“I do not plan my fiction any more than I normally plan woodland walks; I follow the path that seems most promising at any given point, not some itinerary decided before entry.”

“In fact, my itinerary, as I have hinted before, was influenced not so much by Tschiffely's journey--I hadn't even read his book--as by Snow's. Snow's original plan was not to stop after completing South America but to continue either straight up to Alaska or northeastward to Washington, D.C. My insane plan was to do both, thereby "completing" the Americas and by virtue of the extra distance gained by the detour to the east coast, recording the longest unbroken walk of all time.”

“Attack me, I do this myself, but attack me rather than the path I follow and which I point out to anyone who asks me where I think it lies. If I know the way home and am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way because I am staggering from side to side!”

“... Promise me you won't do anything stupid.""Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'd been planning to come up with the most moronic plan I could think of, but I guess now I won't.”

“Okay. What do I have to do?”“Unless you plan on creating a door and walking the Paths alone, you really ought to take my hand.”“I mean when we get there, you jerk.”

“I have a plan." He groaned. "I was afraid of that.""My plans are not terrible.""Isabelle's plans are terrible." He pointed a finger at her. "Your plans are suicidal. At best.”