2550 (2024) Movie Script
1
Hello!
Ah, I don't even know where to start.
But I'll try from the beginning.
I didn't think it would be
this hard to record this.
Today begins a...
Well, I can't even say it.
To walk around a country
Can I go?
I'm Anilla Till and in two days
I'm leaving for the
2,550-kilometer (1584mi) Blue Circle hike.
The Blue Circle has been on my list
for a very long time, as it is
considered to be one of the
most beautiful hikes, not only in Hungary,
but also abroad, and it's also
one of the biggest challenges.
I always knew that since the
different Blue Trails are connected
to what we call the
Blue Circle, I knew that
I would like to do them together.
A lot of people do it in stages,
which is also very good,
but part of the challenge is that
I'll do it all at once, and since
this will be longer than all
my previous hikes, I don't even exactly
know how it will turn out,
or whether it will work out at all.
So that's why this is the biggest challenge
of all the hikes so far.
I also know that this is the best moment
to start this Blue Circle.
I really hope that I might
even serve as a good example
My parents were very young
when they were expecting me.
They were both in their
early twenties, and as far as
I know, having children
wasn't really in the plans yet,
so I arrived as a surprise.
I think it's very obvious that
I'm the eldest sibling,
or so, the first child,
the eldest sibling, actually,
especially in the family
circle that is closest to me.
So, for me, it was always typical that
I wanted to study well,
I always wanted to excel, also
to do well, not only in studies,
but even in other things.
I think there have always
been expectations, and
I definitely remember trying
to live up to this even back then
and even now. I absolutely remember this,
whether at school or in social life.
So I think that was typical even back
then, and it's been with me ever since.
I don't allow myself not to
perform well or not to do something.
These could either happen at
work, in studying, or, let's say,
obviously while hiking.
I absolutely feel that this is
causing difficulties even now.
It is mainly showing
in the fact that I think
I usually take on a lot.
This is also evident on the hike, as
I have and I will take on a great journey.
I think this shows even to this day that,
if we consider that after my bachelor's
degree, I got a master's degree
and after a master's degree,
another master's degree,
and then the doctoral
school came into the picture.
So I think this shows that
I am perhaps a pioneer
in this family environment,
and I really hope that I might
even serve as a good example
to my sister, to my sisters.
This challenge now is whether
I'm even capable of it.
The National Blue Circle
consists of three hiking trails.
The most famous is the National Blue Trail,
which crosses Hungary from west to east,
but there are actually
two more hiking trails,
which are connected to it,
the Lowlands Blue Trail and
the Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail,
and together, these hiking trails form
the National Blue Circle.
This entire Blue Circle
is 2,550 kilometers(1584 miles) in total,
which is roughly the distance if
we walked from Budapest to Madrid.
And they form one of
the most popular, continuous
hiking trails, not only in Hungary
but in Europe as well.
It will be longer than all
my previous hikes combined,
and this challenge now is whether I'm even
capable of it.
So all three of them
have a pin and one has to
stamp these, date them, and then
they must be sent in,
they will check it, and if you have
completed them, then you will get a pin.
And if you have completed all three,
then you still get another pin.
I've been collecting pins since 2016.
Well at first, I kept them on a bag,
but it got to be too many.
Still, I've been collecting them since
'16. From almost every place I've visited.
So if there is going to be one from the Blue
Trail, or well, the Blue Circle, so all of them,
then let's say I'll put
them up here somewhere.
Also, it's colour-coded.
I don't know how spectacular this is,
so the red one, lets say, here, the white-blue
one, lets say here, and blue-red one
somewhere here between the two.
The hike will take
approximately 70-80 days,
starting from Hrmashatr-hegy,
I will go east from Budapest.
completing half of the Blue Trail.
Then, Ill move to the
Lowlands section, and after that,
Ill continue towards the
Transdanubian part, rejoining
the Blue Trail,
and thus completing a full circle.
The first few days will be the hardest,
Dobogk will be challenging,
its going to be difficult tomorrow,
especially after the rain.
The following days will be difficult too.
Nagy-Hideg-hegy will probably
be challenging, not because
It's hard not because of its height,
but due to the frequent ups and downs.
its quite different from
Southern Transdanubia,
where the terrain changes, but the
elevation differences are manageable.
Galyatet will be tough, as will Kkes.
Even though I've climbed before, there
will still be some really tough ones here.
I need to bring along the essentials:
enough to ensure Ill have food to eat,
a way to bathe, so that I can sleep
and just so whatever happens,
if for some reason one of
my accommodations doesn't work out,
then I can even camp in nature.
Obviously, its very
important that the backpack
is light as possible.
Its generally recommended that a person
carries no more than 20% of their body weight
to avoid causing
any permanent damage to their health.
Im trying to stick to this too.
However, I can imagine that
at some point during the hike,
Ill need to shed some of this weight.
I'll probably lose some weight too.
so in this case the bag will
also need to be adjusted accordingly.
When I think about the fact that
for the next two and a half months,
my life will be all about every day
walking a certain number of kilometres,
as strange as it may sound,
I can't wait for this to finally
be the challenge of my life.
Theres a certain beauty in this:
starting from one place,
and arriving somewhere
else, doing a bit for this
every single day.
This goal is very clear.
It's very easy to see how
you're progressing every day
towards this goal.
And this is one of the
most appealing things about hiking:
that every day, very visibly
I am a little bit closer
to my ultimate goal.
Every hike Ive done so far
has taught me something
I didnt know at the beginning,
and at this point I am very curious
to see what lesson this
one will bring in the end.
I know that many people
hike in a certain way
or those who combine
hiking with a pilgrimage,
often ask themselves a
big question at the beginning.
But maybe now, the question for me is:
what is the question anyway?
I have no idea, and I don't want to
to set expectation like that,
because that's exactly
the best part, I think,
when thoughts flow freely, and somehow,
you find an answer even
though theres no question yet.
The more I think about
why Im walking 2,550 kilometres,
the less I know.
But I will definitely go for it now.
Im not fully packed yet,
but Im mostly ready.
I really hope that my hiking gear will
soon be completely done.
Yes, that's how I'll start,
the day after tomorrow,
so it's now less than 48 hours to go.
The pressure is building: will I succeed?
I'm a bit nervous about today,
because today will be a long day.
But I think if I get through today,
then itll be fine.
I think this is the hardest part
trying it for the first time now.
I don't want to panic
about it being too hard
or that Ive forgotten something at home,
or that Im doing it wrong.
But it doesn't matter, because
I know the place where I'm going today.
I also know that it's
open until relatively late,
so I'm not worried about that.
Then it will be better tomorrow,
the day after tomorrow a bit worse,
and then it will get better again.
But its not a bad kind
of nervousness, just
the I dont know whats ahead of me kind.
I have no doubt that the first
three weeks will be successful.
I think the real challenge
will come afterwards.
And what I'm also afraid of is that
there are now obviously a lot of people
involved in this Blue Circle.
If someones watching this now, theres
probably a lot of work thats gone into it,
and a lot of people around it, so the
pressure is building: will I succeed?
And now, this is the Blue Trail.
Yes, so these will be
the first steps on March 10th...
March... no... these will be
the first steps on May 19th
on the National Blue Circle
and specifically on the Blue Trail.
Starting the day after tomorrow,
Im walking 2,550 kilometres
to find out how, after 2,550 kilometres,
I will be different.
What will I have gained?
How will I have changed compared to
sitting here today?
So officially,
then...
Wow, that's exciting!
Well.
It is visible.
Its a bit jumbled, but its there.
I've never tried to give up any of
my long-distance hikes yet.
On the one hand, out of pride. I remember,
when I first went on a long-distance hike,
that was the Camino in Spain,
and I started it crying,
because I felt like
I had already told everyone,
that I'm going on this trip,
and now it would be
too late to give it up.
But I had some difficult
moments regardless.
But I didn't think about giving up,
because in a way,
I was also looking for that sense
of achievement at the end.
And to this day, Im still searching
for it, that feeling of completing a hike.
The first steps were also tough,
and I'm already sweating,
and today will probably be just like that.
I feel good because even
this five-minute rest was good,
while I stamped my booklet.
So I feel good, and the weather is nice,
I think this is ging to be a lucky day.
The weathers good in the sense
that its not too hot,
but its not raining either.
Its just right, so Im feeling good.
I'm excited to start this hike.
The goal is to meet here again
exactly in two and a half months.
Hopefully I'll get back safely.
Yes, I think I understand
why Im doing this.
I will definitely meet
people along the way,
who are important.
So if I think of, say,
being in the area of Pszt,
where my family is from,
I will definitely draw strength
from seeing them.
Today, I finished the hike
at the Bableves Tavern
which is about a 15-minute
drive from my family home,
which is right here behind me.
Partly, I didnt really find
any accommodation nearby,
and partly, I thought,
since Im in the area,
why not sleep at home?
So my family came to pick me up
by car at the end of the day
and they brought me here.
