4.
"Yes" Really Works! Yes Man is a movie starring Jim Carey whose character has to say "Yes" to every opportunity that comes his way. Thus, his life transforms from mundane to quite the adventure. It's a great philosophy and one that I have applied to my own life since seeing the film, though perhaps not quite to the extent that he did: He said “Yes” to a mailorder bride but I said “NO!” to the border control officer that made me a marriage proposal as I exited Egypt. Still, the only real exceptions I allow myself are if I feel unsafe or it goes against my core principles. As a result, I have had some incredible experiences! Sometimes these opportunities completely altered my travel plans.
5.
Time Demands Still Exist. I don't have a job yet I still can't be completely free of deadlines. I thought I'd have more time to relax in one place but there always seems to be a bucket list festival or commitment of some kind or other dictating my schedule. Weather plays a part in it also: I'm chasing summer yet want to avoid extremes like, Egypt in the summer or Nepal during rainy season. Not to mention those pesky government restrictions of the 90day Schengen Zone visa that hamper travel in Europe. Three months is barely enough time to see one country!
6.
It's All About the People. As an extroverted introvert I enjoy being around people but never minded doing things on my own so maybe I've been a little slower than most to learn this. I started my travels very much looking forward to meeting locals but not so much other tourists. It didn't take me long to figure out that it's the quality people I meet, wherever I meet them, wherever they are from, that make the experiences worthwhile. With company, dinner transforms from a means for sustenance into a social event. Hiking beautiful mountains, watching the sunset, seeing an enormous piece of glacier shear off and, traveling between townsall these things can be done alone. But when they are shared with someone the joyfulness and beauty of the experience is magnified by ten. Or it becomes an unexpected adventure. Even if something goes wrong, fear is lessened as there is safety in numbers, even if only in your mind.
118 - SEVENSEAS