The train to Nowhere, Latvia. Will I find my way out of this tricky situation? Riga - Ludza (???) 

What was your scariest adventure or travel moment? I'd love to hear it, might even inspire me for my next one :D

The guy who gave you the ride to Ludza, to the door of your hotel, shows that there are still good people wherever you go in this world.

One year later - I don't really have much to add to what was said by others in the comments, except for one miniscule detail: I believe that you got confused when you've heard the word "LŪDZU..." which means "please.." (as in "Please mind the gap" ;-) ) At least, I'm glad that you've lived to tell the tale, and even unharmed 🙂. Thank you for sharing your travel experiences with us! I am absolutely sure that you're one great companion to travel with!

Glad for the lad that gave you a ride. I lived in Alaska for 11 years and the cold is nothing to take lightly. Thanks for showing us places so many of us would never see. When you make it back my way, I will be sure to take you out on our boat for a tour of the Puget Sound.

That was a scary experience for you Steve. Good to know that there are still good people around to help others. Glad you're home safely.

Fascinating video. Thanks for taking us along for the ride.

Thank you for sharing Steve, please be careful next time.

Laughed so hard at your expression when you ate that burger😂 it looked fabulous

Another great vlog Steve but be careful hitchhiking. I picked up a young hitchhiker in Tasmania one day, and the first thing he said to me was, ‘How do you know I’m not a serial killer?’ I instantly replied. ‘The chance of two serial killers being in the same car, at precisely the same time here in Tasmania is too improbable to calculate. He moved as far away from me as he could and never looked at me or spoke to me again! 🤣 True story!

We've been really enjoying your Latvia videos, although I'm going to use my "Mom" voice now and say, "What the hell were you thinking? Trying to give me a heart attack?" That was a bit too unprepared so please don't do that again! 😀 We don't want to read about some You Tuber freezing to death in the forest. lol Loved the New Year's eve lantern parade too in a previous video! Would like to see that some year. Stay safe and please make it back to Scotland in one piece! I'm scared to think what your next video will bring.

Well that was incredible, I think if I ever visit it will more likely be in the summer months. You got so damm lucky with that lad giving you a lift.

Steve, please carry a portable backup charger with you. Holy cow what an experience!!

Steve, I was cracking up because this is exactly the sort of thing I do when I'm travelling alone. Easy for me to say but your misadventure made for a fantastic video. I like your smooth-sailing content too, but there's nothing like an up-sh*t-creek decision now and again! Cheers.

First of all I felt your pain, but oh I would always note the number of stops before mine or at least the arrival time, especially abroad. Maybe the fife circle next lovely statue at the church and grateful thanks to the driver, basic room must’ve looked like a palace. Thanks for showing us around

im also from latvia! its actually very loud and much traffic but its kind of piecefull here

Nothing else to say except…. Doh!🙈 Such an easy thing to do though.

Thanks to You, now i know, there is a place called Cirma right before Ludza city. lmao. I am sorry, it is not funny, i am just laughing my ass off! When You decided to book in Ludza, i knew, there is a twist, but I did not see this coming :D Welcome to the Latgale! :)

I'm from the Baltic states, if I saw anyone walking alone in the dark at winter, I'd stop if I was going by in a car. My uncle saved an old man with dementia once like that, he was just wandering around town! We don't leave people out in the cold :)

ISteve, you’re not alone at getting off a stop too early. Three years agoI did a similar thing. The sight of the train disappering along the track when you realise your mistake! Thankfully I was lucky, it was a hot summers day. Trecked through the forest to meet a main road. Parched and very hungry I came across a roadside restaurant. It was empty. Sat down, ordered food and drink. Halfway through my meal a security team came in, checked the place out and manned all exits. An important group were usherd in. I asked the waiter about the fuss. Turns out I was having lunch with the president of Latvia!

I'm from Latvia and you brought back so many memories, as I used to for years travel to Riga and back with Zilupe train for work. On other note, I had a feeling you might get lost, as even locals sometimes get confused when to jump off the train, esp when it's so dark everywhere and I can imagine the fear. You got out in probably most old fashioned, poorest, most undeveloped part of Latvia, where most towns don't even have a hotel and no one speaks English. But people there are nice and friendly. And often times, esp in winter, there are wolves migrating in those forest from Russia. It's no joke man, glad you got out alive. 😂

Fair play to you for visiting obscure places like this. Very interesting. Hope that your saviour guy who gave you a lift does get in touch with you. You'll probably remember him for a long time getting you out of that situation!

