As always, I made sure to fill up on breakfast. I could never be certain when I'd get a proper meal again, so it was important to take advantage of it. My right calf, which had been bothering me the day before, hadn't improved overnight. It felt stiff, sore, red — and maybe even a bit swollen. I didn't like that one bit....

After quite a few short and long day hikes from home, I felt ready for a proper challenge. I had picked out a route that partly followed sections of the Pilgrimsleden. The Pilgrimsleden includes several long trails that all end up at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. One of these starts in Oslo and goes through Lillehammer on its way to...

Even though I might be in better shape than many men my age and don't have any particular health issues, I know I'm not fit enough to hike for days with a backpack on. So, I'll need to train so my body can handle it.

Since I don't have any experience with long-distance hiking, I didn't have much of the gear that's considered essential — nor the other things that are just "nice to have." Like I mentioned before, I watched tons of hiking-related videos, and gear seems to be the part people cover best.

By chance, I came across some amazing videos made by someone who had essentially documented some of Italy's most touristy—yet beautiful—villages along the Amalfi Coast south of Naples.

Ever since I was little, I've always loved getting around on foot. I probably started by crawling at some point, and eventually learned to walk.