You don’t need an ice axe to be an explorer (but it couldn’t hurt)

Think that the world’s great explorations are all in the past? Think again.

Somehow I missed the article that ran earlier this summer in enRoute (Air Canada’s in-flight mag). They’ve collected insights from a handful of present-day Canadian explorers—including Colin & Julie Angus, who recently completed a self-propelled boat and bike expedition from Scotland to Syria; and Meagan McGrath, an aerospace engineer who’s the youngest Canadian woman to climb all Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each continent).

The six explorers talk about their sport and how it has evolved. Obviously we’re not going to be discovering a new continent anytime soon, but they beg us to explore, all the same.

Maybe you can relate? They may take travel to the extreme, but they’re motivated by: meeting new people, experiencing new personal challenges, feeding their intellectual curiosity, exploring the outdoors, and drawing attention to our impact on the world.

Their perspective is encouraging, emphasizing that exploration is more accessible and affordable than ever. They say that whether we end up near or far, we should follow our sense of curiosity and challenge ourselves; that we should take advantage of the insight gained from exploring, but not forget our responsibility as travelers to try to understand the people and places we visit.

What advice do they leave us? Take the initiative to learn about your destination before you land in-country, take the time to let a place seep into you, and do your best to give more than you take.