Another lovely thing about today was that
my grandparents came to Hollk,
and they helped
by taking some items out of my backpack
that I didnt need for the afternoon.
So, in a way, it was a bit of an easy,
cheaty day for me.
Of course, I still carried my bag,
but it was nice to see them,
and later, they brought
the items back here, so now I have
everything with me again.
But its nice to take a break,
have some homemade food,
and leave behind a few
items I wont need anymore.
So overall, it's really nice here.
There was a lady today who asked me
if Im not afraid to hike alone.
I said, well, no, and then she said,
'But what about the bear?'
And I said, 'But she's in Bkk, isn't she?'
And she said,
'Well, she's moving fast these days.
- She's also in Ngrd county...'
- You won't cross paths with her.
- I only worry about her if I camp.
- Don't have any food with a strong smell.
- I leave it outside
and anyway, my bag
doesnt even fit in the tent,
so food is out anyway.
If she wants the food,
she can just take it.
We are in my childhood room.
I have good memories here,
and with the house in general.
I remember when we moved in,
and of course, from this room too.
Its a place I can always return to,
even now, while hiking the Blue Circle.
Of course, it was on the way,
so in that sense,
it worked out well,
but I feel so at home here.
Mom, supposedly,
there are two types of people:
the ones who leave that metal thing
on the margarine and the ones who dont.
And now it's gonna turn out
which type this family is.
I think the first five days were crucial,
because on the fifth
day I hit my lowest point.
I remember thinking I couldnt imagine
this whole thing actually working out.
Great!
Its almost healed, by the way.
Im not sure which one I usually put here.
Since we said goodbye
on the Hrmashatr-hegy,
the first week passed
and,
actually, long-distance hikers say that
the first week is critical.
On the first day, of course,
you completely shock your body
by hiking 25-30 kilometres.
Then, on the second day,
youre still sore, youre tired,
but youll hike another 20-30 kilometres.
By the third day,
at least for me, and
I think for others too,
your body starts questioning:
"Is this normal, what we're doing now?"
And that's what I felt most,
that I was so tired in body,
completely drained, and it affected
how I was feeling emotionally too.
The fourth day is mentally very tough,
it was very difficult for me too,
because at that time I was thinking
this isnt even possible.
The logistics, to coordinate everything,
to make it work, its all so overwhelming.
So, yes, the fourth day
was really hard mentally.
But then the fifth day gets a little
easier, the sixth day even a bit easier,
and today was the seventh day.
Its been an emotional rollercoaster,
this past week.
I think many people make the mistake,
when theyre hiking and
think they cant manage
long-distance hiking,
they think of how exhausting
three days of hiking can be,
and then wondering how they could
possibly do seven days, or fourteen days,
or two months of hiking.
But its exactly that first three days,
or that first week,
that you just have to push through,
because thats when your body
gets used to this new reality and understands
that this is what were doing now.
So that third-day breakdown, it will pass.
And yes, there might
be other breakdowns later
and similar tough moments,
but they will pass, too. And the next day
will be much better.
Thats how its been on
all my hikes so far, and I really hope
that it will be like that this time, too.
Yes, I think I understand
why Im doing this.
But can I put it into words?
Well, partly, because it feels
really good to be outside,
and partly because it feels
so good to be with myself.
So...
I think Im also often
afraid of being alone.
or I just dont like being alone.
But that's not necessarily so normal,
or someone to not want to spend
time with themselves but only with others
so its good to confront
that from time to time.
And when Im hiking, I remember that
I felt this same way
when I hiked in the past,
last year or the year before.
So thats why.
Anyway, I think the point of hiking is
learning so much about yourself
and about life while
hiking, because hiking is
such a simple thing, really. You just walk.
Anyone can walk.
The question is, how far, when, and how?
But walking itself,
thats something everyone can do.
And I think there are so many things
you can learn about yourself while hiking.
Like, how do you deal with hardships?
How do you use this internal monologue?
Can you relax?
For example, I always realize this,
both in life and on a hike,
that resting is not a reward.
Food is not a reward.
And drinking, at least if it's water,
thats not a reward either.
It's necessary for us to function.
So it doesn't work that
I'll rest when I deserve it,
because thats not how you
get to the top of the mountain.
And I think, really, its the same in life:
rest isnt something you have to earn.
And then there are these things,
they sound like strange metaphors,
so maybe they wont even make sense, but
very often, as you're
moving forward, looking ahead
at the mountain in front of you,
thinking about how much
more you still have to climb.
And you forget to
look back at the mountain
you've just climbed.
And this, I think, is another
beautiful thing about hiking.
It reminds you that
sometimes you need to
look back, to see,
wow, just in the last hour,
look at what I accomplished.
And maybe its the same
in life, too.
You forget to look back
at what youve achieved
because youre only focused on
what's ahead of you.
So these are some of the beautiful
things that come up while hiking,
and they really let you
reflect on your own life.
I think hiking can absolutely
work therapeutically,
In fact, during those first 8-10 days,
I started to feel like that was
the most important part of it,
from a mental point of view,
When I went through all of my thoughts,
and then my thoughts were gone
and new ones could come.
So yes, absolutely,
I think walking can work as therapy.
And then after that, theres time
to give space to every new thought.
From that point on,
that I was through this,
I wasnt stressed at all during the hike.
That doesnt mean there
werent difficult moments,
or that I wasnt scared of something,
or that I didnt feel sad at times.
But stress? I didnt feel stressed,
even when it was half-past three in the
afternoon, and I hadnt found a store yet
or been able to eat.
I was hungry, but I didnt stress about it.
That kind of restlessness
completely disappeared. And this, too,
I think, is thanks to the
therapeutic nature of the hike.
Id honestly prescribe it like medicine
Welcome to my hut!
Shall I show you
around? It's very beautiful.
Kind of like a coffin,
except Im alive in it.
I put the water in,
the electronic devices
I don't know why,
maybe fearing that the
foxes might steal them?
I don't know.
But I put those inside just in case.
The first-aid kit, which is this much.
The pepper spray,
in case I need it.
The flashlight,
in case its dark and
I have to go somewhere,
and of course, my sleeping gear.
I am here in life-size.
And my home.
The tent is really good.
Its easy to set up.
Im a bit slow in the mornings,
but otherwise, all is great.
Everything about it is great.
The only thing is that
the ground is a bit hard, so I couldnt
push the pegs in properly,
so theyre pathetically placed,
but its holding up just fine.
What I think is great about this kind of
long-distance hiking is
that I finally have time
to think about myself,
or really, about anything.
I don't think it's possible
to tell in advance
what kind of discoveries
Ill make about myself,
but thats the exciting part.
The thoughts that, in everyday life,
I usually sweep aside,
because I dont have time
to properly deal with them,
to process them,
now Ill have 6, 8, even 10 hours a day
to think them through.
So I don't even know in advance
what I'm going to learn,
but at this point I am very excited
and curious to see what
Ill learn about myself.
Ive already lost quite a bit of weight.
My ribs are starting
to show a little, so yeah, thats real.
But otherwise, Im doing well,
physically, I can handle it.
Ive grown stronger now;
my trail legs
have developed,
and my muscles have strengthened.
Hikers often say that after 34 weeks
after hiking, I'm not actually
a professional, but
certain muscles kick in,
while others sort of
take a back seat.
or maybe its not the muscles, but
something to do with the nerves.
Im not entirely sure how it works.
The point is, its happened for me now,
and its no longer such a big deal.
Okay, I'm ready for the day.
Shall we go?
Very good.
I think my trust in
people has improved a lot
during the Blue Trail. Mainly because
most people see something good in it
they recognise that
hiking is worthwhile and
a wonderful thing to do.
They were immediately
positive and supportive about it
and supportive about it
or said something that
brightened my day.
so, it's been very good to
meet people of the Blue Trail.
I remember sitting at a bus stop
when an old man called Palya
came over to chat for an hour
about all sorts of things.
I dont think I would have
ever spoken to him otherwise.
He shared that hed lived
in the area ever since
he got married here and
we sat there, or rather I sat there,
at the bus stop for an hour, listening to
his stories about drinking wine.
I also recall a lovely married couple,
Irma and Imre who invited me in for coffee.
I only wanted to throw away
a tin can in their bin
but I ended up there and
I spent some time with them.
That was really cool too.
I remember when one of my hosts told me
about his bear attack and how he survived,
that really stuck with me,
because at that very moment
it really hit home just how fragile
life can be and how easy
it is for someone to lose
their life, and how close he was to it.
I remember this too.
Once, I went to buy
a bag of crisps from
a convenience store and
and I ended up staying for spritzers
with a lady called Marika.
That was really great.
But I had a similar experience
with the mayor, who was celebrating
his child's birthday
and he invited me to his party,
and I ended up partying with them.
There are so many
moments like this, actually.
