«rozhovor interview idete na výlet do hôr u nás, tak večer máte teplú sprchu. Tam, keď „došlapete“, idete z jedného nekomfortu do druhého. V hlave sa treba pripraviť, že ten „nekomfort“ trvá či už 10 dní, 14 alebo 4 mesiace. Najťažší je prvý mesiac. Chystáte teraz ďalšiu expedíciu? Teraz mám expedíciu s mojimi deťmi. Mám dve malé deti a tie mi vypĺňajú všetok môj voľný čas. Chcem využiť tento ich vek, „kým sa so mnou ešte rozprávajú“. Ale je ešte veľa destinácií, ktoré by som chcel navštíviť, len škoda, že svet je teraz taký „rozbitý“... Určite sa chcem vracať na sever. Tam chodím každoročne s klientmi. A možno ešte naplánujeme so staršou partiou takú „geriatrickú“ expedíciu. Cestovatelia si z výprav prinášajú rôzne suveníry. Čo si človek prinesie z pólov? Keďže som geológ, prinášam si z mnohých miest kamienky. Ale najviac si prinášam kopec zážitkov a nové známosti. Či už to boli expedície po Antarktíde či Arktíde, alebo po Afrike, vždy som mal šťastie na ľudí. Prinášam si teda nové priateľstvá (a občas z niektorých destinácií aj nové choroby) J. otázky pripravila: Dagmar Staňová, fotografie: archív Petra Valušiaka
A man in the land of ice Peter Valušiak
« A traveler, a mountaineer, a polar explorer. « And “a historic milestone” J « « From 23rd February to 20th June 1998, he and his three Russian colleagues, being the first in the history, managed amazing autonomous transition across the Arctic from the coast of Russia through the North Pole to the coast of Canada – on foot and skis! « If you also would like to experience “freezing” adventure, then save some “crowns” and head out behind the Arctic Circle with him … or just watch the great movies by Pavol Barabáš - 118 days in the Captivity of Ice, Unknown Antarctica or Peter Valušiak´s portrait The Polar man. «
Why did you choose these cold inhospitable places with almost no signs of life as the aim of your expeditions? The whole thing was just a coincidence. As in the old books is written: “who has once tasted the flavor of the Arctic, he still wants to return there”. For me it was the same. When I visited Franz Josef Land in 1990 for the first time, it was summer there and not a half year later I got there in April again – in winter conditions. I had the opportunity to compare. I was charmed by the purity of the country where was nothing except the animals and the nature. It was so untouched although rough. I was attracted by this adventure. There are only a few places where you can experience something that nobody else has ever experienced before, that nobody else has ever walked through or nobody else has ever made expedition into those parts – it is a little bit of a pride thing for a man. And especially, you are reading a book written by someone who lived 100 years ago and suddenly you have the chance to experience almost the same. However, a little bit easier because technology is going forward but you are still very close to it. These were the factors that were collected and soon I have been caught. What are the biggest differences between the North Pole – the Arctic and the South Pole – the Antarctica? The South Pole is better known among people; commercially it is higher in their eyes than the North Pole. For me, it’s rather the opposite. The South Pole is considerably easily achievable from the sporting point of view than the North Pole. It is the continent, the mainland. The Severný pól – mostíky cez otvorenú vodu / The North Pole – bridges over open water
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