So you want to go to Jerusalem...
A Pilgrimage How-to-Guide-FAQ-Thingy

It seems there are still a few people out there with their minds bent on walking to Jerusalem. Every now and again an email reaches me with questions of a practical nature. So here is a collection of my thoughts after completing my 14.000 km stroll to Jerusalem an back. Everyone is different. Everyone has their reasons. But some challenges remain the same. I hope the following is helpful or at least entertaining to those who are about to put their boots on.

So, you want to go to Jerusalem. Good on you. Now, why would you want to do something crazy like that? What are you looking for? These questions were probably the first ones your friends and family asked you when you blurted out that stupid idea. And while you might have had a deep profound come back for them, the answers to these questions will actually determine some of practical preparations you are facing before you leave. In fact, they might even play a role in deciding whether Jerusalem is the best destination for you.

So let´s start with the most fundamental question first:

1. What type of pilgrim are you?

Admittedly this question sounds like the latest psycho-self-test from a glossy teen magazine but I promise that there will be no multiple choice quiz here. You might very well fit into more than one category. Or you might fit into none. That is fine. Post your result on facebook if you must but move on - to the next quiz: What Disney character are you? [...]
But we are getting off track. So, back to the question: What type of pilgrim are you?

The pilgrim - medieval style
In jolly medieval Europe christian pilgrims hit the dusty road towards Jerusalem mainly for religious reasons. There was no "zen" in walking or "journey-is-the destination-stuff." On his trip a medieval pilgrim might have learned a whole lot about people and the world, but this type of growth was always more of a by-product. A medieval pilgrim took on the very real dangers of the road to get in touch with the things of God. He wanted to see the holy places. He wanted to feel and touch them. He sought forgiveness. He asked for healing. He wanted to strengthen his faith. For these reasons medieval pilgrims generally didn´t count their miles or update their facebook status with pictures of their punctured blisters. Recent archeological studies suggest that they even never took selfies at the holy sites.
Because of their objective, medieval pilgrims generally used all means of transport available and affordable to them. They did not cringe about catching a ride. All they wanted was to get to Jerusalem safely and fast. And that was it, really.
Now, hundreds of years later, you can still "go medieval" on your pilgrimage. In fact most people do. This means that - like in the past - you simply use whatever is available to you to get there: donkeys, planes and buses. Nothing wrong with that. The chief difference to a medieval pilgrimage will be that robbers are no longer in dark woods, but offer you a "special price" in one of Jerusalem´s bazaars.
My advice? Plan your trip giving yourself enough time at each holy place. Holy places are like the first drizzling rain after a hot, dry summer. It is great no matter what, but it takes times to get soaked. It is also highly recommended to get someone who is religiously competent to help you make sense of things. Listening to a tour guide telling you about the age of that stone pillar is boring. Listening to a tour guide explaining you theological questions is hilarious - in a sad way. You think this an insult to the honorable guild of tour guides? Well, go ahead do your PhD in theology and spend three months in Jerusalem. See? I told you so.
Oh, um, and one more thing: Don´t take selfies at holy sites. In some places you might only have a few precious seconds for prayer. You don´t really want to spend them staring at you phone´s tiny camera hole. If you absolutely must have a picture, ask a friend to take one for you while you pray. If you travel in a group ask one person in the group with a good camera to take shots of each member of the group. When you get to Bethlehem you will think back to what I just said.

The modern pilgrim v.2.0
Congratulations. You are a recent upgrade. With your medieval buddy you share the religious conviction and sentiment. And you are willing to share more. Living in the dangerous, loud and stressful world of texting drivers, you are ready to go all out on medieval simplicity and leave this world behind. No house, no car, no job ... at least for a while. You plan your trip as a wind down and kind of fasting from a world of excess. Penance and sacrifice are terms central to your undertaking because you perceive their spiritual value in battling the inevitable obstacles with virtue. For all these reasons the actual walking part of your pilgrimage is not only a means to reaching Jerusalem, but a spiritual end in itself.
My advice? When you plan your trip research which holy shrines or saints are in the vicinity of your proposed route. Don´t miss out on those treasures nearby and adapt your route accordingly. When you return, some of your most precious memories will be likely of such small, peaceful places you visited along the way. Adding those intermediary destinations also helps to break up that one incredibly long journey into smaller more "digestible" junks.
Further, research the presence of your faith in the countries you walk through. Knowing if and where to find Mass on Sunday, for example, will be no small matter for a practicing Catholic. And joining the worship of your "local branch" will provide you with a wonderful exchange and home away from home.

