Cycling like a Pro

Hello dear ones,

Well well well.

Cycle tour has started! And for me it had to be suspended after 5 days of it.

If you ever wanted to cycle tour- do it. It's an incredible experience. Being able to move around and cover quite long distances relying on your simple bike and muscle power. There is a lot of mind power too.

It's been incredible even if the weather was not treating us sooo well. I guess in my head I always expect the eternal sunshine.

Being able to move around with big weight on your bike and conquer some big motherfucking hills gives you so much joy that you start feeling naturally super high.

Being able to sleep each night in different environment, put up your tent, be ok with sweat or cold or pain or whatever, really gives you the belief in yourself.

I absolutely loved sleeping outdoors. Waking up with light and first sounds of nature waking up. Having a nice herbal cup of tea, breakfast, cold river shower. It feels so raw, so true. I know it's only has been 5 days but it made me feel so wild and connected to our beautiful planet.

And then, as always, my weakest part gave in- toothache. For many years toothache seem to be messing around with my plans. This time, I had to just listen to my body and cycle back to Lienz, where incredible things have happened. I am surrounded by so many great friends who always help me so much, and I happened to have a good luch with the dentist who helped me in a really tricky situation with expired insurance and so on. Being kind in this world is one of the most important virtues and kindess is so contagious! So be kind to one another people!

Now I am back in MoaAlm, recovering for few days after root canal procedure and praying to gods to be rejoined on the bike trip, catch Lottie and Ryan and keep on cycling.

Be healthy everybody!

Ligita

Another Beautiful Chapter Finished

Hello dear all,

It is hard to believe that in few days I will be leaving MoaAlm, mountain retreat that I have been calling home for the past year.

It is hard to believe that is the end somehow.

This place is so special and some of you who came to visit me experienced it. I still cannot believe the whole year passed. It's been such a wondeful ride. With ups and downs, with laughs and pains, with joy, with many new lessons, new friends, new family.

Cooking vegan food and inspiring people to make positive chnages in their lifestyles has been one of the highs. Lots of new faces, great friendships, amazing adventures, snowboarding, sledging, hiking, swimming- my life has been really spoiled with comfort!

I am so grateful for this beautiful place and I am a little bit sad about leaving it. I feel that I will come back one day but who knows where the next adventure is waiting for me.

I really got used to wake up each morning and see those glorious mountains with snow peaks around. I have been spoiled to live by the highest peak in Austria- beautiful Grossglockner. I have been spoiled to eat like a queen and let my creativity unfold in the kitchen. I have been spoiled with people around me- who accepts me the way I am-sometimes a bit weird or crazy, loud and in love with so many things around me. I have been spoiled with deer and marmottes as my only neighbours around. I have been spoiled for so many things, but the good thing with getting a bit older is that you realise it more. Not when you are in a death bed turning the pages of your photo album but actually in the present time.

Catching the beauty in the present time is my natural high. It gives me hope, it gives me inspiration and it gives me a sense of freedom.

I am feeling pretty emotional, like with all my places that I have called home. But in the same time I feel ready for  new adventures.

This week me, Lottie and Ryan with their dog Szuka will be getting on our bicycles and starting the bicycle tour around Austria. Since we can't leave Austria due to Corona madness we decided to have a bit of a challenge and explore the country on our bikes.

So send good vibes for our trip and perhaps I'll make some more blog posts or even little videos to catch out bike tour vibes.

Miss you a lot!!!! <3

Corona Times

Hello all the dear ones,

It's a strange time we are all experiencing now. I did want to write a bit of update but I cannot not talk about big C word.

First, I will say that I am extremely grateful for my situation. I am a priviliged girl who has a beautiful shelter in the mountains, good friends around, nature escapes, good vegan food and all the comfort I need. I am not bragging about it, just really really being grateful for all.

Also, I am extremely lucky to be leading such nomad lifestyle of mine. From quite young age I have been practising the life of spontanuity and unknown. And I feel like now all that practise will be super handy. I know that so many people are put into this unknown feeling without a choise.
However, didn't we all knew that we are not really in control? I guess we can control our minds and behaviours but we can't control the events.

