I was reading the last post on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” blog, and towards the end there was an interesting part that really spoke to me. He mentioned that over the course of their productions, they wanted to do their best to illustrate the culinary geniuses of the world – what they do, how they do it, and – as well as they possibly could – why they do it.
That last piece has a bit of commentary hidden within. It’s normally not too difficult to demonstrate through any medium – blog, TV, book…whatever – what is being done, or how to go about doing it.
The real challenge – the part that is still as fresh and unique as the people doing it – is the “why”.
This has never been more true than it is now, and especially so with traveling. In the age of the internet and mass communication, anyone can spend just a few minutes online, and find what there is to do at any destination they can dream of. Do a days worth of searching around, and you’ll be able to find not just what to do, but also how to go about doing it, and for the best price.
That’s it. That’s all there is anymore, and unless you’re developing the next generation of spacecraft or traveling to the bottom of the Marianas Trench, true adventure through travel hasn’t much happened since the late 1400’s.
Oddly though, in direct opposition to the paragraph preceding this one, when I do sit down and start looking up what to do and how to do it, I feel real and genuine excitement. Why is that?
Taking a boat across the Atlantic has been done before, yet thinking of our impending trans-Atlantic cruise still quickens my pulse and ignites the romantic side of my imagination. I might not be hurtling myself to the whims of Poseidon like Columbus and Vespucci, but to me this is still an adventure and is terrifically exciting.
And that’s just it, isn’t it? While going across the Atlantic in a boat has been done before by countless others, we’ve never done it. And that’s what travel is all about now. It’s become much more personal, and while these experiences may not be unique in the context of the world, they are unique in the context of Andy & Becki.
The question these days is no longer “can you travel?”. Yes, you can, without any doubt. You can hop a plane, or boat, take a train and be someplace completely different in a matter of hours. You can get anywhere in the world insanely fast for just a little bit of money.
You can stop buying $2,000 TVs and $20,000 cars and you’ll have the money issue covered, no problem. You can do a little travel hacking as well, and really make it affordable to go. The internet is a great tool to make travel cheaper. You can couch surf, house-sit, or work on organic farms and not spend a dime while traveling.
Believe me, what to do and how to do it is covered. The only question left – that most nebulous of concepts – is why you should travel.
What Better Time Than Now?
It’s been a rough time around the Orthenkremer household. In the last couple months, the father of one of my best friends died from a sudden and completely unexpected stroke. He was only 56. Becki’s step-father went to the hospital for an unrelated problem, and found out he had four blockages in his heart. He was admitted to the hospital and went under surgery the very next day. He’s only 60.
I’m not telling all of this to be depressing, or to generate sympathy. And don’t worry, we’re not letting it get us down. They’re sad circumstances, to be sure, but there is a silver lining in all of this.
It’s helping to confirm that quitting our jobs to travel for a while was the right decision.
Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Making it to old-age and retirement – and being in some sort of shape where you can actually enjoy it – isn’t a right we have, but a privilege that many of us will never see.
If Not Now, When?
When people tell us we’re doing the right thing because it’s easier when you’re young, I play along. I smile and nod and act like I agree that it’ll be harder to take time for ourselves when we have kids, even though I really don’t agree.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s not a total lie. I do agree that you should do it when you’re young, but not because I think it’ll be harder later in life. Not because our kids are going to keep us grounded, or we’ll lose our dreams; I know that none of that is really true, at least not for us.
I nod my head and agree not because we’re young, not because we have no kids, not because it’s the perfect time… I nod my head and agree because I know that anything can happen in life, and tomorrow might never come.
If they were saying, “it’s good to do it when you’re old and have money saved up, so you won’t waste your time and money on partying as much”, I’d nod my head and agree to that too. Why? Because I know that no time is ever going to be the “perfect” time to do it, and it’ll never be a better time than now. Whether young or old, solo or with a partner, without kids or with a litter than can rival Brangelina’s, it’s always the right time to get out there and make it happen.
Don’t wait, don’t put it off.
I’m now in my last week of work, and I don’t feel nervous at all; in fact I’d say I’ve been almost irrationally calm. Maybe we’re being wildly naive about bumming around the world while having no income, or maybe (hopefully) it’s just the confidence of knowing we planned it out, and because these recent events have solidified in our minds that we’re doing the right thing.
We have the rest of our lives to slave away for a wage – just not now. Now is the time to have an adventure.
Dick Beery says
Very well said. Now is the best time, no matter your age. Adventure is out there, you just have to want to do it.
Andy says
We’re getting ready to take that bull by the horns. Lots of excitement and it’s a bit scary too, but overall I think we’re ready for it :)
Dani Cloutier says
there will never be another now. now is always the perfect time :)
Andy says
Couldn’t agree with you more Dani – here really is no sense in waiting!
Dalene says
Andy – what a thoughtful and well-written post. I’m so sorry to hear about your loss and the scary situation with Becki’s step-father….I hope everyone around you is getting the support they need.
So excited to follow you guys out on the road soon! I remember those last few days well (although I’m not sure I would have ever used the word *calm*)!
Andy says
Thanks so much for the sincere comment Dalene. Everyone is luckily doing pretty well, all things considered. We can’t wait to get on the road and see some ancient and beautiful things over in Europe.
Becki Kremer says
Thanks for the kind words Dalene! Andy said calm 2 weeks ago when he wrote this post… But now that we leave next Wednesday, I think calm is turning into CrAzY! Ahh! Can’t wait!!
Steph says
Brilliant post, guys! The why is always the most interesting aspect of any story, and now is always the right time to begin doing the things that are important to you.
I hope everything goes well for Becki’s step-dad. As unfortunate as they are, I think we all need those sort of wake-up calls in our lives. For me, my perspective changed a great deal about 5 years ago when, in the same year, my forty-something neighbour had a massive stroke, and a work-friend was suddenly diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was dead within four months, having never left the hospital since the day of her diagnosis. Alanna was 37, the age I am now, and whenever I think of her I’m glad that she packed a lot of travelling and amazing experiences into the years that she had on Earth. I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s when my ability to tolerate the inanities of the rat race, and doing stuff to “get ahead” with the intent of deferring the rewards and happiness to a later date, completely evaporated.
You guys are so fortunate to have figured this all out much earlier in the game, and my hat is off to you both! Go Orthenkremers!
Andy says
Hey Steph! Glad you liked the story – got the idea from a little bit of a Lord Alfred Tennyson poem. That guys got some great stuff!
I think we’re definitely on the same page with this one. It’s easy… so very easy… to get caught up in the same paths everyone else is taking. It just reminds me of a story I once heard from a priest; he’d seen numerous people while they were in the last hours of their lives, and he said how in all those last rites, no one – not a single person – had ever said, “Father, I only have one regret in life… I just wish I had bought that BMW”.
Really hits home when you hear something like that.