Conquer Adventure Travel’s Top Ten Fears

Almost by definition, adventure travel puts you outside of your comfort zone. Frankly, I think the best experiences do. But often, leaving your comfort zone can mean fear and anxiety. Let’s look at the top reasons adventure travel (or even ANY travel) can make you anxious, worried, or afraid, and how you can mitigate those fears so you, too, can feel the exhilaration, confidence, and empowerment that comes from adventure travel.

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Almost by definition, adventure travel puts you outside of your comfort zone.  Frankly, I think the best experiences do.  But often leaving your comfort zone can mean fear and anxiety.

 Let’s look at the top reasons adventure travel (or even ANY travel) can make you anxious, worried or afraid, and how you can mitigate those fears you, too, can feel the exhilaration, confidence and empowerment that comes from adventure travel. 

What are the Top Ten Fears Holding you Back from Traveling?

1. What if I can’t do it? 

This is definitely a good question to ask yourself.  The key is to match up your abilities to an adventure.  Just go +1.  For example, if you’ve never hiked before, choose an adventure that has a base camp rather than a linear hike that you MUST accomplish on a set schedule.  Hiked a 100 mile trail in your country, consider doing one in a country that doesn’t speak English.  The idea is to incrementally step outside your comfort zone.  And make sure you train.

 2. What if I get hurt?

This is always a possibility.  Most often people get hurt when they’ve let their guard down or are tired.  At the end of the day, pay attention to lifting your feet up so you don’t trip on a root.  Use trekking poles.  My poles have saved me from countless falls.  If you are in an area that you think you could fall, lean toward the direction you prefer to fall, so if you do, you can fall more safely, say on your butt.  And like my sister, Terry, said in the last episode, “I fell.  And you know what? The sky didn’t fall down and I was OK. I just got a little muddy. “

• Use trekking poles when hiking and all recommended safety gear on other activities (yes that means wearing PFDs when on the water, helmets when on a bike, etc.).
• Keep a small emergency kit in your pack with a tube of antibiotic cream, a bandage, some blister care, Vitamin I (Ibuprophen) and a compression sock in case you sprain an ankle (listen why here).
• Buy travel insurance. Make sure it covers your adventure activity and offers evacuation in addition to normal coverages.

3. I’m afraid of criminals.

In all cities of the world today, you need to take normal precautions.  I put a link to the helpful State Dept travel webpage for each country in the free Travel Planners that correspond to each episode.

• Hide money three places:
  • Small cash readily available in a pocket
  • About $50 in purse or backpack
  • Hide your passport, credit cards and real cash underneath your clothing.
• Listen to the hairs on your neck and don’t be afraid to make a scene if you feel uncomfortable
• Don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position.
• Don’t walk alone at night when no one is around
• Always watch your drink
• Consider a group tour so you are always with a local guide and other people
• Check into the areas you are going so you can avoid troublesome areas (ask locals too!)
• Learn about local scams by checking this State Dept link for your destination

4. I can’t speak the local language. 

If you’re listening to this podcast, you are blessed to know the world’s international language.  You can almost ALWAYS find someone who speaks a little English.  If not, pantomimimg is fun!

• Or find a teenager. They often can help.
• You can download Google translate to your phone and use it offline.
• Take the time to learn at least “please, thank you, where’s the bathroom, yes, no, hello, goodbyeâ€. It will endear you to the locals.  YouTube is a fabulous free resource for picking up key travel phrases.  (See below for how to learn phrases easier)
• Alternatively, you can stick to English speaking countries or places where almost everyone speaks English. That still gives you tons of options.
• Or, you can go on a guided tour. Your guide will speak the local language and English.

5. I don’t have anyone to travel with.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t let that stop you!  Solo travelers make up a HUGE and growing portion of the adventure travel community, particularly women over 50.  Whether you are single like myself or your partner doesn’t like adventure travel, you will meet plenty of fellow travelers and will often make lifelong friends.