And I know, my situation is so sugar coated that perhaps it's easy for me to accept that unknown. But I also feel that I learnt it through my life.

I am very sad about the ones, who are so vulnerable and ill and perhaps very very worried about the future. I am sending my love and support to you. Spirituality teaches me that this too shall pass.

Each day I see so many expressed opinions online and I guess I am expressing mine now but I am on the same boat with people who believe that this all Corona Virus madness came to teach us something. I personally strongly believe that we really can learn something positive out of it.

On my side, what did I learn so far? I guess I just been affirmed that all we have is now. Yes,cliche, but I really feel that so strongly now.

Another thing that I learn again and again that without people, without loving support, community we are really lone and perhaps disable wolfs. How beautiful is to see now everybody connecting online. Calling their family and friends, arranging skype conferences, doing workshops, teaching skills online, sharing and supporting each other. There are many greedy people in the world but compassion is taking over.

Another thing that I see so strongly is how I and you and all the people around need balance in their lifes. Again, I am extremely lucky to be the one who doesn't run with thousand tasks, I find time for myself, I stop, I reflect and continue. In some way I don't need some virus to make me give some self-love and chill out card. But that, I learnt from being a nomad. There are cycles and rhythms and I try to respect each.

Corona Virus made me also realise how much I am interested in sustainable off grid-living. I feel that I don't know enough life skills, so perhaps once it is all over I would like to learn more about growing my own food and practise off grid-living.

The earth is in joy at the moment. All the CO2 emissions from travelling and transport reduced a lot. This new silence in the air is beautiful. I bet all the wild animals are having some raves now :)

And don't get me wrong, I do understand why so many people are sad, afraid, scared, worried. I have those feelings sometimes too. But I am also learning how to go through chaos. How to acknowledge, reflect and draw some conclusions out of it.

It breaks my heart to see animal sanctuaries losing their working forces, volunteers. It breaks my heart to hear abut people trapped on their own in some small flat in the city. It breaks my heart hearing about domestic abuse, fights and all that. It breaks my heart hearing about the deaths of vulnerable and ill people. It breaks my heart of hearing the stories about our superhero medics and staff working non-stop and saving lifes. But deep inside I am sure that all will be alright. That's what my mum always taught me, that's what I will always carry with me too.

I am sending all my love to my family and friends, and to those that I don't know. Be here and now, stay strong, be kind to each other and support.

With a lot of love,

Ligita

like in a movie

spring is here!

living in the clouds

In the End, It's All About People

Servus dear ones,

I am a book worm. Always have been in love with the world that lives in the books. Imaginations, inspiring stories, haunting knowledge seem to fill my soul so well. And I always so stronly believed in the power of words.

I also seem to be fond of romanticisim. Everything is magic to me, everything in this world happens synchronically, all kind of meant to be. This sort of thinking led me to romaticise isolation.

Now, people who really know me would probably never imagine that such a social little penguin as me can be craving for isolation. But I did and I do, many times.

Some of my favoutrite writers such as Bukowski or Keruac, Robyn Davidson romantisized isolation so much that to me, it seemed the most magical thing. Until I started traveling.

Until I started meeting people, all sorts. Wonderful, mean, inspiring and fun, happy and sad, lost and found. I started to listen to their stories, their teachings. I happen to realize that without social contact, without connection with these homo sapiens my life wouldn't really be that magical.

Yes, I still believe in a gift in being isolated but gosh do I love people.

For the past week my really good friend came to visit me and again and again and again it made me feel that power of connection in friendships. I feel so good, I feel so happy, I feel that belonging feeling that sometimes I lose in isolation.

I do live in the most stunning locations, but in the end, to me it's all about people. It's all about those connections you make, those stories you hear, those stories you tell. Yes, you can die happily on some epic mountain summit, but gosh there will never be a feeling that can replace that love for your beloved ones.

So go on, meet that friend who keeps on texting you but you just seem to never have free time, call that person who perhaps feel lonely, go and see your family, your grandparents. That's why we are here. To share, not to own.