The seeker
Whether you saw that thought provoking movie or it was something else that halted your stride on the career path, you have now decided to leave it all behind. You chose Jerusalem as a destination because someone told you that it is a pretty important place for so many people. Can half the planet be wrong? You are willing to find out. You are setting out to find something. You are just not sure yet what it is.
My advice? For the guy who goes to the supermarket without a shopping list it may not be helpful to greet him with a detailed description on where to find the dietary milk shakes. For you and your journey it is much the same. It is probable though that even without an idea or plan - much like with the guy in the supermarket - you will not come away from your journey empty handed. No guarantee though, that you will have grabbed the chocolate. So maybe ask yourself again why you are doing this. And if your plan were simply not to have a plan, well, that is still a plan. And on a practical level it means that you probably should bring a tent.

The post-modern pilgrim
For you as a post-modern pilgrim there might be some vague religious sentiment that makes you pack your bags. But you are a modern man. And modern man is the center of modern man. You want to ditch religion "which divides" and explore spirituality "which unites." Fine. With one fell swoop you might have just closed yourself to truly understanding all the religious people out there, but never forget: YOU are what matters. You are doing this trip for yourself. You are doing it to expand your mind. And it is your self-given right to make things fit that mind. You are excited to visit synagogues, churches and mosques and already have a handy word of wisdom ready: They are but different rainbow colors of that one divine light. Who cares what the people think who built that stuff. You are a spiritual person. And it is your duty to remind religious people that they are wrong in telling other people that they are wrong. Never they mind what you just did. That is different. Because you are right! Beliefs are all the same! Why? Because you just said so! Damn it!
My advice? Advice is not possible. The universe always speaks to you directly. More importantly: you are that rarely gifted soul that understands what it is saying. See that piece of Fistik Baklava? I agree. It is telling you to eat it.

The achiever
Much like the post-modern pilgrim you are doing this trip for yourself. But in a different way. You may have religious or spiritual ambitions. You may not. The reason you are out here is a different one. You are "doing it" to prove to yourself and others that you are probably great, nay, possibly unstoppable. And you have iron rules. You will not budge. You will walk every inch of the way and when the soldiers on the Israeli border will try to put you on the bus for a few kilometers you are ready to throw a fit and stage an international incident. Freeeedooom! The pilgrimage for you is a mental and physical challenge that you want to face head on and triumph. You have conquered, nay, terminated, many other paths. You have walked to Spain from a gazillion directions. You have shaken your fist at the end of the Via Francigena. You are a collector and now, like a super rare butterfly, there is one thing missing to crown you with glory: Jerusalem. Go get it! Attack! And then get people to pay for your seminars on how they can become like you.
My advice? Listen...um..You know, it doesn´t...well....ar, just don´t sprain your ankle.

