After last month's wing-walking exploits it was time for daredevil reporter DAN KEEL to tackle a land and sea challenge. Here he speaks about his attempts to get from the office to the English Channel - in one day - spending no money.
THE Shopper to Shore challenge was not only a test of my fitness and powers of persuasion, but of human kindness and generosity.
When I told people I would be walking and hitch-hiking my way to the British coastline, the response was usually - "you will get murdered" or "nobody will pick you up wearing that ridiculous headband."
After two hours of trudging through the streets of Petts Wood and Orpington in the pouring rain, with my "Seaside" hitch-hiking board starting to get soggy, I was starting to wonder if they were right.
I felt pathetic, vulnerable and exposed as drivers flashed by - beeping their horns, flashing their lights or simply pointing and laughing.
But then, like a ray of sunshine in a cloud of despair, the Burnside family from Westwell Close in Orpington, pulled over, ushered me into the back of their van, and whisked me away down the M25 towards Brighton.
"We drove past you about twenty minutes ago," said father-of-one Brendan.
"But we felt guilty and so sorry for you stood in the rain - so we turned around."
It soon became clear that "pity" was indeed my greatest weapon.
And so while standing on the M25/M23 junction, thumbing a ride for the next leg of the journey, I tried to look as cold, wet, and miserable as possible - it wasn't hard.
After 15 minutes, when a car pulled over onto the hard-shoulder, I thought my plan had worked. But, alas, it was in fact a Highways Agency patrol car.
A huge intimidating figure stepped out of the car and told me walking on the motorway was against the law. "I have every right to drive you to the nearest police station", he said.
But after playing dumb and stupid for a couple of minutes, again - not hard, he agreed to escort me to the nearest safe road in the middle of nowhere.
fortunately, an Italian driver who was also lost, stopped and drove me to the nearest town, Redhill.
He spoke of past hitch-hiking tales involving girlfriends in short-skirts acting as bait for oncoming traffic.
But Redhill was the lowest point of my journey. A miserable two-and-half-hour walk ensued before 52-year-old Andy Whyshe, from Horsham, took a detour from his journey home to drop me off on the outskirts of Brighton and Hove.
With my feet and legs increasingly sore I marched the final two hours to Brighton beach and collapsed on the pebbled shore.
This was a tough challenge but one which restored my faith in human kindness.
A lot of people went to great lengths helping me out along the way - and received absolutely nothing in return.
A video of Dan's travels will soon be available right here.
Timeline of Dan's travels:
(A journey from Petts Wood to Brighton usually takes 1hr 30mins by car or train).
8.15am - Left office on foot.
10.13am - Arrived at M25.
10.32am - Picked up in van by young family.
11am - Dropped off in Caterham.
11.17am - Threatened with charges by Highways Agency.
11.33am - Hitched ride to Redhill.
2pm - After long walk, hitched ride from Salfords.
2.34pm - Dropped-off on outskirts of Brighton.
4.32pm - Arrived on Brighton beach.
Total journey time: 8hrs 15mins
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