Especially when I entered the Lowlands,
but even before that, a bit
in Borsod County, and
well, already in Nyrsg.
it is very typical that
I was walking through
incredibly poor areas,
and as I walked and saw a lot of
people looking at me in astonishment
as I walked by, hiking,
with joy of course, but also with wonder,
so it made me think about how lucky I am
to have been able to come here at all,
because its not such
an easy thing to achieve.
to create the conditions.
Neither in terms of time,
taking time off from work
and life, nor financially,
because let's face it,
no matter how cheaply I try
to do this hike, it still costs money.
As I walked, I thought about this a lot,
that its truly a privilege
to do the Blue Trail,
especially hiking it all in one go.
So, of course,
this always comes to mind when
Im in a difficult moment,
how fortunate this situation is by the way.
Despite all the difficulties,
it has such a positive effect that
Id honestly prescribe it like medicine,
because it can teach you so much.
It also means that
I am the only one I share
these experiences with,
and that has to be enough.
So I think a lot of people
dont want to hike or travel alone
or do things on their own.
Some people dont even
like going to a restaurant alone
because they think it's so pathetic.
But I can also enjoy things
if Im the only person
I can share them with,
the only one who will
remember that I was there.
So not letting an experience
feel lesser just because
Im the only one who truly knows
what happened.
Obviously, the silence is
what I think sheds light on
what thoughts we have
and its not always a true silence
at least, my brain is rarely
completely quiet.
I believe its very important
to spend enough time in it
because thats when the thoughts
really come to the surface,
the ones tha perhaps didn't have
time or opportunity to come up before.
I think now, nearing the halfway point,
Im much more relaxed
about everything. In the
mornings, I dont stress
thinking, Oh no, this is going to
be a tough day.
At the beginning,
I used to stress a lot more about
how many kilometers,
what the weather would be like, or
how I would get there.
Now, Im much more laid-back.
For example with booking accommodation
Im also far more relaxed,
if I need to change a booking,
There was a time when
I booked accommodation
on the same day because
Id changed my plans. So every single day,
I feel a little more confident in myself.
And thats the kind of confidence
I hope will stay with me after the hike.
Knowing that I can solve
any problem that arises.
So overall I'm much more relaxed now,
than I was at the beginning.
Im really looking forward to reaching the
halfway point, because then Ill be able
to properly imagine what 36 days feel like.
But Im getting more and more
confident that Ill succeed.
Hiking is a bit like going
on a team-building together
with your body, soul and mind,
and in a few weeks,
you learn how to collaborate.
That might sound a bit metaphorical,
but in reality its genuinely true.
You have to align
how you function, what youre feeling,
and where your limits are, for example.
After a few weeks,
I felt that Id never been
such a good team with myself
as I am on this hike.
To see a bit of the country where I live
or, well, a lot of it.
This is the fifth day of the...
Fifth day?
Maybe the fifth day...
on the South Transdanubian Blue Hike Trail.
Wait, I'll count...
No, the seventh day.
Now I feel much better
than I did on the Lowlands Blue Trail.
Im much better at
switching off now, so I feel good.
Yesterday I reached the two-thirds point.
Yes, 48 days have passed,
this is the 49th day, so including today
there are 24 days left.
I wanted to get to know
this part of Hungary, and now
Ive had the perfect 72 days to do it.
So that's partly why,
but also to see a bit of
the country where I live...
or, well, a lot of it.
Now that only a third is left,
I think I can do it.
By now, my body has
fully adjusted to hiking, physically.
I mean, Ive had four days where
I walked over 50 kilometres (31miles),
and that was really tough.
So I think Ill manage physically.
And I also think that
I will be able to handle it mentally,
because now the days ahead
are getting easier and easier,
and the end is getting closer.
What worries me now is that,
being so close to the finish,
that I dont want to break my leg
or suffer any kind of injury.
But I feel like this is the only thing
that could stand in the way now,
so mentally and physically, Ill be
able to handle it so I'm very hopeful.
Anyway, it's very good... I think
Hungary is very good.
Because by now, Ive hiked through
quite a large part of it, even
though the Blue Circle is just a circle,
and doesnt go through so many places.
Ive seen natural landscapes
in the Lowlands, in Transdanubia,
and of course, along the National
Blue Trail, which is beautiful.
But Ive also seen
how much food we have, how many
places there are that are worth living in
or even just visiting for vacation
that Id never heard of before.
We have everything,
and this has come to my mind several times
on the hike, that we have everything
let's say geographically and culturally,
to be happy.
All kinds of landscapes, all kinds of food.
so I think we could truly live in abundance
in Hungary. And I think a lot of people
dont really keep this in mind.
Maybe they dont even realise it,
but Ive often thought,
and this might sound a bit extreme,
but that everyone should do
the Blue Circle Trail to
see what Hungary is like.
Even so, theres still so
much that isnt included.
The Blue Trail doesnt cross
every region, after all,
But I think the image
I have of Hungary has changed
in an overwhelmingly positive way:
about the people, and
generally also about the landscape.
Im so glad Ive seen
all this, and I just wish
everyone would go to at least
to one part of it and see it.
Anilla is now completely
amazed that she can walk
50 kilometres (31mi) in a day,
then go to sleep and
wake up the next morning to do it again.
So I wouldn't have
thought this about myself.
Walking 150 kilometres (93mi)
over three consecutive days,
and in the end, it was even more than 150,
that was the hardest, I think.
And it was so much harder mentally
than physically.
Although physically, it wasnt easy either,
it took so much out of me
just to stay focused on
getting through it.
By the time I made it
and got to the fourth day,
where there werent
as many kilometres planned,
by then I was really fed up,
then I just let it go a little bit.
I sat down in the forest to rest for a bit,
and I just let it all out.
Well, I think I cried for a
solid quarter of an hour then
in the woods because
it had been so exhausting.
So many kilometers,
I needed to release it all somehow.
Well, that was the hardest part, I think.
The most beautiful ones are those
when you can even see
that DDK (Southern Transdanubian
Trail) marking, but those are pretty rare.
Yes, this is my favorite, Zselic.
It rained a lot there,
so it got a little wet,
but that was great too.
I have become a lot stronger
mentally over the past
almost 50 days, although
not when it comes to bugs. I mean, insects.
I had to learn to love
nature in a way that
even when it often got on my nerves,
when it was muddy,
when trees had fallen over the path,
when I couldnt get past the branches,
when nettles were growing,
or the weeds were too tall.
And I've had some
very difficult moments in nature,
because the Blue Trail
will inevitably bring days
that arent just easy hikes,
but genuinely challenging,
where getting through a section
feels like a real struggle.
Ive never had this kind of relationship
with nature before.
So many moments of frustration,
and I had to learn to love it
despite those times
when it really annoyed me.
and I think this was
a good lesson for life, too,
and for relationships with people, too.
That love isnt only about
when something is kind to you,
but also when its difficult.
And that was a good lesson that I think
nature taught me now,
during the Blue Trail, that
I think Ill be able to apply
in life in general.
Just a line that is drawn
I feel really good about the fact that
in a week, Ill be finished.
So, its Sunday today, which means
this is my last Sunday on the trail.
so theres only one of each weekday left.
The last week will be full of
very easy kilometers,
Every day will be a little shorter, maybe,
or about the same as the day before.
Im trying to savour every day.
It will ll be gentle from
here on out, no more 40
or 50-kilometre days,
just nice distances.
Im planning to rest a lot,
and reflect on whats happened
in these, now more, than
two months, so those are all my plans.
I'm really looking forward to the end,
I really cant wait!
Even though its still enjoyable,
Ive started to turn in that direction
towards Budapest now,
so already in my head as well
actually I'm heading towards Budapest.
So I'm really looking forward to it.
I truly hope others can find inspiration
in this story.
If someone as an ordinary person,
and I still see myself as
as an ordinary person,
not a professional hiker,
so if an ordinary person can do this,
then I hope this will give
others the green light
to take on their own adventures.
Or the blue light,
in the case of the Blue Circle.
Well now I really miss my real life
after these two months, I cant wait
to jump back into it, to
have someone yell at me
Blaha Lujza Square at two in the morning,
to hear the trolleybus
pass by late at night
and wake up to it.
I'm really looking forward to everything.
To be able to pop into
any store, to meet anyone,
to do anything other than hiking,
so I'm really looking
forward to all of these,
to get back into real life.
I really miss social life,
I really do.
Of course, its great that
I can still talk to everyone
while Im on the trail, either during
the day or in the evenings,
and that Ive even managed to
meet up with a few people.
But its just not the same as
being able to meet anyone, anytime.
I really miss that.
Is this some kind of counter-video?
Ha-ha, got you.
Yesterday we hiked 40 kilometres(25mls)
together, which, starting from zero,
was obviously really tough.
But I could feel that
I was completely wiped out,
and I know that after
two months of hiking, she doesnt
feel that way anymore.
