Hiking vs Long Distance Walking

I can't decide which I like more. Hiking or long distance walking. 
I guess they're both similar, ya gotta move your legs for both.
But the major difference, I believe, is that one has a destination and the other doesn't.
When you hike, you're usually trying to get to something. 
A waterfall, a historical site, a summit. 
Long distance walking is just you and the open road. The only aim really is to rack up those miles, never mind where you end up.
I'm drawn towards both for different reasons.
The appeal of hiking is deeper, though.
Hiking temporarily takes me away from the realities of this violent, insensitive, racially charged and hateful society and it places me in the welcoming arms of nature...as cliche as that may sound.
Hiking reminds me that there are things and places in Trinidad that we have not yet tainted. It balances the hatred I often feel for this country with a love for the beauty and hidden gems we have to offer.
It distracts me, even if it's just for a moment, from the carnage all around.
Hiking makes me feel accepted.
It sounds weird but growing up, I was never part of a clique. I lived in the library. I had friends, but I never felt like I fit in anywhere. 
But I fit perfectly in hiking groups.
Hikers are among the best, least judgemental people I've met. 
There is no judgement about your weight, shape or size. Only encouragement. 
"You're nearly there! Keep going! Good job!" are the words I often hear when I meet up other hikers on trails. 
Hiking is motivating.
Nothing I've ever experienced is as exhilarating as completing a difficult hike and getting to that waterfall or summit. It makes you feel like if you can do that, you can do anything. It puts you in the frame of mind to meet your challenges head on or as Henry David Thoreau put it:

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."

Long distance walking on the other hand has nothing to do with nature. It has everything to do with challenging yourself to literally go the extra mile. I've realized that the motivation to walk for hours isn't understood by a lot of people. Walking is considered a novelty. Something done to raise funds or awareness for some cause. Many people cannot comprehend why a person would want to walk all day for seemingly no reason at all. I've had people question my sanity. I remember telling people I planned to walk from Arima to Port of Spain and the expressions on their faces like why? You must be a complete lunatic! Sometimes I wonder why myself. Why am I doing this? I am perfectly sane. I think. I hope. And you don't have to have a reason to want to walk for hours. The walking is the reason. What I love about it is competing with myself to go further than the last walk. To go faster than the last walk. I love the sound of my own footsteps. I love the exertion...walking until I am sure I can't take another step. I love the pain...the soreness of my body for days after a long walk. It's a reminder of what I have achieved. I love that there is no barrier to entry in this activity. You don't have to be a certain age, you don't have to have a certain body type. You come as you are and you do what you can. And, unlike hiking, I prefer to do long walks alone. I can go at my own pace, go as far as I want to and not feel obligated to have conversation. I think I lean a bit more towards walking than hiking. Only because it takes less planning. Hiking requires more preparation, usually a lot of driving to get to the trail, it requires other people for safety and it often requires special gear. With walking, all you need is a pair of shoes and you can do it anywhere.