With duppetditter on tour – Ytring

After a late summer and autumn filled with lots of great mountain hikes in Telemark and Sunnmøre, I have noticed a sad turn of events in the mountains. I’m guilty myself too, so I’m no better than everyone else. We young people who walk in the mountains alone tend to plug our ears full of noise that makes noise and shuts out nature and the outside world. We have been using these duppet ditts in everyday life for quite some time; on the bus, the train or when we go from a to b. So far it’s all right, because we Norwegians have never said hello to strangers on the street or on the tram anyway. Should you happen to say hello to a stranger on the street, in the shop or on the tram, you will most likely get a skeptical look. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a skeptical hello back. But on the mountain we have a proud tradition of greeting everyone we meet. And often, a mountain retreat turns into a cozy conversation about the way further up the mountain, about the weather, where the dialect originates or other topical issues. Before we wish each other a good journey ahead. On the mountain, we master what most of us are otherwise inept at: small talk with strangers. In recent years, I have noticed that more and more people are dropping the simple word “HELLO!” when they pass others on the mountain. We go trolling in our own world with “Berrum & Beyer”, “Heia fotball”, “Desken brenner” or some good music in our ears – with our gaze fixed on the ground or far out on the horizon. If you say hello, you either don’t get a response due to the noise reduction and loud sound, or you get a strange look, as if you were a crazy man who escaped from the madhouse and got lost on a mountain peak 1132 meters above sea level. On my last trip, I took out the duppets at the top and was reminded of one of the reasons why I choose to walk 1,132 meters above sea level, namely the very special silence you experience so far away from everyday traffic and human noise. The silence on the mountain is completely unique and something that should really be enjoyed. You can take in the quiet chirping of birds, trickling water and the occasional unfamiliar animal sound. The peace of mind you find out in nature and in the mountains is like an everlasting happiness pill, very good for the psyche in an otherwise busy and sometimes stressful everyday life, with dinner making, picking up at the nursery and housework after long days at work. So my appeal to the generation of AirPods is to leave them at home the next time you are on a trip in the mountains, and take in the beautiful sounds and silence of nature. Then it also becomes more natural to say hello and have a little chat with a stranger on the mountain. You will never regret taking the time to do it. We must never stop with the great old tradition we have on the mountain. A little hello and a chat can make so much for the day of someone you meet, and the mountains have always been the place where you’ve been guaranteed a hello. So let’s bring back the mountain talk! Published 05.10.2024, at 08.18



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