What can I say? That looked absolutely terrifying. Pitch black in the middle of nowhere in the freezing cold. The stuff of nightmares. On the other hand Ludza looked beautiful - well worth all the hassles you endured. Thanks so much for the mention and remember, you’re not an idiot! We all make mistakes.

Hey man I’m glad you made it out safe and sound. A year ago I made a huge mistake as well. As I was travelling in Amsterdam, I forgot my passport (I’m a non-EU citizen), my cash, and all essentials that were stored in my backpack in the lavatory of one cafe outside the city. I realized that when I got 3 stops away from that place. Luckily, the bartender was very nice and had my stuff reserved at his desk which I was soooo relieved to see… damn that anxiety was bad

As a Latvian, I am honestly suprised that they still put stations in the middle of nowhere. For example, the station Cirma (where you got out) has on average 2 passengers a day.

I am Latvian and the exact same thing happened with me in Switzerland (I left the train before my station). If you travel in an unknown area, double check with Google maps where you depart

A friend of mine just shared this video with me 😁It made my day 😅 On the downside, however, as a native Ludza guy, it is a pity to conclude that there is not much to do here in the wintertime. Not as a lone tourist. And yet, since you did not come across any bears or wolfs in Cirma's forest, that's still something to celebrate 🤣Best!

I’m a westerner who lived in Latvia near where you got off the train. I’m familiar with those woods and felt nothing but terror for you watching the video. The cold alone was dangerous enough, but the Forrest are also home to wolves and boars. Happy you made it to Ludza safely. I have only been there once. They have a living museum there that is interesting if you ever go back. Also, knowing a little Russian goes a long ways in that area.

Hey, Latvian here. If you are traveling from Riga to Zilupe, then it's better to stop at Rezekne, than Ludza. Rezekne sits on an important trade route crossroad about 50 km from Russian border, is bigger and a bit more developed, it also has castle ruins, some historical landmarks, and it is really hard to miss when traveling by train 😁

Just for the future (possiblly applies also to other Baltic countries) the main city stations will be unmistakable from the small ones between towns. They will have good lighting and a better looking station, as you got out somewhere that had no station. Good luck in your travels!

I am watching this a year after it was posted but it was terrifying. You were in pitch dark, alone, language barrier, wolves, snow and cold. I would have been in tears! So glad a sweet soul gave you a ride.

Damn Steve, that was a real scary situation you got yourself into! A 4 hour walk in those conditions is not something you want to experience ever! That young fella was a real life saver👍

Hi Steve. We all make small errors in life my friend. I noticed the uncertainty on your face after the old lady closed the door on you. That was a scary isolated place you found yourself in. Thankfully a very kind young guy came to your aid and delivered you safely to the hotel in Ludza A great video and thanks for sharing. Ps. You were out of your comfort zone there for a while. 👍

Well, I suppose that all's well that ends well. However, the idea of being lost in rural Latvia at night in the winter gives me shivers sitting here in my living room. We love you and your channel. Please be careful.

As a latvian i can definetly see how much effort you took learning latvian and with that i hope you have a great day.

It was so scary! Btw we call icy pavement “glass” in PL😁

Speaking about East Latvian places with lovely Scottish accent is priceless. Thank ye.

Getting off at the wrong stop is one thing, but when it's literally Baltic winter weather outside, that's pretty extreme 🤣😱

Steve, that is what I call a travel video - none of this business class, lounge access, smart hotel nonsense but a proper view of small town Eastern Europe. Absolutely top drawer filming and reporting! No doubt it will put a lot of people off - but I'm sure it will inspire a lot of us too. Reminded me of some of the little villages I've driven through in eastern Poland......and I always wonder about their histories and what life must be like there. Thank you for sharing!

That looks seriously scary. Being out all night in those temperatures could have dire consequences. Thank goodness someone picked you up.

