The Idiot spent almost three weeks in Redding, California, in May to prepare for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris. He learned that sometimes a small town is more alluring than one of the world’s most stimulating cities.
The Idiot has discovered an ideal way to deal with climate change while continuing his 600-kilometer circumnavigation of Paris on the GR1 hiking trail and taking daily two-to-four-hour walks throughout the city.
The last time The Idiot swam in the Seine in Paris was during an investigative cover story for “The Paris Metro” magazine in 1976 when he “Gets To The Bottom Of The Dirty River And Comes Back Alive.”
The Idiot hiked more than 35-kilometers (22 miles) on the GR1 around Paris and climbed Table Mountain in South Africa on two separate days this week to prepare for his sponsored walk around Queensland, Australia, to promote participation in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics by athletes over 75.
The Idiot — who was based in Cape Town from 1973 to 1976 while covering events throughout Africa (think apartheid in South Africa, Muhammad Ali in Zaire, Shirley Temple in Ghana, OPEC in Gabon, independence in Mozambique…) for a variety of publications and news outlets — has been offered a spot in a witness protection program if he’s willing to reveal a number of secrets to the authorities.
Paris, December 21 The Idiot has always been a serious fan of December 21st — the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year — because it’s not only the advent of winter but also the herald of longer days. Here’s how he celebrated the key and titillating autumn-to-winter transition in Paris on the eve of 2024.
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