The activist
You have saved the rain forest. Now you are ready to establish peace in the world - one person at a time. Maybe you have another goal. At any rate, you need to do something difficult that will gain attention and raise awareness or money for a cause. You have already skydived naked with a body painting of the threatened Lunglunga Monkey on your chest. You went swimming in shark infested waters with the sign of a bloody baby seal. So what remains? Walking to Jerusalem, of course. You will do it, because no one else will. You will do it, because people need you to do it.
My advice? If you have already selected your cause, then think about how you can make your journey stand out from those other folks that are heading in the same direction. Walk without money. Walk on your hands. Walk in complete silence to show solidarity for a people without a voice. Don´t walk, but unicycle. Wear a sign or a huge fake fur coat... Once you have an idea, set up a website to present your project and start promoting it. Look for likely sponsors for your cause. You could ask people and companies to pledge 1 cent for every kilometer you walk. Maybe you could even try crowd sourcing on a platform like kickstarter or indiegogo. Then show off the generosity of the sponsors on your site so they can feel good and get some advertising out of it. Contact local, regional and national media outlets. If your idea is interesting or involves a baby kitten you might get some air time. Before you set out you should definitely compile a list of important local media outlets along the way. Contact them a few days before you get to the region. Chances are they will be thrilled to interview a peace activist hopping on one leg all the way to Jerusalem balancing a cat on their head. At home you also need to keep interest high. Blog, vlog, podcast, twitter and post short videos of that cute kitten you carry on your head to youtube. As a way of preparing the trip you might also want to look into the topics of signs, symbols, logos and branding for your T-shirts and gear. It will give your message an more professional feel and ralley the support even of those who prefer dogs to cats. Note that for seeking publicity you will also have to pay a personal price. But hey, what is that compared to world peace? Let me just say: Thank you!

The cultured walker
So you have been on the Camino several times. You´ve enjoyed the walk. You´ve enjoyed the talk. You have fond memories of sitting in a cosy coffee shop in Burgos, slurping a Frappucino as the setting sun lit up the marvelous gothic cathedral. You´ve loved following the symbolic shell and discover the heritage of Leon. You have raised a brow and dropped your monocle as the rude snoring of your companion interrupted your reading of Dostoevskys "The Brothers Karamazov" that one evening. Now vacation time has returned and you are ready for more delights. You have already shined your shoes to discover the strange and stimulating lands of the Orient in style.
My advice? May the gentle sir or fair lady be so inclined as to consider returning to the shores of Spain? Or explore the sections in France or Switzerland? Or doing some shorter trails in Italy? The road to Jerusalem might have many cultural highlights, but in between you will spend most of your time "toughing it out" on horrible roads or in the wilderness.

The adventurous wanderer
You are a pilgrim of nature. You have done a number of long distance hiking trails. Now you are looking for a new mental and physical challenge. There is a trail to Zerublasisomething? And it is more than 3000 miles long? How intriguing! Jackals, snakes and dirty hotel rooms? Bring them on!
My advice? The name is Jerusalem. And there is no trail. Sometimes you may follow local and regional routes, but mostly you have to find your own path. You will do some heavy road walking because there are no other options. If what you seek is raw nature and a wilderness adventure, there might be better destinations out there. And they can keep you equally busy. What about the AT, PCT and CDT in the US? What about combining some of the routes of the Via Alpina to walk an alpine, European circuit for half a year? Look at the European Long Distance Trails like the E4 or E8. Hike the wild Stans in Central Asia. See how far the Russians have gotten with the Lake Baikal Trail. You have options. If however you insist on going to Zerublasim, then by all means go. In this case try to put together your route by combing existing trails as much as possible rather than seeking a short and direct route. Prepare for long and intense research. Browse sites like Everytrail for GPS-tracks that you could link together.

Have figured out what type of pilgrim you are?
Thought so. ;-)
So let us move to some more practical questions.

2. Can I afford to go?

This question goes beyond finances. Think first about your personal life and any obligations you have towards others. Leaving your spouse or children or grand children for 6-8 months is something you might want to talk about before waltzing out the door.

When it comes to money, I´ve been often asked how expensive such a trip is. There is no easy answer because there are many different factors contributing to the actual cost of your trip. There are maybe five areas to consider:

It should be relatively easy to come up with an estimate for everything but the daily costs. Those will vary greatly depending on the length of the trip (in days), the countries you are passing through and your own personal habits and preferences. Do you need wine, dinner and a relaxing shower each night? Or are you fine stretching your unwashed feet in a sleeping bag on the floor of your tent? In principle it is possible to walk without money. I´ve done it on a 3000 km walk to Spain. There is a French couple that has done it on their 6000 km honey moon walk to Jerusalem. Here is their book. So it has been done. It is possible. But know that it is a real challenge of its own.

