Ahhhh adventure, the driving force behind our desire to experience the world in which we live.
Camp out among the grass and gentians of glacier meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of Nature’s darlings – John Muir
At what point are you deemed ‘qualified’ to call yourself an adventure traveller? What are the personality traits and lifestyle choices which inform us that you’ve crossed over into the realms of perpetual exploration?
Here at Wanderlusters HQ we’ve compiled a fail safe check list of tell tales signs you are an adventure traveller.
How many apply to you?
TELL TALE SIGNS YOU ARE AN ADVENTURE TRAVELLER
✈ The prospect of embarking on a journey without any form itinerary leaves you unfazed. Why attempt to plan when life will lead you down the correct path? One likely filled with opportunity and exploration.
✈ Your credit card statement looks like Bear Grylls’ weekly shopping list.
✈ Your parents believe that you should invest in a house, put down roots and have children. You think you’d rather invest in some sailing equipment with which to travel the world on a yacht, or super lightweight, breathable, water proof, wind proof camping gear with a built in foot spa, and live as full time as an epic adventurer.
Off shore sailing by wili_hybrid via photopin cc
✈ You can fashion a suitable pillow from almost anything, and you know you could sleep through a tornado, on a boat, whilst being slapped with a wet fish.
✈ You’ve mastered the art of packing light, and all of your worldly possessions fit into a 55L backpack.
Kayaking Lake Wanaka by Benjamin Jones
✈ Wilderness camping is to you what a weekend shopping in NYC is to the Kardashian clan.
Wilderness camping by Zach Dischner via photopin cc
✈ Long haul flights are a blessing not a terrible bore, they give you time to recuperate and catch up on some sleep.
Flying high by neilalderney123 via photopin cc
✈ You’ve learnt how to say ‘I’m lost, where am I on this map?’ in at least ten languages.
Hitchhiking by Jamie Bowlby Whiting
✈ Home has become a convenient pit stop to re stock and re fuel for your next adventure.
Planning my travels by Khánh Hmoong via photopin cc
✈ Your family and friends no longer try and deter you when you tell them of your next great quest, they merely nod and sigh. Don’t feel deflated; those muggles have no sense of adventure…
Canoe safari by Benjamin Jones
✈ The thought of an all-inclusive resort makes you want to jump off a cliff…wearing a parachute…or perhaps a jet pack.
Scuba diving the Coral Sea by Benjamin Jones
✈ Tourist traps are to you what kryptonite is to Superman.
✈ You tell people that there is a skilful art to reusing dirty underwear, it’s all in the rotation pattern.
Hiking the Darien Gap Expert Vagabond
✈ Your feet are the most important part of your anatomy and are groomed more often than your hair. Blisters, painful corns and battered toe nails hamper your ability to explore, bad hair simply means you might not be invited out to dinner that evening.
✈ Your bucket list is full of dare devil activities, epic road trips and endurance challenges in far flung corners of the globe.
Underground selfie by Benjamin Jones
✈ You often throw caution to the wind and lick the remains of icebergs, sample local delicacies of unknown origin, and your own home brews of unimaginable alcohol content to keep you warm while sleeping under the stars.
Iceberg refreshment by Benjamin Jones
✈ You’ve found yourself lost in the wilderness at dusk more times than Homer Simpson has said ‘Doh’.
Mountain climbing by Charlie Stinchcomb via photopin cc
✈ You view a hot shower and a flushing toilet as a luxury not a necessity.
White Water on the Hawea River by Benjamin Jones
✈ While travelling you’ve never sent a postcard, bought a souvenir or taken a ‘this is me with – insert name of location – style photograph…and then posted it to Facebook.
Utah adventure by Benjamin Jones
✈ You could pack your life into a bag in less than two minutes, and would be out of the door thirty seconds later if adventure came calling.
Hiking across an active volcano by Benjamin Jones
✈ You’ve eaten more species of animal than you can count…some of them raw.
Summit Zach Dischner via photopin cc
✈ And last but not least…ADVENTURE is your middle name.
So what do you think, are you a true adventure traveller?
Can you call yourself an adventure traveller or do you have a few of your own requirements that we’ve missed out?
Haha, fun list! But, I think the not posting a picture or sending a post card might be a bit extreme. I mean, even the most adventurous person wants a picture of themselves being adventurous! 🙂
Dan
I’m pretty sure adventure is my middle name – I love to do all of the things mentioned above (done most as well) and can’t get out there enough … great post and inspiration!!
