Adventure travel meant for you.

I used to think of myself as a fairly adventurous traveler until I came across some travelers who took adventure to a whole new level. Let's take Alison Levine who is the team captain of the First American Women's Everest Hiking Expedition. I was lucky enough to hear her speak ever so passionately about the expeditions she took to the summit of Mt. Everest not once but TWICE. She shared photographs of the treacherous journey through snow and wind storms in subzero temperatures while traversing over glacial canyons on what looked like an extended ladder. While I was merely sitting in my chair listening to her, I felt as though I could easily have a panic attack just looking at some of the challenges she faced. As I listened to Alison and her inspiring story of perseverance, endurance and sheer passion to succeed, I got to thinking about what adventure means to me, because I can guarantee you it is NOT climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest.

 I often post about taking adventures and pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones because in doing so we often discover a deeper part of ourselves and in turn become better and more confident humans and travelers. That being said, not everyone is an Alison Levine. Some of us prefer more "soft adventures" over dangling off the side of a cliff and you know what, that's perfectly fine. I am not an adrenaline junkie however I do like a good rush of having pushed myself beyond my comfort zone and really "felt" the moment.

Often times the idea of adventure travel makes people think of cliff diving or swimming with sharks but really, what adventure travel means  ~ according to dictionary.com ~ is " A vacation or trip to a natural environment or remote location with the specific purpose of physical participation and exploration of a new experience."

Let's be real folks, we all crave new experiences, no matter how big or small they may be, we crave them. Maybe it's a visit to a butterfly sanctuary, maybe it's a journey into the Amazon to encounter indigenous tribes, or how about tango lessons in Argentina, maybe it's a culinary tour of Italy or maybe it's a bicycle tour across Ireland ~ whatever you may crave, it can most certainly be considered an adventure. The thrill of learning something new can be equally as exhilarating as white water rafting. The joy of trying something new that fills a curios void in your soul is exhilarating. Adventure travel is and can be anything that leads you into the exploration of a new experience while leaving you inspired and filled with a new zest and appreciation for life. That, my friends is what it's all about.

So, think about it guys. Think about what you would like to do in this life. Consider it a dare, if you will, to challenge yourself on your next vacation to make it an adventurous journey. Get your blood pumping, your heart racing and your mind expanding as you venture into your newest travel addiction: adventure travel.

Viva la Vida!