12:40 Those are absolutely deadly - suspicious look at icicles in freezing weather 13:54 Completely safe - goes through barely standing ruins where falling stone can smash your head any moment 😂

Glad the famous Latgale region hospitality saw you alright in the end. As you approach each station, the anouncement always says what it is plus what the next stop will be... so that probably explains what happened. There should have been a couple of conductors on the train to ask (at least one of them usually speaks some English). But kudos to you for heading so far off the beaten track. A shame you didn't get to see the restored synagogue, which is really nice. Hope to see you back in Latvia soon!

What a legend of a driver saving you 👏

Good one, mate. Have tried navigating blind across foreign logistics, languages, and alphabets myself, and a fair few times things went a bit south as well. But we managed, and, as my friend says, if it wasn't a fun experience it's usually a good story! Safe travels!

9:05 Of course the TV is programmed for Russian channels :D

Wow, I was worried for you too there, Steve! In the days of my very misspent youth I have on occasion taken myself to remote places with a view to not returning - but not in temperatures of -10 C without anyone whom I can even communicate with! And there's you, dressed little better than the average tourist about to tackle Ben Nevis in his sandshoes... Thank-goodness for your good Samaritan - let us know if he gets in touch with you, as I think there may be a long queue out here who also want to thank him for saving your life... When you got out of the station at Ludza it looked very much like some of our Highland towns - maybe Ballater or Grantown-on-Spey - just a bit bigger. Is that how it felt? And that ice is just ridiculous - how does anybody stay upright in that? There must be people who are effectively imprisoned in their own homes for literally half their lives - and we think we've got it bad, eh? Thanks for the movie though - your pics are mighty grand by the way, as they invoke their own atmospheres. It's a real eye-opener.

This is like a nightmare I would have. I have taken the train in Latvia and am always glad I managed to get to the right place! 😬 That was dangerous because of the cold weather. Glad you found a nice person to help! You did well showing gratitude. 🙏☺️

We had similar experience on our way to a wedding in Austria. Having arrived in Vienna from Budapest, we just managed to catch a wee local train to take us to a small town further south. We came into a station which we thought was the end of the line as everyone got off. So as we dragged our suitcases out of the station we saw a sign telling us it wasn't our stop, but then the train moved off. We decided to get a taxi. The taxi driver loaded our cases and I told him where we wanted to go, he gave us a strange look but drove off. We drove for about 200 metres and turned a corner and he stopped......there was the train and the place we were supposed to get off 🤔😂

Oh Steve my heart went out to you,that was scary! I did the same years ago,got on the last train for what i thought was Berwick upon Tweed but it was the North Berwick train,cost me £75 for a taxi to my destination but like you i was so relieved to get there ,really appreciate your great videos 👍

6 months ago they had trains going to St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Minsk out of Riga Station; as well as busses that went to St Petersburg that I saw. I was surprised when I saw this myself and figured it would change soon after.

Steve, as a fellow Montrose newbie, I feel an odd sense of fraternity with you. At this stage in my life, travel like this ain’t an option. So you’re like an avatar for me. Though I’m glad it wasn’t me stuck in a dark station platform! Keep up exploring all these lesser known places.

There was a very real possibility we'd hear about a "tourist's remains found in a forest" on the news, if not for the guy in the car. I've gotten out at a wrong stop in Summer and was worried. But winter? Middle of night? Man, that's nightmare fuel. Heard howls and saw a wolf once along the bicycle path from Jūrmala to Riga one summer. I set some personal speed records that night. There is wildlife here.

Yes, that bit was really scary Steve. But when I saw where you were heading, to Ludza it sent shivers down my spine. Didn't any of the tourist information or residents tell you about the town's Jewish history?????? There had been a large Jewish population there since the 16th century. Before WWII, a third of the population of Ludza was Jewish with half the stores and tradesman being Jewish. Ludza had many synagogues and Jewish schools and yeshivos. Some very famous Rabbis came from there. In 1938, the residents attacked and burnt to the ground over 200 Jewish-owned stores, looting, murdering, raping and destroying. In 1940 the many beautiful synagogues and schools were attacked by local residents, looted and burnt to the ground. Ludza was occupied by the Germans on July 3, 1941. They were welcomed by the residents who preceded to fully cooperate with them, in rounding up all the Jews, around 2000 of them. The Ludza ghetto was founded on July 20, and soon after, the murders and slave labour began. On August 17, 1941, most of the remaining Jewish population, mainly women and children, were marched to Lake Zorba just outside of the town where they were stripped naked and all murdered. Only a few hundred Jews escaped. About 100 Jewish Holocaust survivors returned to the town after the war to reclaim their property and belongings. They were beaten up by the residents and ordered by the police to leave. They were picked up by a Zionist Jewish displacement organisation and put on a ship to Israel, where the surviving Jewish population and their descendants of Ludza live today.

