Finding New Adventures

The funny thing about adventure, once you open your mind, it has a way of finding you. 

While in Thailand this September I met some truly amazing people so when I receive a notification on my phone telling me I had a new message, a few months ago, from a person I met in Thailand I was thrilled.  

I had shared a day at the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai and then had dinner with her afterwards, At Dinner we had noncommittally talked about traveling together someday and possibly going somewhere we had never been. I am always down for more travel, but If I am being honest, at that time, I was a bit hesitant on making any promises to someone I had just met that morning. After dinner we continued our individual trips. She was headed to Vietnam and I was headed to Phuket and the southern Isles of Thailand not giving our conversations a second thought .

As I have settled back into my everyday life I have reflected on my common experiences I have had with the people I met in Thailand. We bonded together, in a strange humanistic way, connecting me to them forever.  I have commented on this before, but will do so again; a strange kinship forms with other travelers you meet while on various trips and adventures. It is crazy to think - strangers enter your life for a night or maybe two, you hang out, laugh and have fun, then after the adventure is over you all move on. 

My  understanding at the time was that these people would simply become characters in my "life story,"  connecting with me on a page or two, perhaps as long as a chapters, then resigned to be a footnotes along my journey.  But as I grow as an adventurer I am beginning to open my mind to see and understand the bond you can hold with a few of the people you encounter. Maybe it is the silent kinship that true adventure gives to us.  It calls us to our next adventure asking us to reach out to those who have the same calling. The kinship among adventurers is real and amazing.

​Needless to say it was a welcome surprise when I got the message. Did we want to go to Africa?  Iceland? The possibilities sent excitement all through my body. I was excited to plan something out, but also truthfully, a bit concerned about my financial ability to support an adventure. After all, I had just spent a month traveling across Asia and like many people my age I have student loans, and other bills that need attention every month. So.... I did the adult thing and researched affordable travel spots to float by my adventure buddy.  After researching I came up with some great places that had good exchange rates and safety ratings.​

We finally agreed on two places that we would both want to travel. Now how did we get it down to one?  How do we decide? Well, there was always rock paper scissors or we could take an "adult" approach and price the adventures out, (your welcome mom and dad). While pricing things out we found a great deal on flights to one of the locations. We pounced on the deal,  booked our flights and are now scheduled to head to Cuba at the end of April. YES, CUBA. Suprised? I was too. So here is a quick history lesson on Cuba

I can't wait to share my planning  experience with you in my next blog!  Thanks for following me and if you decide to take the plunge into adventuring I would love to take it with you.  Come make someday today and travel to Thailand with me this summer!  The Elephants, hikes, food, and people are just waiting to embrace you and infect you with the travel bug!

​Come connect and feel the kindred spirit of adventuring,
​Matt