THE ROUTE
This map shows where I have been so far. The first section, from Weston-super-Mare to Paimpol on foot, is in keeping with the planned route. Watch as it wiggles merrily along the coast of Brittany on the GR34. Then buses and trains through Europe. Not planned, but still in the region. Then a rather alarming and environmentally hazardous plane ride to Zimbabwe. Inconveniently, it is here, a place warm enough in spirit and weather, that I most consider home. (The hypocrisies of a lightfoot pilgrim flying will be analysed in due course.)​
As I set out on that midsummer morning, I had all faith that my legs would carry me to Ithaka (boat-assisted sometimes). I had planned a route that hopped in and out of EU states and had organised a visa for France so that my Schengen allowance of 90 days out of every 180 could be reserved for Italy and Greece. (Read The Route Evolves for more on the trials and tribulations of long walk planning in the age of Brexit.) I would sail triumphant into Ithaka as scheduled in the second week of July 2023.
Alas, the routes I had visualised, planned and got excited about are now redundant. In early October, I withered at the prospect of the winter, and then migrated south to avoid it. When I return to walking in the spring, my French visa will have expired, and I will have three months to hot foot it 5,400 km. Probably optimistic, especially as I like to dawdle.
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New route planning will begin in March. In the meantime, the map below shows what could have been: my original route, as I intended to walk when I set out in July.