• If you are worried you’ll be lonely, go on a guided tour. I promise you will bond with your fellow travelers.  Sometimes you will have to pay a single supplement.  If you don’t want to pay it, some companies will match you up with the same sex roommate.
• If you wait until you find a travel mate, you may never go. Just pick an adventure and book it!  You won’t be sorry!

6. I don’t like roughing it.

No problem!  Nowadays there are lots of great adventures that end each day in a comfy bed.  You can use the search bar above to narrow your options to those with the comfort level you prefer.

7. I’m worried I’ll get lost.

Did you know that you can use Google Maps offline?  When I get to a new location, I ‘pin’ my accommodation so I can always find my way back home.  I also carry a business card of the hotel or at least make a note of the address in my phone that I can show a driver if need be.

• In the wild, you need to pay attention. I recommend a guide in areas you could conceivably get lost on an unmarked trail, like in my Nicaragua adventure Episode 001.  But most trails are very well marked, or ‘blazedâ€.
• If I come to an intersection and am not sure which way to go, I do two things. First, I choose a direction and then make a mark on the trail with rocks and/or sticks to indicate which direction I plan to go.  Then I turn around to see what the trail looks like behind me and look at the trail indicator I just made.  So if I decide later that I guessed wrong, which is generally happens in less than 100 yards, I turn around and can readily find my intersection again so I can head the other way.  You would be surprised how often you can miss a fork when you come from a different direction, so my method helps me to self-correct and not miss the turn off.
• Also there aren’t many popular trails these days that you won’t see other people. If you’re really concerned about getting lost, purposefully CHOOSE a popular one and then in the popular direction, not like Rosemary Burris in Episode 005 who went in the opposite direction of most folks hiking the Kungsleden Trail so that she could have the trail to herself for much of the day.
• There are also great map apps you can put on your phone. But as a backup, I also always carry a compass and a paper map in case my phone dies.  If the paper map is not waterproof, I make it so by watering down some Elmer’s Glue and paint over it completely.  Once dry, I turn it over and repeat on the other side.  When both sides are dry, sprinkle them with baby powder to help keep the map from sticking when you fold it.  This technique works on Xerox copies as well.
• It’s also smart to put a whistle on your pack and carry a headlamp.

8. I’m worried I’ll get sick

It happens. You eat something that disagrees with you.  I pack a couple of Oral Rehydration packet to help with rehydration, and gratefully I’ve never had to use them.   You just mix the packet with water so you aren’t carrying around water weight.

• I am careful about what I eat and drink, especially in second or third world countries.

In those countries, I only eat cooked food, fruits I can peel, and eat at popular places because the locals know the clean, quality restaurants.  I also only eat during normal meal times so I don’t get old food.  Therefore, I eat NO salads unless I KNOW that the veggies have been well washed in filtered water.   I drink bottled water and even brush my teeth with it.  I also avoid drinking any water when showering.  Depending on the adventure and my access to filtered water, I may carry a water filtration system so I can drink water I can treat, or a SteriPEN.

• I now also bring some antibiotics just in case. My doctor recommends Cipro.
• You can also get inoculation shots for many diseases.  Consult with a Travel Nurse (check your County Health Dept)

The links above are affiliate links which means that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission should you choose to purchase via them. This is a great free way for you to show your support of Active Travel Adventures and helps to cover some of my production costs. Thanks! Kit

9. I’m afraid of terrorists

Yes, it’s a new world we live in today.  I have a couple of pieces of advice to offer regarding terrorism:

• Check with the State Dept. I put a corresponding State Dept link on each episode’s Travel Planner.  The State Department travel website is super helpful in letting you know not only the common scams of an area, but also what degree there is, if any, of terrorist threat.  Most terrorist attacks are where there are lots of people, so you are unlikely to have an issue when you are out in nature.  That being said, when in cities, avoid staying in American hotels or hanging out where a lot of Americans do.  And never go to demonstrations, which could turn unruly.
• Americans should sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Referred to as STEP, in the unlikely event of a problem, it’s nice to know that our embassy can find and help us.  Every time I travel overseas, I register my trip.  This way, if there is an attack, the US government knows to look for me.  If you are not a US citizen, check to see if your country offers a similar program.  These kinds of programs are helpful, too, for our final fear:

10. What if there’s a natural disaster?

Yes, disasters can happen.  If your trip is logged on the STEP program,  again, the government knows to come look for you.

