"You should write a book!"
In 2001, I asked myself what I would do if my doctor told me that I only have 3 years to live. What would be important to me? Would my priorities change? The things that I always thought that were important might not be so important anymore. I tried to stay within reason, but I really tried to stick to the premise that I had about 3 years to live. What were the things that I would focus on over that 3 years? I quickly decided that I would travel and see the world.
Traveling was always exciting to me but I only took on average, one or two international trips a year before my whirlwind adventure began. After I started my adventure, I would often be in three different countries every month.The USA is one of the best countries in the world but Americans have this warped sense of reality that we are the center of the Universe. It is estimated that less than 20% of Americans own a passport, thus a very low rate of international travel. Many Americans can't locate both Mexico and Canada on the map which is shameful. In my extensive travels outside of the United States I began to see how "ugly" Americans can be.
In many places around the world, it was the Americans who were loud and obnoxious, didn't make an effort to blend in or just didn't respect the country that they were in.Everyone that I have ever met has told me that I should write a book. My friends all use to tell me that my life was unbelievable and they wouldn't believe it if (a) they didn't know me and (b) I didn't have the pictures to prove it. My friend use to tell me that my life was a mixture of a Seinfelt episode mixed with a soap opera combined with a Lifetime TV movie.
I do admit that I have lived an extremely exciting life. I have been blessed with good health and a positive outlook on life. I have always had the attitude that no one is going to give you anything in life. If you want something you have to go out and get it. No one gave me anything. Everything that I have I did on my own.
Most people lead an ordinary life. They have an ordinary job, have an ordinary house and do ordinary things all their lives. I believe you must do extraordinary things in your life to be special and take full advantage of this short time we have here on Earth. Traveling and seeing the world was one of those extraordinary things.
It will take a long time but I will eventually post detailed reports from various places I have traveled to. I type over 160 words a minute so that will help but I'm really pressed for time working. I love photography as well and took many photographs from most of my vacations so I will post them as well.I have done some crazy things during the past 3 years. From the time that I met a girl in Cali, Colombia that I didn't know and bought her and her brother passports, clothes, suitcases, plane/train tickets to fly and meet me in Peru... to the time I met a girl online from Mexico and dropped everything to go fly and meet her to the countless vacations where I decided to fly to Paris or London "this weekend" at the last minute. Hopefully it is as entertaining as it was fun for me.
I enjoy writing and took my small Dell laptop on most of my trips to listen to music and write in my journal. Luckily I saved my journals so many areas (not all) I will post my diary as well. I always planned on writing a detailed book about my life and my adventures. Almost every single person I have met has told me that I life was a good "book" or "movie" in the making. Who knows.... maybe someday I will sell the rights to make a movie based on my adventures called "3 Years to Live". Maybe I can ask them to star Ben Affleck to play me?
Traveling was always exciting to me but I only took on average, one or two international trips a year before my whirlwind adventure began. After I started my adventure, I would often be in three different countries every month.The USA is one of the best countries in the world but Americans have this warped sense of reality that we are the center of the Universe. It is estimated that less than 20% of Americans own a passport, thus a very low rate of international travel. Many Americans can't locate both Mexico and Canada on the map which is shameful. In my extensive travels outside of the United States I began to see how "ugly" Americans can be.
In many places around the world, it was the Americans who were loud and obnoxious, didn't make an effort to blend in or just didn't respect the country that they were in.Everyone that I have ever met has told me that I should write a book. My friends all use to tell me that my life was unbelievable and they wouldn't believe it if (a) they didn't know me and (b) I didn't have the pictures to prove it. My friend use to tell me that my life was a mixture of a Seinfelt episode mixed with a soap opera combined with a Lifetime TV movie.
I do admit that I have lived an extremely exciting life. I have been blessed with good health and a positive outlook on life. I have always had the attitude that no one is going to give you anything in life. If you want something you have to go out and get it. No one gave me anything. Everything that I have I did on my own.
Most people lead an ordinary life. They have an ordinary job, have an ordinary house and do ordinary things all their lives. I believe you must do extraordinary things in your life to be special and take full advantage of this short time we have here on Earth. Traveling and seeing the world was one of those extraordinary things.
It will take a long time but I will eventually post detailed reports from various places I have traveled to. I type over 160 words a minute so that will help but I'm really pressed for time working. I love photography as well and took many photographs from most of my vacations so I will post them as well.I have done some crazy things during the past 3 years. From the time that I met a girl in Cali, Colombia that I didn't know and bought her and her brother passports, clothes, suitcases, plane/train tickets to fly and meet me in Peru... to the time I met a girl online from Mexico and dropped everything to go fly and meet her to the countless vacations where I decided to fly to Paris or London "this weekend" at the last minute. Hopefully it is as entertaining as it was fun for me.
I enjoy writing and took my small Dell laptop on most of my trips to listen to music and write in my journal. Luckily I saved my journals so many areas (not all) I will post my diary as well. I always planned on writing a detailed book about my life and my adventures. Almost every single person I have met has told me that I life was a good "book" or "movie" in the making. Who knows.... maybe someday I will sell the rights to make a movie based on my adventures called "3 Years to Live". Maybe I can ask them to star Ben Affleck to play me?
posted by ABA at 10:32 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home