Do you ever feel like overseas adventure travel is too “fancy,” complicated, or scary for you? Does it seem reserved for “those other people” who have mysteriously acquired travel knowledge and a skill set that is necessary for such things, and that you could never achieve these black-magic talents, nor possibly ever obtain the time and resources needed for such high-minded endeavors?
I’m basically describing myself prior to 2018. In November of that year, I released my first book, “Doofus Dad Does Everest Base Camp: One of Planet Earth’s epic adventures told by a slightly-less-than-epic guy,” for three reasons in particular: 1) To make people laugh; 2) To provide actual information about the trek; and 3) To prove that doing epic, life-changing things is not only the domain of the “those other people.”
(Actually, the fourth reason was to become wildly rich and famous. I’m still waiting for that part…)
I should know
This isn’t a sales pitch for that book; I really, truly believe No. 3 because I’ve lived it. Although I had traveled fairly extensively within the U.S., I had never ventured out of America (not counting Cancun and the Caribbean) prior to Hobnail Trekking’s inaugural trip to Nepal in March 2018. I had absolutely no idea what to expect or, frankly, what I was doing.
Now six years later, I’m sometimes referred to as a “world traveler,” which is both preposterous and hilarious to me because I’m as much of a doofus as I’ve ever been. In fact, after many overseas trips since 2018, I still get nervous in airports, always over-pack, can’t easily figure out foreign currencies, can only speak English (and sometimes struggle with that), have a finicky stomach when it comes to indigenous foods, and I’m only a marginal hiker — usually the slow guy that the rest of the group is constantly waiting for. (That’s me in the photo above, by the way, on the slopes of Ecuador’s Chimborazo volcano in May, 2024.)
“If that guy can do it, anyone can” might be a cliché, but as it relates to me, truer words have never been uttered
Just decide
My point is, adventure travel is not reserved only for rich, experienced, perfect-bodied, worldly people. Any “Regular Joe” who is willing to prepare a little and step outside their comfort zone can experience amazing things outside his or her home country as much as the next person. (Plus, we handle most of the scary logistics for you.)
Given time and motivation, the fitness part of it can be taken care of. Same can be said for the cost.
The key is just deciding to do it.
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