A Travelers Guide to Adventure

For the safest, most memorable,
most adventurous travel experience you must

Have an insurance policy, preferably
one which will take care of health, accidents,
loss of luggage, heart, mind and happiness
on those days when the adventure seems unbearable
and fear binds your feet; for those days when you
need to unload yourself and heal, a policy with
no starred terms and conditions.

Carry a bright and sturdy torch, for those
long, unplanned walks through the forest, when the
path just doesn’t seem to end and
you are tempted to drift off into limbo;
the torch will guide you and keep you
on-track, unwavering and nurtured,
until the darkness ends.

Own a life-jacket for any water adventures,
for when you are entering waters
that threaten to drown you, it will help you
stay afloat and keep breathing
until the rescue ship comes and carries you
off into another glorious trip; so even on the ship
keep it close to your chest.

Keep a painting or two – this may appear strange,
but what art will do every time you look at it,
is slip unnoticed into the spaces between your
thoughts and over the mounds of darkness inside
your body, and bring peace to both;
like the air inside bubble wrap
protects delicate pieces of glass in transit.

Always have a warm blanket; for those days
when the cold in your bones refuses to go away
after several rounds of drinks and with
the heat stolen from many warm bodies; I have
found that one made of memory works well,
filled with images, words, past adventures,
smiles, tears and music.