I think I'm starting to sound like Christopher McCandles

   I'm constantly surrounded by people like me. The vagabonds of the world who don't know how to rest. It's an fascinatingly adventurous life and it all seems quite normal to me at this point. However, I do remember some skepticism from kith and kin before I set out on the path I'm still on. I never had answers to their prodding questions. But now having been through the ups and downs of the traveling lifestyle for a while, I dedicate this post  to analyze the life I have chosen.
    Four months I've been roaming the world at will. Some would say I've had enough time at this point to sort my life, plan for the future, and make some steps towards setting down some roots. Perhaps to my own demise i still rebel against this stereotype with definitive confidence. More than ever I want to see the world. And speaking with other travelers just gives me more inspiration to go to these wildly new and different places.

   People who have walked down this same enthralling path as I are not blind to its down sides. We have a lot of time on our hands to discuss our lives openly. Some have made the observation that at a certain point of roaming around saying hello and goodbye in quick succession is a recipe for a transient person with few long lasting relationships. My response to this criticism is absolute agreement. 

    The question is what do you want out of life? All of our choices have consequences. My life choices are subsequently causing the loss of precious time with close friends and family. However I feel the time I spend traveling the world will create a more intelligent well rounded person. When I do return to my family between travels I'll appreciate the time with memories of nostalgia while I was on the road. Until that time comes, I'm going to keep moving, absorbing everything this diverse world has to offer.

    Through my eyes I view the world as the ultimate playground, but I suppose one day the bell will ring and recess will be over. A good friend of mine once told me he decided to go on a "ten year drift" before getting serious about life. He said the hell with college or a career and set to the climbing dirtbag road for ten years. Some may say you have to be a reckless, irresponsible type of person to make life choices like this.  My travels have taught me the contrary. Happiness  does not necessarily come from achieving high social status in our western world where the dollar is king. In fact the happiest people I've ever met we're in a tribe in northern Thailand, with very little money to their name. India is teaching me how little we need to survive. If need be I could live happily in India for less than $8/day. 

   I don't see any reason to not to take this road less traveled. And when the time comes to stop my drift I'll enjoy that next chapter in my life all the same. To all the non-believers out there who think the only way to find happiness is to follow the mold, I dare you to run away to a place without five star hotels or cruise ships. Lose yourself in the places in the world where money isn't as abundant and report back.  

     That's my rant what's wrong with the world from my hammock in southern India. Now I'm going climbing! :)