But in the first week or two,
she had the same experience,
that all her muscles ached,
and she probably felt, as I did,
that she couldnt take another step,
but it had to be done
and I think she's also been
in the situation, and it's been
incredible that shes been
doing this for over two months now.
It was great to go down there,
to be part of
this whole journey a bit.
Like this, that we could go down
to visit her for a day or two
and experience it firsthand
what she goes through every day
I think this was really good
and it brought us even closer
to this experience,
and this very tough performance,
which she is doing right now.
So I'm really happy that we were there.
It's quite amazing to
me that Anilla took on
this journey, fully aware that
for two or three months,
shed be stepping out
of the urban cycle
and our entire social life
especially in the summer, when
life is buzzing and so much is going on.
And that there would be many things
that would happen now without her
and yet, she went for it,
to fulfill this dream of hers.
And I can see
that there are tough moments,
and that some aspects of it
are hard to live through.
But the fact that now,
nearing the end, you can see that this is
really going to happen,
and she will accomplish
what she set out to do as her goal,
fills her with a huge sense
of accomplishment, and I think
that makes her very happy.
She's doing it because one day this idea
popped into her head,
and once such an idea
pops into her head, she will do it.
And I think in terms of achievement,
she knows that this is a very big deal
and I think she just wanted to tick it off.
Ever since she heard
that such a thing existed
with such a level of achievement,
she's wanted to do it
and tick it off the list.
I think she will gain a
great deal from this hike,
but most of all that sense of knowing
that she could do it.
Adding it to the shelf
alongside her other achievements.
I don't know when
that shelf will be full, I think it's
been full for a long time already, but
she probably has many
years ahead and will gather
many more things to add to it.
Its very important that
the National Blue Trail is such a
popular hike in Hungary, I think,
that so many people have
a positive attitude towards it,
and it passes through so many places
that hold memories for people.
Its such a big adventure
for so many Hungarians.
and it brings, I think, a kind of gift:
bringing people closer to the culture
they can experience in the countryside,
and to nature as a whole.
She's already travelled the world,
studied a lot abroad,
and I think it's a little
homecoming for her.
She goes to places she
hasn't been to in years, even decades.
She's simply going back
to her roots.
And I think its so important to do
such a hike with an adult mind now,
when you can fully experience
where you really come from.
It makes it much easier
to find your place in life afterwards.
And from this perspective too, I think
this hike will give her a lot.
Theres a designated route
thats relatively easy to start,
and yet it offers countless adventures,
human connections,
and a deeper bond with nature
is brought by the Blue Trail.
It brings these
experiences closer to people
even though its essentially
just a designated route,
a line that is drawn,
and yet if you walk it,
you gain so many experiences.
Thanks!
See you next week!
It was so good to see you!
No 'Whoos'!
Bye!
Hang in there!
Bye!
Here too?
Bye!
This definitely wasnt
my last long-distance hike.
I should probably think
of something, right?
Well, Ive been hiking
for seventy-two days now,
so I dont really have many thoughts left.
Right now, I just want to get there,
and Im a little stressed
about not breaking my leg
because that would be
very embarrassing.
This is my thought.
And that I will be there soon,
I'll see my family, my
boyfriend, my friends.
So, for the past three days,
thats all Ive been thinking about:
dont break my leg, and get there.
Was that deep enough?
I thought very little about
how Ill feel if I succeed,
because Ive already gone over
the scenarios where I dont,
how I'm going to call
the makers of this film,
if something happened
that cut this short.
Ive spent so much time thinking
about that, I barely thought about
what would happen if I succeeded.
So, yesterday I reached the top of,
I think its called Nagy-Szns, a hill,
from where you could already
see Hrmashatr-hegy on one side,
and Budapest on the other,
and that was really amazing.
I honestly felt that now its so close,
and well, I really miss Budapest,
so I was very happy when I saw it.
And by now, not with the calm of failure,
but quite the opposite,
with the calm of certain success,
I started to embrace it a bit,
so it felt really good.
It doesn't necessarily end
when someone finishes
the Blue Trail because
I think its a kind of journey
that doesnt just end like this;
instead, in some way,
I believe it will continue.
It will continue for me, and probably
for many other people
who take on the Blue Trail.
I think the only possible version
of the hike was this one.
So no matter how many times I think
about it, whether it could have been
longer or shorter or different,
I always conclude that this was
the only possible version.
And I was incredibly lucky
that everything went well,
everything worked out well,
my health, the accommodations,
the experiences.
I think everything turned out for the best,
so I rate this Blue Circle 5 stars.
Two of my boots are done for.
They're both retiring.
I would be so happy
if this could somehow bring people
closer to hiking, closer to nature.
So if there was such
a message of this hike,
it would make me very happy, and I think
the moment that happens,
I would somehow already feel it.
This is my lucky food,
which I packed when I left,
so that if anything went wrong and for
some reason I couldn't find a store,
or couldnt get food,
Id always have a portion of food with me.
But I never found myself
in such an unlucky situation
so I thought, on the last day,
if it were to be like this,
then I'll eat it. So I'll eat it now,
because now theres no risk of
running out of food anymore.
And it sounds strange that its been
with me for two and a half months,
but it's long-lasting food,
so I hope it's still good.
This is exactly how I imagined it. That I
would never have to eat it along the way,
that Id never end up in an emergency.
So, in the end, I succeeded,
and the taste of success
is really delicious.
This will never happen again,
This Blue Circle, in this form,
so I think it was absolutely worth it.
Ive learned so much about myself,
about Hungary, about people,
and about nature,
and right now I cant imagine a better way
I could have spent this summer.
The time was now,
this was the moment for it,
so yes, it was absolutely worth it.
All those coincidences, which at first
might have been frustrating,
eventually worked out
in the best possible way for the hike.
So I was very lucky along the way
and all these little things came together
to make this a very good hike.
I'm obviously excited for it to end,
no matter how much I loved this hike,
or, well, still love it now,
in these last few kilometres.
But I also realised how great my life is,
back in Budapest, and in general.
So I really missed my real life,
and these are pretty much
the thoughts Im left with as I finish.
That I do have a great life,
I just had to to step away from it
for two and a half months,
so that I can appreciate it a bit better.
There it is!
Ready? Very good.
It's done!
Now I can finally get my pin.
That's it!
And now I can finally say
that I only did it for the pin.
Exclusively. To have
something in my collection.
No, honestly, it feels amazing.
Very cool!
Now I just need to go
up to Hrmashatr-hegy.
I think it really hit me
much better that it was about to end
when I got to the section where,
two and a half months ago,
I had started walking
towards the first stamp.
Because at that moment,
there was this overlap of a few minutes
between the first few
meters and the last few meters.
This mark here next to me
is the very first Blue
Trail mark I stepped on,
and we walked up here
from the Hrmashatr-hegy
bus stop and and from this point,
the Blue Trail really began,
but officially, of course,
it started with the stamp,
but this was the first mark
I saw two and a half months ago.
As for my final thoughts,
Im really looking forward
to seeing those people
who supported me all the way.
Because, in a sense, they were
part of the hike all along,
though mostly online or over the phone.
and now I'm going to
see some of them in person.
So my main thoughts are
just to see them again
and to return to my life.
In that moment,
when Im walking those final meters,
Ill probably feel that
all the kilometres I walked,
all the challenges, and all the beauty
ultimately made sense
and brought me to this goal.
And in that moment,
Ill probably also realise
that if I succeeded,
at least for one person,
at least for myself
it will serve as an
inspiration in the future,
and maybe even for others too.
This has been the biggest
challenge of my life, in every way.
In mind, in body, in every way.
And even though I dreamt about
what it would feel like,
obviously I could never be sure
that Id actually succeed.
So this is an experience
that no one can take away from me.
Maybe someday
the pins I earned will get lost,
or I don't know,
the certificate might go
missing somewhere, or my name
might no longer be listed publicly.
All of that could happen.
But the experience I gained,
no one can ever take that away.
So I think its an everlasting experience,
something I can now
always say about myself.
Can we go?
Hello!
At first, I didnt even fully realise that
it was all over.
It felt so good, but at the same time,
it was so unbelievable
that it had actually ended.
Then, with the celebrations,
it started to sink in a bit more
that it really happened. When everyone
started saying Id
done it, that it was over,
and congratulating me and everything.
Done, done, done!
You did it, you did it! Well done!
Im so proud of you!
At first, the whole thing felt incredible,
and I think it took me
a few days to really grasp
that I had just walked
2,550 kilometres (1584 miles).
I think I can now say that
I walked those 2,550 kilometres partly
to show others that its possible,
and that despite everything
Im not a professional hiker,
but really, if you put on your hiking boots
and start walking, this is possible.
I think I also walked
those 2,550 kilometres
to make it clear not just to myself
that this is a good thing,
but to show others too.
And if it inspired even just one person,
then I think it was worth it.
Honestly, this feeling is something
I want to experience over and over again.
That's why I hike.
This definitely wasnt
my last long-distance hike.
