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Irmantas from Klaipėda says she became interested in walks 12 years ago, when in Lithuania they were only organized by the military.
PHOTO GALLERY. Irmantas from Klaipeda toured Lithuania in 35 days
The most spectacular walks
And now Irmantas not only participates in various marches organized in Lithuania, but also participates in marches abroad.
“The first walk was maybe 25 km for people. Those who don’t walk a lot may seem like a lot, but for those who walk every day, it doesn’t seem like a great distance. If you go for a walk at least once a month, a walk simple does not require special preparation for such a walk, ”says Irmantas, adding that she has already participated in about 100 walks.
The man says that personal hikes are rare, because now there is a huge selection of various organized hikes, when the routes are already planned, and see will definitely be what. A large number of acquaintances also gather for such walks.
“I think it is more interesting in this type of event, because the motivation is greater and it can be communicated,” says the man.
To date, Irmantas’ most impressive trips have been abroad, in Spain and the Netherlands.
“A very impressive trip is also being organized in the Netherlands. It is the largest in Europe in terms of number of participants, with more than 40,000 participants. People, and with deep traditions. This is a 4-day walk. We walked 50 km every day We drove there with a team from Lithuania.
Oh St. Jacob’s way is that you go and you go. Very different from Holland. The walks are very different, the organizers are different, which makes comparison difficult. Of course, I try not to do the same walks, I prefer to choose places that are not seen or a country that I have not visited before ”, he says.
However, this time Irmantas decided to go on the most impressive journey of her life so far. And on June 12 he got in the way.
“It just came to our knowledge then. Now there were fewer opportunities to travel abroad. I wanted to make more active use of my vacation time. The idea of avoiding Lithuania was born a couple of years ago, but I have only implemented it now. One other thing. because of other organized walks I have seen many of the most visited places in Lithuania, but it was not in the outskirts ”, explains the Klaipėda resident.
Since the walk took place on the outskirts of Lithuania, Irmantas had to walk not only on paved roads, but also on gravel roads, forests or meadows, which were previously used by border guards.
“I made the route as close to the border as possible. I zoomed in on the map and looked for the last path to the state border. At the Polish border, I walked on roads that had previously been patrolled by border officials. Sometimes they did not reach the border itself because the places were heavily wooded or swampy.
In total I walked 1,500 km. As far as I was interested, other hikers who hiked in Lithuania hiked around 1,200 or 1,300 km. It depends on the planned route. The asphalt road was going faster, but I had to watch out for cars, there were fewer sounds of nature. Walking on small roads and there was more shade, but still not so safe, because if something happened to my health … it was that I did not find a single car or person during lunch, “he says.
It took time to charge the phone
The man took only the most necessary items: a tent, a sleeping bag, a mat, some clothes, spare shoes and coats to protect himself from the rain. He tried to load the backpack as easily as possible so as not to put too much pressure on his shoulders and make the hike even more difficult.
“I had no cooking tools because I still have more things in my backpack, the heavier it is and the more difficult it is to go. I tried to prepare as little as possible.
I ate what I bought in the stores of the city or the town. In the larger cities: Druskininkai, Šalčininkai, Zarasai, Šilutė it was possible to eat in cafes and hot food. As I am not a picky eater, it was not difficult. Maybe it wasn’t just soup. In stores you can buy everything your heart desires. I did not insist too much on that. Cooking stuff would not only add weight, it would also waste time, ”he explains.
In the larger cities, Irmantas not only visited cafes, but also spent the night in the warm beds of places that offered lodging services.
“Sometimes comfort was still needed, because it was necessary to charge the electronic devices and do the laundry. And that rest was well desired. Maybe I spent 6 nights in hotels or country houses and spent 2 nights with the residents. I spent all the others nights at the store, ”he says.
The heat didn’t scare me
Irmantas’ success in Lithuania was not lacking: further difficulties were avoided. In the early days of the hike, he rubbed only a few feet.
“I think basically everything went really well, because anything could have happened during that time, but it didn’t happen,” he said.
The man says that in both July and June, the heat that swept through Lithuania did not scare him at all, because he has experienced bigger ones.
“I have been to Spain, it was the heat. The Lithuanian heat was not so inhumane. In the forest and the shade you find. Along the way there are rivers or lakes where you can swim. Sure, noon is hot, it took me a few hours to fight, but I thought it would be more difficult. Sure, it was very hot, but not so hot that it was impossible to go. I drank a lot of water, I was careful not to overheat. But for me, heat is better than rain, ”says the man.
On his way, Irmantas also met with border guards, but they only checked him a few times. Irmantas speculates that they were probably getting the message across, so the next time they saw each other, they just asked how they were doing.
For those who want to repeat such a march by the Klaipeda resident, Irmantas says that the most important thing is to get out of the house.
“The most important thing is the determination to get out of the house and take the first step. If people like to walk, walk, it is definitely possible. You need to plan because the more you plan at home, the better your hiking success will be. I was interested in knowing which towns and shops there are so as not to stay hungry, in which towns there are hotels. There may be a lot of tips, but most of it depends on the route.
I think it is worth taking walks, the most important thing is to take the first step. The edges of Lithuania are very beautiful, there are many attractions on the corners. There is something to see far from the main cities, ”says Irmantas from Klaipėda.
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