Hiking must remain cool in the old normal

With the risk of getting a one-way ticket to the nursing home after this confession: I spent a long weekend hiking on Texel. Not intentionally, but now that I look back, it just happened. After this remarkable experience, I advocate for keeping hiking as we return to normal.

The program was roughly as follows. Early boat to Texel, check into the hotel, and hike. The next day: a quick sauna, then breakfast and yes, more hiking. On day three, we split a hike in two with a nice long lunch in between, even though the alcohol does sink a bit into the legs. And on the day of departure, we did (after this, I really stop) a quick one to finish it off. And suddenly you are a hiker, because that always sounds cooler than walker.

Now that we have collectively decided during these pandemic times that hiking is much less boring than thought, I would like to keep it as we return to normal. Why? Well, obviously for all the benefits we now know. Hiking makes you smarter, with 75 minutes of hiking per week can add almost two years to your life and it is scientifically proven to reduce stress. But also because hiking is so much more fun than I thought.

You see so much more of where you are. I was always into road trips because I get to places where no one goes. Well, hiking has that quality even more, and a big advantage: you have time to look around. This weekend I stood on a piece of beach where the Wadden Sea meets the North Sea and it was beautiful. Somewhere far behind me, sixtysomethings raced by on electric bikes and a road further down, cars were driving. No one saw what we saw. Just like that crawl-through path through the dunes, where for half an hour no one was in sight.

The holiday destinations quadruple and expand exponentially when you hike. Normally, you only go to a sunny spot when it's midsummer and scorching hot, but when you go hiking, you suddenly have a whole spring, endless winter, and also autumn at your disposal. And what about Scandinavia? First a pit stop in Copenhagen and then on for better hiking along the fjords. Finally, you have something to look for there.

By the way, it is also allowed to brag if you have walked more than ten kilometers. No one says you can't be proud of your hiked kilometers. I think that's a huge plus, because I love telling strong stories about tough journeys.

Last but not least: it balances the bitterballen. After all those hiked kilometers, that glass on the terrace accompanied by something tasty from the fitness shed tastes so much better.