So what is this?

Well this is me trying to keep in touch with you all a little more. Actually I’m hoping that this will be able to give you more of a flavour of what I’m up to. I suppose in essence, by writing this blog I hope to fill in some of the day to day. Some of the time that would be spent on the phone and such. So that when we do get the time to catch up there’s more background. As opposed to having no idea of whats been going on. Also I figured that instead of force feeding drivel at everyone and their dog on Facebook. This is here for those who choose to, or want to read it.

Why?

I guess that travel, adventure, discovery, whatever you want to call it; these things make me feel fulfilled. I’m not sure why, I just know that without it life is not at all complete. As soon as its there life is sweeter in all directions, and I don’t just mean during the event. But even weeks or months afterwards being left feeling completely content.
As well as that, learning new skills and competencies that make a person able to engage with the world’s environment in different ways and self sufficiently. These are things that I value and respect most highly.
I’m definitely not articulate enough to make my point properly so I’ll revert to quoting someone who is.

A Alvarez – The pleasure of risk is in the control needed to ride it with assurance so that what appears dangerous to the outsider is, to the participant, simply a matter of intelligence, skill, intuition, coordination. In a word, experience.

Risk

To me this speaks volumes about the differences in peoples perspectives, there are those that at the first sign of risk avoid that risk altogether without so much as a second thought to work out how to manage it and proceed. Then there are those that will measure, understand, learn, and develop, not to get rid of the risk but manage it so that one can engage with it safely. Of course there are others, nutters that will just have a go without thinking, those that just can’t be arsed. To the onlooker the line can be blurred sometimes and its not always possible to tell who is who. But thats something which is down to the individual to know themselves and not for the onlooker to judge who is who.

I’m not trying to write a list of mental perspectives here, I’m just saying that the complete avoidance of risk is a terrible thing which stunts a persons development of capabilities both mentally, physically, and dare I say spiritually (whatever that may mean to you).

The Value of Experience

Having an amount of ‘experience’ is something that gets spoken of quite a lot. There are those that regard ‘experience’ as just putting in the time, which in my opinion is only ONE part of it. As said above; “intelligence, skill, intuition, coordination. In a word, experience.” Having ‘experience’ is nothing to do with just putting in the time or just turning up. Experience is the development of intelligence, skill, intuition, etc. Without these components experience is totally worthless (I mean how many people have you seen with an impressive written array of experience or qualifications, or talk a convincing summary of it. Yet when the talking stops, and reality begins, they turn out to be completely useless).

So moving on, the quote above is from a book called “feeding the rat” by A Alvarez. In which the need for adventure is explained perfectly (in my opinion). The book is about a climbing legend called Mo Anthoine and the title of the book is from Mo’s explanation of his need for adventure, that he characterises as a rat that gradually gnaws away at one’s soul if left un-fed for too long.

So the conclusion is to keep feeding it on adventure and bask in the respite and completeness that comes in the between times.