Newspaper articles

Brīvā Daugava

06.08.2009


Austrālietis pārstaigā Latviju
Autors: ILZE KALNIŅA

Sestdien Jēkabpilī nakšņoja austrāliešu staigātājs Greiems Andersons. Šogad viņš Latviju šķērso kājām, sākot no Lietuvas robežas līdz Igaunijas robežai, bet pērn ceļojums bija krietni garāks. Tas sākās Pasienē pie Krievijas robežas un beidzās Bernātos pie jūras, kopā 23 dienās tika noieti ap 700 km.
Šogad Greiems ceļu 29. jūlijā sāka pie Lietuvas robežas un devās līdz Sventes ezeram. No tā līdz Munčiem pie Dvietes, tad līdz Zasai, tad — Jēkabpils un svētdien viņš jau bija Mežezerā. Tad sekos Ērgļi, Zaube, Cēsis, Kocēni, Mazsalaca un finišs plānots 8. augustā Ipiķos pie Igaunijas robežas, kopā 350 km.
Šis vīrs iet tāpēc, ka iešana viņam sagādā prieku. Ceļā viņš neizmanto transportu, stiepj līdzi ap 15 kg ekipējumu, izvēlas nomaļus, mazus lauku ceļus un orientējas pēc kartēm un kompasa, nevis globālās pozicionēšanas sistēmām. Greiems Austrālijā strādā par tiesnesi trīspakāpju tiesu sistēmā, viņa darbs ir vidējā posmā, kas pēc mūsu parauga varētu būt Melburnas apgabaltiesa. Viņš BD pastāstīja, ka darbs esot ļoti stresains. 11 gadus viņš iztiesājis gan krimināllietas, gan civillietas, bet tagad tikai civillietas. Lai attīrītu galvu, kā viņš izsakās, Greiems kājo pa Latviju. Šeit viņš nonācis, apciemojot sievas Anitas radiniekus. Anita ir Austrālijā dzimusi latviete, kuras vecāki 1950. gadā emigrēja uz šo zemi. Abi iepazinušies tiesā, kur Anita strādājusi par advokāti. Viņiem ir divas meitas. Abas līdz 4 gadu vecumam runājušas tikai latviski, jo Greiems vēlējies, lai bērnu pirmā valoda ir latviešu. Sievas dzimtenē Greiems ir septīto reizi. Pirmoreiz šurp atceļojuši 1987. gadā, kad viss šeit bijis citādi. Anita ir latviešu kopienas aktīviste, un arī Greiems darbojas līdzi, viņš runā latviski.
Jēkabpilī kājotājs jeb kā viņš nodēvēts «cauri valstīm staigātājs» (cross-country walker) nakšņoja hotelī «Citrus», bet citviet apmetas viesu namos, pie draugiem un radiniekiem. Dienā viņš vidēji noiet ap 32 km, tādējādi šī gada Latvijas šķērsošanas maršruts viņam prasīs 11 dienas.
Sestdien laika apstākļi mūspusē bija mainīgi, brīžiem lija. Greiems stāsta, ka turpina ceļu arī lietū, jo viņam ir speciāls apģērbs, lai nesamirktu. Iešanai viņš izmanto itāļu zābakus. Meža ceļos pie Zasas visas dienas garumā sestdien sastapis vien piecas automašīnas. Svētdienas rītā viņš pusastoņos uzsāka ceļu uz Mežezeru. Tie būšot vien 25 km, bet līdz Zasai pārgājiena posms bijis 42 km.
Kamēr Greiems šķērso Latviju, šogad viņa sieva ir kārtējā Eiropas latviešu kongresā, mazā meita — Mazsalacā Eiropas latviešu bērnu nometnē, bet vecākā meita studē universitātē, tāpēc viņa palikusi Austrālijā.
Kad šī gada maršrutu ceļotājs būs pabeidzis, viņš vēl pāris nedēļu uzturēsies Rīgā Mežaparkā, apmeklēs radiniekus un atpūtīsies, tad dosies ar ģimeni mājup. Nākamgada maršruts vēl top. Greiems domā, ka varētu sākt ceļu no Kolkas raga un virzīties lejup, ietverot daļu Lietuvas teritorijas, vai arī sākt ceļu no Jūrmalas un pastaigāt pa Lietuvu.
P.S. Vairāk par Greiema Andersona pārgājieniem var lasīt viņa interneta blogā.
www.walkacrosslatvia2008.blogspot.com
www.walkuplatvia2009.blogspot.com

