'Seagull, you fly across the horizon
Into the misty morning sun
Nobody asks you where you are going
Nobody knows where you're from'
Seagull -Bad Company
An interview with film maker Rimantas Navickas at camp Salacgriva
The day began with the soft cadence of an interview, a quiet prelude to the myriad moments poised to unfold. Yet it was within the pauses, the spaces between questions and answers, that the true essence of the day emerged—subtle, enigmatic, and waiting to be deciphered.
It was the day of keys. Temporarily lost car keys. Hotel room keys that didn't work. It was a day of rain and intense winds. Of often peaceful back roads and then manic main roads.Where death could come knocking at any moment. Juggernauts at speed passing less than a few meters away.
We dubbed it the wild coast. And wild and beautiful it was.
The wild and breezy gulf of Riga just over the Estonian border from Latvia
An international border beckoned, Latvia's farewell juxtaposed with Estonia's welcome. Ajmal embarked not just on a geographical journey, but on a pilgrimage of self-discovery intertwined with the journeys of those around him. The pages of his passport bore witness to his wanderlust, an inscription of places traversed etched onto the parchment of his life.
Border crossing from Latvia into Estonia
As the road unfurled, sensory vignettes appeared—a tapestry of signs and symbols, a language of consumerism revealing its stories.
Cafes extended their warmth and camaraderie through aromatic delights and relaxing corners to drink coffee and check the route maps,
Lunch at Metsaküla
Film maker and navigation assistant :-) Rimintas Navickas feigning Mozart as he composes another iPhone symphony, this one called Concerto Karle to Pärnu
while filling stations and kiosks painted the landscape with their national hues.
Red for Latvia. Blue for Estonia.
Progress, at times disrupted by the dance of road works, unfolded as a choreography of controlled chaos—a symphony of construction leading the ensemble through a landscape marked by both evolution and imperfection. The harmonious chorus of machinery provided a backdrop to the journey, a reminder of the cyclical nature of change.
Rain, steadfast in its purpose, fell in a gentle cascade, testing the resilience of both rain gear and human spirit. And in its wake, the wind emerged as a companion, orchestrating an avian ballet of migratory birds carried off course by the winds from the Gulf of Riga—a fleeting reminder of nature's intricate dance.
For Ajmal Samuel and his companions, the road ahead marked the prelude to a new chapter—a glimpse into the mysteries of Scandinavia. The Gulf of Finland, a doorway both literal and metaphorical, beckoned towards lands shaped by histories distinct from their own. Yet beneath the surface disparities flowed a shared current of humanity—an aspiration for meaning, a yearning for connection. As the road stretched forward, their narrative intertwined with the countless stories etched upon the tapestry of human exploration.
The day concluded with the fading echoes of an interview, a gentle coda to the countless moments that had unfurled. Yet it was within the silences, the gaps between queries and responses, that the genuine spirit of the day revealed itself—subtle, compelling, and awaiting interpretation for those who might later listen in.
Arriving at the Hestia Hotel Strand, Pärnu
Distance Covered
Day 1 - Klaipeda to Sventāja 42.89Km
Day 2 - Sventājato Liepāja 62.11Km
Day 3 - Liepāja to Kuldīga 97.34Km
Day 4 - Kuldiga to Plieņciema kāpa 108.59Km
Day 5 - Plieņciema kāpa to Riga 60.14Km
Day 6 - Riga Rest and Recharge
Day 7 - Riga to Salacgriva 104.4km
Day 8 - Salacgriva to Pärnu 75km
Day 9- Pärnu Rest & Recharge
TOTAL DISTANCE COVERED: 552.71Km
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ASF has carefully chosen Resolve to be the beneficiary for 2023: Resolve is a charity founded in 2017 that helps create change makers in our community to drive a more inclusive city. Their signature program is a Fellowship that has so far supported over 70 emerging community leaders from diverse walks of life. There have been five cohorts of the fellowship on racial equality, ending gender-based violence, disABILITIES and empowerment, wellbeing and health and (E)quality Education for all.
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