Well, I had the tickets booked. So that I could return with the visitor's stamp. And I planned nothing but booking the flights and accommodation. Thought I'd just arrive and decide then what to do, where to go.
Then the concern over whether I should make the trip due to visa issues reeled my relatively easy world into slight chaos. Long story short, I was adamant to go; then thought it's better for me to stay so I pretty much set my mind up to lounge around at home; and then it turned out I had to make the trip after all. Good thing I had my stuff packed and ready to go.
And I arrived in Vilnius. Didn't do my extensive research on how and where to head to once I landed. Only a couple of screen captures of how to get to my hostel. Which was enough. Since it was almost 8pm when I reached the centre. And I had 3 hard boiled eggs in my backpack. And it was cold and wet and I thought I'd just crash in my temporary bed.
But I chatted with this girl from Moscow named Natasha. And she suggested to walk around the old town for a bit since it was supposed to be Easter (Orthodox calendar), but this is a Catholic country. And we did walk, it was cold and windy and so very like London -.-'
Went to mass next morning at the Franciscan and Bernadine Church, in English! And the violin during holy communion was beautiful. Then my curiosity brought me into St Anne's Church next door. And I stayed until the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Then I wandered and joined the free walking tour. And met two lovely ladies from Kiev, Elena a Ukrainian working with UN, and Nezima (if I remember correctly) from Kazakhstan. Peace-loving people and very very pretty gals. They strongly recommended me to go to Hill of Crosses in Siauliai, which is 2 and a half hours away by train and another 20 minutes by bus and 2 km walk. So I abandoned my initial idea to go to Trakai lake and castle, a 30 minutes bus ride from Vilnius.
Woke up at usual time, had breakfast and walked all the way to the train station (30 minutes, 2.6 km), got my ticket and got on the train.
And then the funny part happened. I heard Siauliai being mentioned and got off. Yep you guessed it. It was the wrong stop.
Cue music.
Sigh. How blur can you go huh?
Or you could've asked the nice young girl next to you. Or the train operator!
Darn know-it-all!
At least I had the "wisdom" to go back to the station and ask the lady at the counter.
Should've sensed something wasn't quite right when not a lot of people were getting off; and when the station looked a tad quiet; and outside the station even more so.
Well, good thing though they had another local train from the station to Siauliai (the fourth largest city in Lithuania). And it wasn't too late and I could still make my way there and have enough time to visit the hill.
I was supposed to be at Siauliai station at 12.35 pm. I finally reached at 1.55pm. Not too bad. Just the worrying part on whether I'd catch the buses in time... Not so fun. Cause if I'd missed it, it's either I get back to Vilnius very late or take a taxi (expensive) or not make my way there at all. Strange enough, never thought the last option even a possibility. I was so set on getting there.
So I got on the correct bus, got off the correct stop, walked the right way, and reached the hill.
It was just as Elena described: calm, peaceful, indescribable. There's an energy there that just makes you be still and listen. The hundreds and thousands of crosses perched there, the hope and prayers that they represent, just indescribable. I didn't realise it then, but it is most probably God's presence.
Time came for me to go back to the train station, and it's about half an hour's wait after a 15-minute slow walk from the hill. Waited under the hot sun at the open bus stop. With flat plains and farms, and clear blue sky with white clouds for scenery, and quiet street with occasional sounds of passing vehicles.
I sat and wrote postcards home. Then I looked up and thought, the bus would come right? It wouldn't not show up right? I didn't miss the bus when I was writing my postcards right? Coz it's the last bus and if it doesn't come, I'd have to walk 12km back to town, coz it's impossible to get a taxi in the countryside. Or hitchhike. Which I'm scared of.
It was 5.15pm and the bus was scheduled to arrive at 5.27pm. Oh well, it would come, eventually.
Then I turned around and the bus (minivan to be exact) arrived! Talk about timing! His timing!
Mind-blowing.
Had enough time to get some pastries for lunch and dinner, and a bottle of water at the supermarket; and finally make my way to the train station, a 10-minute walk. Bought my ticket back to Vilnius 15 minutes before departure, got on the direct train to Vilnius, no more getting off at wrong stops. Heh. And reached my hostel at 9.10pm after a 40-minute slow walk in the quiet part of town, with the sun still setting.
Despite everything, I'm safe! And all in good time. Praise the Lord!
Had no specific plans today but to spend more time in the Lord's presence. Despite waking up way earlier than my alarm because of the scary snoring from the new roommate, dude you need to treat your apnea, I didn't manage to make it to the 9 am mass at the Gates of Dawn Chapel, but made it to the 10 am mass.
Couldn't understand a single word of Lithuanian but as I understood I attended 2 Holy Mass in Polish. Then after I thought I'd go find the pagan statue of Milda that my walking tour guide brought us to, to take another photo since it was sunny. Alas, I didn't find it but stumbled upon the Church of Divine Mercy, with the painting of our Lord Jesus. And they were holding Mass.
Of course I stayed, to pray.
But as He wills it, right after they held the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Yes, it has been a very God-centred, led by God trip. I wouldn't say holy. But it felt like a pilgrimage to me. Where I learned to spend more time with Him, revel in His presence, and plan my time centred on Him. And learning to trust in Him.
Now I just have to trust Him more. Especially since I'm making my way back to London! I have been praying for safe return to London and permission to stay for the next 4 months.
"Jesus, I trust in you"
This phrase in Vilnius Church of Divine Mercy...
Couldn't ring truer if anyone ask me to sum up my trip.
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