http://www.bdaugava.lv/?kat=10&news_id=7753

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Jaunais Vēstnesis

Māra Grīnberga

04.08.2009

"Gribu labāk izprast Latviju, tāpēc labprāt eju kājām," tā saka austrālietis Melburnas tiesas tiesnesis Greiems Andersons (Graham Anderson), kurš šogad jau otro reizi kājām šķērso Latviju un sestdienas pēcpusdienā ienāca Jēkabpilī.
Uz jautājumu, kādēļ par ceļojuma vietu izvēlējies Latviju, Greiems atbild, ka vēlas iepazīt zemi, kur dzīvo viņa sievas Anitas Andersones radi, vecāki, kas savulaik emigrējuši uz Austrāliju. Anita Andersone ir dzimusi šajā tālajā dienvidu zemē, tomēr savu latvietību pratusi ne vien saglabāt, bet arī ieaudzināt savām meitām. Daļu latvietības no dzīvesbiedres guvis arī Greiems, kurš vairākkārt viesojies pie sievas vecākiem Pasienē, savulaik mācījies latviešu valodu, tādēļ arī itin labi runā latviski. Interesi par Latviju rosinājis arī tas, ka Austrālijā ir daudz latviešu.

Latvijā viņš pirmo reizi bijis 1987.gadā, bet pērn pirmo reizi nolēma veikt ceļojumu kājām cauri Latvijai 700 kilometru garumā no Austrumu robežas līdz Baltijas jūras piekrastei un šo pārgājienu veica 23 dienās. Šogad viņa maršruts ir no Latvijas dienvidu robežas līdz tālākajam dienvidu punktam Igaunijas pierobežā.

Pagājušotrešdien, 29.jūlijā, viņš sāka savu ceļu no Lietuvas robežas pie Navikai un, veicis 30 kilometrus, pirmo nakti pārlaida pie Sventes ezera. Otrajā dienā viņš veica attālumu no Munčiem līdz Dvietei, trešajā dienā - no Dvietes līdz Zasai, bet ceturto nakti pārlaida Jēkabpilī un agrā svētdienas rītā devās ceļā uz Mežezeru Pļaviņu apkaimē. Pirmdien viņš bija iecerējis nakšņot Ērgļos, bet otrdien aiziet līdz Zaubei. Tālāk viņa ceļš ved uz Cēsīm, pēc tam - uz Kocēniem, Mazsalacu, bet 350 kilometru garo ceļu iecerējis beigt šosestdien, 8.augustā, Igaunijas pierobežā pie Ipiķiem un Moisakula.

"Latvija ir skaista, tāpat kā Austrālija, tikai nav kalnu. Mana sieva mīl Latviju, arī mājās runājam latviski, un es par Latviju gribu uzzināt pēc iespējas vairāk. Ceļojot kājām, redzu, cik skaista ir šejienes daba, man patīk koki un putni, bet jo sevišķi tas, ka laukos ir atsaucīgi cilvēki," saka G.Andersons.

Šie divi pārgājieni nebūt nav pirmie. Līdzīgi viņš ceļojis arī 2007.gadā Austrālijas kalnainā apvidū, 38 dienās nostaigājot 680 kilometru.

Viņš ik dienu nostaigā vidēji 30 kilometrus, bet nakti atpūšas kādā viesu mājā vai viesnīcā, jo atzīst, ka ir labi pēc gara pārgājiena baudīt ērtības - mīkstu gultu un siltu ēdienu. Tādēļ mugursomā sev līdzi viņš nes tikai pašu nepieciešamāko, ērtākai iešanai izmanto Itālijā ražotus zābakus, bet lietus gadījumā izmanto jaku ar kapuci. Galvenais palīgs ceļā ir kartes un ceļveži, maršruts jau iepriekš ir rūpīgi izplānots tā, lai pēc pārgājiena varētu pagūt atpūsties un uzkrāt spēkus nākamajai dienai.

