Not the end but the off-time.

I do not know if it is my imagination or not, but it seems that the last days of my travels are always accompanied by the clear blue sky, bright sun and windless mood. So that behaved the nature on the last day of Latvian Stroll.

There was not much left to walk, but we enjoyed each of last kilometers:  from relieved backpacks, from the heating sun, from 10-minutes breaks at bus stops, from churches and houses that were on our way, from the water, from clear lakes, from the cool wind, from the freshly “on the knee"-brewed coffee, from the fact that we are here and now.
 

Around three or four o'clock in the afternoon we found ourselves the border of Latvia and Lithuania. I couldn’t not believe it. But a sign saying "Lietuvos Respublika" is not lying.

After reading it, I cried out: "What ?! That’s all?!".

Right, it was difficult to believe that the journey came to an end, that we reached its final point, that the backpacks will soon stop being a part of our body, that the night sky won’t be our roof, that we won’t have to put the tent and wrap in sleeping bags, that we won’t need to conceal the flame from the wind, that he would not need to knock new doors in order to ask for some water.

All this is completed, ended.

I remember the journalist in Daugapils asking us what we are going to do after this campaign. We replied without hesitation: "We’ll take a break before the next."

Life between trips – is a pause to catch the breath before going somewhere again. The final point of the trip – is not the target, the way - is. And this way, we believe, will last all life.

What was valuable in those three weeks?

Perhaps the understanding that you do not need lot to be happy: clear sky, and if it is gloomy, the small roof that is enough for two, water to have enough to drink and wash hands, a piece of bread and a cookie to share with your companion, the silence of the forest and bird calls, the first star in the night sky and a thin scarlet stripes of the rising sun, a steady hand and an understanding heart near, and  freedom - in time, in direction, in actions and thoughts.

In conclusion, I wanted to say one thing. During the trip we met many wonderful people - they were different, they lived and saw life differently, but they were all amazed, and even were enthusiastic about our trip. Many times we have heard: "It is so great what you're doing! And I would like to do it! I would do it on a bike! ".
So, please, people, do what you wish so much, do what you are dreaming about. Do not let your dreams seemingly  impossible to reach. After the very first step, everything becomes more real. We live only once so, please, make your dreams come true. Life is good because everything is possible in it. Everything.

The end.