If you take money: For a personalized estimate I suggest you google basic food prices in some of the larger countries you are walking through. As for the nights check hotel rates in different areas. Note that a single room is frequently not much cheaper than a double room. If you are not going solo and you can split the costs then this will effectively half your hotel room costs. Maybe this will mean some snoring though. Look for prices of alternative accommodations such as private rooms, B&Bs. Check the availability cheap or free options such as monasteries, parishes and couchsurfing. Then put together an estimate. Example: 40% wild camping, 30 % hotels, 30% other. Bring a tent, live very simply and even as a solitary pilgrim you can average between 15-20 Euros per day including the occasional beer, pizza and a hotel bed twice a week. Splurge and the daily cost goes up.

One last thing about finances: mode of payment. Do not bring traveller cheques as they may be difficult to cash! Bring an ATM card (EC card) to get cash locally and always carry some cash you can use in villages where there is no bank or ATM. A credit card is a useful addition, in case you need to pay for something online (like for a return flight) or your other card is declined for some reason.

3. What gear to bring?

Before we go into details here is the general rule: go light! Depending on your sex and stature try to stay under 10-13 kg. You can log around more or you can weasel down the road with less. Take what you need. Stay as light as you can. If for some reason you have to go heavy, like myself, consider something like the Carrix. TaTaaaa! For a discussion of its merits and demerits see the next question. Why did I personally pack so much? Well, I carried everything a catholic priest needs to celebrate Mass (3 kg). I carried camera, lenses and film gear (3 kg). In the beginning I also had snow shoes because I crossed the alps in May. Later I would need to carry 10 liters of water and more on account of my chosen route. That is why the Carrix helped me out big time. The following is a list of my gear excluding the specialty items mentioned above.

If you do the math, then I had about 9 kg of gear + 6 kg specialty items + at least 3 kg of food and liquids + 8 kg of transport system (Carrix + 45 liter Backpack + tools) = 26 kg minimum. Subtract the clothes I was wearing and add another 8 liters of water and 33 kg is what I dragged over the sandy 120 km stretch of the Arabatska Spit. If on the other hand I had had no specialty items and avoided vast waterless regions, I would have been able to ditch 6.5 kg of transport system, pack everything in a larger 2kg backpack and end up with a total of about 13 kg on my shoulders (this excludes the clothes on my body). That weight, which allows self-sufficiency for several days, is absolutely acceptable. If you plan to stay in civilized areas you can leave most of the camping gear behind.

5. Is the Carrix for me?

The Carrix is great. But would I have taken the Carrix if I had not had my specialty items and all that extra weight? Probably not. The Carrix is a tool for long expeditions when your health (back) requires it or the weight of the gear makes things too heavy to shoulder. It is a wonderful companion on the road, in the plains, downhill, on foot paths. In these situations you can do big miles without pain or regrets. And yes, you can track up non technical mountains on rocky paths. You can shoulder it crossing rivers. But going can get pretty tough when it is steep, when it is wet and slippery. Mud is a most terrible enemy blocking the wheels and turning all you gear into dead weight. Sand? Not so good. Pulling the Carrix in mud and sand can be excruciating. So depending on how much you need to take with you and where your path leads you, the Carrix might be a solution or - at 6 kg - it might be itself an unnecessary burden.

6. Do I need a tent?

I´m a tent guy. And since one of my personal reasons for why I went on this trip had to do with silence and solitude, I would not have gone without one. Aragats base camp at 3200 meters? Thunderstorm in a Jordanian wadi? Starry night in the complete stillness of the Negev desert? Dramatic sunset in the Taurus? Well, that is why I carried a tent. If your goal is simply to make it to Jerusalem you do not need one. But note that in that case finding shelter might dictate your route. You will walk from town to town. If your goal is to leave roads and traffic for a bit and enjoy the grandeur of nature along the way, then consider bringing a tent. Obviously you will need to go light. Bringing your old 3 kg igloo tent as a solo hiker is prohibitive.