Hello!
Ah, I don't even know where to start.
But I'll try from the beginning.
I didn't think it would be
this hard to record this.
Today begins a...
Well, I can't even say it.
To walk around a country
Can I go?
I'm Anilla Till and in two days
I'm leaving for the
2,550-kilometer (1584mi) Blue Circle hike.
The Blue Circle has been on my list
for a very long time, as it is
considered to be one of the
most beautiful hikes, not only in Hungary,
but also abroad, and it's also
one of the biggest challenges.
I always knew that since the
different Blue Trails are connected
to what we call the
Blue Circle, I knew that
I would like to do them together.
A lot of people do it in stages,
which is also very good,
but part of the challenge is that
I'll do it all at once, and since
this will be longer than all
my previous hikes, I don't even exactly
know how it will turn out,
or whether it will work out at all.
So that's why this is the biggest challenge
of all the hikes so far.
I also know that this is the best moment
to start this Blue Circle.
I really hope that I might
even serve as a good example
My parents were very young
when they were expecting me.
They were both in their
early twenties, and as far as
I know, having children
wasn't really in the plans yet,
so I arrived as a surprise.
I think it's very obvious that
I'm the eldest sibling,
or so, the first child,
the eldest sibling, actually,
especially in the family
circle that is closest to me.
So, for me, it was always typical that
I wanted to study well,
I always wanted to excel, also
to do well, not only in studies,
but even in other things.
I think there have always
been expectations, and
I definitely remember trying
to live up to this even back then
and even now. I absolutely remember this,
whether at school or in social life.
So I think that was typical even back
then, and it's been with me ever since.
I don't allow myself not to
perform well or not to do something.
These could either happen at
work, in studying, or, let's say,
obviously while hiking.
I absolutely feel that this is
causing difficulties even now.
It is mainly showing
in the fact that I think
I usually take on a lot.
This is also evident on the hike, as
I have and I will take on a great journey.
I think this shows even to this day that,
if we consider that after my bachelor's
degree, I got a master's degree
and after a master's degree,
another master's degree,
and then the doctoral
school came into the picture.
So I think this shows that
I am perhaps a pioneer
in this family environment,
and I really hope that I might
even serve as a good example
to my sister, to my sisters.
This challenge now is whether
I'm even capable of it.
The National Blue Circle
consists of three hiking trails.
The most famous is the National Blue Trail,
which crosses Hungary from west to east,
but there are actually
two more hiking trails,
which are connected to it,
the Lowlands Blue Trail and
the Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail,
and together, these hiking trails form
the National Blue Circle.
This entire Blue Circle
is 2,550 kilometers(1584 miles) in total,
which is roughly the distance if
we walked from Budapest to Madrid.
And they form one of
the most popular, continuous
hiking trails, not only in Hungary
but in Europe as well.
It will be longer than all
my previous hikes combined,
and this challenge now is whether I'm even
capable of it.
So all three of them
have a pin and one has to
stamp these, date them, and then
they must be sent in,
they will check it, and if you have
completed them, then you will get a pin.
And if you have completed all three,
then you still get another pin.
I've been collecting pins since 2016.
Well at first, I kept them on a bag,
but it got to be too many.
Still, I've been collecting them since
'16. From almost every place I've visited.
So if there is going to be one from the Blue
Trail, or well, the Blue Circle, so all of them,
then let's say I'll put
them up here somewhere.
Also, it's colour-coded.
I don't know how spectacular this is,
so the red one, lets say, here, the white-blue
one, lets say here, and blue-red one
somewhere here between the two.
The hike will take
approximately 70-80 days,
starting from Hrmashatr-hegy,
I will go east from Budapest.
completing half of the Blue Trail.
Then, Ill move to the
Lowlands section, and after that,
Ill continue towards the
Transdanubian part, rejoining
the Blue Trail,
and thus completing a full circle.
The first few days will be the hardest,
Dobogk will be challenging,
its going to be difficult tomorrow,
especially after the rain.
The following days will be difficult too.
Nagy-Hideg-hegy will probably
be challenging, not because
It's hard not because of its height,
but due to the frequent ups and downs.
its quite different from
Southern Transdanubia,
where the terrain changes, but the
elevation differences are manageable.
Galyatet will be tough, as will Kkes.
Even though I've climbed before, there
will still be some really tough ones here.
I need to bring along the essentials:
enough to ensure Ill have food to eat,
a way to bathe, so that I can sleep
and just so whatever happens,
if for some reason one of
my accommodations doesn't work out,
then I can even camp in nature.
Obviously, its very
important that the backpack
is light as possible.
Its generally recommended that a person
carries no more than 20% of their body weight
to avoid causing
any permanent damage to their health.
Im trying to stick to this too.
However, I can imagine that
at some point during the hike,
Ill need to shed some of this weight.
I'll probably lose some weight too.
so in this case the bag will
also need to be adjusted accordingly.
When I think about the fact that
for the next two and a half months,
my life will be all about every day
walking a certain number of kilometres,
as strange as it may sound,
I can't wait for this to finally
be the challenge of my life.
Theres a certain beauty in this:
starting from one place,
and arriving somewhere
else, doing a bit for this
every single day.
This goal is very clear.
It's very easy to see how
you're progressing every day
towards this goal.
And this is one of the
most appealing things about hiking:
that every day, very visibly
I am a little bit closer
to my ultimate goal.
Every hike Ive done so far
has taught me something
I didnt know at the beginning,
and at this point I am very curious
to see what lesson this
one will bring in the end.
I know that many people
hike in a certain way
or those who combine
hiking with a pilgrimage,
often ask themselves a
big question at the beginning.
But maybe now, the question for me is:
what is the question anyway?
I have no idea, and I don't want to
to set expectation like that,
because that's exactly
the best part, I think,
when thoughts flow freely, and somehow,
you find an answer even
though theres no question yet.
The more I think about
why Im walking 2,550 kilometres,
the less I know.
But I will definitely go for it now.
Im not fully packed yet,
but Im mostly ready.
I really hope that my hiking gear will
soon be completely done.
Yes, that's how I'll start,
the day after tomorrow,
so it's now less than 48 hours to go.
The pressure is building: will I succeed?
I'm a bit nervous about today,
because today will be a long day.
But I think if I get through today,
then itll be fine.
I think this is the hardest part
trying it for the first time now.
I don't want to panic
about it being too hard
or that Ive forgotten something at home,
or that Im doing it wrong.
But it doesn't matter, because
I know the place where I'm going today.
I also know that it's
open until relatively late,
so I'm not worried about that.
Then it will be better tomorrow,
the day after tomorrow a bit worse,
and then it will get better again.
But its not a bad kind
of nervousness, just
the I dont know whats ahead of me kind.
I have no doubt that the first
three weeks will be successful.
I think the real challenge
will come afterwards.
And what I'm also afraid of is that
there are now obviously a lot of people
involved in this Blue Circle.
If someones watching this now, theres
probably a lot of work thats gone into it,
and a lot of people around it, so the
pressure is building: will I succeed?
And now, this is the Blue Trail.
Yes, so these will be
the first steps on March 10th...
March... no... these will be
the first steps on May 19th
on the National Blue Circle
and specifically on the Blue Trail.
Starting the day after tomorrow,
Im walking 2,550 kilometres
to find out how, after 2,550 kilometres,
I will be different.
What will I have gained?
How will I have changed compared to
sitting here today?
So officially,
then...
Wow, that's exciting!
Well.
It is visible.
Its a bit jumbled, but its there.
I've never tried to give up any of
my long-distance hikes yet.
On the one hand, out of pride. I remember,
when I first went on a long-distance hike,
that was the Camino in Spain,
and I started it crying,
because I felt like
I had already told everyone,
that I'm going on this trip,
and now it would be
too late to give it up.
But I had some difficult
moments regardless.
But I didn't think about giving up,
because in a way,
I was also looking for that sense
of achievement at the end.
And to this day, Im still searching
for it, that feeling of completing a hike.
The first steps were also tough,
and I'm already sweating,
and today will probably be just like that.
I feel good because even
this five-minute rest was good,
while I stamped my booklet.
So I feel good, and the weather is nice,
I think this is ging to be a lucky day.
The weathers good in the sense
that its not too hot,
but its not raining either.
Its just right, so Im feeling good.
I'm excited to start this hike.
The goal is to meet here again
exactly in two and a half months.
Hopefully I'll get back safely.
Yes, I think I understand
why Im doing this.
I will definitely meet
people along the way,
who are important.
So if I think of, say,
being in the area of Pszt,
where my family is from,
I will definitely draw strength
from seeing them.
Today, I finished the hike
at the Bableves Tavern
which is about a 15-minute
drive from my family home,
which is right here behind me.
Partly, I didnt really find
any accommodation nearby,
and partly, I thought,
since Im in the area,
why not sleep at home?
So my family came to pick me up
by car at the end of the day
and they brought me here.
