Early starts always make long days feel possible, even if it’s hard getting ourselves out of bed initially. The way out of Piacenza is long, straight and ugly — industrial zones, slightly seedy truck stops, large areas of waste ground. Each long walk seems to confront me with a single fear to work through — often accompanied by black dogs on the path. We cross a broken bridge, walk on under the hum of the Autostrada del Sole and arrive at Fidenza. Tomorrow is a long one — another 30km or more — and after 77 days of walking, 33 is the new 23.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 24, 2026 12:08 UTC