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Interview

Bill Bryson chats about walking the Appalachian Trail and the book he wrote about his travels - A Walk In The Woods.

Is hiking something you've always enjoyed doing?

Yes, though I've never done it in the States, and it's a completely different experience here because of the scale of everything. If you go out on the Appalachian Trail you have to bring so much more equipment--a tent, sleeping bag--but if you go hiking in England, or Europe, generally, towns and villages are near enough together at the end of the day you can always go to a nice little inn and have a hot bath and something to drink. It's a much more rigorous activity here.

Is there a difference between the culture of hikers here and in Europe?

Well, that's a good question. Essentially they're the same: people who like to go out and walk up hills and go through that sort of vigorous exercise.

What made you choose Katz as your companion? It would seem to be impossible to pick a more ill-suited hiking partner.

(Laughs) It was really a question of Katz choosing me. I quite genuinely didn't want to go out there on my own, I would have been grateful for any kind of companionship. I was just sort of wildly inexperienced at this sort of hiking. I had never camped outside before, never pitched a tent. So I was grateful to have...

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