Katru ceļojuma dienu Greiems apraksta dienasgrāmatā, kur angļu valodā aprakstīts viss ceļā piedzīvotais tā, lai šīs piezīmes ar foto varētu lasīt un aplūkot arī skolēni, tādējādi labāk iepazīstot Latviju. Par ceļojuma iespaidiem G.Andersons stāstīs arī konferencē Melburnā augusta beigās.

http://www.jvestnesis.lv/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=960

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Laikraksts www.laikraksts.com
Greims galā!
Sekmīgi izpildījis pārgājienu no Lietuvas pāri visai Latvijai


FOTO Ilze Nāgela
FOTO Gunārs Nāgels
Austrālietis Greims Andersons (Graham Anderson) ir sekmīgi izpildījis pārgājienu no Latvijas vistālākā dienvidu
punkta uz Lietuvas robežas pie Navikai līdz Latvijas ziemeļu robežai netālu no Igaunijas mazākās pilsētas Meizakilas
(Mõisaküla). Laikraksta Latvietis redakcija aizbrauca no Rīgas līdz Igaunijas robežai kopā ar Greima sievu Anitu, lai
sagaidītu izturīgo staigātāju, panākdami viņu īsi pirms pašas robežas.
385 km garo pārgājienu Greims veica 11 dienās. Caurmērā katru dienu viņš nostaigāja 35 km, staigājot 7,5 stundas ar
caurmēra ātrumu 4,6 km stundā. Greims neizvēlējās īsāko ceļu, bet gan parasti izmantoja mazākas takas, lai būtu interesantāk
un drošāk. Diemžēl, Latvijas topogrāfiskās kartes nav vienmēr precīzas, un Greimam vairākkārt nācās kulties
caur pāraugušām un aizaugušām vietām, kur bija paredzēta gluda staigāšana.
Katru dienu Greims uzrakstīja emuāru mobīlā telefonā, ko pārsūtīja Jurim Beņķim Rīgā (vai Cēsīs), kurš tad to tūliņ
pārlika tīmeklī. Visu emuāru (angļu valodā) var lasīt http://www.walkuplatvia2009.blogspot.com/ , un būs iespēja noklausīties
viņa stāstījumā AL47K rīkotās šampaniešu brokastīs Hiltona viesnīcā 23. augustā Melburnā.
Pagājušā gadā Greims šķērsoja Latviju no austrumiem uz rietumiem. Par to var lasīt viņa emuārā http://walkacrosslatvia2008.blogspot.com/

Summary and Thanks

It has been a day of recovery, and reflection. I walked to the local shop to buy a phone card (so I could send through the balance of yesterday’s photos to Juris). A couple of kilometres of slow and careful walking was all I could manage, though if I had needed to walk on the blister, no doubt I would have. I kept thinking of last year and how I had to keep walking on a developing blister. Over the last 3 days, I have had a similar blister. I was reminded of the irritating background pain that is there with every step, and often a stabbing pain referred into the base of the heel.

It is not difficult to ignore a blister for only a couple of days, but last year I walked with the blister for 3 weeks. I have also been very lucky with the weather this year. A couple of light showers, the longest for half an hour or so as I approached Jēkabpils on day 4. Wet clothes, particularly wet boots, makes walking immeasurably more unpleasant and difficult.

From the Lithuanian border at Latvia’s southern-most point to the Estonian border at the northern-most point was a total of 385kms and took 11 days. I averaged 35kms each day and 7.5 hours of walking at 4.6kms per hour. Last year I walked 750kms over 24 days and averaged 31kms each day and 7.5 hours of walking at 4.29kms per hour. I very much appreciated Janis’ company on day 8 for 50kms and Selga’s on the morning of day 9 for 16kms.

My accommodation was at the following places:
Walk eve - ‘Hotel Latgole’ at Daugavpils (hotel)
1st night – ‘Pakrasti’ at Sventes ezers (Lake Svente)- Juris (holiday cottage)
2nd night – ‘Liepziedi’ at Munči, near Dviete – Asterija (room in a house)
3rd night – ‘Bērzzemnieki’ at Zasa – Inese (room in a house)
4th night – ‘Citrus’ at Krustpils (relaxation centre and 4 room hotel)
5th night – ‘Mežezers’ at Mežezers – Imants (hotel)
6th night – ‘Palīgs’ at Ērgļi – Daina (hotel)
7th night – near Zaube – Gunta’s house
8th night - Cēsis – Juris’ and Selga’s house
9th night – ‘Mujāni’ near Kocēni – Rasma (room in a house)
10th night – ‘Miks’ at Mazsalaca – (hotel)
After the walk – Mežaparks (home).

