Estonia says "Tere tulemast!"

Yesterday was a beatiful day. And not only because instead of raining cats and dogs and refridgerators, that the weather forecast promised us, we got just some refreshing sprinkles that were more refreshing than wetting. We had a lot to celebrate too. First of all, it was quite hard to believe that it is already a week since we packed our bags and left home. And just as hard it is to believe that we, two girls mainly located at a desktop with a computer and not running around very much, are still on the way and actually progressing faster that we had planned. And even without specially forcing ourselves forward.
Having realized this in the very morning, we slowly woke up in our king-size beds, had our breakfast in actual kitchen at an actual table, and packed to go. They let us out, so now we will have something to say to anyone who will try to call us crazy. We mean, we believe specialists in this sense and they obviously thought we are OK.
During the breakfast we realized we have enough energy to actually think so we decided to have a look at our route and it turned out that the railway to Valka goes waaaay more straightly than the road does. An option to cut some five or even more kilometres and end up in Estonia in that very evening was too tempting to even discuss whether the railway itself is fine for long-distance hiking. we decided to give it a go, as there was a chance to turn back on the road after some time.
We asked for the shortest way to the lady who let us out and she showed it - right through the clinic territory. While we were talking, it started to rain a bit and Lauma put on her anti-rain solution. Of course, Murphy law worked this time too, so basically we were walking through the yard of the clinic with her having a plastic bag on her head pretty much with no reason and looking quitr happy about it. Happy enough for two guys doing some maintenance work discussing quite openly, whether we are "ones of theirs".

We reached the railway eventually, through a forest where at one point we suddenly realized we are passing some strange graveyard, but other than that with no extra adventures. We calculated that there might be not many trains going as at least the passenger ones are replaced with a bus in this part of the route. But, as we were passing railway repairmen, who were even so polite to close their car doors to let us pass without having to go through a longer grass, we decided to have a safety consultation. By that meaning asking one of them whether the trains are going along this route at all or we don't have to worry. He was absolutely confident and knowing that no, no trains. None at all. Nothing goes here. It gave us additional boost, because it meant we could simply walk our way without having to look over our shoulder constantly.

We found our rythm quite soon and most of time it felt like there would be just the railway and us on the world. Just at one point we passed some Russian-speaking woodworkers who were interested (and switched to Latvian easily as soon as they understood we are not that good with Russian) whether we are picking berries or mushrooms. "We are just walking," we replied and they of cours asked, where. "From Riga to Tartu." And there was this moment of absolute silence from their side that sounded like them trying to understand if they had heard it right. After a while they seemed to have digested this information and hearthily wished us good luck on our way. We thanked, we went and kilometres kept literarly flying by. After resting a bit at Saule railway statin we had reached the point where we were supposed to turn back on the road and so we did.

Just fifteen minutes later we realized that apart from weather forecast there is another thing we will never believe again - railway men. Reason for that - quite loud, quite long, quite fast train on the railway where supposedly no train goes ever at all. But we were on the road, so everything happened again for the good.

Having celebrated "less than 100km left" somewhere at the end of our railway route, we felt quite boosted and time and kilometres kept flying away. We realized that our ultimate target that was "reach Estonia today" was actually very real and attainable. We also decidd to have a proper meal somewhere in Valka when we reach it, because we felt having deserved it.

And this is where Valka kicked in heavily and painfully. Namely, yes, there is one caffee. No, it does not work after six'o'clock. It was probably the first disappointment in our trip as a whole, so we were so desperate and sad and angry and [put whatever word along these lines you can think off] that we just went for food to Valga. Yes, we crossed the border. It was quite an emotional moment. But we were going for the food.
Having got everything we wanted we thought of Valga train station as a good place to eat it. Well, we were an hour too late for that, as it closes at 20.00. Somehow and for some reason some random googling happened with keywords like "place to stay", "Valga", etc. We were lucky again (or things just happen as they shoud again and founf a hostel, that was not far, tha had places and that was again ridiculously friendly in its pricings. Having booked two beds we just went there and obviously arrived at the hostel before the booking information had arrived to the hostel lady. Anyway. We got our kingsize room with normal size beds for our use and quite interesting neighbours who at some point had managed to break a bed in their room and cacme to make a deal to exchange it to one of the extra beds in our room. That we, though quite amused, allowed them. Later one of them probably was training to set a new world record in making snoring noises that could be heard more than well in the hallway but luckily not in our room. So, another night of a good sleep and another morning of cosy waking up.

So, altogether, we have been out there for a week and still talk to each other, we have made it to the point where the final countdown happens in two-digit numbers, and we are in Estonia. So if you see two girls walking along the Valga-Tartu road with Latvian flags, those might be happy us (even if we do not look very happy on the outside at all times - tiredness sometimes takes its toll). We still will not accept any lifts, but we will be happy to smile and say - yes, we are still alive, we are still going and hey, Tartu is pretty much around the corner now.