I have been gathering for a long time to write ‘thanks’ to all of you after the expedition, completely unnecessarily, because gratitude should probably be expressed in a simple and honest way. I would like to thank all the people whose commitment contributed not so much to the success of this march, but to the fact that I had the chance to start it at all. Thank you to AFE Waligóra...
Mateusz Waligóra crossed alone the Mongolian Gobi desert as the first in history
– If the expedition is successful, Mateusz Waligóra will perform something very important, which will have no equal in the exploration of deserts by Poles – said Marek Kamiński, the first man who won both poles in one year. Almost two months ago, Waligóra set off from Bulgan (Khovd Province), located in western Mongolia near the border with China. To reach the desert part of the Gobi...
1790 km. Last straight to the finish line
photo: Daniel Grodziński. This photo was taken before Walk The Gobi expedition,during training in Poland. Heavy clouds on the horizon. Dead silence around. I know well what it means, what will happen at night. I pump the wheel on four kilometers. I’ve never been so tired. Pain in yhighs and groins. Pain in joints, knees and hips. For several days I had diarrhea, fortunately now it’s...
1400 km. Broken spokes, reflection on the meaning of records, unexpected company
Night in the Gobi deser. Photo: Mateusz Waligóra I was stupid. I thought that problems related to searching for the road were already behind me. No. I have to search the road all the time. I went through mines in which thousands of paths were made. Fatigue. I make simple mistakes. I have glued tire glue all my hands, so now I’m waiting for the skin to peel off. There are new blisters on my...
915 km. Halfway of the expedition. Problems with legs. Dry stream beds like cravesses. And the most difficult part of the road
photo: Mateusz Waligóra During the last week I often missed the path. My path led through the valleys, to which rivers were flowing down from the mountains. I’m using past tense, because now there is no water. So I had to cross many dry stream beds in which path was lost. Crossing dry stream beds is a problem, because there are many sharp bushes inside. You can not bypass them, you have to...
500 km. Firts snake, sandstorm and unfulfilled dream of bath
fot. Daniel Grodziński. The photo was taken before the expedition, during preparations in the Błędowska Desert. On Tuesday, I covered 40 km. A lot, but wind blew in my back. I entered the green steppe. I could not find a place to pitch a tent, because everywhere there are plants with spikes. In the last days I had several failures. Seven times I patched the tube, six times the air came down from...
250 km. Crisis, pass, dead marmot and important days
I had a crisis a few days ago. I even thought about stopping the expedition. Bringing things to the pass was exhausting. I was sick, I was scared. I called my loved ones, I cried, I got rid of emotions, the fear of the first week of the expedition. A classic swing – sometimes I feel good, I think about the next expeditions, and sometimes I wonder what to do to evacuate from here as soon as...
THE FIRST 20 KM, FIRST MISTAKES, SPIKES AND DRY STREAMBED
fot. Marek Arcimowicz/www.arcimowicz.com After 30 hours in bus, I arrived to Bulgan. I spent the night in the hostel, on Sunday morning I repacked and turned the cart. I was about to leave, but it started to blow heavily, and after a while it was raining. At the beginning of the trip I am nervous, I do not feel well. It will pass, but now I’m afraid. When I saw what was happening outside, I...