Another lovely thing about today was that
my grandparents came to Hollk,
and they helped
by taking some items out of my backpack
that I didnt need for the afternoon.
So, in a way, it was a bit of an easy,
cheaty day for me.
Of course, I still carried my bag,
but it was nice to see them,
and later, they brought
the items back here, so now I have
everything with me again.
But its nice to take a break,
have some homemade food,
and leave behind a few
items I wont need anymore.
So overall, it's really nice here.
There was a lady today who asked me
if Im not afraid to hike alone.
I said, well, no, and then she said,
'But what about the bear?'
And I said, 'But she's in Bkk, isn't she?'
And she said,
'Well, she's moving fast these days.
- She's also in Ngrd county...'
- You won't cross paths with her.
- I only worry about her if I camp.
- Don't have any food with a strong smell.
- I leave it outside
and anyway, my bag
doesnt even fit in the tent,
so food is out anyway.
If she wants the food,
she can just take it.
We are in my childhood room.
I have good memories here,
and with the house in general.
I remember when we moved in,
and of course, from this room too.
Its a place I can always return to,
even now, while hiking the Blue Circle.
Of course, it was on the way,
so in that sense,
it worked out well,
but I feel so at home here.
Mom, supposedly,
there are two types of people:
the ones who leave that metal thing
on the margarine and the ones who dont.
And now it's gonna turn out
which type this family is.
I think the first five days were crucial,
because on the fifth
day I hit my lowest point.
I remember thinking I couldnt imagine
this whole thing actually working out.
Great!
Its almost healed, by the way.
Im not sure which one I usually put here.
Since we said goodbye
on the Hrmashatr-hegy,
the first week passed
and,
actually, long-distance hikers say that
the first week is critical.
On the first day, of course,
you completely shock your body
by hiking 25-30 kilometres.
Then, on the second day,
youre still sore, youre tired,
but youll hike another 20-30 kilometres.
By the third day,
at least for me, and
I think for others too,
your body starts questioning:
"Is this normal, what we're doing now?"
And that's what I felt most,
that I was so tired in body,
completely drained, and it affected
how I was feeling emotionally too.
The fourth day is mentally very tough,
it was very difficult for me too,
because at that time I was thinking
this isnt even possible.
The logistics, to coordinate everything,
to make it work, its all so overwhelming.
So, yes, the fourth day
was really hard mentally.
But then the fifth day gets a little
easier, the sixth day even a bit easier,
and today was the seventh day.
Its been an emotional rollercoaster,
this past week.
I think many people make the mistake,
when theyre hiking and
think they cant manage
long-distance hiking,
they think of how exhausting
three days of hiking can be,
and then wondering how they could
possibly do seven days, or fourteen days,
or two months of hiking.
But its exactly that first three days,
or that first week,
that you just have to push through,
because thats when your body
gets used to this new reality and understands
that this is what were doing now.
So that third-day breakdown, it will pass.
And yes, there might
be other breakdowns later
and similar tough moments,
but they will pass, too. And the next day
will be much better.
Thats how its been on
all my hikes so far, and I really hope
that it will be like that this time, too.
Yes, I think I understand
why Im doing this.
But can I put it into words?
Well, partly, because it feels
really good to be outside,
and partly because it feels
so good to be with myself.
So...
I think Im also often
afraid of being alone.
or I just dont like being alone.
But that's not necessarily so normal,
or someone to not want to spend
time with themselves but only with others
so its good to confront
that from time to time.
And when Im hiking, I remember that
I felt this same way
when I hiked in the past,
last year or the year before.
So thats why.
Anyway, I think the point of hiking is
learning so much about yourself
and about life while
hiking, because hiking is
such a simple thing, really. You just walk.
Anyone can walk.
The question is, how far, when, and how?
But walking itself,
thats something everyone can do.
And I think there are so many things
you can learn about yourself while hiking.
Like, how do you deal with hardships?
How do you use this internal monologue?
Can you relax?
For example, I always realize this,
both in life and on a hike,
that resting is not a reward.
Food is not a reward.
And drinking, at least if it's water,
thats not a reward either.
It's necessary for us to function.
So it doesn't work that
I'll rest when I deserve it,
because thats not how you
get to the top of the mountain.
And I think, really, its the same in life:
rest isnt something you have to earn.
And then there are these things,
they sound like strange metaphors,
so maybe they wont even make sense, but
very often, as you're
moving forward, looking ahead
at the mountain in front of you,
thinking about how much
more you still have to climb.
And you forget to
look back at the mountain
you've just climbed.
And this, I think, is another
beautiful thing about hiking.
It reminds you that
sometimes you need to
look back, to see,
wow, just in the last hour,
look at what I accomplished.
And maybe its the same
in life, too.
You forget to look back
at what youve achieved
because youre only focused on
what's ahead of you.
So these are some of the beautiful
things that come up while hiking,
and they really let you
reflect on your own life.
I think hiking can absolutely
work therapeutically,
In fact, during those first 8-10 days,
I started to feel like that was
the most important part of it,
from a mental point of view,
When I went through all of my thoughts,
and then my thoughts were gone
and new ones could come.
So yes, absolutely,
I think walking can work as therapy.
And then after that, theres time
to give space to every new thought.
From that point on,
that I was through this,
I wasnt stressed at all during the hike.
That doesnt mean there
werent difficult moments,
or that I wasnt scared of something,
or that I didnt feel sad at times.
But stress? I didnt feel stressed,
even when it was half-past three in the
afternoon, and I hadnt found a store yet
or been able to eat.
I was hungry, but I didnt stress about it.
That kind of restlessness
completely disappeared. And this, too,
I think, is thanks to the
therapeutic nature of the hike.
Id honestly prescribe it like medicine
Welcome to my hut!
Shall I show you
around? It's very beautiful.
Kind of like a coffin,
except Im alive in it.
I put the water in,
the electronic devices
I don't know why,
maybe fearing that the
foxes might steal them?
I don't know.
But I put those inside just in case.
The first-aid kit, which is this much.
The pepper spray,
in case I need it.
The flashlight,
in case its dark and
I have to go somewhere,
and of course, my sleeping gear.
I am here in life-size.
And my home.
The tent is really good.
Its easy to set up.
Im a bit slow in the mornings,
but otherwise, all is great.
Everything about it is great.
The only thing is that
the ground is a bit hard, so I couldnt
push the pegs in properly,
so theyre pathetically placed,
but its holding up just fine.
What I think is great about this kind of
long-distance hiking is
that I finally have time
to think about myself,
or really, about anything.
I don't think it's possible
to tell in advance
what kind of discoveries
Ill make about myself,
but thats the exciting part.
The thoughts that, in everyday life,
I usually sweep aside,
because I dont have time
to properly deal with them,
to process them,
now Ill have 6, 8, even 10 hours a day
to think them through.
So I don't even know in advance
what I'm going to learn,
but at this point I am very excited
and curious to see what
Ill learn about myself.
Ive already lost quite a bit of weight.
My ribs are starting
to show a little, so yeah, thats real.
But otherwise, Im doing well,
physically, I can handle it.
Ive grown stronger now;
my trail legs
have developed,
and my muscles have strengthened.
Hikers often say that after 34 weeks
after hiking, I'm not actually
a professional, but
certain muscles kick in,
while others sort of
take a back seat.
or maybe its not the muscles, but
something to do with the nerves.
Im not entirely sure how it works.
The point is, its happened for me now,
and its no longer such a big deal.
Okay, I'm ready for the day.
Shall we go?
Very good.
I think my trust in
people has improved a lot
during the Blue Trail. Mainly because
most people see something good in it
they recognise that
hiking is worthwhile and
a wonderful thing to do.
They were immediately
positive and supportive about it
and supportive about it
or said something that
brightened my day.
so, it's been very good to
meet people of the Blue Trail.
I remember sitting at a bus stop
when an old man called Palya
came over to chat for an hour
about all sorts of things.
I dont think I would have
ever spoken to him otherwise.
He shared that hed lived
in the area ever since
he got married here and
we sat there, or rather I sat there,
at the bus stop for an hour, listening to
his stories about drinking wine.
I also recall a lovely married couple,
Irma and Imre who invited me in for coffee.
I only wanted to throw away
a tin can in their bin
but I ended up there and
I spent some time with them.
That was really cool too.
I remember when one of my hosts told me
about his bear attack and how he survived,
that really stuck with me,
because at that very moment
it really hit home just how fragile
life can be and how easy
it is for someone to lose
their life, and how close he was to it.
I remember this too.
Once, I went to buy
a bag of crisps from
a convenience store and
and I ended up staying for spritzers
with a lady called Marika.
That was really great.
But I had a similar experience
with the mayor, who was celebrating
his child's birthday
and he invited me to his party,
and I ended up partying with them.
There are so many
moments like this, actually.
