Well, we’re 170 days out now from the trip to Antarctica…. and today I received the indemnity waivers by e-mail to fill out, and send back. It made me even more excited! I wrote back to Jen (who forwarded me the paperwork) that I still love indemnity papers:
“Caution: You’re about to do something either potentially dangerous, or potentially stupid, and maybe both. You must agree that we are not responsible if you die.”
I can’t think of a better piece of paper in life to sign, better contractual ramifications to consider, or any way to have more fun than whatever it is you are doing that requires these kinds of terms. Either way (to credit Twain), it’s going to be a great adventure!
Many of the things that I do in life, I do for the experience. Travel broadens the mind, and in my opinion also broadens the soul. I travel to see sights, sure, and I travel to take photographs; but at the end of the journey I favor the people I have met, exploring the culture, and gaining an experience of different places and things. A friend recently stumbled across this rather bleak Antarctic experience, and rather than feel disappointed, my anticipation grew. The harshness he describes I will also see, also experience. I will grow through my experience there, and in Peru as we travel from barren to bountiful in the period of a few days.
On the one hand I can say “I’ve been there”, and on the other hand I’m the guy who relates experiences from my travel to everyday life. I’ll tell a story about “when I was in Africa…”, or “when I was in Europe a long time ago now…”, and share that experience with others. With luck, I may even inspire them to travel as well. Speaking of Europe… Here are a few pictures that I have (poorly) scanned pictures from my People to People trip so many years ago. Some may be cropped or a bit skewed, sorry about that. I’m going to get a professional to do it shortly.
A girl named Abby, we snuck out of the hotel, away from the group, and got french fries in Spain! – 1999
Somewhere in Italy, I want to say. I don’t remember her name! – 1999
Brad at the Leaning Tower of Pisa – 1999
Brad at the Colosseum – 1999
I was recently talking to another friend about India, and shared a video I love. My friend mentioned that he would consider going sometime. For him, that was a big step… there were many reasons he knew he didn’t want to go, but there are so many reasons to go. For lack of a better term, it is a whole new world in India, in Africa, in Europe… and there isn’t enough time to see it all, do it all, live it all, as it is. We have less time today than we did yesterday and so much more to see and do. I love inspiring and discussing that feeling in others.
Wanderlust isn’t just contagious, it is contained within the very heart of human spirit.
This also required an indemnity waiver…
I’ve talked before about it, but I hope to find a reason to sign a waiver every few years… Antarctica at the end of this year, Australia sometime in 2017/2018 to complete the continents… and then who knows! I’ve got a lot of living to do, and even having traveled like I have there is so much more of it to see.
My Push-Pin Map
After years of planning, 170 days is right around the corner!
I can’t wait, it will be amazing!