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 (about 15 in all). A companion book to the road maps, Latvijas Celvedis, provided information about accommodation options. The books and maps were purchased from Jāņa Sēta in Rīga. I brought most of the equipment I used from Australia, some of which I left here after last year’s walk. I bought 4 ‘easy cook’ meals at the outdoor shop at 17 Miera iela and a great top at an outdoor shop at the Alpha Centre (but unfortunately I left it at Mežezers). One of the best discoveries this year was an anti-groin-heat-rash ointment, Naturalene’s ‘The Invisible Glove’, made from ‘100% natural plant extracts’ – it is pure gold.

Thank you for my training partners in Melbourne – Mark and Jacqui who guided me to the first aid centre when in October last year I finished the half marathon at the Melbourne Marathon in 2 hours 50 seconds (Mark and Jacqui were much faster), Kārlis and Aija who walked with me at the 3x3 camp at Mittagong in early January (though we started at 5:30am because Kārlis needed to start work at breakfast time), the 3 wonder women – Tanya, Louise and Jane – who completed the 100kms of the Oxfam Trailwalk in April with me in 23 hours 47 minutes, and Mark, Christina, Sue and Julien who competed in rogaines with me this year.

The blog was again an integral part of the walk. I had the mobile office from last year – barely used over the last 12 months as I usually do without a mobile phone. Ian Edwards originally advised on its purchase and fortunately it turned out to be very similar to Juris’ mobile, Juris Benkis again agreed to enter the blogs after I sent him the raw text and photos. He did an amazing job and I would not have had the energy otherwise to keep writing and taking photos. At times Juris operated from his home computer in Riga, at other times when he was in the country at Cēsis. Sometimes, my blogs were sent through late at night and Juris never failed to put it on the net within a short time and to update the blog as more photos, or the TV coverage, became available. Juris provided great encouragement over the whole period of the trip and I am very grateful to him.

I also 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 the commentators: Jāna Anderson (12 times), Anita (6 times), Mark Bormanis, Juris Benķis, Caroline Dawes, Jānis Balodis, Arnis and Māra Siksna, John Brauns, Atis Lūkins, Susan Dārziņš, Eva Bindera, Rūta Šķoba, Daniel Fine, Valda Jefimova, Dīvs Reiznieks, Selga Benķe, Viktorija and Andrejs Mačēns, Cat from Australia with the Latvian boyfriend, Con Salpic, Jānis Apsītis, Imants Freibergs, Sandra Lūkins, Linda Ozers and Jānis Čečiņš and Matiss Lūkins. Also to those who sent supporting emails: Ian Edwards, Des Cowley, Maree Kennedy, Sue Wilson, Andis and Rudīte Bērziņš, Anna Žigure & Jukka Rislakki, Michelle James, Tim Kendall-Carpenter, Veid Muižnieks, Joe Tsalanidis, Julien Lowy, Fran Hogan, Daina McDonald, Aija Rozentāla Matiss Biezatis, Clare Ashby, Christina Finch, Ilze and Gunārs Nagels, and Paul Santamaria.

The Latvian media took again took an interest in the project this year:
At Dauagavpils, I was interviewed for the local newspaper Latgales Laiks by Inese Baranovska.
At Jēkabpils, Lāsma Skļarska interviewed me for the local television station Vidus Daugava. Vidusdaugavas’ TV web site address is www.jekabpilslaiks.lv, and the interview is on youtube.com at - http://www.youtube.com/user/VDTVsizeti#play/uploads/5/kh1x5hFQVLY.
Also at Jēkabpils I was interviewed for local newspapers by Ilze Kalniņa from Brīvā Daugava and Māra Grīnberga from Jaunais Vēstnesis.
At Cēsis, I was interviewed by Agita for the local newspaper, Druva.
At the Estonian border I was met by Gunārs and Ilze Nagels from Laikraksts Latvietis. Photos are at http://www.laikraksts.com/.

Gunta and Ziedonis have provided great support throughout. Gunta arranged all of the accommodation and checked with them again the day before I was due to arrive. Last night, both Gunta and Zedonis drove long distances to ensure that I got home to Rīga after finishing the walk. Gunta, Selga and Juris offered me the hospitality of the homes which allowed me to recover and recharge both physically and mentally. Last year, Janis told me 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 either last year or this year, but it was a comforting thought. I very much enjoyed his company and conversation on the longest day’s walking, and Selga’s the following morning.

