Helena Meriste
I am a tamed extremist. I am constantly looking for experiences that push me out of my comfort zone. New environments, people and situations always bring out something new in me. I want to be fresh, flexible, bright and free. It is best to cultivate this with good companions, but traveling alone also has its charm, which I have done quite a bit. More mountainous trails have taken me to Scandinavia (Galdhøpiggen), the Greater Caucasus (Kazbek, Tetnuldi, Layla, Šhara, Svanetia hiking trails and mountain villages), the Himalayas (Annapurna Circuit, Langtang Valley, Gosainkunda region) and the Alps (Mont Blanc, Tyrol and Bern regions).
I have volunteered at a Buddhist monastery school in southern Nepal and a humanitarian aid center in Myanmar, and have lived, studied, and worked in France (Nice and Paris). I explore spiritual landscapes through my profession as a translator, editor, literary researcher, and critic.
Main travel interests: mountain hiking, rock climbing, water hiking, hiking, oriental cultures.
Language skills: Estonian, English, French.
Training/courses: My more conscious collection of hiking wisdom began in Tõnu Jürgenson's hiking group and the Tartu scout circle. I have received mountaineering training under Valdo Kangur, Marko Aasa, and Georgian mountain guides.
Contact: maarja@elamuspluss.ee