It's over for now.

The foot is healing and getting stronger. However....

It's going to be a long while until I can manage 25 miles a day.

The trip was planned so I wouldn't be walking through eastern Europe in Winter and the middle East in summer. The foot problem has scuppered my plans and with rest, makes the task impossible at this time.

I took the decision to come home after a week resting up

I'm disappointed, confused and in limbo but I have had the most incredible experiences of my life.

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me. All of the donated money is going to Action For Children, half to Headland's School, half to Blackwood Resource Centre.

Thanks again

Swelling has gone down and the pain is much less today so going to try and do a few miles today. Only hope....

Bad news

I have a hair line fracture in 4th meta tarsal of my left foot.

I have apparenly developed this by doing too much and no resting enough. Geting out of the tent 3 days ago I placed my foot down on the floor to get up and felt a crack....

I walked 10 mles for the station in Riola for the hospital in Bologna, making it worse.

Im now in a hostel eating salted nuts and drinking milk, trying to get a quick recovery and hoping the pain and swelling will go down with a few days rest.

Im going to try again Saturday morning... I hope

It seems my body has told me to stop and I hope it is only for a few days

Arrive in La Spezia after a great 12 hours. Free loaves of bread, pizza, chocolate croissants

Find 5 euros in a bush

Havent showered for 3 days

Pisa next, and Florence where Clean underwear awaits me

Look at my friends site for more pics

http://www.danieleferrero.it/df/portraits/Pagine/dale.html

Lots of love

Some pictures from last night taken by Daniele Ferrero

Greetings from La Casa Nel Bosco!

Its been an incredible adventure walking over the alps through switzerland,I love that place and im sure that ill be back there again.

It is wonderful to now be amongst old friends in Italy and meeting new ones.

Had a wonderful meal and more wine in one night than the whole trip put together.

Gianni and Mina introduced me to some lovely people some of which im staying with on the way down to Genoa.

Its going very well, we'll see....

Hello from Dijon! Its all going very well so far 4 weeks in and about 600 miles walked.

Had a great few eeks walking with my mate Mike but am now really enjoying discovering places and people on my own. It gets easier everyday which is bizarre and completely opposite to how i first thought it would be.

Too many moments to share but here are a few of the highlights

Having a free chinese in a hairy french topless mans caravan, while he smokes cigars and drinks whisky

Drinking wine on a Welshmans barge on a canal

Shouting at an Afghan and a kid from Kosovo for throwing apples at my tent and then receiving more apples as a gift to say sorry.

Hope everyone is well

Cheers

arrive en paris!

18 days have gone so far and it has already been an incredible journey. i write nw from a cheap hotel in the montparnasse area of paris. im writing this on my phone so forgive the mistakes.

Ferdinand II

Viadukt have kindly given me a post trolley for the trip.

The trolley has been modified, enabling me to pull instead of push. This will be a much more efficient movement allowing me to do more miles.

Many people have talked to me about the drawback of having a trolley on the trip.

-Less flexibility
-Problems if it breaks down

-Logistics difficulties

The list goes on.

However the trip is not just about exploring mountain tops.

It is about meeting people, going through villages and towns and getting to know local customs, traditions and cultures.

20 miles test run tomorrow, we'll see how he stands up

Train

45 mile walk Blackwood-Brecon

After experimenting with Ferdinand (I) the trolley I decided to get out and test her

8.30 pm and I embark on the voyage only to get a 100m up the road. Ferdinand (I) didn't have the balls for the journey and gave up, swinging left to right, moaning like a yak giving birth.

I walked until 11.00 pm and found a little tree to sleep under in Pontypool park

Awaken at 6 a.m by my bowels and realise that the bush to my left would be the host for easing my troubles, felt like a bit of a pervert but it was sheer relief.

Onward to Blaenavon, Abergavenny and the Brecon-Monmouthsire canal.

2.30 p.m. meet a guy called Les Pryce. 5"2 , 8 st, midgetty bloke - can of cider. Les walked a mile with me.

Les used to be the best decorator in europe and has two letters to prove it, he also used to be a professional boxer. When I told him of the upcoming walk he went on to tell me that he walks this part of the canal every Monday-without fail in rain, sleet or snow. The whole mile!