Lija, Jānite and Anita have all provided great encouragement and support. Jana’s blog comments were always a highlight. I was very pleased I could see Lija’s final concert at Mazsalaca and come home with her. Anita visited at Cēsis and Mazsalaca 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 bothered otherwise.

And finally my thanks to all the people I met on my journey. Jana, Olafs and their sons, Andris and Imants, who shared the cottage at Sventes Ezers, Andris (the birdwatcher) who was riding his bike through the forest on the way to Zasa, Astra and Uldis, Gunta’s neighbours at Zaube, Laura from Calgary Canada who was staying with Uncle George (Juris) at Cēsis, Zane (the rogainer) who I chatted with at Mujāni and who, with John Brauns, gave an impromptu performance of Martiņš Brauns, Saule, Perkons, Daugava and Atis and Baiba from Mazsalaca whom I hope have a kāzas and a very happy life together. Thank you too to Atis, Matiss and Kristine Lūkins who came to Mazsalaca to see Anita and me and to John Brauns who drove over to Mujāni. 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.

Lastly, a commercial – if you live in Melbourne, you too can share some of my experiences at the Breakfast at the Hilton, Wellington Road, East Melbourne on Sunday 23 August at 10:30am. I will present a slide show (which I promise will be entirely new, with only the best bits from last year’s walk). Buffet breakfast, champagne and the entertainment included in the price of $45. The proceeds will go to help bring performers from Latvia to the 53rd Latvian Arts Festival in Melbourne in December 2010 (organised by Anita and her committee). For tickets, contact Aina Kučere on 9435 6152 or Anda Vēliņa on 9850 6569.

Day 11 – Saturday 8 August

Mazsalaca to Estonian border
31km [385km]; 6 hours 30 minutes
Weather fine
I have walked up Latvia! It was such a relief to reach the border and know that I could finally stop walking. I have had enough, for the moment. Though, today was a good day’s walking with good surfaces, interesting terrain and a reasonably moderate distance.
To start, I just followed the road the hotel was on, out to Blankas. A bitumen road but very quiet.
The next section was one of the best – a narrow compressed sandy track about 2-3m wide, with some farmland but generally through forest which the sun had difficulty penetrating. I saw no-one to speak to. The farming looked prosperous – large numbers of round hay bales. As the road narrowed and the forest became enclosing, the houses ceased. The track became boggy and if the summer had not been dry, it is likely that the track would have been impassable. This was the ‘connecting’ section of the road – traffic would come in at either end, but it looked like none had passed the entire length for some time.

Eventually, I came to a habitation and the track went right through the middle – house on one side and sheds and barns alternating. And a dog, fortunately chained, which raised the alarm. But the chance of anyone reaching that settlement must have been so remote that no-one investigated why the dog was barking so loudly. I hurried on, but heard the dog for some minutes more. I was lucky today – I came across two large dogs which were roaming free. The first time, the owner called the dog off and the second, I had a harrowing 100m or so before I had passed outside the dog’s territory and it let me be.

At Vērsis, I had morning tea and then strode out on a smallish road across the fields. Again no traffic and pleasant walking. At Ipiķi, where Gunta’s mother’s family comes from, there were only 8 more kilometres to the border. I quickened my pace. With 5km to go, a bus stopped and the driver asked if I wanted a lift. With 2km to go, Jānis phoned to see whether I had made it. And just before the last corner, Anita turned up with Gunārs and Ilze who had driven to Mazsalaca for the last afternoon’s performance at the European Latvian Summer School.
Last year, when I finished there were local and national television and a national newspaper present. This year there were representatives of the international press – Gunārs and Ilze run a largely electronic newspaper, usually out of Melbourne, but for the last few weeks, out of the UK and Latvia. We had the obligatory photo shoot at the border signs and the marker signifying the northernmost point in Latvia.
I then accepted a lift back to Mazsalaca to see Lija’s school performance – excellent singing and folk dancing and presentations.

I started writing this blog whilst having dinner in the kafejnīca in Mazsalaca. I was interrupted when the young guy who had come into the bar for a drink wanted to chat with me. ‘Where are you from – Finland?’ ‘No, Australia’. ‘Australia! I don’t believe you’ etc., etc. He had been holding hands with the young waitress but she had gone off to some other duties. Atis (for that was his name) told me that he and Baiba had been going out for two years and they loved each other very much. I asked him when the kaza would be. He looked puzzled, and Gunta explained later that kāzas was actually the Latvian word for wedding, but that kaza meant goat.