Linda in Episode 007 mentioned a Mont Blanc adventure group mate who had been been in Nepal for the earthquake.  Note that this didn’t stop this woman from going on another adventure holiday.

You can’t predict all natural disasters, but the scientific monitors in place now around the world are pretty good at advising about potential earthquakes, eruptions or tidal waves.  The way I look at it is that I am much more likely to be killed in a car accident at home than by any natural disaster in nature.  Hopefully if Mother Nature plans trouble, there are monitors in place to advise me to change my plans.

So these are the Top Ten Fears  I hear from you about why folks avoid adventure travel, many of them are travel fears in general.

I hope, if you have any of these concerns, that today you’ve learned ways to mitigate these fears so that you can go forward to book and accomplish the adventure trip of your dreams.  When you return, you won’t believe how much tackling your fears will boost your confidence and give you to courage to add a +1 degree of Nervous Twitch Factor to your next epic adventure.

If I’ve missed one of your fears, be sure to email me!

Conquer Adventure Travel’s Top Ten Fears

Almost by definition adventure travel puts you outside of your comfort zone. Frankly, I think the best experiences do, but often leaving your comfort zone brings fear and anxiety. We’re going to look at the top ten adventure travel fears that may be holding you back from adventure traveling and how to mitigate those fears or at least live with them so they don’t hold you back. Ordinarily, we go on an adventure to some exciting destination. Many of you are telling me that you want to try adventure travel but you’re afraid and those fears come in many shapes. Let’s tackle those fears head-on one by one so you too can feel the exhilaration, confidence building and empowerment that comes from adventure travel. After all, adventure travel not only get you to places you can’t see unless you propel your body to get there. It also makes you feel so much better about yourself as you can hear in the voices of everyone I’ve ever interviewed. No wonder, we all get hooked.

What If I Can’t Do It?

Let’s get into it, number one, “What if I can’t do it?†This is definitely a good question to ask yourself. The key is to match up your abilities to an adventure just go plus one. For example, if you’ve never hiked before, choose an adventure that has a base camp rather than a linear hike that you must accomplish on a set schedule. If you’ve gone on a week-long hike, perhaps it’s time to try something with a little bit more elevation like I did when I climbed Chirripó in Costa Rica. That was a hard hike for me but I was able to do it, so I know I could maybe push myself a little bit more a plus one on my next adventure. If you’re new at this, perhaps first try something in the 3,000 feet to 5,000 feet elevation range and see how you do.

Likewise, I know it wouldn’t be good for me personally to hike to Everest base camp as I already know that I’ve got some elevation issues. You want to match how much physical endurance you wanted in a trip to the handy rankings that I’d give to each adventure we cover. They’re ranked on a scale of one to five with one being a couch potato, two being easy. Three being steady possibly all-day activity with only a few hard parts. Four has a lot of harder parts and you’re probably working at it all day and five is hard, but not climbing Mount Everest hard, it’s just hard.

A fit person who did not train could do level three in below with no problem but surely have a lot more fun if he or she trained. Four to five stars that requires training or you’re not going to be a happy camper. I’m not saying you can’t do it, you just won’t be happy about it. Your training is important. Realistically, look at your schedule to determine if you could do the proper training. I’ve decided to keep doing my daily walks from now on with the 25 pounds of my pack. As we near backpacking season, I’m going to beef that up to about 35 pounds. I’ll keep adding a couple of pounds of weight to the pack each week until it gets up to about the 35, 36 pounds. Even if you are carrying twenty pounds on your back, you still need to get your feet and back used to it. Can you do it without training? If you’re fit usually, but expect high physical rated adventures to kick your butt, truly it’s so much better to train. You’ll have so much more fun.

What If I Get Hurt?

