My Doctor told me I needed to turn my life around.
I worked in a high-stress job doing Field Service work for a major Fortune 500 company. I went to the doctor for a checkup, and he said I needed to do something else for a while or die. But instead, of giving me a prescription for a pill, he prescribed I get away from it all and go adventuring with my family. This was the strangest thing I had ever heard of. I showed the script to my wife and she, at first laughed it off. But, she looked at the condition I was in, and I was out of shape, I was sleeping too much, and I was irritable.
Fortunately, I had a lot of vacation time, and we had saved money for holidays we never took. So, we gathered the kids together and told them we were going on an adventure. They weren't too keen on the idea. In fact, my daughter could raise her eyes above her Smartphone. My boy was antsy wanting to get back to his MMORPG game on the Internet.
So, we decided for them we were taking to the adventure trail, and in the last three years we have been to more places and seen more things that have changed my entire family's outlook on life. My health is better than ever, and I toned down; the wife is smiling more and is tanned. The kids are now active and do not spend so much time sitting immersed in the Virtual World.
It's all because we decided to go places and do things we never imagined before and the places we have seen and done so far might surprise you.
Camping in Ceylon
I never understood why Camping is a great outdoor activity for families until our first outing and we went to Ceylon. My kids did not even know where the place was and I admit I was vague on the subject as well, nevertheless, after we had talked it over with our travel agent and got on a plane. (A number of them it turned out)
Once we landed in Sri Lanka, once we left the airport we saw a world we never dreamed of. We got to make camp in a jungle where flowering tropical plants rose to fantastic heights, and the scent of perfume was in the air. Birds of almost any hue you could image flutter about and sit on branches seemingly unafraid of the interlopers in their midst.
We met a whale when we hit the beach and took an aquatic tour on a bunch of 50-gallon drums lashed together to make a raft.
Also, my son got to pet a dolphin. It seems they come close to shore and even help fishermen with their catch and both share in the fruits of their labor. Though, lately, the Dolphins are getting the short end of the stick as they are being poached in large numbers.
However, when we were there, they were not afraid of man and often you could see them and people swimming together.
When we came home, we were tired but we all were bronzed, and I had lost 10 pounds, and we were already planning our next outing.
Trek in Sri Lanka
Since we had so much fun in Ceylon, we decided to try our luck in Sri Lanka again the following year. This time we decided to meet the animals up close and personal. There were bicycle tours that let us travel around the island that was once home to 2001 creator Arthur C. Clark. We saw Shaman walk on fire and I tried it as well. I don't know what that old guy did. But, I and the rest of the group made it across the hot coals without as much as getting a blister.
We then went to meet some of the largest land animals on the planet, and my wife and daughter rode an elephant for the first time. My son had his picture taken with a monkey, and I got to indulge in some of the best food I have ever eaten. By the way, they got some large spotted cats there as well, and I blundered into one while I was answering the call of nature. I was startled, to say the least as this doesn't happen in downtown Chicago.
The cat looked at me once, licked its paw and casually sundered away. I was able to snap a pic with my iPhone, as I knew the kids wouldn't believe me without proof. Needless to say, I was more careful about leaving the bike path after that.
This second trip to Asia ended as a resounding success. We came home with mementos and memories that beat playing on the computer, texting and surfing the net.
Meet a Tiger in Thailand
Our 3rd trip we decide to go all the way to Thailand. In Bangkok, I once again got my fill of delicious and exotic cuisine. The wife and the kids tried it and liked the heat of the spices that actually make you cool. My wife is now addicted to the Thai Iced Coffee and we now go to Thai restaurants here in the states that serve it. We went to the Elephant Park and once again met the Asian elephant. These were retired work animals and the place game them a home to live out their golden years. However, a short trip away from Bangkok we were to the Tiger reservation. Here my son got to hold a baby tiger, and I had to tell him we couldn't take it home with us on the plane. My daughter was very brave, got to ride a tiger, and even had her picture getting her face licked by her ride afterward.
We then headed south to Lanta Koh a few hours by boat from Krabi, a small coastal town that is the gateway to the many islands near Thailand.
The kids swam and snorkeled while dad sat under an umbrella with an iced drink in his hand. I lost touch with the wife as she and a Thai lady she went shopping for textiles, which are the mainstay industry of the island, and she came away with a suitcase full of new clothes.
At night we feasted on freshly caught fish taken from the waters just off where we were, staying, my son and I learned how to spear fish in a small village where the people there are called the "Kings of the Sea." I saw sharks and other large fish that I could not identify. But, the locals seem oblivious of the sharks and they, in turn, ignored them.
Too soon, our time was up, and we had to bid adieu to Thailand. However, with so much we have not seen or done, we are even thinking of buying a vacation/retirement home there as the laws now allow Americans to take 30-year leases that are renewable. So, that gets around the "Thai Only" land ownership, and that is making retiring in Thailand one of the best deals around lately.
Adventure and Family Travels Are the Best Prescription
My doctor smiles when I walk in for my checkups and asks about my adventures. My heath has improved my health, and my outlook on my life has changed. I am calmer, and I do not feel stressed out anymore.
So, if the world, job, and its problems are getting you down. Don't wait until you doctor warns you about your health. Pack up the family and see for yourself why adventure activities are great for the soul, mind, and your health.
Author Bio:
I'm Tomothy Jackson, a founder of BeastRoar, an adventure, survival writer. I want to help readers by sharing my experiences camping, trekking, hiking and fishing. I hope to inspire others to fully explore the depths of their passion.
