Apparently he couldn't speak French so when he arrived in Calais he was unable to explain his hopes that his 9,000-mile trek would prove it is possible to survive on human kindness.

Call me harsh but it's a fairly major bungle and an alarming lack of planning.

It's not like he failed to pack enough pants.

He overlooked the glaringly obvious fact that people in other countries tend to speak different languages.

He planned to hike across the globe taking advantage of locals' hospitality to put food in his belly and a roof over his head, yet he didn't stop to think he might need to speak to them.

Never mind stupid – how rude.

Surely if you're hoping to rely on the generosity of strangers the least you could do is learn a few phrases in their native tongue.

I know learning to speak the languages of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan – the countries he planned to pass through – would have been a tough challenge.

But talk about falling at the first hurdle.

This Mark Boyle – a member of anti-cash group Freeconomy – had to stop his trip just a few hundred miles in and apparently, against all his principles, actually hand over some cash to get home.

Why didn't he just walk back if his ideals are that important?

He was allegedly upset that not only did the French not understand what he was trying to say, they didn't understand what he was trying to do, complaining: "they see us as just a bunch freeloading backpackers, which is the complete opposite of what the pilgrimage is really about".

Really?

He and his two mates sound suspiciously like freeloaders to me.

I reckon our Gallic cousins summed them up pretty accurately.

They wanted everything handed to them on a plate but weren't prepared to give anything in return.

Still, the Freeconomists were probably too busy worrying about the evils of capitalism to master spelling or grammar at school.

I'm all in favour of everyone doing their bit to save the planet.

But if everyone relied on everyone else to provide them with food and shelter we'd all end up cold and hungry.

We'd all love to trek across the world without spending a penny but isn't it a rather hedonistic way to prove a point?

Maybe I should vow to holiday in the 10 hottest countries for the next few years to highlight the issue of global warming.

I think before he makes any more ambitious globe-trotting plans Mr Boyle should remember the saying "charity begins at home".

As a punishment we could make him learn it in 15 different languages.



Ready to rock


As a recent convert to the glorious world of karaoke I was gutted to have to pass up an invite to the hottest gig in town.

I missed out on the monthly "rockaoke" at OK Karaoke in Leeds – the one night of the month when wannabe warblers get to sing with a live band instead of a backing track.

As a novice whose experience is limited to the confines of a private booth with five sets of friendly ears, there's no way I'd risk the humiliation of trying to belt out Guns'n'Roses' Paradise City in public.

But with a bunch of exhibitionist mates who've been working on their "rock-out" poses and screeches their whole lives, I can't think of a better way to spend a Thursday night.

Nickelback might be poking fun at fame seekers in their infuriatingly catchy song but for many of us, tragic though it may sound, it's true: "we all just wanna be big rock stars, and live in hilltop houses, driving 15 cars".

Rock on!


Great debate


I was one of hundreds who took part in a lively debate on the future of Leeds organised by academics from the city's two universities.

I was really impressed by the number of people who cared enough to turn up and speak.

I know I wouldn't have bothered going if I hadn't been working but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was heart-warming, listening to everyone from teenagers to white haired old men talking passionately about the city.

For those two hours it felt like we could make a difference.

Maybe we could have the city centre we dream of, with green space and trees, places for young people to hang out – other than outside the Corn Exchange – beautiful new buildings and more after-dark activities that don't involve "vertical drinking" (much as I enjoy it).

As one organiser said, if we could just get debates like that going in every corner of Leeds, residents could transform communities.

It's just a question of motivating them to leave the comfort of their homes and get involved.

I find the promise of free food and drink usually works.