There are recurring subjects that have come up in my travels, 2 constants are 'Couchsurfing' and 'Into the Wild'. One of the biggest proponents of Couchsurfing in my travels was an American who was described to me as reminiscent of Charles McCandless. He had great stories and breathtaking photos, a person with an intriguing style of travel which I experienced firsthand as we became running mates roadtripping in Portugal.
I finally I got to read a bit of the book whilst staying at my Couchsurfing host's place in Denbosch, Netherlands.
'Into the Wild' by Jon Krakauer
A letter from Chris McCandless (Alex Supertramp) to Ronald A. Franz
... Ron, I really enjoy all the help you have given me and the times we spent together. I hope that you will not be too depressed by our parting... I’d like to repeat the advice I gave you before, in that I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing or been to hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one piece of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, Ron, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty...
You are wrong if you think Joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living.
My point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubbornness to engage in new circumstances.
... you will see things and meet people and there is much to learn from them. And you must do it economy style, no motels, do your own cooking, as a general rule spend as little as possible and you will enjoy it much more immensely. I hope that the next time I see you, you will be a new man with a vast array of new adventures and experiences behind you. Don’t hesitate or allow yourself to make excuses. Just get out and do it. Just get out and do it. You will be very, very glad that you did.
Take care Ron,
Alex
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