What is adventure anyway? One man’s adventure is another man’s holiday. One woman’s adventure is another’s god-awful miserable penance, or another’s daily lot. So I try always try to not define the word too tightly. Adventure means different things to different people.
I suggest, though, that adventure involves doing things that are new and different and difficult. It’s about challenging yourself, taking risks, leaving behind the ordinary. It’s about being curious and open-minded.
For some this means pushing human potential in a specific way. For some it’s about heading round the world on wild and ambitious journeys, unwilling to limit themselves to one environment or one mode of travel. For others it means carving a career out of travel and their creative loves, or going to live in a different culture. Still others look to share the world with their children. And some do not go anywhere: they make adventurous choices at home, living unconventional but inspiring lives.
I enjoyed interviewing the folk for this chapter of Grand Adventures. They are, almost by definition, unconventional and eccentric. Perhaps the one thing they all have in common was a desire to follow their hearts, to do the adventure that felt exciting, important and meaningful to them, and to crack on and do it rather than worrying about behaving in a way that society may deem unconventional.
It may be seeking a new lifestyle, whether under canvas like Jen Benson and her family, or up in a treehouse like Nick Weston. Or it might be a concerted effort to fit adventure into a normal busy life like Phoebe Smith or Kirstie Pelling and her family. Kirstie and her husband made ‘a pact when our oldest child was born. A vow to keep adventure in our lives once kids and domesticity kicked in.’ Nick grew disgruntled with his London life of ‘Go to work. Do work. Come back. Eat’ and wanted to get ‘back into a mindset where anything’s possible.’ Whilst Candace Rose Rardon turned her love of art and travel into her work.
There are many examples of people who find a way to earn a living from their adventures, with most of the interviewees in this chapter carving out their own niche in this way. Candace offers this encouragement to anyone who likes the sound of this: ‘I think anybody can pick up the skills and the routines that you need to make this lifestyle happen.’
She may not be a millionaire, but now when she goes on an adventure, ‘it’s both work and play. And life. All rolled in together.’
And that is worth a good deal.
My new book, Grand Adventures, answers many questions such as this. It’s designed to help you dream big, plan quick, then go explore. There are also interviews and expertise from around 100 adventurers, plus masses of great photos to get you excited.
I would be extremely grateful if you bought a copy here today!
I would also be really thankful if you could share this link on social media with all your friends – http://amzn.to/20IMYDt. It honestly would help me far more than you realise.
Thank you so much!
Grand Adventures from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.
I’m sure there is a great adventure reading this book. Alastair is an inspiration and a man to follow.