Number two, “What if I get hurt?†This is always a possibility. Most people often get hurt when they’ve let their guard down or tired. At the end of the day, pay attention to lifting your feet up so you don’t trip on a root. Use trekking poles. My poles have saved me from countless falls. If you’re in an area that you think you could fall, lean towards the direction you prefer to fall in, so if you do happen to fall, you can fall more safely preferably on your butt. My sister, Terry, said in the last episode, “I fell and this guy didn’t fall down and I was okay. I got a little muddy.†Keep a small emergency kit in your pack, a small tube of antibiotics, some Band-Aids, a bandage and some vitamin I, Ibuprofen. Also pack a compression sock in case you sprain your ankle. Check out the bonus episode we did on what to do if you sprain your ankle while you’re in the wild. I also wrap duct tape around my poles. I’ve used it before to wrap my feet to reduce friction on blisters, repair tents and so much more.

Finally, especially if you’re traveling out of the country, buy travel insurance and get it with the evacuation coverage. It can cost $50,000 to $100,000 to get you and fly you out to desired hospital. Policy prices are based on age, country and activity and you want to make sure that your policy covers whatever your adventure activity is going to be. A good policy will also reimburse you if you have an accident and can’t participate in the adventure. I also like it because it allows me to return home if there’s a death or illness in the family. I have an elderly mom, so I always want to make sure that I can get back here quickly and easily.

I went to Tanzania with my girlfriend, Mickey. On the morning, we were to start the Safari and literally seriously right on the way to breakfast an hour before our trip started, Mickey trips and face-plants. Her face was all torn up and the doctor wouldn’t let her go into the bush in case it got infected. Mickey stayed in that lovely lodge for the five days of the Safari. It took a while but she eventually got reimbursed by her travel insurance company for missing that Safari. Accidents are rare but it’s best to be prepared.

I’m Afraid Of Criminals

Number three, I’m afraid of criminals. In all cities the world now, you need to take the normal precautions. I put link to the helpful State Department Travel website for each country and the free travel planners that correspond to each episode. The travel planners are sent to you automatically if you get the newsletter or you could download them directly from the webpage. Remember on most adventures, you’re in the city. However, whenever I am in the city here’s what I do. I keep a little bit of cash in my pocket. I keep my passport, credit cards and the big money in a hidden pouch under my clothes and I may put up $50 in my purse or a backpack. I never wear any flashy jewelry and if I need to get into my good stash, I make sure I do so out of sight, in a restroom or something. I remember my girlfriend, Mickey, cracking up when she saw me pull out my credit card from a little hidey-hole pocket I sewed into my camisole. The passport, credit cards, etc. rest in the pocket against my rib cage and you can’t even see them hiding anything under my clothes.

Luckily, crime in the countryside is pretty much a non-issue in all the many countries I’ve been to. Still, I avoid putting myself in a vulnerable position such as walking alone at night when all the other people have turned in. I watch my drink at all times to make sure something doesn’t get slipped into it. Be smart and you’ll be fine. You can also join a group tour, so you have the safety in numbers plus have a local guide, who knows the ropes.

One last thought on crime, I hear all the time from non-US citizens that they are afraid to come to the US because of all the gun violence. Remember, the US is a huge country. The vast majority of which is completely safe from gun or any other kind of violence or serious crime. You don’t go into the troublesome areas. It’s like saying, “It’s too dangerous to come visit me in North Carolina because there are twenty shootings in Chicago last weekend.†I live about 1,000 miles from Chicago. I can’t recall any shootings in my area and there’s a ton of guns around here with all the hunting. Most of the Chicago shootings are in particular neighborhoods that you avoid. Simply do the same when you’re traveling. I love Chicago. It’s one of my favorite US cities and just because they have gun violence in certain parts of the city, doesn’t mean I’m not going to go to Chicago anymore. The locals can advise you where it’s safe.

Accidents are rare, but it's best to be prepared. Share on X

For example, I was going to a dinner meet up outside of Berlin. Traveling solo and not knowing the area, I asked a local if it was okay for me to be walking around by myself after dark, about 9:00-ish. He said the streets were fine, but that I shouldn’t cut across the park. Likewise, since I do like to wander, explore and get lost whenever I’m in a new city, I had another local take my map of Berlin and circle all the neighborhoods I should be avoiding. I had no problem whatsoever and I never felt the hairs rise. That is the signal that I always listen to and recommend that you do as well. Your brain has somehow picked up a signal. Listen to it and don’t worry if you have to make a scene if necessary, if you feel that you’re an unsafe situation.

