could be raised. He eventually settled on hand-held flag poles. Ziedonis was also concerned about Graham’s possible physical state and was prepared to arrange for a vehicle permit to drive onto the beach so he would not have to walk the 500 metres or so to the car. Being a former liepajnieks [from Liepaja] and currently being invovled in work projects in the area, he had contacts in all possible necessary directions. The issue of accommodation was also a live one. Would Graham prefer to immediately make the three hour return journey to Riga and sleep in his own bed or have access to rest facilities immediately in Liepaja before making the trip home the following day. This matter alone took a number of twists and turns before an ultimate decision to stay in Liepaja.

The flags were a key feature of Ziedonis’ grand plan. Securing the Latvian flag was easy, as my nephew Mark had bequeathed a Latvian flag to our household as a parting gift. Oz flag? Not as straightforward. This was my task, well overdue by the time I seriously turned my mind to it, according to Ziedonis’ spreadsheet. Two days before heading off to Liepaja to meet Graham, I thought I would send a phone message to an Australian Latvian to see if one of the Australian flags used in the song festival procession was available. Inadvertently, in my haste, I sent a blank text to a local friend, Janis Krumins, at the Occupation Museum in Riga. He immediately responded to my contact and, on the off-chance I asked him whether he had any idea where I might source an Australian flag. He told me he had one under his desk at work belonging to Australia’s Honorary Consul to Latvia, Janis Sala. A phone call to the Consul and a trip to the Occupation Museum and I had the flag in hand within an hour.

As finish time approached, Ziedonis and I were in increasingly frequent contact about ‘The Project’. Ziedonis reported in on discussions with local media, the issues involved in arranging flag poles and arrival times that needed to be synchronised with the local press [try telling someone who has just walked 750 kms without a rest day that he must be at the mols at precisely 1300 hours!]. During the final 15km stretch along the beach form Bernati I reported to Ziedonis regularly as I recognised possible landmarks – the first windfarm mill, the first beach guard station, the sports stadium. Ziedonis’ friends from Liepaja, Ilgvars and Velta, helped Ziedonis fine-tune the event. Ever-smiling, loving Gunta stood firm against the wind, filled champagne glass at the ready. Velta made a moving contribution in presenting Graham with a small flag with the Liepaja coat-of-arms. It is also a heart-warming coincidence that Graham was welcomed by persons who bear the names of my deceased parents – Velta and Ziedonis. These names are not particularly common names in my generation.

Flags blew strong in the wind and an Australian bubbly bubbled to Graham’s lips as he stood victorious on the southern Liepaja mols!! A great and necessary conclusion to Graham’s great „walkacrosslatvia2008”! [If Ziedonis ever decides he has had his fill of the building industry, I would highly recommend him for a career in event management!]

Graham has expressed his gratitude for those who supported him and without whom his challenging project could not have been realised. I also thank everyone for their interest and support. Graham’s big walk has added an unusual and particularly meaningful dimension to our long sojourn in Latvia. I have found this incredibly moving.

Thank you Graham.

Anita.