What incredible adventures! I think some of them would apply to me… and maybe not others, but I’m never ruling anything out 😉
I think adventure is something personal and so different, ss long as you challenge yourself, there is no limitation! Love this one: “your feet are the most important part of my anatomy and are groomed more often than your hair” that’s so true! 😉
I love this article! Makes me want to go again… 🙂 The pictures are stunning, too!
Woohoo I identify with almost all of these! Lol especially the fashioning a suitable pillow from almost anything, and sleeping through anything!
Haha great post! I consider myself to be adventurous although I have to say I will NEVER and I mean never- not even for a million dollars- eat a tarantula. I think I would die before it got to my lips. haha
As someone who’s idea of adventure is wearing white after Labor Day, all I can say is WOW!
You crazy fool! Glad you enjoyed the post Vanessa!
Love this post! I tick all the boxes except 2. My parents don’t want me to settle because they are stoked to travel to destinations and visit me for holidays. I can’t quite speak 10 languages but can say “I don’t know/I’m lost” whilst pointing to a map in a few languages. The rest are all me to a T pretty much 🙂 especially being able to fashion a suitable pillow from almost anything and could sleep through a tornado, on a boat, while being slapped with a wet fish. Even though I used to be the lightest sleeper on the planet
We;; sounds like you’re rather adventurous! I know who to choose as my wilderness camping buddy!
oooh charli. opposites attract indeed… xoxox
Ahh yes as in the wino and the romantic!! I’ll have to join your clan as the adventurer!
I can relate to a lot of them. Especially licking blocks of ice! Haha.
Also in awe of the manta ray picture. Incredible.
Thanks Chris, that shot was taken while hovering alongside the wreck of the S.S Yongala off Australia’s north east coast. A pretty awesome spot!
HA! I used to think I was adventurous thanks to that one time I went skydiving. But that’s about as far as it goes!
I would say that was pretty adventurous. There’s no way you’d get me throwing myself from a plane at 12,000 ft!
Once again it’s proven that I’m so NOT adventurous:D
I think maybe one or two of these apply to me and that’s it:D
There’s nothing wrong with that! We all have our own idea of adventure, this is a pretty extreme example, rather a humours take on the characteristics of an adventurer!
How many of these do you have to check off to be considered an adventurer? What is the minimum entry to get into the club???
Well I’ll leave that you to you, it’s a pretty jovial take on the more extreme version of an adventure traveller!
Love what you wrote about grooming your feet more than your hair and the rotation on underwear!
Unfortunately I just can’t sleep on hard surfaces any more as my hips won’t take it.
Be careful drinking the home-brew alcohol. Tourists (or adventurers in your case)sometimes die from drinking toxic alcohol in Indonesia.
Hi Kathryn, sorry to hear about your hips but then I suppose that’s a good excuse to stipulate sleeping on something soft and cosy! Do you know a hour after I published this I saw an article on a young British girl who passed away recently due to ingesting poisoned alcohol while trekking in Indonesia. I felt very irresponsible condoning such reckless abandon so I’ve edited that point very slightly. Thanks for highlighting it.
Hi Charli, I’m sorry my comment made you feel bad. Just thought I had to mention it as I have about so many cases in the news over the last few years. It’s a real problem there.
No not at all! Please don’t be concerned with expressing any opinions you have. I really value the feedback of our readership. We invite conversation on the topics we cover here on Wanderlusters. Thank you for your thought provoking input.
It’s all relative… we’re certainly not adventurous compared to those that give up the ‘norm’ and travel as a way of life. However, our friends and family consider our holidays to be adventurous compared to what they would do. My Mum often complains where the pictures are of me when I show her our latest pics… but I don’t need any proof I was there, I want to remember what I saw through my eyes! Anyway, who the hell sends postcards these days… I could never be arsed to find a post office before wifi let alone now 😉
Ha! Do you know I always send my Grandmother a postcard each time we arrive in a new country. It brings her so much joy to receive something from us in the mail. With no net connection I think she feels a little left out of the loop with regard to staying in touch with us.
Great to hear you’re enjoying your adventures. The best memories are the postcards we keep in our minds 🙂
Yes! I can agree that family (not necessarily my parents) and society in general thinks I should be settled with kids. I have a flat, I rent it in my home country.
I feel at home abroad. Currently I feel more settled in Greece than my home country.
I am undertaking an adventure of a lifetime at the end of June: a container ship trip from Greece to HKG!
You can read about that here: http://www.overlandhongkong.blogspot.com
Thanks for this post.
Well it sounds like you’ve already made the grade Bex! What an adventure, travelling by container ship sounds like fun. Wishing you all the best for a safe and smooth crossing!