This week I decided one afternoon to visit a nearby village. "Nearby" in relative terms because it took me three whole hours just to walk there. Not much to see on most of the way, just the city's welcome sign, buildings becoming sparser, lampposts coming to an end and roadside farmhouses giving way to houses in the middle of the valley which disappear as the valley narrows down until there's just the asphalt with forested hills on both sides. Then a right turn and an altitude drop with the landscape widening letting me see far away into my target and beyond, but it still takes a while to get there. Upon arrival there's not much, just a church, a school, a tiny clothing store and a few homes. One of them houses my high school English teacher. She wasn't at home but I got to refill my flask there.
On the way back I got to feel the delightful summer sunset. Right at the beginning, because I set out fairly late in the afternoon. I then had to leg a couple hours in a pitch black highway. It was worse in the more remote section as the trees didn't let even the Moon and stars light the path, all I had for reference were car lights, but later I could see the city's red glare in the clouds and there was light from houses. Barking dogs were a nuisance but at least homeowners beside the highway leave their gates closed. I tried to save time by running and found the new soles I bought for my boots don't fit well and run towards the finger end when under rapid movement. The last section between the city entrance and home felt like forever. By the end my feet felt like a wreck. I had just spent six full hours walking almost nonstop, I didn't sit down even in my destination.
It was definitively worth it.