Trekking the Globe with Mostly Gentle Footsteps: Twelve Countries in Twelve Months is an account of their trials and tribulations on a journey across four continents. Their personal challenge was to travel for the same cost as staying at home, while still adhering to their older traveller’s motto “we are not here to suffer.” As they immersed themselves in other cultures, their intention was to tread with Gentle Footsteps leaving behind favourable impressions. The Mostly refers to times when their footsteps, as a result of misunderstandings, were less than ideal leading to bizarre, hair raising or humorous incidents. However, nothing could deter these intrepid Canadian travelers ­­-- not even being forced off a train at gun-point at the Polish border or having their motor scooter collide with a truck in India. Join the Butlers as they learn many valuable travel lessons, including the most valuable lesson of all “expect the unexpected.” Conclusively, their year away was more daring, enlightening and wondrous than any previous twelve months in their lives. Irene Butler is an award-winning Freelance Journalist whose travels have led her to Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Mexico. Articles about her travel adventures have appeared in a variety of magazines including Air Canada Vacations, Canadian Traveller, Outpost Magazine, and Senior Living Magazine. She won an award in the Destination Category at the 2005 B.C. Association of Travel Writers Symposium. She continues to travel the world with her photographer and fellow adventurer Rick.