Leaping into the Unknown
An Adventure A Week
It was a beautiful late-summer day in August, and I was driving through California’s majestic redwood forests. I had the sunroof open, I was singing at the top of my lungs, and I was thinking, “I could do this forever!”
Then it occurred to me—I could do this forever.
I could embrace this feeling of exhilaration and exploration. I could keep hurtling myself forward. I could continue to race toward whatever lies beyond the next bend. And why stop at the U.S. border? Why not traverse the whole world?
At that moment, it became clear to me that I would shelve my plans to buy a house, close my consulting firm, and uproot myself from my family and friends.
I would become a nomad. I would travel the world and explore to my heart’s content. I would volunteer, discover different cultures, and climb mountains, literally and figuratively.
In anticipation of this total transformation, I steadfastly refused to commit to returning to America. I did everything I could to cut my strings to the States.
The first to go were my material anchors. I gave up my apartment, sold my car and furniture, and donated my clothes. All finances went online.
I then severed some emotional ties. By not promising to return, I lost several friendships with those who didn’t want to invest energy into a relationship when I may never see that person again.
While I mourned the loss of these friendships, I also understood that the uncertainty of my lifestyle made some people uncomfortable. It’s one thing to ask your friends to stay in touch. It’s a much larger commitment to ask them to join you for a long-term emotional ride.
Finally, I shared the cherished artwork I had gathered from around the world with my friends and family. Tribal Moroccan rugs went to my friend Jane. A colorful hand-embroidered Mayan calendar was bestowed on the Cottrells. A silver urn festooned with dragons and acquired in Mongolia was hand-delivered to my mother. I shut off my U.S. phone.
I was left with one file drawer of tax documents and a pile of personal mementos. During this final purge, I rigorously chose only a few items that symbolized my closest relationships: letters from my father, a cookbook from my mother, and videos of me and my brother—personal talismans.
All my earthly possessions now fit into two drawers. I was completely unencumbered. What I was left with was my dream: to combine my passion for travel with my desire to give back to the world.
I wanted to have experiences that would force an emotional response, expand my awareness, elicit dialogue, and inspire me to learn and grow.
I wanted to learn, witness, and participate in the larger world around me. This was my hope and the promise of my travels.
While all around me people were wrapping up their holiday gifts, I was wrapping up my life. I would start my new life with the New Year, embracing the ultimate free fall as I leaped into the unknown.
I had no safety net—only the confidence that I could fly. And I had the whole world in which to spread my wings.
I think my nomadic leap was less about escaping my past or seeking a future and more about embracing the present—living life in the now.
What followed was a solo two-year adventure around the world; beginning in Fiji on New Year’s Eve and ending in Antarctica. However, I didn’t want my journey to be about places. But instead a story about people.
I wanted to meet travelers who were fearless, fun, and sometimes foolhardy. Communities that were fighting to preserve and honor their cultures and traditions. Children who lived, and often thrived, despite unbelievable obstacles.
And I did meet all these people. Individuals who were changing the world in ways I never dreamed of. 🦋
Have you ever dreamed of chucking it all and traveling the world? What was the lure? What stopped you?
⭐ An Adventure A Week is a serial based on my autobiography “Adventures Of A Nomad: 30 Inspirational Stories.” You can read the essays in order (or not). Can’t wait for the next installment? Get the book.
Already a subscriber? 😃 Receive your gift copy of "How to Pack Like a Nomad: 25 Tips, Must-Have Items + Packing List."
Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of travel books and guides, including the #1-ranked “Explore the World with Nomads.”