The old lady at the station spoke perfect English, it was Scottish she couldn't understand. When she shut the door, her husband said "Who was that at the door love" She said, I don't know he kept saying "Oui" i think he must be French.

I respectfully ask you please don't call Latvian (or Polish, Estonian or Czech) elderly ladies "babushkas" - it's very disrespectful and makes wrong impression....

Oh no, what a nightmare! You handled a very tricky situation much better than most people would have! Think you might have misheard the town "Ludza" for the word "lūdzu" which can mean "please" or "you're welcome", and is quite often used to end sentences politely, like would be done on a train announcement. Won't be a mistake you make again I'm sure!

Thanks Mr.Steve,good video.Our family fr.Far East Asia plan to visit Riga.What language do you speak when you keep saying Wee this & Wee that .. are you from France? Merci.

"Unfinished business, I'll be back", says our intrepid voyager! But not making the mistake of getting off in a snowy wilderness! Count your blessings Steve; all's well that ends well.

Just thought you'd like to know, a Greggs has opened up in Montrose. Inside the new asda garage. :)

What a scary time you had Steve but an easy mistake to make. We did enjoy the rest of the video after your adventure. Well done to the young man who gave you that lift, what a hero. Do let us know if he does get in touch.

If i remember correctly Ludza Castle was beseiged by Christain Knights, including ones from The North West of England and their bodies were transported back to England and were only recently identified. I regret I cant remember the RU-vid site that I saw that on. M

Once when I was in Morocco I had a similar mistake. Met 2 the most amazing Americans who saved my life! You need to invest in some shoe grips which you can put on if the road is icy. We use them here. There are places here in Finland where you can actually stand on the border! Some Brits were caught wondering into and out of Russia last year. Glad you survived your wee nightmare!

You Sir, are one brave traveller. Your mistake getting off the train one stop early in the depth of the night scared me senseless. Thank you for an extraordinary video. BUT, what is the unfinished business and the need to return? 🤔😎

Once in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States, a cab driver dropped me in the wrong part of town and I got chased by a gang of hoodlums. I saw them coming down the street and knew I was a target and so calmly walked around the corner and then started running. I dashed across a busy street and fortunately saw a taxi and hopped in. I too have gotten off at the wrong station but never in so desperate a situation as yours, thanks for sharing your misadventure. Ludza was beautiful and it wasn't a total loss.

I was sitting on the edge of my chair this whole trip. I was terrified for you. Let's don't do that again>

Crikey! I could feel your panic myself there. What a sticky situation. Glad you got out of it to tell the tale. 😬

Well Steve that was Very scary. Wrong stop, and isolated how did you make that mistake? Luckily you had a lift to the hotel, by that chap. Worked out ok, but rather you than me. Well done.

You have the heart of a true adventurer! So glad for the rescue, and for bringing us such great content. 👍🏼

You are a very lucky man. That could have been deadly from hypothermia. Then there would no more Steve Marsh videos. Be careful.😎👍

Marshy Marshy Marshy, cheers for showing & sharing a part of the world I’m unlikely to ever visit, cheers mate

One small step for the man kind! Beig leap for idiot!😂 You made me lough! Nice video! Enjoyed a lot.

Wow Steve , bet that was a shock to the system lol , thank goodness for the young man who gave you a lift , hopefully he will get in touch with you , loved the update as usual but what a place Latvia is , credit to you for visiting and sharing your experience, keep up the good work and stay safe 👍

5:07 @ this point, even myself, who lives in Latvija, would shit myself.... :)

Whoa Steve! That was a nail biter! I'm so relieved nothing bad happenned to you. Love that you go to the old towns. I guess Europe doesnt salt their streets when its icy or snowy. LOL Take care, Mary Ann from Delaware USA 🤗

I have just recently returned from a trip around Baltic states my scariest moment travelling was back in late nineties in Zimbabwe knees knocking together stuff

When interrailing in eastern Europe in 1991 2 years after the Berlin wall fell, we got off the train in Berlin at 10pm. Unfortunately it was not central Berlin, but a run down area of east Berlin. A 6 hour sleep in a drafty shelter later saw us on the next train

You could have called hotel as well. I think they would have thought about solution. I went to Ludza as well in summer and it was worth.

