A true story of friendship, fury and sore feet
The utterly compelling and inspirational account of how two very different Australian writers tackle their demons walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the legendary medieval pilgrimage across Spain.
"It was at that moment, amidst a busload of boisterous Spaniards, that this naive pilgrim wannabe realised one of life's greatest ironies - dreams seldom coincide with reality. My moment of truth had finally arrived. And I freaked out!" - Eli
"I have become what they call a scary guy. And let me tell you something, in case you get too complacent out there. It's not that far from there to here. Not that far at all". - Colin
Elizabeth Best had always wanted to do a pilgrimage. Colin Bowles had never given it a moment's thought. But by a twist of fate the barely acquainted writers seize the day and drop everything to march off across the plains of Spain under the cruel blaze of a hot summer sun. They're walking the ancient Camino de Santiago de Compostela, but they've done no training and are carrying way too much baggage, in every sense.
So what starts out as a physical challenge - it's a thousand kilometres, give or take - very quickly becomes a far greater struggle with demons they'd kept hidden in the too-hard backpack for years. Joined by grumpy monks, a colourful array of walkers from all parts of the globe and growing hordes of partying Spaniards (not to mention the 'cheating' cyclists), the two battle it out, fuelled by exhaustion, too much red wine and a perverse determination not to be beaten by the heat, the mountains or themselves.
Set against a stunning background of golden wheat fields, misty mountains and tumbledown villages that haven't changed in centuries, 'The Year We Seized the Day' is utterly compelling, by turns inspiring, moving and blackly funny, as two very different writers recount an extraordinary journey of a lifetime.