As we parted Les told me that he was born in Brecon and that if I mentioned his name i'd get a bed anywhere there.

Ironically, I slept outside a day centre for alcoholics, which i'm sure certainly know the name of Les Pryce

Mayor of Caerphilly

I went to Caerphilly Council today to meet Mayor John Evans. John was very enthusiatic to the cause and introduced me to as many people as he could. We interrupted what looked like important meetings just so he could spread the word!

It was interesting to see the inside of the offices as it is a bit of a controversial building, costing £30 million. Hopefully with people like John in charge, it will be money well spent.

John pledged to buy 100 miles for the trip. I almost feel bad taking donations from people like this as they are such top individuals that they give so much already.

However, there would be no money in the coffers as everyone who has contributed have also been the nicest people.

32 mile Caerphilly summits challenge awaits tomorrow

Poetry

I met two scottish guys down the boat yard, both in their thirties. the tall one was called Mick.

They were the nicest, crazy guys I ever met.

Well I walked into the yard and there they were, pushing an old speedboat from the entrance into the water. this was the shittiest, dirtiest, mildew infested excuse of a boat ever to rot in Cardiff bay and they absolutely love it.

OO thanks very much mate, you have a boat down here do yah?

Yes I do come and have a look if you like.

OO i might come down tha noo say i will. what do you say mick?

Aye let's go have look.

On the way to the boat which was 100 m away the guys had sold me their car and their mothers mobile phone.

The next day I went to their house to pick up the paper work and they took me to mums house.

Say, do you mind giving me wee mummy a hand lifting her sofa out? She bought it last week and she's no been too happy with it you see.

Sure lads no problemo.

OO, and seeing as we don't have a car, as we sold it to your good self, do you mind taking us to the tip?

Within 24 hours of meeting these guys i'd bought alll theirs, and mothers worldy possessions and acted as their chaffeur and private furniture remover.

Anyway, the reason for thsi update is that the next day I met Mick and he gave me these kind words

After the rain comes the sunshine
Walk with the stars and the sheep by the moon

Live, love and laugh

An adventurer,
M.J.

New Sponsor!

Thank you very

much to Dragon Travel for sponsoring the challenge 200 miles! Rob and Ki have been working very hard to get me some contacts in SE Asia and I really appreciate their efforts.

Check out their site for more info on travel in SE Asia.

http://www.dragontravel.co.uk/

12 mile Pen-y-Fan, Cribyn, Corn Du

I met two funny ladies today "oo hello son that's a nice dog you have there"

Thank you i replied

"I don't suppose you see many women up here do you, we've walked from all the way over there"

Well their are a few back that way, but no, you're right, mostly men

"Oo hoo, well I suppose that's good for us! See you lovely"


I love old women, they are wicked

26 mile training torture

I started the day with itchy feet and ended with my whole legs being itchy...

The formal training has now begun, todays walk took me to:

Blackwood-Newbridge-Ebbw Vale-Tredegar-Oakdale-Blackwood

Such beautiful scenery until you realise you have to walk back through.

suddenly heaven turns to hell...

I've never done this route before and as a result saw so many beautiful things, the old ruined factory in Crumlin must be the highlight.

I met two crazy people, one lady in her 30's walking her dog down by the Sirhowy river. She was campaigning to open the cycle path and talked to me as if it was actualy my decision. This lady told me NOT to follow the river toward home but take the road as it was a difficult roue.....So i took the river of course!

An hour later having crawled, scraped, screamed and begged for the end, I spot an old fisherman called Bill Williams. "My name is Bill Williams, it's a very Welsh name" Thank you for that information Bill.

Billy Boy pointed the way home and went about slinging his poor worm up the river.

8.30 pm and i'm an hour from home when my brother Ben calls, "mate do you want a lift?" of course I want a bloody lift, i've been walking for 9 hours and my legs look like something from the crucifixion. However I politely refused and tottered home

New Sponsor!

I'd like to welcome on board and say a big thank you to Canada Goose.

Canada Goose produce high quality adventure gear for all terrains and conditions.

Canada Goose will be supplying Dale with jackets specific to the conditions that he will experience.

toward the sunrise

This is the all new blog feature of toward the sunrise. I'll be putting up weekly posts on training, pictures and sponsor news before the big departure date.