Gunta drove me and Lija halfway home to Līgatne where Ziedonis had travelled from Riga to pick us up. Lija is not well – the suspected swine flu (which it was not), but whatever it was, has lingered. Anita stayed at Mazsalaca for the party and will get a lift back later tonight. As Gunta drove back, I realised how far I had walked – and that was only during the last 3½ days. I am very pleased with the achievement, and with the experiences I have had. I will try and reflect more on that tomorrow. It is great to be back in Riga although, already the walk seems a little remote or unreal. I am left with a blister, sore feet and ... much, much more.

Supplement
And already people are asking me about next year. I have decided that next year I would like to do something really challenging - taking the night train from Riga to Moscow!

Here is a bit of an email just received from Jāna:

I've thoroughly enjoyed following dad's blog and I can't wait for it to be printed out so I can re-read it (and all the comments). Thank you dad for being so diligent and especially the photos that complement each entry - I go back every now and again to see if Juris has added any more.

Today I'm booking tickets for myself, Salt and Dan to the fundraiser of the year. Yesterday at the funeral, many people mentioned dad's walk. It was a combination of "I didn't know he was such a walker" "His blog is so interesting" "I hope he is able to visit my relative" and "Of course his breakfast fundraiser will be sold out!". Ruta Šķoba was particularly animated, Mammuka told me all about mum and Lija's meeting before EVS (and the shopping) and she was the one urging me to get on top of tickets and numerous other latvian school parents expressed their interest or fascination with the walk.

Day 10 – Friday 7 August

Mujāni [near Kocēni] to Mazsalaca
49km [354km]; 10 hours 10 minutes
Weather fine
An incredibly hard day. I left at 07:25. The sun was up but it was a crisp morning. The lake looked magnificent as I came out of the house. The first 25km to Matīsi was very pleasant walking. This surprised me as I had anticipated straight-forward road walking and there were distance markers every kilometre; which can be a little distressing if they do not exactly flash by. The road however narrowed and traversed attractive farmland and occasional forest. It was also extremely quiet.
I arrived at Matīsi at lunchtime. I had been planning to have a substantial meal to give me energy for the next stage. In the centre of town, I asked a young woman with mauve hair, whether there was a kafējnica in the town. She at first said no but then recollected that there was a kafējnica at the Hotel Matīsi. I asked if it was far. She was doubtful and I asked if it was one km away. She said no, only 200m and gave me directions.
In fact, after walking 500m to the hotel and 500m back again after finding the hotel closed down, I had walked a further kilometre and was no further advanced. I then examined the two small shops. I settled on a tin of Rīgas Šprotes [Riga Sprats – like sardines] with some black bread to eat with them. Did they work? We will never know, as although I made it to Mazsalaca, I felt completely wrecked in the process.
Just outside Matīsi, I had a choice – walk beside a bitumen road for 19km or follow more minor roads for 21km. I chose the minor roads and the two extra km [or so I thought]. The first 10km were great with a quiet narrow road traversing some very rich farmland – at one stage grass and clover on one side of the road and a weed-free crop of wheat on the other side.
When I reached the main road near Braslava, I expected the signpost would say 11km to Mazsalaca – instead it said 14km, and the road was constructed of dusty gravel and 3-4cm diameter stones. It is the worst combination – the gravel builds up in places and is like walking in soft sand. Also the stones penetrate even the thickest boot sole and it is very easy to roll on the large stones.
I just put my head down and tried to keep to the left side of the gravel, where often graders have scraped a flat surface which is better to walk on. There were kilometre distance markers and I timed myself between them at 5 1/2 and 6 kph.
Anita got a lift to Mazsalaca from Riga and came a little way to meet me. Anita had expected me to walk from our hotel to the school where Lija is staying – but the further two kilometres were way beyond me.