I Can’t Speak The Local Language

Number four, I can’t speak the local language. If you’re reading this episode, you are blessed that you know the world’s international language. You can almost always find somebody who speaks a little English. If not, pantomiming is fun or find a teenager. They learn English by watching movies, listening to music and playing video games, so they can often help. You can also download Google Translate directly to your phone and use it offline. If you’re traveling to a country that does not speak English, take the time to learn at least, “Please, thank you, where’s the bathroom? Yes, no, hello and goodbye.†It’s going to endear you to the locals.

YouTube is a fabulous free resource that you can use to pick up a few key phrases. I’m learning some Thai and Dzongkha for my upcoming trip to Bhutan. Here’s a trick I learned when I was getting my teaching English as a Second Language certification. Draw the phrase, the more ridiculous you make it, the more memorable it is to you. For example, I’m learning the Thai phrase for, “Can you speak English?†What I drew is a ludicrous picture of a raccoon with a big foot sticking out. A large double arrow to indicate passing. The best I could come up with is knitting needles and yarn for xạngkvs̄ʹ, a sunrise for dị̂ and arms half fold it across the chest for h̄ịm, and all polite females end sentences with kha so I’m able to remember that part.

This is an effective technique for somebody visual like me because I readily remember my picture. The drawing is nothing but a simple stick figure representation, but it truly is an effective technique that’s helped me a lot. Alternately, you can stick to English-speaking countries or places where almost everybody speaks English. That’s still going to give you tons of options or you can go in a guided tour. There your guides are going to be able to speak the local language and English.

I Don’t Have Anyone To Travel With

Number five, “I don’t have anybody to travel with.†Please don’t let that stop you. Solo travelers make up a huge and growing portion of the adventure travel community particularly with women over 50. Whether you’re single like myself or your partner doesn’t like adventure travel, you’re going to meet plenty of fellow travelers and are often going to make some lifelong friends. Linda of the Mont Blanc episode and her husband met Phil, who was traveling solo. Phil then joined them on their trip to Machu Picchu. I met Simon on the West Highland Way in Scotland last June and we still keep in touch. He and his girlfriend have offered to show me around whenever I do the Cotswold way. If you’re worried you’re going to be lonely, go on a guided tour. I promise you’re going to bond with your fellow travelers. Sometimes you’re going to have to pay a single supplement and if you don’t want to pay it, some companies will match you up for the same sex roommate. If you wait until you find a travel mate, you may never go. Pick an adventure, pick a time and then book it. You’re not going to be sorry.

I Don’t Like Roughing It

Number six, “I don’t like to rough it.†No problem, nowadays, there are tons of great adventures that end each day in a comfy bed. You can use the search bar on the ATA website to narrow your options to those that have the comfort level that you prefer. Many of the adventures I’ve covered, use guest houses for accommodations. If you’re not willing to camp or stay in a mixed dorm with a shared bath, simply eliminate those adventures from your list. You’re never going to have enough time to do all the adventures that you want to do, so pick accordingly. To help you choose, you can look at the itineraries on the website and in the travel planners. For example, you have to camp if you want to trek the Inca Trail which is episode 14. If you hike Mont Blanc or many of the other adventures I’ve covered, you sleep in a lovely guest house each night. On many adventures, you can arrange for someone to transport your luggage, all you have to do is carry a daypack. Super easy, super comfy.

I’m Worried I’ll Get Lost

Number 7, “I’m worried I’m going to get lost.†Did you know that you can use Google Maps offline? Whenever I get to a new location, I pin my accommodation so I can always find my way back home. I also carry either the business card or put on my phone the address so that can always hail a cab or Uber if I need to. In the wild, you’re going to have to pay attention. I recommend a guide in areas you could conceivably get lost on the unmarked trail like on my Nicaraguan adventure, but most trails are very well marked or blazed. A blaze is a symbol like the white bar painted on trees alongside the Appalachian Trail or a thistle in the post on the West Highland Way. You simply follow the blazes. There should be one at every turn or wherever there could be a confusion on a mark trail.

