When you tell people you like to kayak either as a hobby or for sport, sometimes they don’t quite see the same appeal in it as you do. “What’s the point of sitting in a boat all day they might say?” As the realization sets in that they have most likely never kayaked before in their life, you say, “I enjoy being outdoors, the tranquility of nature, and all the different places I get to see and explore. I’ve kayaked all over the world.”
Their response, “You’ve seen one river, you’ve seen them all. Why bother to travel around the world to do something you can do at home.” It’s at this point you realize you are fighting a losing battle in trying to explain your reasoning until the person you are speaking to actually tries it.
Maybe your response to their questioning should be, “You can eat food at home, but does that mean you never want to go out to eat?” It’s kind of the same thing with kayaking. Just because you can do it near where you live, that doesn’t mean it isn’t exciting to explore new regions, peoples, and bodies of water. If you live in an area without much geography or many rivers, it could be a dream come true to kayak mountainous or coastal regions. If you live in a geographically diverse region, it may be more interesting for you to visit a different country to get the feel for the various lifestyles and living habits of the indigenous people as you paddle their waterways. Still others who are used to calmer, more serene kayaking venues such as lakes and lazy rivers might find a whitewater river trip, which may not be available where they live, more desirable for its excitement factor.
No matter what the reason, seeing different lands, geography, peoples, and waterways, never seems to get old to the true ‘river rat’. Not only does a kayaking expedition in different parts of the country or world make for new and interesting adventures though, it is also a test of sorts. Like mountain climbers searching for new challenges through mountains or cliffs, kayakers like to test themselves as well. Being out on the water alone, or with one other person, can be incredibly relaxing, but it can also test one’s skills. Pushing your navigation techniques, physical endurance, and kayaking abilities can be an intoxicating experiment that can lead you all over the world in search of new courses on which to conduct your trials.
Nevertheless, it is often simply the thrill of the adventure and what is just around next corner that drives us to find new locations to paddle. Discovering the beauty of nature while having the opportunity to learn about new countries, peoples, and cultures, is an amazing benefit of a kayaking expedition. In addition, as with looking back on many other trips and vacations, half the fun in the experience is getting there. Therefore, when someone asks why it is that you would want to kayak abroad when you can do it at home, you’ll know the answer, even if he never does.
If you are thinking to join a kayaking expedition then we here at S2Si are the people to talk to. We can help you join a kayaking expedition to Patagonia (Chile), Canada or New Zealand, we has the industry’s finest expedition leaders and operate to extremely high safety standards.
If you would like some information on a kayaking expedition the please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Tags: Character Building, Kayaking expedition, Kayaking in Canada, Kayaking in Chile, Kayaking in New Zealand, Kayaking in Patagonia, What are the best character building activities
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