This article is the second and final part of KTLN's report on his incredible journey.  You can read part 1 by clicking on this link: Jean Marie Kihm PART 1

Today, we bring you an insight into his life on the road - meeting people, his diet, souvenirs along the way, and quite literally, his next steps.

Life on the road
Jean Marie told KTLN that on his travels he has had numerous offers of lifts from well intentioned drivers. 

They see this solitary figure, walking along in the middle of nowhere, with his rucksack on his back, and their instinct is to help - to give the guy a break from pounding the road. 

Visitors to Turkey will recognise this kind behaviour - it happens all the time, but it is something that Jean Marie has encountered in every country he has passed through.

Almost all of these offers have been politely declined, on the grounds that he wishes to remain true to his personal pilgrimage.  It's a journey that he wishes to make primarily on foot.

But it's a hard decision, because he can sense the disappointment when an offer is declined.  He does not like to reject an act of kindness, and so he tries to explain, as best he can, in a combination of French, English, and perhaps a few words of the local language.  He says that most people have understood.

Below: The sign on Jean Marie's rucksack.

Sustenance en route
Jean Marie has a lean, athletic frame, that belies his years.  His skin has a dark, weather-beaten appearance, from his exposure to the summer sun over the past 4 months. 

Underneath a hat skewered with assorted badges, his grey hair is now complemented by a full grey beard.  If the biblical look ever comes into into fashion, Jean Marie will have a head start.  That said, we have to concede that he looks in great shape, so his diet must be providing all the nutrition he needs.

So what are the daily rations, that sustain him on this punishing journey?  Breakfast is normally cheese.  Lunch is a sandwich - assorted fillings.  Dinner is bread and cheese.  This is his basic fayre, however, it is often supplemented with local food prepared by people he meets along the way. 

He has encountered some seriously generous hospitality.  What he can't eat at the time, is often placed in a doggy bag, and over recent weeks he must have set off on many a morning with a rucksack overflowing with tomatoes, cucumbers, apples and oranges.

Jean Marie told us that his "leanest" moment was in Italy, where for reasons we are not quite sure of, he didn't eat for two days. 

At the other end of the scale, he recalls a couple stopping their car, at a place close to Denizli, and insisting on taking him for a meal in a restaurant.  Although slightly embarrassed by his 'informal walking attire', Jean Marie enjoyed a wonderful meal in the restaurant.  He asked the man if it would be possible to meet a local holy man, whilst he was in town, and to his surprise it turned out that the man himself, was an Imam.  Maşallah!

Jean Marie stops every now and again at an ATM, to top up his petty cash.  However his ATM card has not seen the light of day on too many occasions.  In the 4 weeks he has been in Turkey, he has managed to spend no more than 300TL, about £107, or the equivalent of less than £4 a day.  Quite an achievement.  It makes you think about your own budget, doesn't it?

As a French citizen, he didn't even have to pay for a visa to enter Turkey!  Whatever happened to the "égalité" in "Liberté, égalité, fraternité"? 

Most of Jean Marie's money has been spent on food, but there have been running (walking) repairs.  For example, we know he had to buy a second pair of walking boots, as he wore the first pair out.

Sleeping under the stars sounds very romantic, as long as you don't mind sharing the experience with assorted bugs.  And sleeping close to the Mosques in Turkey will no doubt ensure that he is up and about, when the muezzin picks up the microphone to broadcast the first call to prayer of the day.

His brief stay in Kalkan was nothing short of luxurious, providing a brief reminder of the kind of things he is missing at home.  Gernot and Helga have a lovely villa in Kalamar Bay, which overlooks the bay, with a great view of the islands.  It provided a peaceful sanctuary for a day or two, and also a great base for visiting a few local places of interest, including Patara and Kekova.

Experiences along the way
Jean Marie is travelling light, however from time to time his load increases, as people give him mementos and souvenirs of his visit.  Knowing that he is on his way to Jerusalem, he is offered a number of religious items - prayer books and candles in particular.

In day to day life, often we may look and we may listen, but how often do we really see and hear?   On his amazing journey, Jean Marie is moving at a pace where he has the opportunity to genuinely see and hear things.  You can't do this when you are travelling in metal box, be it a car or a train, as you are not connected with your environment. 