If I come to an intersection and I’m not sure which way to go I do two things, first, I choose a direction and then mark on the trail with rocks and sticks indicating which direction I plan to go. I turn around and look to see what does this trail look like if I’m coming from a different direction. I also look down at my little trail indicator that I made in the dirt. If I figure out later that I guessed the wrong way and this generally happens in the first hundred yards or so. I turn around and then I can readily find my intersection again so I can head back in the proper way.

You would be surprised at how often you can miss a fork if you’re coming from a different direction. This method helps me to self-correct and not miss any turn offs. There aren’t many popular trails these days that you won’t see other people. If you’re concerned about getting lost, purposefully choose a popular trail and then go in the popular direction. Not like Rosemary Burris in episode five who went in the opposite direction of most hiking the Kungsleden Trail so she could have the trail all to herself for much of the day.

There are also great map apps you can put on your phone, but as a backup I always carry a compass and a paper map in case my phone dies. If the paper map is not waterproof, I make it so by watering down some Elmer’s glue or any of the white glues and then I’ll paint over the whole map completely on one side. Once it’s dry, I turn it over and repeat on the other side. When both sides are completely dry, sprinkle them with baby powder and that’ll help keep the map from sticking together when you fold it. This technique works on xerox copies as well. It’s also smart to keep a whistle on your pack and carry a headlamp.

Solo travelers make up a huge and growing portion of the adventure travel community, particularly with women over 50. Share on X

I’m Worried I’ll Get Sick

Number eight, “I’m worried I’m going to get sick.†It happens, you eat something that disagrees with you. When I travel, I pack a couple of oral rehydration packets to help me with rehydration and gratefully, I’ve never had to use them. You mix these packets with water so you’re not carrying around a bunch of water weight. It’s like Pedialyte, but without the water. I’m careful about what I eat and drink especially in second or third world countries. In those countries, I only eat cooked food, fruits I can peel and I eat at popular places because popularity with locals is a good indicator of a clean quality restaurant. I also only eat during normal meal time, so I don’t get old food. Particularly important if you’re eating in a buffet. Therefore, I’m not going to eat any salads unless I know that the veggies have been well washed in filtered water. I drink bottled water and even brush my teeth with it. I also avoid drinking any water when showering. Depending on the adventure and my access to filtered water, I may carry a water filtration system so I can drink water that I’m treating myself or SteriPEN.

I’ll often trust a spring if I don’t see the signs of livestock grazing in the area. I avoid drinking in lakes and rivers and preferred drinking out of springs and small streams whenever possible. Back when I was learning to backpack, I had what I thought was a great idea. I’m going to train my body to get used to the stuff in untreated water. I purposely drank untreated water from the river at Linville Gorge in Western North Carolina. I foolishly thought that I was going to be able to build up an immunity like locals do in foreign countries. I got Giardia. I didn’t realize Giardia is a parasite. I had to take antibiotics to get rid of it. I’m also bringing antibiotics just in case. My doctor recommends I bring Cipro.

There’s a chance you can get diarrhea but you can mitigate this risk with some simple precautions and if you bring some of this powdered electrolyte in a prescription for Cipro. You certainly don’t want to forget a small bottle hand sanitizer, so when you’re out in the wild and nature calls you have proper sanitary facilities of your own making. You can also get immunization shots for many of the diseases and I’ve taken about all of them. Don’t let fear getting sick keep you at home. Take recommended precautions and consider visiting a travel nurse to review what you should do ahead of time. My local County Health Department offers this service and there are also travel clinics and cities that you can find by googling it. Be sure to keep good records of all your immunizations.

