I've been a cheerleader for adventure travel since the first time I jumped on my Schwinn one-speed and yelled, "Giddyap!" What's ahead, around the corner, up the trail? Whom will I meet? What will I see? Why am I here?
I'm here to tell you that spring is the perfect time to plan an adventure travel trip of your own. What will it be? Where will you go? Time on a trail with a horse or a llama? A week of camping with the kids at a nearby state park? Kayaking? Biking? It's up to you, dear reader, so ask yourself: Where do I want to go — outside and inside — to break through the ordinary experience of life and allow an extraordinary experience to unfold?
To inspire your next adventure, let me tell you about one that took me out of my comfort zone: a week of sailing in the Greek islands on board a 50-year-old 56-foot ketch with three cozy cabins and a joyful master captain willing to take us wherever the wind would allow.
SAILING IS A SPORT. I wasn't certain about this before, but now I know for sure: Sailing is work, physically and mentally (whereas watching other people sail is dreamy). There are heavy mainsails and jibs to be raised and lowered, lines to be pulled, anchors to be set.
And more than brute strength, you need focus. Total focus and intense concentration — and that's just for walking around the deck. Sailboats are loaded with metal pulleys, fairleads and steel rigging tracks that sit there, waiting to snag any passing toe that isn't paying attention.
All of which led me to one of the greatest of all lessons learned on board, a teaching I hurry back to even now: Slow down; slow way down; pay attention; stay in the moment. And get ice on your jammed toe ASAP.
PACK LIGHT. Adventure travel requires you to lay out the stuff you need for your trip, and then leave half at home. I know it sounds shallow, but one of the things I loved most about my first sailing journey was discovering I could wear the same green shorts and striped T-shirt day after day and nobody cared, least of all me. This is what growth feels like. Simplify! Do more with less! I had that liberating insight on the tiny island of Despotiko, walking around the remains of a 2,500-year-old temple of Apollo and Artemis. I thanked them by leaving behind one of the delicious Greek cookies I kept in my backpack for spontaneous offerings.
STAY ACTIVE. Sailing involves a lot of sitting. Sitting and reading; sitting and eating; sitting and staring at clouds that suddenly take on the shape of Mrs. Blum, my seventh-grade math teacher. Thank Neptune I packed my yoga mat. Swim, stretch and strengthen, dance around the deck (carefully, see above) — but don't just sit, sit, sit.
This is true of all outdoor adventures, so take note for whatever scheme you're cooking up: When you find ways to keep your body juiced and flexible, your mind will follow, and it's that mindful appreciation of the life you've been given that makes adventure travel so memorable, so life-changing.
GO WITH THE FLOW. This is the best advice I can offer any adventure traveler: Let go of your expectations. Do the best planning you can — considering safety, comfort, companionship — and then allow the adventure to unfold. Be curious about your reactions. If you feel anger, fear or judgement, take a breath, stare out to sea, and let wave after wave of calm contentment flood your body with feel-good neurotransmitters, like nonaddictive opioids of your own making.
LET NATURE DO HER THING. My adventure was sailing. What will yours be? Whatever you plan, plan to reconnect with nature, because she offers so much support for your continued well-being. You don't have to go to Tibet to have a transformation. An awakening can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. But it's more likely to happen in nature, when you're connected to the sea, to the clouds, to the blue sky, to a felt sense of peace. All is well.
ENERGY EXPRESS-O!
"That's what sailing is, a dance, and your partner is the sea. ... She's the leader, not you." — Michael Morpurgo
(Today's column is adapted from Marilynn's new book, "All Is Well: The Art {and Science} of Personal Well-Being," an Amazon best-seller, available wherever smart, funny books are sold.)
Marilynn Preston is the author of Energy Express, America's longest-running healthy lifestyle column. Her new book "All Is Well: The Art {and Science} of Personal Well-Being" is available now on Amazon and elsewhere. Visit Creators Publishing at creators.com/books/all-is-well to learn more. For more on personal well-being, visit www.MarilynnPreston.com.
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