When Erling Kagge grew up in a villa in Oslo, the family had no car. Therefore, it became many walks and hikes for him and his siblings. He can still remember all the excitement that awaited on the way to the nursery; it was one big adventure.
” I understood that all of the children how big the world can be and got a feel for the avståndens importance. My parents ‘ choice to not have a car was partly idealistic, but also pragmatic. The middle class to which we belonged was not so rich in Norway in the 1970s.
the Curiosity and the desire to discover the world is as strong as when he went to kindergarten, ” he says. The firm today, forty years later, consider Erling Kagge walking out of the adult perspective.
most of the people increasingly less, ” he says. Cars, trains and planes for us quickly where we want. At the same time there is a movement in the western world, mainly among the more privileged, to hike.
– In other parts of the world, I think of when I visited New Delhi in India, they go rich car, if they take a couple of hundred metres. The poor go.
– In Norway, Sweden and several other countries, many believe that they save time and can experience more by moving quickly between two points – it is purely mathematical. At the same time think some people think that life goes too fast.
When Erling increasing the tempo, he finds not just as much, and for him it is experiences that make life richer and longer.
– So rapid movements and a high livstempo can cause the opposite of what we strive for and want to achieve, that is to say, a richer life.
on two legs gave us the opportunity to explore the world from an upright position with the hands free, and it stimulated the development of the brain, ” he says.
– The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates teaches have been in motion while he discussed various problems. Many have experienced that they got new ideas and found solutions to something they thought about for shorter or longer hikes.
We were created to move us more than what most people do in the day and to use the legs.
Already for 2.400 years ago claimed Hippocrates, regarded as the modern medicine co-founder, that nothing is so beneficial as to place one foot in front of the other – because to go is ”man’s best medicine”.
Many studies show that exercise is good for health, both physical and mental.
– at the same time, it is free to join, and you can do it anywhere.
a trained lawyer, but the driver of the day, a private publishing company. He walks ranging from half an hour to a few hours each day, but don’t count the distance and the time he passed. Sometimes he goes alone, sometimes together with other.
” I can think of how I should solve different problems at home or at work, and also speak in the cell phone. But the best is to not think so much, whether forward and backward. Then I just accept, and experience. I’m in the moment.
Perhaps it is the same feeling that can occur during meditation, think Erling Kagge. Even if he himself is not concerned with it. He says that he’s probably meditating when he goes, though not in such a deliberate and thought-out way.
In a person’s foot is close to thirty bones that work together in a complicated interaction.
– Many swedes and norwegians sitting in front of monitors and are watching the series or work and so the buttons on our apps. It is not wrong if you want to be still, but we were created to move us more than what most people do in the day and to use those legs.
Erling Kagge is the most recent book ”To go – a life in motion”. Photo: Norstedts and Private
(Norstedts), Erling Kagge their daily walks to and from work, and the impression from the long treks to the north pole, the south pole and through the New York public sewers and climbing Mount Everest.
” As soon as we have taken the first steps in the ettårsåldern we want to explore the room and the house or apartment where we grow up. Then increases the curiosity of what awaits on the other side of the front door, on the other side of the street … the world is growing so slowly.
” We are all born to the adventurer in any sense of the word. Which may seem obvious and simplistic to have to point out. When I feel locked in my thoughts, I try to return to the feeling I had as a child.
During his childhood, winters went Erling often ski with the family, or ”went on tour” as hiking in the mountains is called in Norway. But in the younger teenage years attracted the comrades and to keep up with them. A few years later he returned to the skis and to fotvandringarna.
” I felt more and more that I wanted to experience the world physically and not only read the books and hear other people talk about how it is. I wanted to explore the world, take on the and meet people in order to test my limits.
When I go skiing or decide to walk and take me really far, is tired, I become at a certain moment, at one with nature.
often a naive optimist, ” continues Erling Kagge. Everything seems attractive and feasible, ” he says. Himself, he wanted to be like Albert Schweizer, medical doctor, musician and nobel prize winner. He wanted to learn boxing like Muhammad Ali and do the decisive goal in the final of the football world cup.
– Then we become adults and then often take the family, education, job over. We are liable to get caught up in everyday life. My curiosity drove me in another direction. I wanted, and still want, always know what’s hidden beyond the horizon. Many have probably such a need, but maybe it is extra large with me.
When Erling Kagge was twenty years old he sailed across the Atlantic and then around Cape Horn, far down in south America. So he took on the ski first to the north pole and then to the south pole, and has also climbed Mount Everest.
Norway has through history had many adventurers: Fritiof Nansen who, with the ship in the Forward wanted to explore the Arctic, storting), which Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach both poles, and Thor Heyerdahl is known for their journey on the balsaflotten Kon-Tiki.
” this was the people who attracted when I was young. Since I am probably a competitive person who wants to challenge me and life. Maybe I’m also a bit egocentric, want to perform spectacular things that attracts attention.
I had spent half of life in the wild and wanted to stretch myself as far as I could. In the eyes of many, it was an absurd idea to leave for the south pole totally alone, without radio contact, and air support.
Erling Kagge on the way to the south pole. Photo: Private
Erling Kagge to get the 150 miles from the starting point to the south pole. During the long the cake, he met no living: no animals, birds, plants or insects. There was only ice and snow.
– When I go skiing or decide to walk and take me really far, is tired, I become at a certain moment, at one with nature. In a figurative sense for I a call with it. The body does not end at the fingertips, and turning the toes, it feels like. I think that many people might have a similar experience.
Erling Kagge says that during his hikes and ski tours ports material things and media news from a distance. But he also talks about that he can experience the stillness and tranquility even in a noisy metropolis.
he gave Erling Kagge out on a strange pilgrimage in a series of tunnels that hides in Manhattan’s interior, including some kloaktunnlar. He was feeling bad at this time, the relationship with his then partner was starting to crack and life seemed pretty pointless.
” There was almost no color and little or no light, but it did take a deep breathe of fresh air. Tunnelväggarna consisted of gray concrete and red brick, which created a special atmosphere and a peculiar beauty as in the beginning it was difficult to detect.
– In Norway associated the beauty with bright, colors like blue, yellow and green, with fresh air and the sun. Where in the tunnels it was quite the contrary. I noticed oddly enough that I felt better and better during those days.
the Walk in New York city became a sort of cleansing process, in the midst of all the human crap, ” he says. the
He has three daughters, all are soon to be adults. When they were small, complained often that they needed to venture out on hikes when it is ”going so much faster with the car”.
– It was difficult to answer. Perhaps this is the book I’ve written are an attempt to give a hint to the answer. And today appreciate the daughters of our hikes, short and long.
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