Adventure

Ideas and Suggestions

If opportunity doesn’t knock build a bigger door.  – Milton Berle.

One person’s adventure is not necessarily an adventure for another person. It would be impossible to list all the adventures for everybody here on this page; however, the following are a list of ideas and suggestions to whet your appetite, to spark your interest, to get you thinking in terms of possibilities. Most importantly of all though is to plan and then go do an adventure of your own…the only thing holding you back is yourself!

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. – Walter Bagehot.

Perhaps this is the second least expensive activity to undertake, pay for the bike and maybe some extra accessories and clothing, and you’re ready at a moments notice. Go for a bike ride around your neighborhood, town, city, county or state – the choices are limitless. Go off road and try mountain biking, camp out overnight, commute or pick up groceries – all of these will boost your fitness and overall health.

This could be as simple as borrowing a tent and camping out in your backyard, to a full blown camping or backpacking trip in the wilderness. The essence is living simply – cutting wood and cooking over your own fire and sleeping out under the stars. However, it builds survival skills, takes you away from electronics and brings you much closer to nature – even if it is raining and cold! This can be combined to good effect with biking, canoeing, hiking, kayaking etc.

If you can’t cook, then learn. If you can cook, learn a new dish, use some new ingredients or learn a new technique (make chocolates; pastry; cakes; preserves etc.). Host a party, perhaps as straightforward as a BBQ or as grand or complex as a 9-course dinner. There is so much to explore, try, master and share in haute cuisine, it might be said that the “World is your oyster!”

If you have a head for heights this could be a technical and thrilling experience. Start at a local sports center with a climbing wall and progress to the real thing – small at first and bigger and more difficult as your skill increases. There are numerous clubs to join up with like-minded people and have weekend trips to climb a particular mountain/rock formation. You may even graduate to participate in ice climbing – not for the faint hearted or the impetuous.

Many of the things listed here are boldly outdoors because this is where most adventures are found. However, do not forget or overlook the adventures that present themselves everyday: meeting new people; seeing new things; reading new things; thinking differently. The greatest asset to adventure is curiosity, lose that and you may find adventures cease too. Food for thought: How many people do you see on a regular basis, you have never spoken to or never had a good long chat with? Adventure can even lie closer than you think!

Learn a foreign language but be prepared to dedicate 2 – 5 years in doing so. Immerse your self in the culture of a country where they speak this language. Then go and visit that country, being out side your comfort zone while having to try and communicate with natives of that country, will give you a unique perspective.

This goes into the realms of high-risk adventure – the aircraft offers limited protection from the elements but what a thrill! Initially you’ll fly with an instructor but before long you’ll be going solo, the only thing to match the high excitement is the high cost though! This is one you’ll be thinking about and talking about for a while.

Perhaps the most inexpensive adventure to be had, although a good pair of waterproof boots is an ideal investment. This can be as simple as taking a stroll around your neighborhood or as demanding as 100+ mile backpacking trips – it’s your choice. Simply exploring a local national park or similar area can bring about a discovery by finding something new to you - a waterfall is always a thing of mystical beauty. Take animal and botanical guides with you to identify things you might see – you will never forget your first deer, woodpecker, bluebell or oak tree! One of the best satisfying achievements is to hike up a mountain; the view from the top is truly magnificent – and your fitness levels will improve no end!

If you can’t ride a horse, then why not take lessons – there are so many avenues this could take you on – competition rides, dressage, cross-country, point-to-point, long distance trail rides, show jumping, jousting etc. You might even pursue carriage driving! Even if you can’t ride a horse, there are many ranches where they offer guided rides for inexperienced riders; this could include learning real cowboy skills, or a romantic horse ride on a beach.

Exploring lakes, inlets and coastal regions by paddling a watercraft gets you in a position to view and see things from a different perspective – not forgetting another way in improve your fitness. This is a true explorers tool, you may find bays and coves difficult to reach from land, and discover flora and fauna unique to water environments. This can be as simple as a 30-minute paddle locally to days or weeks in duration, all you need is the craft (a few hundred dollars) and a mode of transportation, and now new adventures are available to you.

Learn to play a musical instrument (or sing) but be prepared to dedicate 2 – 5 years in doing so. Then put your self in the position where you have to perform in public, the confidence required while undertaking this activity will grant you an unequalled firsthand experience.

This is on many people’s wish list but seems to linger there! So, why not do something about it now. There are centers throughout the country where this can be done, for a few hundred bucks you should be able to cross this off your bucket list, the first jump will stay with you forever! You never know it might turn in to a regular activity, and being part of a club can lessen the cost somewhat, this might progress to the even bigger thrill of base-jumping.

Certification can be undertaken at regular classes spanning many weeks or can be part of an intensive few days, while either option is not cheap once certified it is for life. There are further courses you can do but just being underwater, and breathing, is a wonderful feeling – every seaside vacation could now include Scuba dives too. Granted equipment is expensive but if you are only a vacation diver, renting is a real option also.

Great for weekends away or longer, get to the mountains in winter and learn to ski or snowboard. It will help keep you fit while providing an exciting and fun time, for all the family. Don’t forget about the hot tub, food and drinks afterwards – you’ll deserve it.

Start small by body surfing with a boogie board and progress, as you feel more confident. Take a few lessons and persevere, before you know it you could be standing on a crest of a wave. If you’re not near the sea, consider sail boarding – similar skills of balance are required but be prepared for the frequent need to drag your self out of the water and pull the sail back up!

You may be in a job you do not like or simply wish to uncover a skill or talent you’ve always thought you’d like to do. So go back to school and learn to be a mechanic, plumber, electrician, carpenter, fire fighter, paramedic – you choose! You and your life may just get the boost to improve your overall happiness, while being a productive and functional member of society.

This can be an everyday activity e.g. checking in on an elderly neighbor; walking rescue dogs; spending a Saturday helping to build retention banks on a local waterway etc. Or this could be an organised activity spanning weeks e.g. building water wells in South America; helping at a turtle hatching sanctuary in the Mediterranean; Climbing a Mountain in Africa and picking up trash etc. There are so many useful activities like these one can do and you never know where it might lead or take you, the people you’ll meet and how much it might change their lives (and yours!). This is true character building.

While this can be undertaken with family/friends and a motorboat, this is best for joining a club – they have all the right equipment and instructors. This is a great summertime activity, requiring a certain amount of skill and practice.

There are a few companies across the country providing this service for a full days adventure. It can be thrilling, demanding and have an element of risk. It is not too expensive and can give a fun time without breaking the bank!

Don’t forget: one of lives greatest adventure is love!