Amen

Ligita

P.S. This time ALL the pictures are from Egle

Szuka

Once in China

Local transport

Zora

Blue Skies, Crispy Air, White Peaks and All That Jazz

Servus,

At the moment I am living in the nature paradise. Call me lucky, brave, adventurous, crazy or all that but somehow I get to call these places home so often.

Some people are chasing careers, fame, family matters, money and so on. I feel like I am chasing the most beautiful spots in the world. And not just to buy a postcard and send to a friend, but actually become a part of that postcard.

The nomadic life that I lead rewards my eyes and my soul. But from time to time I forget to appreciate all that beauty around.

That nagging routine always gets me spoiled. I forget to look around, breath in and out.

Now close your eyes. I want to take you to my world.

Imagine majestic white snow peaks around you, some pine forests, icy cold river nearby and then on one hill, tucked away, remote and out of that buzzing civilization we created there stands a house. A slackline outside. Hot tub, some trees. No cars, no traffic, not even a neighbour around. Just a house. And in that house a kitchen, equiped to cater vegan feasts. A storeroom full of toys- skis, snowboards, ropes, climbing gear and all the fun activities you can think of while living in the mountains. A yoga room that doesn't need any artificial pictures of some majestic nature, all is just there, right through the windows.

Imagine being in that house. You wake up and the first thing you see is 3 deers outside, right in your garden. Just walking undisturbed.

Imagine some snow storms and everywhere you look is white and cold. But you are warm. Sitting cosy wrapped up in a blanket with a cup of tea and watching nature being wild and powerful.

To me, it's my reality. Constelations of stars, tranquility, pure unstimulated life.

We do pay the cost for such beauty. But it's worth it.

I am extremely lucky to be living here.

Don't forget where you live. Don't forget to look around.

with snow and love,

Ligita

stolen pic from Becca

and another one

and another one

and another one, ha

The End of Another Season

Hello all,

Octobers.

Well, seems like my life always have this pattern where I tend to get a bit more free time and go on adventure. It's a funny month really. Living in Europe in most places the weather starts to get more rainy, more moody, darker, shorter days and so on. And that's when I look at the map and ask myself a question, where do I wanna go.

For the past summer, some of you will know, I've been living in the beautiful Alps in Austria, doing the job that I feel jealous for myself ( if that's even possible!), being surrounded by cool people and fresh nature. The summer season is over, another beautiful summer experienced and this time, tam tam tam, I'm coming back for the winter season to the same spot (whaaaat?! ahha).

I get this incredible opportunity that all normal people have. I get to leave my shit behind and carry just one little backpack. I don't need to carry all my camel lady's belongings because I am coming back, ha. To the same place. Is that's how you get hooked on having a stable life? :)

Knowing myself I had thousand ideas for the interseason break. Starting from South America, visiting friends in Indonesia, volunteering at dog sanctuaries, doing a solitary walk in Corsica, partying in all the crazy cities, seeing the lovers (what? I didn't write that, did I? ), moving to hippy communities in Spain, oh dear, imagination was wild. And still is I guess.

Then I just slowed down and let the plans come to me, instead of me looking at the map as my oyster. And somehow, being a little climate warrior (just a little bit!) I decided to try not to fly in my 1.5 month break. Which made it easier to look for adventures. Europe is small, right?

Anyway anyhow very soon I will be seeing my lovely friends in my favourite food country- Italia. Very very looking forward. And then- a very long boat trip to Morocco. Why? No reason. Never been there, I guess still chasing the sun and trying to fulfill one of my dreams- find an enlightenment in the desert (Paulo Coelho told me I will).

I am always happy to meet up with my crazy friends, so if you feel like hanging out with me, join me.

Much love and catch me in Morocco!

Ligita

p.s. If any of you know some great spots for alternative travellers, please share it <3

amazing bouldering place. Picture taken by my colleague Becca!

Another fantastic pic by Becca. She is my personal photoghrapher. I love you!

Me and Szuka always been in love. This pic sums it up!

Lemon bars

What a stunning place to live!

When I get bored

Red Currant and Banana muffins

Autumn is here

Trying to take a selfie with beautiful river

If anybody has sore muscles, call the Herbalist Ligita, ha!