Especially when I entered the Lowlands,
but even before that, a bit
in Borsod County, and
well, already in Nyrsg.
it is very typical that
I was walking through
incredibly poor areas,
and as I walked and saw a lot of
people looking at me in astonishment
as I walked by, hiking,
with joy of course, but also with wonder,
so it made me think about how lucky I am
to have been able to come here at all,
because its not such
an easy thing to achieve.
to create the conditions.
Neither in terms of time,
taking time off from work
and life, nor financially,
because let's face it,
no matter how cheaply I try
to do this hike, it still costs money.
As I walked, I thought about this a lot,
that its truly a privilege
to do the Blue Trail,
especially hiking it all in one go.
So, of course,
this always comes to mind when
Im in a difficult moment,
how fortunate this situation is by the way.
Despite all the difficulties,
it has such a positive effect that
Id honestly prescribe it like medicine,
because it can teach you so much.
It also means that
I am the only one I share
these experiences with,
and that has to be enough.
So I think a lot of people
dont want to hike or travel alone
or do things on their own.
Some people dont even
like going to a restaurant alone
because they think it's so pathetic.
But I can also enjoy things
if Im the only person
I can share them with,
the only one who will
remember that I was there.
So not letting an experience
feel lesser just because
Im the only one who truly knows
what happened.
Obviously, the silence is
what I think sheds light on
what thoughts we have
and its not always a true silence
at least, my brain is rarely
completely quiet.
I believe its very important
to spend enough time in it
because thats when the thoughts
really come to the surface,
the ones tha perhaps didn't have
time or opportunity to come up before.
I think now, nearing the halfway point,
Im much more relaxed
about everything. In the
mornings, I dont stress
thinking, Oh no, this is going to
be a tough day.
At the beginning,
I used to stress a lot more about
how many kilometers,
what the weather would be like, or
how I would get there.
Now, Im much more laid-back.
For example with booking accommodation
Im also far more relaxed,
if I need to change a booking,
There was a time when
I booked accommodation
on the same day because
Id changed my plans. So every single day,
I feel a little more confident in myself.
And thats the kind of confidence
I hope will stay with me after the hike.
Knowing that I can solve
any problem that arises.
So overall I'm much more relaxed now,
than I was at the beginning.
Im really looking forward to reaching the
halfway point, because then Ill be able
to properly imagine what 36 days feel like.
But Im getting more and more
confident that Ill succeed.
Hiking is a bit like going
on a team-building together
with your body, soul and mind,
and in a few weeks,
you learn how to collaborate.
That might sound a bit metaphorical,
but in reality its genuinely true.
You have to align
how you function, what youre feeling,
and where your limits are, for example.
After a few weeks,
I felt that Id never been
such a good team with myself
as I am on this hike.
To see a bit of the country where I live
or, well, a lot of it.
This is the fifth day of the...
Fifth day?
Maybe the fifth day...
on the South Transdanubian Blue Hike Trail.
Wait, I'll count...
No, the seventh day.
Now I feel much better
than I did on the Lowlands Blue Trail.
Im much better at
switching off now, so I feel good.
Yesterday I reached the two-thirds point.
Yes, 48 days have passed,
this is the 49th day, so including today
there are 24 days left.
I wanted to get to know
this part of Hungary, and now
Ive had the perfect 72 days to do it.
So that's partly why,
but also to see a bit of
the country where I live...
or, well, a lot of it.
Now that only a third is left,
I think I can do it.
By now, my body has
fully adjusted to hiking, physically.
I mean, Ive had four days where
I walked over 50 kilometres (31miles),
and that was really tough.
So I think Ill manage physically.
And I also think that
I will be able to handle it mentally,
because now the days ahead
are getting easier and easier,
and the end is getting closer.
What worries me now is that,
being so close to the finish,
that I dont want to break my leg
or suffer any kind of injury.
But I feel like this is the only thing
that could stand in the way now,
so mentally and physically, Ill be
able to handle it so I'm very hopeful.
Anyway, it's very good... I think
Hungary is very good.
Because by now, Ive hiked through
quite a large part of it, even
though the Blue Circle is just a circle,
and doesnt go through so many places.
Ive seen natural landscapes
in the Lowlands, in Transdanubia,
and of course, along the National
Blue Trail, which is beautiful.
But Ive also seen
how much food we have, how many
places there are that are worth living in
or even just visiting for vacation
that Id never heard of before.
We have everything,
and this has come to my mind several times
on the hike, that we have everything
let's say geographically and culturally,
to be happy.
All kinds of landscapes, all kinds of food.
so I think we could truly live in abundance
in Hungary. And I think a lot of people
dont really keep this in mind.
Maybe they dont even realise it,
but Ive often thought,
and this might sound a bit extreme,
but that everyone should do
the Blue Circle Trail to
see what Hungary is like.
Even so, theres still so
much that isnt included.
The Blue Trail doesnt cross
every region, after all,
But I think the image
I have of Hungary has changed
in an overwhelmingly positive way:
about the people, and
generally also about the landscape.
Im so glad Ive seen
all this, and I just wish
everyone would go to at least
to one part of it and see it.
Anilla is now completely
amazed that she can walk
50 kilometres (31mi) in a day,
then go to sleep and
wake up the next morning to do it again.
So I wouldn't have
thought this about myself.
Walking 150 kilometres (93mi)
over three consecutive days,
and in the end, it was even more than 150,
that was the hardest, I think.
And it was so much harder mentally
than physically.
Although physically, it wasnt easy either,
it took so much out of me
just to stay focused on
getting through it.
By the time I made it
and got to the fourth day,
where there werent
as many kilometres planned,
by then I was really fed up,
then I just let it go a little bit.
I sat down in the forest to rest for a bit,
and I just let it all out.
Well, I think I cried for a
solid quarter of an hour then
in the woods because
it had been so exhausting.
So many kilometers,
I needed to release it all somehow.
Well, that was the hardest part, I think.
The most beautiful ones are those
when you can even see
that DDK (Southern Transdanubian
Trail) marking, but those are pretty rare.
Yes, this is my favorite, Zselic.
It rained a lot there,
so it got a little wet,
but that was great too.
I have become a lot stronger
mentally over the past
almost 50 days, although
not when it comes to bugs. I mean, insects.
I had to learn to love
nature in a way that
even when it often got on my nerves,
when it was muddy,
when trees had fallen over the path,
when I couldnt get past the branches,
when nettles were growing,
or the weeds were too tall.
And I've had some
very difficult moments in nature,
because the Blue Trail
will inevitably bring days
that arent just easy hikes,
but genuinely challenging,
where getting through a section
feels like a real struggle.
Ive never had this kind of relationship
with nature before.
So many moments of frustration,
and I had to learn to love it
despite those times
when it really annoyed me.
and I think this was
a good lesson for life, too,
and for relationships with people, too.
That love isnt only about
when something is kind to you,
but also when its difficult.
And that was a good lesson that I think
nature taught me now,
during the Blue Trail, that
I think Ill be able to apply
in life in general.
Just a line that is drawn
I feel really good about the fact that
in a week, Ill be finished.
So, its Sunday today, which means
this is my last Sunday on the trail.
so theres only one of each weekday left.
The last week will be full of
very easy kilometers,
Every day will be a little shorter, maybe,
or about the same as the day before.
Im trying to savour every day.
It will ll be gentle from
here on out, no more 40
or 50-kilometre days,
just nice distances.
Im planning to rest a lot,
and reflect on whats happened
in these, now more, than
two months, so those are all my plans.
I'm really looking forward to the end,
I really cant wait!
Even though its still enjoyable,
Ive started to turn in that direction
towards Budapest now,
so already in my head as well
actually I'm heading towards Budapest.
So I'm really looking forward to it.
I truly hope others can find inspiration
in this story.
If someone as an ordinary person,
and I still see myself as
as an ordinary person,
not a professional hiker,
so if an ordinary person can do this,
then I hope this will give
others the green light
to take on their own adventures.
Or the blue light,
in the case of the Blue Circle.
Well now I really miss my real life
after these two months, I cant wait
to jump back into it, to
have someone yell at me
Blaha Lujza Square at two in the morning,
to hear the trolleybus
pass by late at night
and wake up to it.
I'm really looking forward to everything.
To be able to pop into
any store, to meet anyone,
to do anything other than hiking,
so I'm really looking
forward to all of these,
to get back into real life.
I really miss social life,
I really do.
Of course, its great that
I can still talk to everyone
while Im on the trail, either during
the day or in the evenings,
and that Ive even managed to
meet up with a few people.
But its just not the same as
being able to meet anyone, anytime.
I really miss that.
Is this some kind of counter-video?
Ha-ha, got you.
Yesterday we hiked 40 kilometres(25mls)
together, which, starting from zero,
was obviously really tough.
But I could feel that
I was completely wiped out,
and I know that after
two months of hiking, she doesnt
feel that way anymore.
