CALCULATED RISK
Thoughts, ideas, and stories about business, life, and good decision-making.
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Travel
I know, I know — this is against all the rules your parents taught you as a curious three-year-old, but it’s been the best way I’ve discovered local gems along this journey.
The key has been for me to initiate the conversation and ask for their guidance. That’s sometimes easier said than done, but this entire experience has been about pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone.
I intentionally left the Spain leg of this trip fully unplanned. It’s my effort to become more comfortable with the unknown. I almost chickened out on this road trip, but it’s a good thing I didn’t let self-doubt creep in.
Needing a tiny bit of structure, here are my tentative “rules” for this adventure…
I just booked my first Thai massage, which proved to be quite an adventure. After doing my research, I found a credible spot around the corner from my Airbnb. The English-version of their website refused to load for me, but I did enough browsing on the Czech page to know their pricing model is all wonky. Which brings me to how I almost got fleeced...
I haven’t spent enough time talking to strangers. In order to meet new people and get an insider’s look into Prague, I signed up for my first Airbnb experience (their more recent foray outside of lodging).
Perhaps it’s because I work with so many creative makers, am fanatical about to-do lists, and consider myself an old soul, but one session stood out from the rest…
On my last morning in Dubrovnik, I set my alarm for 5 AM. My Airbnb host told me the sunrise was even more spectacular than sunsets. As I watched the sun peak above the rugged mountains and illuminate the Adriatic Sea from my perch overlooking Old Town, it compelled me to chase the morning light through a Sunrise Serenity Series on Instagram…
For this European adventure, I intentionally made sure I had my lodging and flights arranged in advance (I would have suffered a mild panic attack otherwise), but as for my daily activities, I wanted the option to choose as I go. No “must-see lists” — just me waking up each day and deciding what I felt like doing.
One of my biggest anxieties around travel is that I’ll have an unsatisfying meal (sad, yet true)…