Which tent can I recommend? Research and you will find that there are a few options. Do your own testing. I for my part chose a Tarptent Rainbow I. It is a relatively large single wall tent, that can be set up to be free standing in a pinch. It is ridiculously light. You will want to get a ground sheet (the manufacturer offers one) to protect the thin floor (and any inflatable sleeping matt) from sharp rocks, thistles and wacky thorny seeds.

Pros of the Rainbow I: super light, very spacious, mosquito proof!
Cons: single wall tents are more susceptible to water condensation. The material is light, so it is less robust and you need to use more care.

If you do not bring a tent you will go lighter and maybe even a little faster. On the other hand you might have to put in extra miles to find shelter. In more remote areas you are dependent on the kindness of strangers. There is great hospitality in the East. People often will take you in. But it may not be polite to leave at 5 am, even when leaving at 5 am would save you from hiking in the heat. That is why I often preferred to camp and did not take up all offers to sleep over.

So there are several things to consider before making your choice.

7. What type of shoes should I wear?

There are different philosophies concerning footwear: heavy and indestructible versus nimble and light. When you have my foot size, one single hiking boot can weigh in at 1.5 kg and more. Every step you take you are lifting weights. When you go for long distances this can tire you more quickly. On the other hand you do not want to go down a rocky slope in sandals. Trust me. So your choice will depend on your planned route and maybe also on your foot (any problems of posture you already have).

I myself wore sandals most of the way to Jerusalem and Trail Runners most of way back home. I find sandals are especially great in the rain. Much better than walking in wet socks in wet hiking boots. The Trail Runners were kind of a revelation for me. I had bought a pair of running shoes while I stayed in Jerusalem (for the Tel Aviv marathon) and when I left, I decided to "wear them out". They proved to be a much better match for the rough Turkish asphalt than my sandals. I did carry or occasionally wear sturdier shoes (in the mountains and the desert). Well, just one more thing I logged around. Which shoes and brands, depends on the shape of your foot. Make sure there is lots of room for your toes or you will risk losing your toe nails (after a brutal downhill section).

8. How to navigate?

There are people who explore the world without maps to just see where they end up. That can be fun. If you want to end up in Jerusalem, however, you will need to navigate somehow. Here are three methods:

As for following existing trails, it very much depends on your starting point. Here is an incomplete list that you can research as needed.

There are people trying to establish a "Jerusalem Way" from Santiago to Jerusalem and they have been sticking stickers everywhere (along their own route). I only saw 2 stickers in 15 months: one in Jerusalem and one near Einsiedeln, Switzerland. But if they should start publishing GPS files, then maybe a semi-official path could develop in the future. To check on their progress and maybe how you can give them a hand: http://www.jerusalemway.org

You can also connect with the "Confraternity of Pilgrims to Jerusalem" on facebook. There are a few veterans and useful links.

9. How (much) to plan ahead?

When preparing your trip you will consider which places you want to see and where you will find easy shelter along the way (concerning the latter a tent will naturally give you more flexibility). For different reasons (eg. a friend joining you in Istanbul) you might want an estimate of where you will be and when - though your schedule might quickly change on account of weather, health or other external factors (detours).

In order to get a rough idea of how long you will be on the road you need to estimate your overall distance, your daily dose, and days for rest or sights.

For the overall distance: If you follow a "classic" route to Jerusalem you can rely on the statistics of people that walked before you. If you explore new roads, then you might be off by a bit like myself. What I had initially estimated to be a 11.000 km long round trip (based on some google road calculations) turned into a whooping 14.000 km. Oops. Towards the end however, I had learned a more accurate method. First I´d measure the bee-line and then depending on the terrain I would multiply it: x 1.2 if things looked pretty straight, x 1.5 if there were many corners and curves, x 1.7 to x 2.0 when it was mountainous. Note: The math behind it has to do with measuring a curve. 2rPI is the circumference of a circle. 2r is your bee-line and half of 3.1415 (PI) = 1.57 is your perfect curve. So a pretty curvy road is about 1.5 times as long as the bee line.