But in the first week or two,
she had the same experience,
that all her muscles ached,
and she probably felt, as I did,
that she couldnt take another step,
but it had to be done
and I think she's also been
in the situation, and it's been
incredible that shes been
doing this for over two months now.
It was great to go down there,
to be part of
this whole journey a bit.
Like this, that we could go down
to visit her for a day or two
and experience it firsthand
what she goes through every day
I think this was really good
and it brought us even closer
to this experience,
and this very tough performance,
which she is doing right now.
So I'm really happy that we were there.
It's quite amazing to
me that Anilla took on
this journey, fully aware that
for two or three months,
shed be stepping out
of the urban cycle
and our entire social life
especially in the summer, when
life is buzzing and so much is going on.
And that there would be many things
that would happen now without her
and yet, she went for it,
to fulfill this dream of hers.
And I can see
that there are tough moments,
and that some aspects of it
are hard to live through.
But the fact that now,
nearing the end, you can see that this is
really going to happen,
and she will accomplish
what she set out to do as her goal,
fills her with a huge sense
of accomplishment, and I think
that makes her very happy.
She's doing it because one day this idea
popped into her head,
and once such an idea
pops into her head, she will do it.
And I think in terms of achievement,
she knows that this is a very big deal
and I think she just wanted to tick it off.
Ever since she heard
that such a thing existed
with such a level of achievement,
she's wanted to do it
and tick it off the list.
I think she will gain a
great deal from this hike,
but most of all that sense of knowing
that she could do it.
Adding it to the shelf
alongside her other achievements.
I don't know when
that shelf will be full, I think it's
been full for a long time already, but
she probably has many
years ahead and will gather
many more things to add to it.
Its very important that
the National Blue Trail is such a
popular hike in Hungary, I think,
that so many people have
a positive attitude towards it,
and it passes through so many places
that hold memories for people.
Its such a big adventure
for so many Hungarians.
and it brings, I think, a kind of gift:
bringing people closer to the culture
they can experience in the countryside,
and to nature as a whole.
She's already travelled the world,
studied a lot abroad,
and I think it's a little
homecoming for her.
She goes to places she
hasn't been to in years, even decades.
She's simply going back
to her roots.
And I think its so important to do
such a hike with an adult mind now,
when you can fully experience
where you really come from.
It makes it much easier
to find your place in life afterwards.
And from this perspective too, I think
this hike will give her a lot.
Theres a designated route
thats relatively easy to start,
and yet it offers countless adventures,
human connections,
and a deeper bond with nature
is brought by the Blue Trail.
It brings these
experiences closer to people
even though its essentially
just a designated route,
a line that is drawn,
and yet if you walk it,
you gain so many experiences.
Thanks!
See you next week!
It was so good to see you!
No 'Whoos'!
Bye!
Hang in there!
Bye!
Here too?
Bye!
This definitely wasnt
my last long-distance hike.
I should probably think
of something, right?
Well, Ive been hiking
for seventy-two days now,
so I dont really have many thoughts left.
Right now, I just want to get there,
and Im a little stressed
about not breaking my leg
because that would be
very embarrassing.
This is my thought.
And that I will be there soon,
I'll see my family, my
boyfriend, my friends.
So, for the past three days,
thats all Ive been thinking about:
dont break my leg, and get there.
Was that deep enough?
I thought very little about
how Ill feel if I succeed,
because Ive already gone over
the scenarios where I dont,
how I'm going to call
the makers of this film,
if something happened
that cut this short.
Ive spent so much time thinking
about that, I barely thought about
what would happen if I succeeded.
So, yesterday I reached the top of,
I think its called Nagy-Szns, a hill,
from where you could already
see Hrmashatr-hegy on one side,
and Budapest on the other,
and that was really amazing.
I honestly felt that now its so close,
and well, I really miss Budapest,
so I was very happy when I saw it.
And by now, not with the calm of failure,
but quite the opposite,
with the calm of certain success,
I started to embrace it a bit,
so it felt really good.
It doesn't necessarily end
when someone finishes
the Blue Trail because
I think its a kind of journey
that doesnt just end like this;
instead, in some way,
I believe it will continue.
It will continue for me, and probably
for many other people
who take on the Blue Trail.
I think the only possible version
of the hike was this one.
So no matter how many times I think
about it, whether it could have been
longer or shorter or different,
I always conclude that this was
the only possible version.
And I was incredibly lucky
that everything went well,
everything worked out well,
my health, the accommodations,
the experiences.
I think everything turned out for the best,
so I rate this Blue Circle 5 stars.
Two of my boots are done for.
They're both retiring.
I would be so happy
if this could somehow bring people
closer to hiking, closer to nature.
So if there was such
a message of this hike,
it would make me very happy, and I think
the moment that happens,
I would somehow already feel it.
This is my lucky food,
which I packed when I left,
so that if anything went wrong and for
some reason I couldn't find a store,
or couldnt get food,
Id always have a portion of food with me.
But I never found myself
in such an unlucky situation
so I thought, on the last day,
if it were to be like this,
then I'll eat it. So I'll eat it now,
because now theres no risk of
running out of food anymore.
And it sounds strange that its been
with me for two and a half months,
but it's long-lasting food,
so I hope it's still good.
This is exactly how I imagined it. That I
would never have to eat it along the way,
that Id never end up in an emergency.
So, in the end, I succeeded,
and the taste of success
is really delicious.
This will never happen again,
This Blue Circle, in this form,
so I think it was absolutely worth it.
Ive learned so much about myself,
about Hungary, about people,
and about nature,
and right now I cant imagine a better way
I could have spent this summer.
The time was now,
this was the moment for it,
so yes, it was absolutely worth it.
All those coincidences, which at first
might have been frustrating,
eventually worked out
in the best possible way for the hike.
So I was very lucky along the way
and all these little things came together
to make this a very good hike.
I'm obviously excited for it to end,
no matter how much I loved this hike,
or, well, still love it now,
in these last few kilometres.
But I also realised how great my life is,
back in Budapest, and in general.
So I really missed my real life,
and these are pretty much
the thoughts Im left with as I finish.
That I do have a great life,
I just had to to step away from it
for two and a half months,
so that I can appreciate it a bit better.
There it is!
Ready? Very good.
It's done!
Now I can finally get my pin.
That's it!
And now I can finally say
that I only did it for the pin.
Exclusively. To have
something in my collection.
No, honestly, it feels amazing.
Very cool!
Now I just need to go
up to Hrmashatr-hegy.
I think it really hit me
much better that it was about to end
when I got to the section where,
two and a half months ago,
I had started walking
towards the first stamp.
Because at that moment,
there was this overlap of a few minutes
between the first few
meters and the last few meters.
This mark here next to me
is the very first Blue
Trail mark I stepped on,
and we walked up here
from the Hrmashatr-hegy
bus stop and and from this point,
the Blue Trail really began,
but officially, of course,
it started with the stamp,
but this was the first mark
I saw two and a half months ago.
As for my final thoughts,
Im really looking forward
to seeing those people
who supported me all the way.
Because, in a sense, they were
part of the hike all along,
though mostly online or over the phone.
and now I'm going to
see some of them in person.
So my main thoughts are
just to see them again
and to return to my life.
In that moment,
when Im walking those final meters,
Ill probably feel that
all the kilometres I walked,
all the challenges, and all the beauty
ultimately made sense
and brought me to this goal.
And in that moment,
Ill probably also realise
that if I succeeded,
at least for one person,
at least for myself
it will serve as an
inspiration in the future,
and maybe even for others too.
This has been the biggest
challenge of my life, in every way.
In mind, in body, in every way.
And even though I dreamt about
what it would feel like,
obviously I could never be sure
that Id actually succeed.
So this is an experience
that no one can take away from me.
Maybe someday
the pins I earned will get lost,
or I don't know,
the certificate might go
missing somewhere, or my name
might no longer be listed publicly.
All of that could happen.
But the experience I gained,
no one can ever take that away.
So I think its an everlasting experience,
something I can now
always say about myself.
Can we go?
Hello!
At first, I didnt even fully realise that
it was all over.
It felt so good, but at the same time,
it was so unbelievable
that it had actually ended.
Then, with the celebrations,
it started to sink in a bit more
that it really happened. When everyone
started saying Id
done it, that it was over,
and congratulating me and everything.
Done, done, done!
You did it, you did it! Well done!
Im so proud of you!
At first, the whole thing felt incredible,
and I think it took me
a few days to really grasp
that I had just walked
2,550 kilometres (1584 miles).
I think I can now say that
I walked those 2,550 kilometres partly
to show others that its possible,
and that despite everything
Im not a professional hiker,
but really, if you put on your hiking boots
and start walking, this is possible.
I think I also walked
those 2,550 kilometres
to make it clear not just to myself
that this is a good thing,
but to show others too.
And if it inspired even just one person,
then I think it was worth it.
Honestly, this feeling is something
I want to experience over and over again.
That's why I hike.
This definitely wasnt
my last long-distance hike.