A seemingly ordinary marital spat escalated into an extraordinary geographic and psychological journey. After a heated argument with his wife, a man from northern Italy decided to “take a walk to cool off”—a stroll that ultimately turned into a week-long, 280-mile (450 km) walking marathon.

With no plan, no baggage, and a singular focus on clearing his head, the man walked tirelessly, passing through multiple towns and regions, heading straight south. He averaged an incredible 60 km per day. Throughout his journey, he survived on the kindness of random strangers who offered him food and drink.

The trek only concluded when police found him around 2 a.m. in Fano, Southern Italy, near the Adriatic coast. He was discovered cold, exhausted, but mentally sound.

While the man was “clearing his head,” his worried wife in the north had reported him missing. When police finally identified and located him, she had to make the long drive to retrieve him. However, the walking spree came with a surprise bill: the police fined him €450 for violating local overnight curfew rules that were in effect at the time.

The man later confirmed that the long walk helped him clear his head and find inner peace. It was certainly a one-of-a-kind, albeit costly, way to resolve a domestic dispute.