A new year and a new you, time to push your limits like never before. I’m not suggesting that you put yourself in immediate danger but I am saying you should test your boundaries. Let yourself live and maybe you will improve your regular self. Exploration and self discovery rarely are found in a pool or a bar stool, you’ll need to walk a few steps outside your norm to find what you didn’t know you were looking for.  Go on an epic adventure and see what life is really about.

Exotic Transportation

Instead of renting a car, try a motorcycle or scooter on for size. This small adjustment to your normal itinerary can completely change your vacation. Let the wind rush through your hair and grab onto those handlebars tight as you vroom through the streets. Can you feel the power between your legs? Have you lived like this in a long while?

A small adjustment to the standard vacation can really turn things upside down. Side note: don’t rent a motorcycle if you have never ridden one before, maybe start with the smaller engine on the scooter. You can still feel the rush without seeing the inside of the local hospital.

Why walk when you can get pulled in a tuk-tuk, a rickshaw or by some local bovine. When I’m in NYC I always take a hansom cab ride around Central Park, this may not be too exotic for most but to me it’s fantastic. A hansom cab is a horse drawn carriage that tours you around Central Park. I’ll always remember the time my wife and I first visited New York and we took our first hansom cab ride. A cold February night had us in a romantic mood, so we hailed a hansom cab and got all cozy under the blankets. Our driver gave us a wonderful tour and we still talk today about that night.

Step Outside your Resort Walls

How about instead of sitting around by the pool, you venture outside the all-inclusive resort. Take a stroll through the town, or maybe a jungle hike. Get the blood flowing and your heart beating. Take in the clean air and beautiful surroundings. When I travel, I usually bring my hiking boots because I look for adventure at every turn and couldn’t imagine just sitting around a pool all day. Although, I have had some of my best vacations just sitting round a pool, but that’s another article altogether.

Look for Adventure

Every vacation destination has brochures and pamphlets advertising their local attractions, these are great places to start. I usually tend to ask locals for advice or do some previous research on fun activities. But, you would be surprised at some of the awesome adventures that await just around the corner. Zip lines, waterfalls, ancient ruins and guided tours are just the start. Some of these tourist attractions are just traps and ways to suck money from the weary traveler. That’s why I do the added legwork and some light planning to find my true adventure.

Travel for Adventure

Ditch the all-inclusive resorts and head out for adventure completely. Instead of sitting by the pool, try snorkeling in the ocean or white water rafting down a rushing river. Adventure awaits you at any experience level so don’t let your greenness deter you from an adventure. If you search hard enough, you can find a journey for every expertise level. My kayaking skills are lacking but that won’t stop me from trying. All I know for sure is I won’t get better at kayaking by not kayaking. Grab life by the proverbial balls and live it.

Extreme Dream

This is not for everyone, but can be for some. Skydive, cliff jump or bungee jump, to start your vacation. Obviously do it with caution and only after you have done some proper research, but hell man, live it up. There is nothing like a little adrenaline rush to get that blood pumping through your veins. I’ve done it all and haven’t regretted an instance. Sure, skydiving may not be for everyone, but the same adrenaline rush I get from jumping out of a plane, you might get from eating exotic fruits. Each his own and you make your own adventure, as long as you are living it up; I’m cool with it.  White water raft down a river or cliff dive into the ocean, life awaits. 

Now I’m not saying that chilling by a pool at a resort can’t and isn’t fun, what I’m trying to say is maybe spice it up a bit. Sitting by the pool all day is perfect after you hiked 10 miles and bungee jumped off a bridge. We only get one ride on this planet so you should enjoy every step you take.

Travel on my friends; enjoy your ride, wherever it may take you.

Shelter

Camping is a wonderful way to connect with nature and clear out all the stress that a modern world creates. This is true unless the idea of being dirty in the woods is a nightmare scenario, for these people I introduce GLAMPING. Glamping is glamorous camping, or camping with more modern conveniences and amenities. It is possible to camp and not get dirty, I know it’s blasphemous to many, but so is not being clean to others. It’s time to open up your mind and accept that some people enjoy being clean, so here are my tips to Glamping shelters and picking what is best for you.

Glamping all begins with choosing which type of shelter fits your needs best.

Yurt:

Yurts are an interesting option and not just because they are fun to say. Yurts are basically permanent tents and possibly the most rustic many glampers will go. You will soon find out that a yurt is usually canvas covering wrapped around a wooden frame. Seems pretty basic and that’s exactly what it is. There will be zero insulation for warmth but these are waterproof so you will stay dry but not cozy.  

Comfort level: 4 out of 10

Luxury Tent:

This is the baseline for glamping and anything below this is just camping. A luxury tent usually is made up of multiple rooms, zipper less doors and as little modern conveniences as possible. Don’t be fooled by their false claims of luxury, these tents are just bigger and more difficult to set up. These are basically made as an introduction to normal camping or glamping, dependant on where you are coming from.

Comfort Level: 2 out of 10

Tree House:

Now we are getting into some interesting choices for glamping shelters. Tree houses are becoming more and more popular because of popular television shows about tree house builders. Gone are the days of tree houses just being for children, now adults are enjoying their functionality. Tree houses give users an out of the ordinary perspective on nature and help increase the overall enjoyment of outdoors living. Many will have some power but few have running water. Expect a pretty primitive experience.

Comfort Level: 5 out of 10

Teepee:

Bringing it back to the native’s preferred mode of shelter, the tipi is a favorite among the spiritual travelers. Teepees bring out a real primal sense and create a mystical meeting place for glampers of all levels. You must remember that teepees are basically yurts or a tent, so your luxury lies solely with the coverings used. Many times animal pelts are used to cover the teepee.

Comfort Level: 2 out of 10

RV/Tiny House:

The most luxurious way to glamp of course is to stay in a RV or a tiny home. RV’s have always been a favorite of the glampers whether they are at Coachella or the Kentucky Derby. Tiny homes are relatively new to the glamping world but are also popular due to many new reality shows. These little guys have all the conveniences of a larger home but on a miniature scale. Running water and electricity are almost always included. RVs and Tiny homes are the ultimate tool to any glamper.

Comfort Level: 9 out of 10

Cabin/Cottage:

Glamping at its finest and truest form, a cabin has all the amenities of a normal home. Renting a cabin will be the easiest way to ease someone into the outdoors lifestyle while still maintaining his or her level of luxury. Cabins usually have electricity and running water, but don’t expect it, that is something I recommend checking on before booking. Bugs and vermin may be an issue since many cabins and cottages go empty for long periods of time

Comfort Level: 7 out of 10

Enjoy these choices for glamping and get your hands an acceptable level of dirty.