We waited for Atis, Matīss and Kristīne [the Swedish contingent] who were in Latvia for a long weekend at their place in Limbaži. [Anita had taken Jāna to Atis' wedding in Stockholm when Jāna was only 6- or 8-weeks old]. After dinner, Atis drove Anita to visit Lija. At dinner, we met Madara and her family from Saldus. Madara was at EVS with Lija last year and afterwards Lija had gone to stay with Madara and had attended the first day of school on 1 September. In the unpleasant section between Braslava and Mazsalaca, Madara's dad had offered me a lift – it was very tempting!
At Ruta's request, we took a photo of Pernavas iela 12 where Rolands Šķoba [now of Melbourne and Ruta's and Gunta's father] used to live. It is about 100m down the road from the hotel where we are staying.
Tomorrow is the last day of walking – about 30km to the Estonian border. Over the last two days I have developed a blister in the same spot as last year – on the inside of the heel, though this time on the left foot. I am sorry there is only one day left to talk about it, rather than the weeks of discussion we had last year. I will photograph it for posterity. But it will not stop me now.

Zoology Quest

On Day 8, during their 50km endurance walk from (beyond) Zaube to Cēsis, Jānis and Graham had sufficient wits and energy to take the intriguing picture below:

As they had such a long way to go, they did not have the time to clarify whether this was a fossil or a fresh mud-print. Can any zoologists out there help us identify this footprint?

Day 9 – Thursday 6 August

Cēsis to Mujāni [near Kocēni]
30km [305km]; 7 hours 10 minutes
Weather fine

I have arrived at Mujāni. I am sitting outside looking over the lake. The building was apparently constructed for community events. On the middle floor, accessed through the front door, is what looks like the village hall. Downstairs has been renovated for tourist accommodation with a few bedrooms, a spa and a wood-fired pirts [sauna].
As you walk in from the main road, you pass a 17th century tower, which my host, Rasma, told me was part of the Swedes’ defences against the Russians. Little has changed – Latvians have a continuing suspicion about Russia's intentions and, according to Jānis, there is significant resentment against the Swedes for the economic influence they assert through their banks in Latvia.
Rasma's daughter Zane is staying here for the moment with her 3-month old son, Kārlis. She has job with GE, or a similar company involved with technical medical matters and is fluent in English. Most interesting is the fact that she is a rogainer and competed in the 7th World Championships in Australia in 2006 and the 8th WC last year in Estonia. And a very good rogainer, having come 8th of the women's teams in 2006.
Zane said that tonight the local orienteering association in Valmiera was running an event and I could go along and compete if I liked. The no-car rule would have made it a long event, so I declined.
Selga helped me through the day's walking. She walked about 16km with me from Cēsis to Vaidava, where Juris and Laura picked her up. Selga and I had a great walk and a great chat. The big question is whether Steven Carroll went to Glenroy or Oak Park High School?
We walked past the Cēsis castle. I visited it in 1987 but it is now greatly restored. Then an attractive route on minor roads before joining up with the road to Vaidava and crossing the Gauja River on the swing bridge. The lake at Vaidava is very pretty and after parting with Selga, I followed a track around its eastern side to Rubene where I passed the imposing Lutheran church.
I was extremely sluggish for most of the day and held Selga back with my slow pace. I certainly appreciated her company, which meant I was able to complete what proved to be a hard day's walking.
When I arrived at Mujāni, Rasma had a tray of food waiting, with birch-sap juice to drink. I was invited to 'treat the home as if it were my own'.
John Brauns visited me as I was having dinner. John is a Latvian who grew up in Leeds but moved here in 2000. John knows Juris and last year followed my blog and made a comment. John met Anita at the ELJA50 congress last week where he conducted a wine tasting. He brought along a bottle of his own oak-leaf wine. Zane declined the wine because she was feeding Kārlis. I doubted my capacity to both drink and walk and also declined. I asked John whether he was related to Mārtiņš Brauns. John said he wasn't but was proud of the common surname. I asked John and Zane whether they liked his music. They both said 'of course' and spontaneously started singing Saule, Pērkons, Daugava!
Tomorrow will not be easy – it will be a 45km day and will be incredibly hard – mostly road- walking in open farmland. Anita will be waiting at Mazsalaca and perhaps we will have a visit from the Swedish contingent of Atis, Matīss and Kristīne.
I am always touched and pleased to read the comments on the blog. So many thanks [again] to Jānis of Camelot, Jānīte of Melbourne, Vikki and Andrējs from Sydney and particularly Australian Cat with the Latvian boyfriend, whose contribution I was delighted to see.
I must stop writing now as I can barely stay awake.

