How will you nurture your spirit of adventure today?

 

There is a difference between travel and adventure.

Both are important, nay, essential;

But the latter is certainly more important.

 

First, why are these two essential?

 

Culture is in a constant state of flux.

We become irrelevant and obsolete,

When the gap between the current culture,

And how we are living our lives, becomes too wide.

Travel and adventure helps us see and appreciate this gap

More than anything else we know or do.

As an example, if you live and work in a metropolis like Nairobi,

Vacationing in Mombasa is often a culture shock.

So many things are different, from the food,

To people’s attitudes and mannerisms,

To the ever-present heat and humidity,

To roads full of tuktuks,

To what time of the day is best to work, or go out.

Similarly, anyone who has lived and worked in Mombasa

Will find the flurry, haste, chaos and impersonal nature of Nairobians,

Shocking and unbearable.

But these experiences disclose the gap that exists between culture,

And the way we are used to living our lives.

That awareness leads us to new perspectives and adjustments.

 

Now, on to why adventure is more important.

 

There is a sense in which travel also includes adventure,

But sometimes, it doesn’t.

As an example, you can travel to Mombasa

And choose to partake the same kind of foods you are used to,

Or you can choose to be adventurous, and jolt your palate

With some local delicacies.

You can choose to visit the usual tourist spots and popular beaches,

Or you can choose to venture into less known getaway places,

And explore little known cliffs, bays and fishing villages.

In both of these examples, mere travel gives you common 'tourist' experiences,

But adventurism gives you something extra and exciting.  

 

By all means, please travel,

But don't leave your spirit of adventure behind.

It gives you something more that you probably would never have known,

Or experienced.

 

But the biggest difference between travel and adventure

Is that you don't have to travel to have an adventure.

Being adventurous is like being creative or inventive.

It's a mindset. It’s being open and curious.

It’s a yearning to discover, to learn and experience new things, ideas and experiences.

And it can be nurtured and developed where you are, for example,

By reading books of a different genre, or little known authors, than you are used to;

Or by associating with or talking to different people,

Other than those that dominate your immediate circle of friends;

Or by listening to contrary opinions/ideas with curiosity rather than criticism;

Or by listening/dancing to a different type of music;

Or by taking a different route back home, once in while;

Or simply taking the little dirt road round the block, to see where it leads.  

 

In the boredom, weariness and isolation that came with the pandemic,

Most of us discovered little known trails and hideaways within our localities,

That we didn’t know ever existed and, probably, would never have known otherwise.

Some of us were surprised to learn that

We had former classmates and schoolmates as neighbours;

Others made new friends and associations –

All because we chose to get out, be curious and explore.  

 

Nurturing our spirit of adventure exposes us to the fringes of our culture,

Offers us variety and divergent experiences,

And gives us more options and perspectives to choose from.

 

Being adventurous keeps us open to new ideas and perspectives,

Which makes it easier for us to adapt and adjust

To the rapid changes taking place in our society.

In a sense, being adventurous inoculates us against irrelevancy and obsolescence.

It builds resilience

 

How adventurous are you?

How will you nurture and develop your spirit of adventure today?

*Photo credit: Ole Witt on Unsplash