I'm an adventurer, thrill seeker, and life enthusiast with a shorter life expectancy than your mother's cat - Follow my never-ending journey.
Some call it an adventure.
Others call it a long distance trek, a pilgrimage, or even a walkabout. However you choose to label it, the fact is; going on an extended journey has many surprising benefits.
Personally, I've traversed over 10,000 kilometres on various non-motorised, human-powered expeditions.
I walked from England to Rome, Cycled from Holland to Istanbul, and paddled the entire Mississippi River in a kayak, from it's source in Minneapolis to the Gulf of Mexico.
Taken at Cape Girardeauu during my Source to Sea paddle of the Mighty Mississippi River
I have a great passion for undertaking any kind of geographically, or historically significant journey. It gives me the feeling that I'm part of something bigger than myself. I also love the slow change of scenery, and how it removes the sense of clutter, induced by an over-stimulated world.
My brain works better at slower speeds.
Taken in France during a 2200 km pilgrimage from England to Rome
Over the years I've discovered that going on an adventure can have a very therapeutic effect.
So without further ado, I'd like to share with you; 7 reasons why a long distance journey will solve almost all of your problems.
1. Going on an adventure gives you purpose
Without purpose or meaning, we quickly spiral into misery. In fact, many people describe depression as a state in which one cannot find meaning in anything.
Going on a lengthy adventure can give you the mind-space to figure out what your purpose is. Simultaneously, the very act of journeying from point A to point B is a purpose in and of itself.
In fact, I would argue that our bodies are hardwired to feel purposeful when we're doing physical exercise. If you feel tired at the end of the day, you feel incredibly useful.
Another great way to give your adventure meaning is by raising awareness or funds for a specific charity that you believe is important.
Taking a mid-day break on our way to Rome because I felt I deserved it. We walked an average of 23 km a day.
2. A long-distance journey gives you perspective
At home, you're surrounded by familiar friends and family that are unintentionally invested in maintaining you as you are. People tend to put each other in boxes, because they prefer consistency over change, and because it's how they make sense of the world.
Like the saying goes; the highest treason a crab can commit is going for the rim of the bucket. In fact, if you put crabs in a bucket, and wait for one of them to break free, you'll see the other crabs start amputating the escapee's legs.
When you're on a long journey, you automatically remove yourself from the confines of your social network. At the same time, you surround yourself with people that have vastly different lives, backgrounds, and belief systems than your own.
As a result, this causes you to see things differently and inspires you to look at the world from a new perspective.
During my walk across the length of Spain I met a man who swore a vow of silence for the duration of his walk. He also decided to walk the entire country barefoot. However, he did have a notepad that he used quite frequently ;)
3. A prolonged journey makes you present.
When you worry about something, it's almost always related to something that happened in your past or something that might happen in your future.
The only place that is entirely free of worry or regret is the present moment, and nothing makes you more present than exercise and being in nature. The smells of your surroundings and the exertions of your body will help you to be where your feet are.
The first time I truly learnt to appreciate meditation was after I spent time in a forest monastery in the Mountains of Northern Thailand.
4. A human-powered expedition restores your faith in humanity
We live in a world filled with TV-inspired fear. A world where we love to point out the differences between ourselves and others. When you go on a prolonged adventure, you often meet people from all walks of life. You quickly realise there's little difference between yourself and others because ultimately we all want the same things.
Going on an expedition lets you disconnect from modern society, and experience a more raw version of reality. You realise that the world you see on BBC and CNN is not the real world, but that the real world is full of kindness and hospitality.
You're doing something out of the ordinary, and as a result, you inspire others. People want to be a part of your journey, and before you know it they offer you a helping hand.
While paddling the Mississippi I often had to carry my kayak across long stretches of land due to dams. When I told Brian— a local campground host— about my adventure, he went and grabbed his tractor, so that he could help me out. Thanks, Brian!
5. Going on an adventure makes it feel like you live longer
Nowadays we're bombarded with so much information that time seems to pass us by incredibly fast. We live in such an overstimulated society that our lives often feel like a giant blob of time with a few highlights sticking out.
However, on the road, everything is amplified. The highs are higher, and the lows are lower. Every day brings a new adventure, and as a result, new experiences create memories that are much more potent than the relatively dull moments of everyday life.
These intensified experiences create the illusion that time has stretched, and makes it feel like a single day lasted forever.
This photo was taken during a three-week road trip across Australia. However, it feels like the trip took much longer. Every day we tried to pack as much action into our day as we possibly could.
6. A long-distance journey sparks creativity
Being on a long trek, away from the monotony of everyday life, creates the ideal conditions for the flame of creativity to emerge.
Going on an adventure can help you disconnect from the ordinary world, and can bring you into a sort of flow state. Experiences and impulses in this new environment become like inspirational espresso shots. You connect dots and experience aha moments that you ordinarily wouldn't have.
By breaking the patterns of everyday life, you take yourself out of context. Removing yourself in this way helps you get out of your own way, and release the creativity that has always been there.
Pondering life on the Trans Siberian Railway from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to Moscow, Russia
7. A prolonged journey makes you feel successful
Humans are incredibly bad at measuring their success. Most of us constantly try to be superior to others instead of trying to be superior to our former selves.
On long expeditions, there aren't many people around to compare yourself to, and as a result, you are forced to use a different unit of measure. Every little bit of progress becomes a success, and this dramatically boosts your self-esteem.
On top of that, completing a long distance journey is an incredible achievement that will place all other challenges in your life in an entirely different light.
You'll find yourself thinking:
Hey, if I can overcome the countless challenges during that long distance journey, then I'm pretty sure I can overcome this one as well.
If I can have a good time cooking in the rain on the lonely banks of the Mississippi, then I sure as hell can have a good time cooking healthy in the comforts of home.
As you can see, long distance journeys offer you opportunities for personal growth, and the chance to look at your troubles in new ways. However, one thing you must never forgot; your biggest problem is you think you shouldn't have problems.
If you want to organise and execute an adventure expedition, or long distance trek, and you're not sure where to start. Perhaps the following resources can help.
Alternatively, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them in the comments below.
An overview of expedition planning resources sorted by different modes of transport:
http://thenextchallenge.org/resources/
A community of adventurers and travellers looking for enthusiastic people to join them on their expeditions:
https://www.explorersconnect.com/join-an-adventure/
Alistair Humphreys, an inspiring adventurer with lots great tips for long distance journeys, or smaller trips which he calls micro adventures:
http://www.alastairhumphreys.com