Welcome adventurer! This is Tyco, the elf of the Nordic Lands. I am here to enlighten you who wish to explore the world around you. No matter if you are a gamer who despite the sun, a walker who wants to get more adventurous or maybe a hiker with plenty of experience, I hope these series of articles will take you to a new place you never knew before.
Before we move onto the main topic, let me present myself properly. My name is Tyco and I joined Clan Quest in January 2016 in search of new companionship and adventures. My peak of activity was 2016 - 2018, where I among all attended 3 RuneFests with the clan. I’m more laid back these days though. My experience with real life adventuring has been long. 10 years in fact, all of them with a group called “TVM” which stands for the three goals of wilderness: The Forest, The Sea, The Mountain. Here I have honed my survival skills and even been inspired to pursue a side-career as a mountain guide. I have also made many friends along the way and formed a special relationship with nature. Now, let’s get into how to make you into an adventurer!
When you hear the word adventurer, what comes to your mind? Characters like Indiana Jones and Gandalf? Or maybe chests filled with gold and riches? Endearing quests with dangers and enemies? I don’t blame you if you did. And neither if you think “But my adventures are never going to be like that”. While games and movies exel at exaggerating what an adventure can be, that does not mean your future adventures will be boring. On the contrary actually, if you know what you are looking for. And that is what this chapter is about: Finding your first and own adventure.
Expectations
What are you expecting from becoming an adventurer? It can be for knowledge of surviving on your own. It can be for memories, visiting new places to show your friends and family. It can be for your health, increasing your determination and strength through your travels. Everyone has their own reasons to search for adventures, but knowing yours is what matters the most. And with today’s accessibility of areas (we will get to that in a bit) it’s not uncommon to design your own adventures.
However, please write down what your goal(s) are with adventuring (preferably something measurable or easy to detect) and expectations before going to the next step. These will serve you great both when looking for the available options and when looking back on your first thoughts.
Locations
What areas exist where you can experience and practice your adventures? If you are into memories and discovering the area around you, you are in luck. Tourist guides and outdoor groups are experts at knowing where the fun is and will gladly share this information. With today’s easy access to data, the possibilities are very likely already waiting for you. If social, consider even giving groups of interest a call. The best knowledge comes from the people who have great interest in the matter.
If more of a lone wolf and/or looking for simpler exercises, use maps to check for natural reserves and/or paths which you would like to run along. Just finding the perfect jogging route by trial and error is an adventure in itself. A tip is to move to areas far away whenever you have a lot of time, and stay in close-by areas on stressful weeks. The variation will enhance the experience and avoid possible boredom on your first tries.
Jogging, sleeping outdoors, paddling, rock-climbing and sky-diving. No matter your level, taking the first step of finding it is half the work done. And it’s free! So no reason not to.
Obstacles
So you have a goal and a location. What is currently stopping you from visiting it? If it’s money, don’t worry too much about it. You are not the first person to encounter this and you won’t be the last. Put the expensive stuff on the wish-list (do not throw them aside!) and look for cheaper alternatives. Express your wish to your friends and family, it could turn into a joint journey or a nice birthday present.
If it’s about the lack of time, then prioritize. Look over your current schedule and see when you can reward yourself some self-time. In some cases companies can even support physical activity in the form of money and/or time, so do not be afraid to ask. If it makes you happier as a person, it’s a win-win when your workplace gets a more enjoyable workplace.
Lastly if it’s about knowledge, then you are in luck. The internet have a lot of information. But as mentioned the best knowledge comes from the people who have experienced the activity first-hand. So don’t be afraid to look for groups or like minded individuals.
No adventure comes without obstacles. What separates adventurers from the rest is the will to overcome them. Don’t give up, give it a try. If it doesn’t fit you, then you now know and that was an experience in itself. Check the notes from step 1 and adjust if needed, then make a new try.
And that is all I have for today. Next time we will talk about the adventurer’s typical gear and tools to survive.
Direct Relief
As part of this advent calendar, we are running a fundraising campaign to raise money for Direct Relief. Direct Relief is a humanitarian organization that improves the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations by mobilizing and providing essential medial resources needed for their care without regard to politics, religion, race, or gender identities. Direct Relief has earned a perfect 100 on Charity Navigator, which evaluates charitable organizations. We humbly ask that you support our campaign. Every small amount helps. Alternatively, use the button below to be taken to the donation page directly.
