It was August in 2011 when riots broke out in the UK. They started in London and then spread to provincial cities including Wolverhampton. I was sitting in a garden outside a working men's club when someone asked for an explanation of what had gone wrong. I had been following the situation closely right from the inception and I gave my views and explanations of what had gone wrong, and how it could be solved in the long run. I never could see any short term solutions. When I had finished, everyone agreed with me; with the proviso that "they would never take notice of what I had to say". It is not very often that people will agree with everything I say. The next morning I got up early as usual and started to write this book. I was not put off by "never take any notice"; if it needed to be written down I would write it. Although it would upset many, I knew that it reflected what normal working class people had to say.I estimated that it would take me a year, and it was exactly two years before I had a first draft. By now of course I have included many other topics which were not concerned with the riots, and the number of people who disagree with what I have to say will have increased. But the aim of this book is make people think about alternatives to society's taboos whatever they may be.

The Camino de Santiago is a walk across northern Spain. No one is quite sure of its origins which pre-date the Christian era. Today the majority of walkers are Catholics who regard it as a pilgrimage which is the main reason why it attracts people from all over the world. The minority are a mixed bag of people who follow other religions and some with no set beliefs which includes the author. Historically the Camino has been walked by a spectrum ranging from Kings and Generals to petty criminals. For the latter it was a penance they were sent on for minor offences similar to the ones committed by the people England once sent off to populate their colonies. There are many wonderful buildings along the walk, steeped in history which has inspired other authors. Many of these left Bill Watson cold. His thoughts were about the sacrifices made by so many people who needed schools, libraries and hospitals far more than buildings to perpetuate the class structure which dominated their lives. The topography and wildlife along the way is a constant theme in this book. The description of the man catching frogs and the encounter with German shepherd dogs is something few people will have seen but any future Peregrinos who read this book can look out for. Many of the views expressed in this book are controversial but anyone with even a slightly 'open mind' will find it to be a fascinating 'different view of the Camino.'