Your daily mileage: Depends on you. Chances are you are not doing your first long walk, so you have an idea of how much you can reasonably walk. Many people aim for 25-30 km. Start slow. Most pilgrims seem to walk a lot further towards the end as their bodies get used to it. If I for example subtract the rest days from my return trip (6000 km) I averaged more than 46 km a day. The longest distance I covered in a day was nearly 75 km (+ 1200 meters vertical). The following day I did 47 km. That is a lot more than what I averaged in the beginning. Admittedly I also weighed 20 kg less than when I started.

When you draw up your general plan - especially when determining your departure date - do not forget to take into consideration the seasons. Will there be snow in the mountains? Will Anatolia be blistering hot?

Also, look at the border crossings and options while you plan. When are they open? Are they even open (eg. Turkey - Armenia)? Is it possible to cross on foot? Do I need a visa to get across? Do I need to collect a visa in the capital or some other town? Borders are some very unromantic factors that will dictate your route and determine your planning

10. Stay connected. Share. Be smart.

Get a smartphone. It is already your best bet for navigation. It is also great for staying connected, for sharing your impressions and it provides other benefits. If you need internet (outside free wifi places) or make a lot of calls buy sims locally. You can get prepaid internet and phone packages that will allow you to communicate with loved ones, book hotels, call ahead, get the weather report, upload your pictures, write your blog. Look for the service provider with the best coverage not simply the most exciting offer.

As of 2014 and depending on the country a sim for prepaid internet will range on average from 10-20 Euros with ample traffic (1-4 GB) and some calling money.

Turkey is a little more expensive because in Turkey you will need to register your IMEI (phone´s hardware number)(cost 50 Euro). Note, that they will not necessarily tell you about that when you buy your sim. But after 10-14 days your connection will stop working. Unless you speak Turkish, the warning SMS you receive is not helpful. So tell them in the store that you are not just a tourist here for a few days, but you will be here longer and need to register you IMEI. Google this question for more details.

Smartphones have other benefits.

- They can take pictures (almost all pics on my blog were taken with a smartphone).

- Instead of writing, and especially when you are tired you can dictate your experiences and emotions to the phone to have an audio diary. This works great even while walking and keeps your memories fresh. I would also frequently "note down" ideas that came to me during the day.

- What is more a smartphone can store books and travel guides. I met someone with 5 travel books in their backpack (total weight of pack was a heavy 15 kg). Why not carry a weightless digital copy of your Lonely Planet?

I realize you might go on your trip to get away from all that technology. That is fine. Nobody forces you to play candy crush all night long. If you use a smartphone do so smartly. If you want to shun technology for a while, go ahead (and bring paper maps).

11. Other things you want to check before leaving

Check if you need any visas or other documentation for the countries you plan on walking through. Allow sufficient time for these things to be worked out before you leave. Know about what it means to have certain stamps in your passport. If your passport shows that you have been to Israel you are barred from entering certain Islamic countries. Get a new passport. If you have been to certain Arab or Islamic countries (Iran) you might spend a long time at the Israeli border, though entry is rarely refused. Observe the political developments in problematic regions.

12. What if I get sick?

I have no first hand experience but you do want comprehensive health and travel insurance. Some countries might even require proof of it before they grant you a visa. Carry a small first aid pack. Carry any medication you might need. But there is one thing you should not do! I have read several accounts of hikers or even pilgrims, especially from the US, who pop aspirin and pain killers for breakfast. This is insane. Leaving aside the question of what the permanent medication does to your body, pain is good - sort of. It is your body´s way of telling you that there is something wrong. If your only response is to numb it then you risk long lasting or even permanent injuries. If you develop a stress fracture then you need healing not numbing. If there is pain, then rest, look for the cause, remove it and if it does not improve consult a physician. Period.

