Someone asked me the other day what I had learnt from walking across Europe. Not an easy question but it kicked a conversation, made me think and bought back some lovely memories. I concluded that the thing I learnt was that you can get better at asking for and taking favours. I learnt that people love to help.
Perhaps worth mentioning in this context that if favours have an opposite I didn’t get any. I walked virtually every day for just over six months covering over 5,000 kilometres through six countries and without speaking any language other than English. Not once did anyone try to rip me off or abuse me in any way. I was never threatened and, although occasionally frustrated at my own incompetence, never felt afraid.
Perhaps worth mentioning in this context that if favours have an opposite I didn’t get any. I walked virtually every day for just over six months covering over 5,000 kilometres through six countries and without speaking any language other than English. Not once did anyone try to rip me off or abuse me in any way. I was never threatened and, although occasionally frustrated at my own incompetence, never felt afraid.
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| Man on motorbike fetches water for parched walker |
There were so many favours that it’s difficult to produce a selection but to give you idea I’ll try anyway.
