Hiking Europe: My Ups and Downs: A Challenge

A 4,000-kilometre hike through Europe would complete Joseph’s retirement adventures. Five years earlier he had documented his 6,000-kilometre walk northeastward from Portugal to Estonia in his book Europe, One Step at a Time. Now Joseph dreamt of hiking the distance from Denmark to Greece as the other branch of an X across the continent. The walk, through Denmark and Germany and then into Austria, was a test of his mental stamina and physical endurance. However, now that he was 71 years of age and hiking the mountains of Greece, Joseph found the crumbling trails to become an ordeal. Would the Greek gods stop Joseph from reaching his goal when the turmoil in his stomach didn’t subside? Would Joseph have to return home to heal in the comfort of familiar surroundings?