On foot through Spain St. Jacob's way: why do you want to hike 872 kilometers

🥾 Lyuba, who are you?

I am Liuba, a girl from Klaipėda. I look at life with a smile and try to find something good even in the worst situation. I am a taster - I taste everything - I taste life.

🥾 Do you often challenge yourself?

I don't set challenges for myself - they come into my life by themselves. Once upon a time, I wanted to do a more interesting sport, and a newspaper with an article about the Klaipėda Mountain Sports Club fell into my hands. That's how I got interested in rock climbing and mountaineering.

When I wanted to engage in more active activities, I had to learn to drive a minibus with a trailer, and once to run through the woods with a backpack. As a child, I loved the sea, so during the regatta of large sailing ships 1 I became a volunteer, I got the opportunity to sail to Finland.

I take a step towards my dream, and then everything happens by itself.

From modesty, as you can see, I will not die either. 🙂

🥾 What challenge did you take on this time?

I was planning a trip to Nepal. But fate sent me to the path of Santiago.

The purpose of the trip was to walk 800 km in 25 days Santiago de Compostela. But that's what I thought at first. Later I met a Spaniard who helped me understand that the purpose of this trip is the trip itself.

🥾 Why Santiago?

I met a couple who were planning to go to Nepal in March and were looking for a company for the trip. Nepal is my dream, so I agreed to join without much thought. I got a passport, saved money, got a vacation from work and waited.

However, later I found out that my fellow passengers could no longer travel, so I was left alone with money and vacation for the month of March.

But I am a dreamer and I always naively believe that everything will be fine. I remembered the movie The Way (2010), I read this and that about the Way of Santiago and bought a ticket to the French town Saint Jean Pied de Porto.

When the time came, I packed my backpack and left.

My mother was very surprised that I prepared for such a long trip alone, without using any travel agency and without the company of friends. At first she tried to oppose my decision, but later she agreed.

🥾 how did it go

At the beginning of the trip, I ran like my eyes were burning. As I mentioned, my goal was to reach Santiago on time. For this, it was necessary to walk at least 30-33 km per day. In my hands I only had a sheet with the distances to working albergues (lodges) and on the road I saw yellow arrows that accompanied me all the way to Santiago.

No map or guide, but if you follow the arrows carefully it's hard to get lost. I hurried as much as I could. Sometimes I missed the opportunity to have a longer conversation with the people I met, and sometimes I even made mistakes that could have been unforgivable.

But later I met the Spaniard Sergio. When he heard that I plan to walk at least 40 kilometers on Sunday, he was surprised:

🥾 What did you do when it was hard?

When something happens and I want to give up, I ask myself: "What will change if I give up now and don't try?" The answer is almost always the same: "Nobody."

You can't escape the problem, but you can solve it.

You may or may not succeed further, but you won't know until you try. So I always encourage myself and start working little by little so that in the future I can at least get one step closer to the goal. Sometimes you have to make decisions that are not very favorable for you. But that's what life is all about - if there were no contrast, we would not feel true happiness.

🥾 How did you feel when you reached your hiking goal?

My dreams are never fully realized, so I'm always happy with the end result. I never wanted to be the strongest athlete, the smartest student, or the best specialist.

But mostly I want to try something I haven't tried before, and because the feeling is not yet known, I can't get over it to expect something specific. 2

For example, when I climbed a mountain with a backpack on my back for the first time in the early winter morning, I asked myself why I was doing this - so this is my vacation. Normal people go where it's warm, where there's a pool and a bar, and I...

But when I climbed to the top of the mountain and saw that view, tears of happiness began to well up in my eyes, and I even took my breath away. I realized that I would get up at 5 o'clock in the morning, 3 I will hike 12 hours a day just to experience this feeling one more time.

🥾 What did you learn during Sanjtag?

I learned to let go during the trip. Letting go of everything that holds and does not give peace. I realized that people come and go in our lives and we have no right to be angry about it. I'd rather get the best out of a person, wish them luck and let them go. 4

• I realized that we need to respect the other person and his choice even when we don't like him at all. If a person wants to be alone, it does not mean that he is angry or does not want to communicate. Maybe he just simply wants to be alone. 
• I realized that it's not worth getting nervous about the little things. If you cannot change the situation, change your attitude. As the saying goes: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes."
• I realized that sometimes problems solve themselves, you just need to wait a little bit calmly. And swim downstream.
• And the main thing I realized is that although sometimes not so pleasant things happen, everything that happens on the road and in life has a meaning. In the end, everything works out for the best, the most important thing is to look at life positively and smile a lot. You know, it helps. 🙂

After returning home, I realized that walking 50 km a day is not my limit, so, after a little rest, I decided to participate in the Lithuanian 2x100 km walk: two days of one hundred kilometers, one day for rest. The hike went well, the goal was achieved - I made new friends, covered the distance.

🥾 Do you have any advice for people who want to repeat or surpass your adventure?

My adventure cannot be surpassed. Because every person, walking this road or going on any other journey, experiences his unique and unique adventure. Having good shoes and always being in a good mood is good advice to help you on any hike.

As the saying goes, "Dream and your wishes will come true." Well, add a little more effort to make things go faster and in the direction you want.

🥾 Soooooo... What challenge will you take on now?

I wouldn't call my current dream a challenge, but I really want to go to Iceland. I don't know when it will happen or what the circumstances will be, but I will definitely go there.

The great desire of my life is to travel halfway around the world.

Our world is very different in its natural phenomena: Argentina, India, African countries, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, well, and many other countries that usually do not fall for the offers of travel agencies. 🙂

🥾 Thank you, Luba!

And here's this one at the end:

1. I have previously written why it's always best to expect less.
2. My friend Valtiniks has written, why it is better not to compare anything.
3. Tadas Rakauskas has told about meditations for releasing bad thoughts.
4. And for those who want to travel the Way of Santiago, that's probably it best page, which writes about the trip in Lithuanian. I recommend it.

By the way, St. Jacob's Way is also in Lithuania! 

...And what trip would you like to go on? What was the most insanely fantastic trip you've ever been on? Would you like St. Are you going to cross Jacob's path? Share in the comments below!