Choose Your Own Adventure

Have you ever played one of those "choose your own adventure" games? I love the whole concept because you, as the player, have some control over the gaming experience. You make a series of decisions that, in turn, steer the story and your experience. It creates an interesting mix of content that you control blended with the content that is outside of your control.

If you think about it., vacations are essentially real-life versions of "choose your own adventure" games. Personally, I have always been a bit all over the map on vacations. I love an active vacation, filled with new experiences. River rafting trips that involve some white water, nightly camping and beautiful scenery are a good example. A perfect rafting trip involves the perfect blend of excitement and relaxation and, if you are lucky, a scarcity of mosquitos. That being said, I can also happily enjoy a Mexico trip that involves nothing more strenuous than finding a chaise lounge and lifting a margarita.

I am lucky to have a spectacular friend who, like me, can be happy in a wide range of situations. She has taken a more strategic vacation approach however, choosing to largely backburner the usual options (Europe, Caribbean resorts, cruise ships, etc.) for rigorous adventure travel. Her thinking is incredibly logical...prioritize the rigorous adventures while you are physically able to enjoy them. She and her husband actually train for their vacations. They study, plan and prepare. Over the past few years, they have leapt from boats in Tonga to swim near pods of whales, they have spent days kayaking in Antarctica, and they have hiked the mountains of the Congo to view gorillas. Their photos are always breathtaking, and their stories are filled with details that illustrate their commitment and passion.

As they share their experiences, I am usually a bit envious. I sincerely wish I had taken their approach to travel when I was twenty years younger. The problem is that, while my younger self would have had the fitness and energy to fend off seals with a kayak paddle or hike through elephant dung to a wilderness lodge, I would not have had the financial means or the free time. I was raising kids and living the type of corporate life that demands you remain tethered to a laptop. And now that I am finally semi-retired and have both the funds and an open calendar, I just don't have the physical capability and desire to hike uphill for miles to see a majestic silverback. I sincerely wish I did but I know myself. I would be completely onboard with being magically teleported into the Congo and I would be thrilled to whale watch in Tonga but, dive into open seas armed only with fins, a GoPro and hope? Hard pass.

For a period of time, I began to feel like I was prematurely old. I would view the videos they shared, and I would begin to question my life choices and the priorities that I had set for myself. But, before long, the memory of my dad's thoughts on regret would shake me back to reality. I once asked him if he regretted his past decisions about selling my childhood home. Had he not sold the beachfront home when he did, he would have eventually made millions on the property. He wisely told me that a person can only try to make the best possible decision with the facts at hand and any time looking back is a waste. Always look ahead.

So, no wallowing for me. I choose to give myself grace for missing my adventure travel era and continue to do my best to embrace less strenuous adventure as the opportunity arises. Sure, I may not want to climb Half Dome anymore, but I still want to put on one of those puffy suits and float in an icy Scandinavian River.

Starting today, I am officially refilling my bucket list with achievable adventures.