13. Cultural sensitivities

Read up on the cultures you encounter. If you want to meet the locals try to be sensitive to what is considered polite or impolite. What gestures should you avoid? My walk, for example, led me through Iran. Several times when I bought something the one who offered it would refuse payment. This is called "taarof". Culturally there is an obligation to refuse several times before accepting. And you have(!) to insist as many times and pay. Don´t say "Thanks, how kind of you!" and walk away.

If you are a pilgrim and not just a hiker, religion is always around the corner. Be sensitive. Do not participate in religious rites you do not understand or of which you do not share the same belief. Don´t kiss the Koran, for example, just because you see people doing it. In Islam it is understood as a sign that you are Muslim (or want to be one). Be sensitive and respect that which is holy to someone else. Know, for example, that while you can attend the beautiful Orthodox liturgy, you must not receive Holy Communion unless you are orthodox (and have confessed your sins). Same is true for Catholic worship. Learn about religion and respect its rules. Take off your shoes before entering a mosque. Cover your head in a synagogue. Try to find out about the do´s and don´t´s before you set out.

Some personal Questions

What do you do for a living?

I'm a catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Vaduz. I spent the better part of 9 years serving the parish of St. Joseph in Triesenberg, Liechtenstein, also teaching in primary and secondary school. I further had the great joy and privilege to be a visiting professor at the International Theological Institute.

Where do you come from?

I've been living and working in Liechtenstein since 2004. I spent a couple of years in Switzerland before that. I was born and grew up near Linz, Austria.

Why this journey? Don't priests have better things to do?

It is true that priests have probably more important things to do than walking around for 15 months. But in fact the very purpose of this journey was to enable me to do the "important things" well and better. This pilgrimage - as is true for any extended period of silence and prayer - was an investment. And after the crazy work schedule of the previous 3 years it looked like a fair and necessary investment.

When did you start?

I left May 1st 2013 with the blessing of my bishop.

How much time did you spend on the road?

I returned home after 15 months to the day. From December 16th to February 20th I took a winter break living in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Did you walk all the way?

I walked 13969 km. Additionally I rode a tank for 5 km in Ukraine, hopped on a motor yacht in Russia for 7 nautical miles, took a ferry across the eastern Black Sea, skipped war torn Syria by plane, shuttled in bus and taxi across the Jordanian Israeli Border three times, skipped Syria again by taking a cargo ship from Haifa to Cyprus and on the other side of the island a ferry back to Turkey. I took another ferry from Croatia to Southern Italy and had two minor boat crossings on Swiss lakes.

What gear did you bring?

You will find a detailed list of my gear among the answers given above. On account of the weight of my gear I did not carry much on my back but used a Swiss made Carrix. With the help of this contraption I was also able to carry sufficient water in dryer regions. In the rocky Negev desert before Jerusalem I left it in storage with a friend.

Did you have sponsors?

No. Sponsorships might help towards financing a trip, but they also come with obligations, which I deemed counter productive to the purpose of my journey. In this way I was free and nobody could dictate the course or length of my trip. I paid for my own trip.

Thanks to my parish however I myself became a sponsor of sorts. I had a budget of more than 20.000 Euros that I could distribute to worthy causes along the way. I would see something, speak to people and make a phone call home to have the money wired. The projects my parish supported were: Heating for a parish house in which a Ukrainian Greek-catholic priest lived with his wife and two children, a free catholic medical clinic in Romania for the underprivileged, a parish program for handicapped people in Georgia, A rural hospital in Armenia, a school for christian, muslim an jewish children in Israel. Then there were a number of smaller donations.

Why did you not simply take a bicycle?

Bicycles are too fast and limited. Yes, you might be able to cover more distance with them, but that was not the aim of my journey. Bicycles need to stay on the road and are forced to deal with traffic. Traveling on foot gives you more freedom to leave those things behind and be more flexible in route planning.