Slow Journey South - Paula Constant

Slow Journey South - Paula Constant (2008)

Paula and her husband decide to leave their life in Australia and walk from London to South Africa. Relocating to London, and living in the damp and cold, much of the beginning of this book describes the planning they try to make for their trip, before finally leaving. The rest of the book continues with them walking through France, Spain, Portugal, Spain again and then onto Morocco.

Like Dervla Murphys books, I got a bit frustrated by the lack of financial planning for the trip, and the expectation that people with much less than them, would provide food and shelter for little or no payment. Surely if you are planning a trip that will take you several years, then you think you would have an idea of the costs involved. It does make me cringe a bit, a lot really.

I saw the second book in the bookstore at Christmas, and so waited for this book to come to me via the library. I did enjoy reading it, and I can see the idea of leaving everybody and everything to have an adventure is extremely appealing. However the physical aspect would do me in. I have had two days off, and taken big walks in the sun both days, and my feet ache.

So it is a 3/5 - it was ok.