Dear Reader…
I wrote Traveling High and Tripping Hard for anyone who may
be on the fence about making irrational decisions. Society is set up to keep
most people from pursuing their dreams—to keep things safe, comfortable, and
sterile. But life is short, and we only get one chance at it. Whether it’s school,
a job, or maybe even a relationship that seem to be keeping you from getting
out and experiencing the world; maybe it’s time to start asking yourself what
you really want out of life…
For me, I always wanted adventure. And while it’s true that any
good adventure comes with a little risk, sometimes it’s the exposure to danger that
can bring the best rewards. Most people will tell you that traveling to
politically unstable countries, doing drugs, and hanging out with questionable
company is a bad idea. But anyone that tells you not to do the things they have
done (while smiling), is probably lying to you. My stories specifically, are
not cautionary tales. They are not works of fiction meant to be enjoyed from
the comfort of your own couch. I wrote them to give you a little incentive to
go out and experience some of them yourself.
I don’t want to sound like I am preaching, or that the
decisions I made were the right ones. Anytime you stray far from the pack,
there are bound to be consequences—and I’ve had to face plenty of them.
Traveling is not all about capturing perfect postcard images. With all of the
beauty and magic that can be found, there are also plenty of ugly and sometimes
horrendous situations that you will have to face. But this is the reality of
life—and any attempt to whitewash it comes with its own set of risks. And
for me, those risks are even more dangerous. If we are all fed the same
narratives, received through small screens that can fit into the palms of our
hands, we’re all going to miss the big picture. And I, for one, have no
interest in living in a world where all of the mysteries of life can get swept
under the rug.
Don’t let anyone tell you there is nothing left to see and
explore. The planet is big and filled with wonder. Even if there aren’t any new
continents or lost tribes to be discovered, there are still plenty of stones
that have been left unturned. Go find them. Be curious. Get out there and see what the world has to
offer before it’s all gone. And that way, when someone asks you for a story
about your own life…you’ll have a tale ready that’s guaranteed not to bore them
to death.
The worst thing that can happen, is you’ll die before
getting a chance to tell it.
Love,
Joseph Davida
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