Slow journey south - Paula Constant

When Paula Constant and her husband, Gary, attempt to break away from the conventional 9-to-5 routine, a few weeks lazing in a resort or packed in a tour bus is not what they have in mind. What starts out as an idle daydream to embark on "a travel to end all travels" turns into something far greater: an epic year-long walk from Trafalgar Square in London to Morocco and the threshold of the Sahara Desert. This is quite an ambition for a woman who favors sharing cigarettes and a few bottles of wine with friends over logging time on the treadmill. But if the sheer arduousness of walkingmore than25 kilometers a day through the landscapes and cultural labyrinths of France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco?without a support vehicle?is overlooked in her excitement, then so too is the unexpected journey of self-discovery and awakening that lies beyond every bend. Both the companions she meets on the road and the road itself provide what no university can offer: a chance to experience life's simple truths face to face.