Day 8 – Wednesday 5 August 2009

Gunta’s (near Zaube) to Cēsis
50 +4km (275km) – 9 hours 50 minutes
Weather fine

Jānis and I walked 100km today – 50km each. It was tremendous to have company and we talked almost non-stop until rendered speechless by exhaustion over the last 2km or so. It was relentless walking; we had a couple of 10-minute stops but otherwise kept up a steady pace. The walking was varied and interesting. We had about 500 metres on the 4-lane Pleskava Highway (Editor’s note: only because this was a steep hill leading down to a bridge – definitely not a 4-lane highway elsewhere beyond Sigulda!); but the rest was generally on minor country roads and occasional forest tracks.
There was relatively little traffic and little need to concentrate on much more than our chatting. We spoke about Jānis’ current passion for archery (recently he was number 3 in Latvia) and his shared sheep-farming activities with his brother Matīss at Straupe. They have 66 sheep, not all of which have names yet. They have used their technical skills recently to re-roof a section of the 100-metre long farm shed on the property. Jānis explained, with a diagram drawn in the road gravel, how he and Matīss had erected the framework for the roof structure without the use of a crane.

Jānis had a year at college in America and has excellent English. We also talked about family matters. Anita’s father and Jānis’ grandfather were brothers separated after the war by the need for Anita’s father to leave Latvia because he had been conscripted to fight against the Soviet Union. Jānis has a very strong sense of family and established a close bond with second cousin Mark when Mark was in Latvia for the first time last year.
Selga and Juris and Juris’ Canadian niece, Laura, met us about 5km out of Cēsis and then walked out to meet us to guide us to their home. They met us outside Latvia’s Borstal or youth offender facility – a grim place.
Selga went to meet Anita who had caught the bus from Riga and the reporter, Agita, and photographer, Māris, from the Cēsis local paper Druva arrived. I put my pack back on and walked up and down the street outside until Māris was satisfied. The interview with Agita took about one and a half hours. Anita, Jānis and occasionally Selga, Juris and Laura sat in. Agita had very good English – she is 20 and the language education in Latvia seems to produce excellent results.
Agita asked the usual probing questions – Why do it? etc. And with a combination of Latvian and English, I was able to give perhaps more reasonable responses. She asked what I carried and I showed her the contents of my pack; including the current book I am reading – Anne Frank’s, The Diary of a Young Girl, which she had also read. I told her that the next book I intended to read was by her namesake – Agita Christie.

After the interview, I was allowed a quick shower. Matīss & Oksana's sister Olga arrived to pick up Jānis and I walked with Anita and Juris to the local hospital.
Juris’ Aunt Laima, who lives in Melbourne, had been visiting Selga and Juris. Last week, a couple of days before she was due to fly home, she slipped and broke her hip and, on Monday was plated up in an operation at the Cēsis Hospital. Laima is an old friend; she is one of the senior members of Anita’s sorority, and a keen follower of my blogs.
Of course we had to visit, although because of the inflexible (solitary) rule of cross-country walking; under no circumstances whilst engaging in the activity must you enter a motor vehicle, we had to walk the 2km to the hospital and the 2km back home. Laima was sitting up on the edge of her bed and seemed in very good spirits, particularly after we turned up. Laima, I hope your recovery is speedy and complete and I am very sorry you will not be at the Hilton on the 23rd.
We walked home close to the old town and I am glad that I had the chance to do a little sightseeing. I visited Cēsis on my first visit to Latvia in 1987, but had not been back since. Tomorrow, Selga will be walking with me and she can show me a little more of the town as we walk through. We will also be crossing the Gauja River – the longest river in Latvia, though the Daugava (which flows in from Belarus) is a longer river.
Last night, Gunta looked after us very well. I now have clean clothes – 7 days was a little long with only a few changes. We were fed well both last night and this morning and whilst I wrote last night’s blog, Jānis and Gunta had time for a god-motherly talk. I am looking forward to being back in Riga with Gunta and Ziedonis on Sunday. Then just 10 days before we head for home and so many people to see before we do.
But tonight, I am enjoying the hospitality of Selga and Juris, and Anita’s company. I have written this blog on a real computer with a full-size keyboard and Juris took away my mobile office and downloaded my photos and the video I recorded by mistake (intending a photo) of pilgrims on their way to the Catholic cathedral in Aglona. You can hear them calling to Jānis and me to join them (Editor’s note: closer listeners will hear one of the pilgrims responding ‘but he is walking across Latvia!’). Their calls fell on deaf ears. Today’s church photo is, in the interests of ecumenical balance, of the Orthodox church at Nītaure.