As a kid I was known as an adventurer. Not the kind that got lost in the woods studying bugs and had to be found because she’d lost track of time and self, but the kind that could find an adventure anywhere she was and in any situation. I enjoyed going down a road just to see what was at the end of it, to go to the far end of a field or park just to know what was on the other side, to stop and check out this building, that sign, go and do that thing because…why not? Makes road trips take more time, but exponentially more fun. I once stopped in the middle of a drive because I saw and abandoned railroad station and I just had to see what was in there. I spent time in Rome exploring bombed out ruins covered in local graffiti and got shot at by the local cops, who happen to carry long guns, btw.
Sometimes you just have to stop what you’re doing, get out of the rut and let yourself wander. Explore what is out there that you might not even know about yet. And, believe it or not, not everything is indexed and available on the internet. Some days you just have to say “F…it!” and take your life outside, on the road, somewhere else. Stop at that coffee shop you’ve always wanted to try, go walking in your neighborhood and discover a park or a pub or a shop or a neighbor. I once bought a guide book to my own town that was a historical guide to the radical political events of the past 150 years. Some of the important buildings were actually just a couple of blocks from my home! I had no idea that decrepit thing was more than an eyesore/landmark. I’ve used guide books to take me on walks around town that lead me to hidden staircases, unexpected views, sleepy back ways from here to there, and fortuitous chance encounters with locals who are usually delightful and willing to give you the scoop.
The best way to adventure is not to plan it. You can make a date to adventure if it’s going to be a prolonged trip, but the best adventures are the ones where you put the plans away, tear up the “todo” list and just walk out the door. So if you were to go adventuring today, where would you go? If you dropped everything right now and walked out that door, what would discover besides you?