Welsh guy here, Been living in Riga for 15 years, and always thought about going to Ludza, so fascinated by your excellent, positive vlog. A bit of Latvian goes a long way when you get outside Riga, but well done for a brave attempt.

In train in Latvia there are announced current station and the next one, that's probably how you heard Ludza

What a nightmare... glad you made it safely! This situation terrifies me especially as a woman because you never know what could happen getting picked up as a hitch hiker needing to get somewhere warm and dry!

Grand video and technical issues is something we all have 😆 if I was in your shoes I would have a major panic attack! Can't imagine being lost in another country like that... I'm glad you managed to get some help there!

Hi Steve 👋 those seats on your train look like old coach seats back in Britain

That is a Mr. Bald level adventure! :) Not sure I'd want to get too close to the Russian border these days (which is sad as I really enjoyed visiting St-Petersburg during better days). Ludza does look lovely, must be pleasant in the summer.

Oh my...wow. Dude, I'm a Latvian journalist, now living in Riga, but originally from Ludza. And ohboy, when I noticed you were going to my tiny hometown...it's a magical place. Ludza, and the region in general is kinda like the Texas of Latvia - and being so far, very few folks speak English. Was super worried!

Hi Steve, Nice story. As a Russian who lives in Russia and who traveled in Latvia in my Soviet's childhood i may tell you werent in real danger until approaching the border sign and trying to cross the line. Next time, when the war is over you should travel to Russia definitely. I hope there will be time when it will be possible again.

Hello Steve. At 14.00 you mentioned you need a foot, did you injure your foot? I hope your ok and your foot has recovered. Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺.

I am from Russia. Thank you for interesting and informative video. It felt like I went back in time and ended up in some old Soviet village. The train station and the trains made the picture so much more real. Wow!

OMG! You should ask some on young on the train they will tell you!

Your rescuer shows the kindness of people transcends language barriers. And you got a great story out of it.

I was in Latvia at pretty much the same time as you. I wonder if the announcement on the train was because the Latvian for 'please' (and also 'you're welcome' in response to someone saying 'thank you' is 'ludzu' - so it may have been the conductor being polite over the PA? I'm not sure if you saw the conductor so you could ask - always important in Latvia. For example, many tourists get confused when heading from Riga to Jūrmala, thinking there is a station for the city when there are actually several stations for it. Anyway, great video as ever.

Latvian people are good people. Hotel Ludza is very good place to stay.

My brain was probably racing as fast as yours when you got stranded there - did you thinking about "borrowing" the tractor? Obviously in the summer you could have just slept al fresco, but this could have killed you. Still, it made for an entertaining film though 🙂

Steve, your experience after you disembarked can be described as “strashna”. That’s Russian, not Latvian, but maybe Alicija can translate the word. Your videos give me the urge to renew my passport and visit the UK, emphasis on Scotland.

13:08 just realised - I HAVE BEEN THERE!!!!

All speaking English Latvians living in UK )))))))))))))))))

Steve my heart was racing for you! Glad you gotthat lift.

Thank u Steve for sharing this video. I did not now about Ludza i's oldest town in Latvia. I'm Latvian and living in Scotland for last 7 years, This April I moving back to Latvia. I seen in google maps this places, loots of lakes, I planning take Camper van and go for one week see this places, of course in summer, and try to jump in couple lakes. Thank you for sharing your experience, lonely train station in the no where, was brilliant ))) Keep going 👍

Hello. I'm from Latvia, and boy I would be so happy to pick up hitchhiker like you, to listen to you bizarre story. I'm happy you're OK, and can't wait for the next video.

I think you might have heard "ludzu", which means "please", instead of Ludza. Looks like a great adventure, I've had my fair share of remote Latvian train rides, good job for getting out of it alive ahahha

Well done Steve your very brave did you ever hear from the chap you gave you the lift. Paul In Kent

Oh dear you are in a pickle. What a Good Smaŕitan. I am from Cape Town South Africa.