If you were me..

[Allie]

Hi all,

I was reading the 'bushcraft instructor' thread recently and read a quite inspiring post from Dougster about taking advantage of being 19 and throwing on a backpack and heading out into the world.

As a 19 year old myself I really appreciated such advice, and it got me thinking that there's such a broad range of people on this forum who must have had some amazing experiences and, equally, regrets, and I feel like I'd be a fool if I didn't take advantage of such a community and request any more wisdom you folks would care to impart.

I'm about to start university, but with 8 week terms I'll have have half the year free to do what I want (bar revision etc, of course ), and I don't want to waste it as I have with a lot of my free time so far.

So please, any wisdom you'd like to share, or quotes/adages you yourselves like to abide by, post it here!

Cheers,

Allie

 

[JonathanD]

In between years at uni I went to Kenya for sixth months and worked for the Nairobi snake park and other herpetologists studying and catching reptiles in the area. Great time with many dramas and stories to tell. Doing something like that is very rewarding.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Go for it. When I finished my apprenticeship I went to Oz, bought a camper van because I wasn't keen on the backpacker thing and went off mooching about for quiet fishing spots for almost 10 months.
My reasoning for doing it was that I'd better do it whilst I can rather than not get the chance later on in life.

 

[Tengu]

I would stay at home. get to relax now, you might not later.

(Says she who is too laid back and not at all inclined to go anywhere)

 

[sasquatch]

I went travelling as soon as I could and it's something I'll never regret. It's not for everyone but I certainly enjoyed it!

 

[Limaed]

I went on a Raleigh International Expedition to southern Chile for three months, It was a fantastic experience involving mountaineering, kyacking, building community buildings to name but a few. The projects are very rewarding and certainly developed me as a person along with been challenging in lots of ways. Lots of the ethos and ways of doing things have a strong Bushcraft base, for example we cooked on an open fire for much of the expedition. Check out the site: www.raleighinternational.org

 

[John Fenna]

Travel!
Europe is handy but outfits like Raleigh can get you furthur away with good back up and give you a framework to work within (it was being a staff member for them that lead to my travelling - leading various expeds - and I found the set up pretty good) but even just walking some of the LDPs in Britain widens your horizons if cash is tight and your "slots" for travel are short.
I started by walking the Pennine Way - a classic - and last year did the Hadrians Wall walk.
Save your dosh when you can and spend it TRAVELING!

 

[tobes01]

Agreed - get some travel in. I missed the chance at Uni and really regret it. When I finally got to see some of the world in my late 20s I realised just how much I'd missed out on. When you're older you'll be bogged down by job, mortgage, kids etc etc and trips are only a few days here and there. What's more, you become an old fart who demands a decent bed for the night and a proper toilet (in hotels anyway). At 19 none of that stuff really matters and you can go anywhere, for months at a time, on a tiny shoestring budget.

PS - try to keep debt to a bare minimum over the next 3 years. It's not easy, but it's worth it. I spent most of my 20s chasing credit card debt that had its roots in my university days. If I hadn't had that debt I could have been free to do what I wanted.

PPS - nobody went to their grave thinking 'I wish I'd had less sex'. Just a thought.

 

[ged]

PPS - nobody went to their grave thinking 'I wish I'd had less sex'.

Well there was a guy named Mozart...

 

[Allie]

In between years at uni I went to Kenya for sixth months and worked for the Nairobi snake park and other herpetologists studying and catching reptiles in the area. Great time with many dramas and stories to tell. Doing something like that is very rewarding.

Wowee, how did you come across that?

PPS - nobody went to their grave thinking 'I wish I'd had less sex'. Just a thought.

Ha, nice.

I have come across Raleigh International, I wonder if I'll have enough time next summer.. From the looks of things though, you can do less than three months if you need to..

 

[ged]

So please, any wisdom you'd like to share...

The best things I ever did were build a house, start a few businesses, and feed the wild creatures that stop by now and then.

Don't make long term plans which can go horribly wrong if things beyond your control suddenly change. I don't mean don't make plans, but they need to be flexible. For example, I trained to build nuclear reactors. It was kind of a life's ambition. By the time I qualified as a Chartered Engineer the government had decided we weren't going to build any more nuclear reactors, so now I sell pens and pencils. Obviously I condensed that story a bit but all the same I spent seven years at university and working at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment preparing myself for the biggest let-down of my life. After a couple more let-downs I decided I wasn't going to do it their way any more and became self-employed, and perhaps just a touch bitter. But I've never regretted leaving the nine-to-five routine, even when it's been tough. It's tough right now, and it's going to get tougher. If I were 19, footloose and fancy free, and in Britain, I'd go someplace else and watch things unfold from a safe distance. Get some decent health insurance if you think you might need it, at your age it's very cheap.

 

[wanderingblade]

Another vote for travelling.

In '96 my mate and I packed our rucksacks, grabbed our guitars and caught a ferrl to France.

When we got off the ferry we thought 'Righto - lets see whats down this road here' And off we went - no plan, no direction, no idea!

Ended up travelling the west coast of France, round Spain, through Switzerland, into Germany and back home Via Belgium. Best 6 months of my life - so good we went back for another year! (only came home for xmas)

If you can play an instrument you have a ready source of cash - we made good money busking / playing bars. It's also a bloody good way to meet ladies!

 

[Toddy]

There are networks out there. Networks of people who share some common interest. Weavers, basketmakers, vintners, boatbuilders, market gardeners, beekeepers, social activists, green issue campaigners, musicians..........they all know someone else who knows someone else somewhere else, and it can take you right round the world......don't be afraid to talk to people
It's amazing the things you can learn, the experiences and friendships you can develop

atb,
M

 

[charleslockerbie]

Do it, I didn't and now suffer from depression from spending 3 months every summer for 4 years alone. I wish i had the guts to do it back then.

 

[Tengu]

How completley magnificent.

(I should rent myself out to the NT as a hermit for one of their properties, shouldnt I?)

No, I say dont travel, you may only (if not careful, and you have to be very careful) see what others see.

Stay at home and get used to and `back of hand` familiar with local area.

Travel is expensive. Save your money and you will have a deposit on a flat.

If you can buy a property by the time you are 25, you will be laughing.

`THEN` you can travel...but dont let others press you into it.

And dont fret if you waste your youth. My friend who has been on adventures that would scare the pants of youngsters started when she was 69.

 

[malente]

Now is the time to make mistakes (i.e. travel, experience, do crazy things). But be safe.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Best advice I was given is;- Its better to regret doing something than regret not doing it.