Brit who aimed to walk to Gujarat gives up due to language barrier

London, March 1 : A British man who aimed to walk from Bristol to Gandhi's birthplace Porbander, Gujarat, has quit his trip at Calais because of his inability to speak French, and consequent failure in obtaining food and place to stay.

Twenty-eight-year-old Mark Boyle set off on the trip four weeks ago with only t-shirt, sandals and a bandage. He hoped that strangers along the way would provide him with food and places to stay.

Boyle, a member of the Freeconomy movement, wants to see money disappear altogether because he believes in a " moneyless society in which no money changes and there is no duality between giving and receiving."

Writing about his failure in the online diary of his adventure, Boyle revealed that since he could not speak French, people thought he was an asylum seeker or a freeloader, and thus they would not give him food or board.

"...they had also seen us as just a bunch of freeloading backpackers, which is the complete opposite of what the pilgrimage is about," the Telegraph quoted him as writing.

He even apologised to his supporters, writing that he was unable to find words to express his disappointment at having to quit.

Boyle, however, insisted that his dream was still alive, and that he was planning to learn French while walking round the British coast in preparation for a renewed assault on his passage to India next year.

He vowed to start the epic walk once again.

"Whilst walking in the UK, I intend to learn French and to hit the continent again as soon as we feel we are ready," he said.

ANI