Consequently, he derives great pleasure from all sorts of things around him - from the splendour of impressive natural landscapes, to the beauty of the tiniest creatures.  The sound of crops in fields, swaying in the wind, and the songs of the birds in the trees. 

On his own, and moving at a walking pace, his senses are heightened, and tuned in to his surroundings.  Jean Marie absorbs these sights and sounds, in such a way that he feels at one with his environment. 

And as he looks to the ground in front of him, he spots all manner of jettisoned junk, which he feels obliged to recycle.  Vegetable peelers, cigarette lighters, and even an alarm clock, are all recovered, painstakingly cleaned, and then passed on as gifts, to grateful new owners.

Below: Jean Marie in his walking gear.

How is he coping?
Walking from Paris to Jerusalem is as much a mental challenge, as it is a physical test.  How is Jean Marie coping?

We asked Jean Marie if he missed anything from home, apart from his family of course.  He told us that there wasn't anything that he particularly missed.

What is going through his mind, as he is walking?  He thinks about his family a lot.  He sings and he recites prayers, over and over to himself.  He has time to think - to really think, about lots of things.

He tells us that walking all that way, with just the most basic possessions, away from home comforts, and 'offline' from the cyber-world, strips a person to the core.  One's very existence as a human being on planet Earth, resonates with a profound simplicity. 

At home he is Professor Jean Marie Kihm, beloved husband and father, and respected academic in the community.  But for now, he is just a man; a stranger, walking in foreign lands, connecting briefly with people he will probably never meet again.

A collection of memories
One of the things that he has collected along the way, is an abundance of happy memories.  Many of them relate to the people that he has encountered along the way. 

He thinks a lot about the kindness of the strangers.  He told us that people are the same in every country - friendly, supportive, encouraging, and also somewhat bemused and amazed, in equal measure.

Whilst he was in Greece, a priest gave Jean Marie a candle, and asked him if he would light it in Jerusalem, and pray for his parishioners.  Jean Marie agreed to do so, but in return, he said that they should pray for him to reach his destination safely.  And so the deal was struck.

What has he learned about himself or others?
He has observed that those with the least, give the most.  Along the way, he has been befriended by individuals whose material possessions are minimal in the extreme, but whose cup of kindness is overflowing.  It's a comment that leaves you questioning your own behaviour, and feeling incredibly humble.

He found that so many of the people he met along the way, were somehow inspired by what he was doing.  Jean Marie's pilgrimage was often seen as an exciting adventure, and it fed the imagination of those who briefly got to know him. 

His pilgrimage has made people think about their own lives, and has encouraged them to look beyond their daily routine, and to consider things that they would like to do - important things - perhaps extraordinary things.

Jean Marie believes that people need something to live for.  It is not always obvious what that something is, but if you take time out to look for it, you may find it. 

Next steps
As you read this, Jean Marie, and his second pair of walking boots, will be back on the road.  After Kalkan, he is taking the coastal route towards Antalya and Antakya (once Antioch). 

From there, he had planned to walk through Syria, but he may need to change his plans if the political situation means his safety is in doubt.

His goal is to attend Christmas Mass in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  He then intends to take a plane home!

Impressions of the man
Jean Marie is a gentle man.  He is charismatic man.  His quietly spoken voice exudes a soothing calm, which reflects an inner peace. 

On his personal voyage of discovery, Jean Marie passes quietly by, but in his wake, he leaves ripples of serenity. 

In a frenetic world, this pilgrimage is a welcome reminder that some of the simplest pleasures can bring the richest rewards.

An encounter with Jean Marie leaves you feeling enriched, and charged with positive energy.  He touches your soul - not in any religious way, but in a humanistic way.

It was a genuine pleasure to spend a couple of hours in Jean Marie's company.

We wish him well on the remainder of his journey. 

If you are heading to Antalya or beyond to Antakya, and you see Jean Marie, be sure to stop and say "Bonjour", but please don't be offended if he refuses to accept a lift. 

KTLN would like to thank Chris Davies for providing translation services, at the interview.

Thanks also to Gernot Breite and Helga Madrich for their assistance and hospitality.

Kalkan Turkish Local News - your window on Kalkan Turkey.

Katie-Ellen
Love KTLN.  Love Kalkan.