Hoppy, the Reluctant Adventurer

I’m a reluctant adventurer.

Dwelling and work are my secure areas, and routine is the glue that holds my consolation zone collectively. Change creates nervousness and leaves me disoriented, anxious to return to the acquainted.

That’s one purpose — however not the one purpose — that I journey. I have to push myself past the sheltered consolation of my life. After I say journey, I’m not speaking about taking a trip. A trip is only a go to to another secure house away from work and residential.

After all, there’s nothing flawed with taking a trip. Downtime is important for psychological and bodily well-being.

However my lengthy absence from work was not a trip; it was journey journey. I went to Africa on safari in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. It was an costly, high-risk-high-reward expertise that had been on my bucket record.

I’ve achieved journey journey earlier than — to elements of Central America, South America and Southeast Asia — and fewer difficult journeys to elements of Europe. (In case you assume Europe isn’t difficult, attempt driving by means of Italy!)

I bought off to a tough begin this time, as usually occurs with journey journey. The dramatic shift in schedule and the stress of one thing so utterly international left me wishing I had by no means left house and swearing off any future journeys to far off locations. A abdomen problem, which appears to crop up each time I journey, made issues worse.

At one level, I stated to my spouse, “Perhaps my journey journey days are over.” However I do know this about journey: You could push forward and provides it time. Stick together with your plan and watch for a pure tempo and really feel of the expertise to kick in, and that’s what occurred.

In Rwanda, we hiked up a mountain to stroll among the many gorillas made well-known by conservationist Dian Fossey and the film primarily based on her guide, “Gorillas within the Mist.” The hike took all day and at instances, our information needed to hack by means of the forest with a machete to clear a path. The gorillas appeared largely unaffected by our presence, however it was a once-in-a-lifetime thrill for us to see these wonderful primates of their pure habitat.

In Zimbabwe, we went on recreation rides in Hwange Nationwide Park. Our open-air car bounced over tough filth and delicate sand roads to get close-up views of elephants, zebras, giraffes, lions, wildebeest, hippos and lots of extra animals within the bush. Our guides knew the best way to preserve a secure distance, however every nonetheless carried a rifle simply in case.

All of the journey was a problem. It isn’t straightforward to get from Morgantown to the Rwandan mountains or the plains of Zimbabwe and again once more. Our three flights to get house added as much as about 24 hours within the air.

Journey journey to a number of areas wears you down, makes you weary, however I’m additionally fulfilled by the expertise of journey to new and dramatically completely different locations. As somebody as soon as stated, “We journey to not escape life, however for all times to not escape us.”

I’ll preserve that in thoughts as I return to the consolation of house, the pleasures of my job and the safety of my routine … and await my subsequent reluctant journey.

Hoppy Kercheval is a MetroNews anchor and the longtime host of “Talkline.” Contact him at [email protected].