Kosti Simons

'Footloose!' Kosti Simons

Not many people would contemplate a 1500 km barefoot stroll along the highways and byways of France and Spain, but that is what the author did. Why? After a conversion to Christianity at age 50 he felt the Lord was calling him to do it. And he describes the experience along the centuries-old pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela as the foremost experience of his life. It took 111 footloose days. On the way he tape-recorded his journey for his wife in Australia, and he has used the 12 tapes so made as the basis of this account. Pilgrims in the days of his walk were rare creatures, and he felt the need with others to revive the spirit of pilgrimage. He founded the not-for-profit Pilgrims International, and led groups a biblical 40 days from the French Pyrenees to Santiago. Just one year before Covid-19 flattened the world, over 300,000 pilgrims arrived in Santiago. What may lift this book from the pedestrian, so to speak, into the heavenlies, are the dialogues Kosti has with Our Lord Jesus Christ.