When you’re stuck at home in the UAE it can be hard to get the recommended 10,000 steps in a day.
But if you have a goal in mind, like, say, virtually hiking the Appalachian Trail (a marked hiking trail in the United States that extends between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine), you might suddenly find yourself pacing around your apartment or lacing up your trainers for a socially-distanced jog.
The first step is to download the app Walk the Distance, which was developed in 2019 and is currently free due to the global pandemic.
The app connects to your iPhone’s Health app to track your steps, and then translates that distance into progress on the Appalachian Trail.
And you won’t be alone, everyone who uses the app is visible on the same map. As you make your way from Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin, you’ll also pass virtual signposts, which include shelters, scenic points, and trail-volunteer information.
For a person walking 10,000 steps a day, it would take an average of 440 days to hike the entire 2,000-mile trail. That’s more than twice as long as it would take most professional hikers – but you don’t even have to worry about elevation changes or carrying your pack.
But maybe you can get it done before everything goes back to normal? What else do you have going on?
If you want to explore nature without having to put in any energy, you can always virtually tour an African safari or live stream the northern lights from your sofa – find out more here www.timeoutdubai.com/travel/438832-how-to-explore-the-world-from-your-so….
Looking for more ways to explore the world from your sofa in the UAE? We’re rounding up loads of top ways to spend Time In, here for Dubai, here for Abu Dhabi and here for Sharjah.
