1. BE OPEN. Adventure travel is about possibility, discovery, and delight. The highlights of an adventure are often unplanned and can only be discovered by being open, smiling wide, and saying yes to opportunities, people, and places.
2. BE BRAVE. Believe in the kindness of strangers. Proceed with optimism and confidence and you shall be rewarded handsomely.
3. PACK LIGHT. BRING LESS STUFF. Traveling light allows you to make better on-the-ground choices. Be brutal. Do you really need it? Pack clothes or gear that you can gift.
4. GO NATIVE. Be respectful at all times, but be curious. Engage. Wear local garb. Be colorful. Go to the local market and make friends. Eat where the locals eat. Take part in local festivals.
5. INTERACT. Pursue your passion to open doors and build bridges. Do you love soccer? Find a pickup game. Do you love to cook? Spend time interacting at the market. Love to play music? Find somewhere to jam with locals.
6. CREATE + SHARE. Capture the essence of your experience and share it with others. Tell a story that inspires other people to travel and care about people and places.
7. DO SOMETHING ACTIVE. There is no better, or more sustainable way to experience a destination than through human-powered adventure. Build sweat equity with a destination and it forever becomes a part of you. Walk or bike and take in small details. Stop often.
8. READ AND LISTEN TO LOCAL. Travel with a local novel, or book of poems. To be reading a book in situ can provide perspective and depth in both directions. Make a local music store the first stop, engage with the staff and walk out with a soundtrack and some beta on where to hear the best live music.
9. GO SOMEWHERE NEW. Ethiopia, Colombia, Greenland, Myanmar… There has never been a better time to be an adventurist. Today, so many infrequently traveled countries are safe, stable, and open to adventure travelers that the only real worry is choosing where to go first.
10. GO. JUST GO. There’s always a reason to postpone. But don’t do that. Book a trip. Commit. You won’t regret it. Adventure travel can be very affordable, with extraordinary experiences available at every price point. Whether you have a week or 6 months, there’s a trip that’s right for you. Not going is the only thing you’ll regret.