I’m Afraid Of Terrorists

Number nine, “I’m afraid of terrorists.†I know it’s a new world we live in today. I got a couple of pieces of advice to offer regarding terrorism, A) Check with the State Department. The State Department travel website is super helpful in letting you know not only the common scams of an area, but also what danger there is of any terrorist threat. Most terrorist attacks are where there are lots of people, so you’re unlikely to have an issue when you’re out in nature. That being said when you’re in cities, avoid staying in American hotels or hanging out where a lot of Americans do. Never go to demonstrations, which could turn unruly. B) Americans should sign up for the smart traveler enrollment program. This is referred to as STEP. In the unlikely event of a problem, it’s nice to know that our embassy can find and help us. Every time I travel overseas, I register my trip with the government. This way if there’s an attack of any kind, the US government knows to look for me. If you’re not a US citizen, check to see if your country offers a similar program. These kinds of programs are helpful too for our final fear.

What If There’s A Natural Disaster?

Ten, “What if there’s a natural disaster?†Disasters can happen. If your trip is logged on the STEP program, the government knows to come look for you. Linda in episode seven mentioned a Mont Blanc adventure group mate who had been in Nepal for the earthquake. Note that this didn’t stop that woman from going on this adventure holiday with Linda. My Nicaraguan guide was guiding a trip up Telica, the volcano I climbed in 2015. This already active volcano decided it was going to spew out a little bit more that day. When they started hearing new noises, they ran and everybody else in the area was safe.

You can’t predict all-natural disasters, but the scientific monitor is in place around the world are pretty good at advising about potential earthquakes, eruptions or tidal waves. The way I look at it is that I’m much more likely to be killed in a car accident at home than by any natural disaster in nature. Hopefully if Mother Nature plans trouble, there are going to be monitors in place to advise me ahead of time, so I can change my plans. This is what happened to my recent adventure to Costa Rica. Due to volcanic activity, we couldn’t climb to the top of the Turrialba Volcano. Scientific monitors indicated that it would not be wise, so the authority closed the area. On the web page for this Costa Rica episode, I have a cool video of this apocalyptic scene that’s at the highest point we were allowed to climb. There’s absolutely no vegetation. It erupted before, so there’s just the blackened tree trunks and the gases are still spewing up out of the ground. It’s eerily cool.

These are the top ten fears I’m hearing from you about why you’re putting off adventure travel or basic travel fears in general. I hope that if you have any of these concerns that you’ve learned ways to mitigate these fears, so you can go forward with confidence to book and accomplish the adventure trip of your dreams. When you return, you’re not going to believe how much tackling your fears, we’re going boost your confidence and give you the courage to add a plus one degree of nervous twitch factor to your next epic adventure.

If I’ve missed any of your fears, be sure to write me at Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com, or please write me anyway and tell me what you think of the program or to offer suggestions. I do love hearing from you. If you wouldn’t mind me calling you to ask you a few questions about this podcast and what you think of it, please include your phone number in your email. I’ve got some exciting news for you. Several of the folks I’ve interviewed said trekking Nepal is right up there as their favorite adventure. Until my interview with Janet, I thought that this adventure is only for the hard-core, high-altitude super hikers. I didn’t think it was something that I could do particularly since I’m a bit altitude challenged. Remember even though Nepal is in the land of Mount Everest, I don’t cover any crazy dangerous adventures on the Active Travel Adventures podcast.

After researching Nepal, I wouldn’t even include Everest Base Camp on this show because it’s too hard and it’s too high. I was thrilled to learn that there is an adventure in Nepal that I can do and if I can do it, so can you. I’m going to be back with Janet Hanpeter. She’s going to tell us about her adventure trekking at Nepal at a lower altitude, which still makes it doable. You still get to see all the beauty and to get to feel the whole Nepal trekking vibe, but without killing yourself on a death march and a high altitude. I can’t wait for you to hear it, so be sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it. Until next time, adventure on.

Important Links:

• Costa Rica – Previous episode
• Bonus episode – Active Travel Adventures episode
• State Department Travel
• Mont Blanc – previous episode
• Episode 14 – previous episode
• Nicaraguan adventure – previous episode
• Kungsleden Trail – previous episode
• Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com

• Here’s How »

• activetraveladventures.com
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• Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group
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• Kit Parks LinkedIn