One of my heroes, Bavarian adventurer Wolfang Clemens, likes to say, “It’s all in the head“. For the last 40 years, he has sailed the world on a boat he has built himself. More than once, he has narrowly escaped death by storms, pirates, bandits and overzealous third world militias.
I think what he means is that for those who wish they lived an adventurous life like him but don’t, the perceived obstacles are imaginary. If you wish to travel the world full-time and you don’t, the reason is probably in your head only. It can be dangerous out there, but if you decide not to go because of that, you’re by definition a coward.
I’ve seen people chicken out of challenging trips many times. I can relate: I’m feeling this travel hesitancy myself. I remember the two girls I talked to on the shuttle to the West Coast Trail head on Vancouver Island. They had all the gear they needed, but I could sense them getting scared the closer to the trailhead we came. They set off before my friend and myself. Within an hour, we overtook them, and after we completed the trail, we were told that they had to be evacuated because they didn’t want to continue after their first night.
This was a few years ago, but I was reminded of it when I talked with my neighbor Michael the other day. He told me that his daughter, after completing high school, had planned to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Mexico. For his own peace of mind, he bought her an Inreach, a device that allowed him to track her progress along the trail. On her first night on the trail, he saw her wander around until late in the evening. The next day, she turned around and came back home. She had met someone on the trail who had told her about the dangers ahead, and decided she didn’t want to go after all.
This happens a lot: People try to scare you. They may tell themselves that they have good intentions and that they just want to make sure you’re aware of the dangers. And it’s not just people: Even park rangers and guides often exaggerate the difficulties and dangers of the trip you’ve planned. Most of the time, you’ll want to take their warnings into account but not let them stop you from continuing.
Nehaveigur 