“It’s amazing!” Celeste told my South African Brother Alwyn on returning from my trip around Europe “Could you believe Rhys had never left the country before the start of this year? Now he’s turned into a right jetsetter!”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that a number of the tour were leaving their respective countries at the same time.
Anyway, time for this Jetsetter to…jet set again, as I go to a country that is going to be the furthest away from home I’ve ever been. And more importantly, my brother hasn’t been…
Now, as I have a number of American readers, I can’t expect them to know where Latvia is, so as a little bit of a primer, it’s a country on the Baltic sea, which and got Estonia and Russia surrounding it. It was a former member of the Soviet Union and officially left it in 1994. More importantly, it’s got a bobsleigh run and an AK-47 rifle range.
It’s become more and more popular to go to, especially amongst young people (largely because it’s so cheap to stay there – I’m in a hostel for 3 nights for £15) , but I’ve been told it’s become a bit of a stag do heaven…unless when you go in winter. Average tempertaures in February is -10°C, hence why most of the drunk English stag do’s don’t go there.
It’s going to be freezing, it’s going to be different, but it’s going to be fun!
Anybody else going anywhere fun soon?
Photo Copyright: Riga Bridge By Twilight by liber and Riga Cityscapr by Upyernoz used under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic
Comments: 11 Comments
Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay. 
I am so jealous I’ve always wanted to go to countries like Latvia, Estonia, Russia and places around there.
Hope you have a great time when you go
Erm I don’t recall saying those exact words. Creative licence eh Rhys?!
Anyway there is a MASSIVE difference between you leaving Wales and some South Africans leaving SA. England is so close to the rest of Europe there isn’t an excuse. Plus SA is about 20 times the size of Wales so we have exploring of our own country to do.
But yes – it was about time you got off your arse and saw some more of the world!
;o)
Sounds a quality trip. I’ve been watching that Michael Palin’s New Europe, it all looks quality around there. I was quite impressed by Croatia & Bosnia.
Anyhow, the only trip I got planned this year is a 3 1/2 week stroll around Vietnam with the missus. Can’t wait, it should be quality.
Have a great time. I haven’t been to Latvia – must add it to my list. Trouble is the list is getting longer and longer.
When I see Latvia I think of the Jackass Gumball 3000 episode.
“Hi I’m Mr America, welcome to Latvia – L-A-T-I-V-J-A-S. Latvia”
You did say something relatively similar to Alwyn, or was it Kurt. One of the South Africans anyway. It was October, I’d been drinking since the ferry, I can’t remember exactly.
Nah, us Americans just wait for the Latvians to come over here. Why go over there when they’re all here?
Hi Rhys,
I hope you enjoy your time here! Winters in Latvia are actually rather unpredictable — last year January was almost balmy, for example. Last week it was getting down to -20 or so, but last night everything was dripping in a thaw… today a nice zero and snow. Maybe you can blame global warming… but the weather has always been fickle; in the 16th C, there was one winter when everything burst into bloom and another when people used sleds to cross the frozen sea to Sweden.
A couple of mistakes in your post — Latvia’s independence was fully restored in August 1991, not 1994. Though it may sound trivial to those who don’t know our history, we prefer not to hear “a former member of the Soviet Union” unless you also note that this was occupation and forcible annexation; we didn’t choose membership. We have chosen EU and NATO membership, so that’s all blood under the bridge…
Hi Celeste,
I agree that there’s a massive difference between leaving SA and the UK — but physical distance isn’t the only distance there is. Despite Afrikaans, Xhosa, etc. — I assume that most Anglophones in SA belong to the Anglosphere, more or less. The former Eastern Europe is anyway still like the dark side of the moon to most Western Europeans, despite the density of drunken stags pissing on our national monuments…
My mistake. I’ve been warned everywhere not to mention the Soviet Union in Latvia, so I won’t
And I can only apologise for the pissed stags weeing everywhere. I’m not like that, don’t worry.
Dude… im jealous! always wanted to go to Latvia/Estonia and all those places up around there!
There on my list for hopefully visiting post oktoberfest when i appear to be winning the lottery and travelling forever!
As for exciting places im going…. Cape Tribulation at the weekend and New Zealand in April
(teeheehee)