There is no denying that travelers love a grand adventure. A good adventure not only shakes us out of our daily routine, it often sends us off to far away lands to experience things that few people even dream about, much less ever experience themselves. It is an invigorating and empowering feeling that can be highly addictive too, making us crave other opportunities to expand our horizons and move out of our comfort zones. Unfortunately for most of us, those adventures don’t last and we soon find ourselves back home, where we quickly fall into our daily routine once again. Before long, we’ll catch ourselves day dreaming about our next escape while we’re saving our pennies for the time that we can make it a reality.
While our jobs, families, friends, and other commitments generally prevent us from being able to jet off to remote corners of the globe on a weekly basis, that doesn’t mean that you can’t put a little adventure into your life from time to time anyway. A grand adventure isn’t always in the cards thanks to limited vacation days, a busy work schedule, and limited finances. But when you’re feeling the need to escape the trappings of regular life for a little while, perhaps a micro adventure just might be what the doctor ordered.
Micro adventrues are the brainchild of Alastair Humphries, a British adventurer who once road his bike around the world, and has also rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, trekked through the Empty Quarter, and skied across Greenland, amongst other endeavors. A few years back, Alastair found himself at home in London where he was catching up on a variety of commitments such as writing a book and making some personal appearances. While he was certainly enjoying the comforts of being back home, he soon found himself looking for outlets to to satiate the wandering lifestyle that he had come to love so much. He decided that while he couldn’t travel to exotic foreign lands while he attended to important business matter, that didn’t mean he couldn’t still go on short excursions in his own backyard. He soon started planning a few such outings – some lasting only a couple of hours, others a long as a weekend – and the concept of the micro adventure was born.
Humphries spent much of 2011 seeking out as many micro adventures as he could in and around London. Those experiences became the foundation of a new book that he wrote, and earned him a coveted National Geographic Adventurer of the Year title as well. As you can probably imagine, the book is very London-centric, but the ideas and concepts that he puts fourth are ones that can be applied to your own life, no matter where you live.
The entire point of a micro adventure is to put a little excitement back into your life when you don’t have time for a big adventure to a far flung locale. Some common ideas for micro adventures include spending the afternoon hiking on an unfamiliar trail, or camping overnight in a quiet meadow. Other options may include riding your bike on a country road without really knowing where you’re going, or taking a canoe trip along a river that you have never paddled before. The possibilities are nearly endless if we just take the time to look around us to see what is available right under our own noses.
Planning a micro adventure is meant to be very simple and straight forwards as well. It could start with something as easy as going online to find local, state, and national parks that are in your area, and discovering what activities are available in those places. Or, you could think about something that you’ve always wanted to try – say mountain biking, horseback riding, or zip lining – and finding places nearby where you can give those activities a go. Alastair himself recommends a number of intriguing options, such as entering an outdoor race, going for a swim in a river, or simply grabbing a map, closing your eyes, and randomly selecting a destination that you’ll then go visit.
The most important step in planning a micro adventure is probably setting aside a bit of time. Obviously our lives are busy, and sometimes finding a few free hours can be a real challenge. But if you’re committed to the concept, you’ll find a free evening here or there, or give up a weekend afternoon to pursue your own short, but truly inspiring, outings. Overnight or weekend long adventures require a bit more planing of course, as you’ll need to consider where you’ll be staying (camping, hotel, etc.), what you’ll eat, and just how long you’ll be gone. Those types of micro adventures also require a bit more gear, as you may need a backpack, tent, sleeping bag, and other items as well.
The other major component necessary for setting off on an adventure of any kind – big or small – is having the actual courage to get out the door and pursue the things that you want to achieve. For instance, if hiking the Inca Trail has always been on your bucket list, but it seems like a daunting proposition, than perhaps starting with a few micro adventures first will give you the confidence and experience you need. Micro adventures aren’t just meant for experienced travelers looking for a quick adventure fix. They can also help those who aren’t as experienced to gain the skills and confidence necessary to move on to bigger and better projects later.
Part of the joy of a good micro adventure is not knowing whats in store for you as you set out for the day or weekend. Preparation is part of the experience of course, but discovering what is in store for you is as it unfolds is also a major part of what makes a good adventure in the firs place. So while you’re planning some big travel adventure for the weeks and months ahead, don’t forget to save some time in your schedule for some small ones too. After a long week at the office, a good micro adventure just might be what you need to not only break out of a rut, but to also discover some of the amazing activities that can be found in your own backyard.