When I was in Morocco last year, my wife and I met an old Moroccan woman on a train. We quickly became friends and she asked us to come stay with her for a few days. If we hadn’t been on a tight schedule to get to the Sahara, we would have gone. Some of […]
Insights from My Camel Trek Into the Sahara Desert
I’ve had a long fascination with the Sahara desert. When I was a little kid, I watched TV shows depicting the desert as teeming with bandits, nomadic tribes, oases and high adventure. So when I heard you could actually trek out into the Sahara and spend the night in a nomadic Tuareg camp, I jumped […]
How to Risk More, Fear Less and Gain Everything
Last week I read a news story about a pharmaceutical company called Valeant. They had just announced the acquisition of an eye health company called Bausch and Lomb. The cost of the deal: $8.7 billion dollars. By anyone’s measure, the deal is a risk. When you plan to spend billions of dollars to buy a […]
How I Saved Up $10,000 to Fund My Travels
When I reached my early 20s, I saw something I thought I’d never see. My bank account rolled over into five digits as I passed the $10,000 mark for the first time. I rarely tell people this because I don’t want to come off as boastful. I’m saying this now because a lack of money […]
Developing an Adventurous Mindset: Loving Fear and Uncertainty
A few years ago, when I was preparing to travel to Belize, a friend of mine asked me what my plans for the trip were. Specifically she wanted to know if I had a place to stay arranged before I arrived. When I told her no, she was aghast. What would I do if I […]
How to Negotiate a Month of Travel from Work
A few months ago I got back from Morocco where I had been living and traveling for two months. Rather than quitting my job, I took a leave of absence so I could go back to my position when I returned. This is the fourth time I’ve had an employer let me take time off […]
The Difference Between You and People Doing Awesome Things
I read a fascinating story in National Geographic a few months ago about a guy who hiked the perimeter of Alaska. All he carried with him was a backpack full of gear, a kayak and tent. He’d trek to various state parks every day and set up his tent at night before heading out again […]