EVENTUALLY YOU COME BACK. ALL THE PLANNING PLAYS OUT, YOU ACHIEVED WHAT YOU DID, GOT YOUR EXPERIENCES AND THE OBJECTIVE BECAME GETTING HOME. FOR SOME THE THINGS THEY STOPPED TO ENTHRALL OVER ON THE WAY IN ARE IGNORED ON THE WAY OUT, FOR OTHERS THE SHOWS SADLY DRAWING TO A CLOSE. NO ONE LIVES ON EXPEDITION, EVEN US.
IN A WAY THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME BECAUSE IT’S WHEN YOU SET THE STAGE FOR THE NEXT TRIP. BEFORE LONG THE NORMALCY OF LIFE WILL REASSERT AND THE VALUABLE DETAILS THAT MAKE FURTHER TRIPS BETTER GET FORGOTTEN OR DOWNSIZED IN VALUE. IT’S NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR ANOTHER TRIP A YEAR LATER WITH PROBLEMS FROM THE PREVIOUS TRIP, HAVING NOT DEALT WITH THINGS WHEN REGULAR LIFE STARTED AGAIN.
THE HEALTHY TEAM BEGINS DOWNLOADING INFO WHILE IT’S FRESH; THINGS THEY SAW THEY GET CHECKED, IDEAS GET SET IN MOTION, POSSIBILITIES GET FOLLOWED UP WHILE PEOPLE STILL ARE ON THE BALL. SOMETIMES THE NEXT TRIP IS PLANNED BY THE TIME WE GET TO DEPARTURES.
FOR SOME THOUGH A TRIP CONCLUDING IS CONFUSING OR DEPRESSING, ESPECIALLY SERIOUS BIG TRIPS THAT HAVE TAKEN YEARS TO SET IN MOTION. IT’S COMMON TO HEAR THAT A MONTH AFTER GETTING HOME SOMEONE HAS HAD ISSUES READJUSTING TO A WORLD UNINTERESTED IN WHAT THEY’VE JUST DONE. SOMETIMES THE RAWNESS OF AN EXPEDITION CAN BE HARD TO STEP BACK FROM. OFTEN THE SITUATION WOULD BE POSITIVE BUT HOME LIFE DOESN’T ALLOW FOR THE HEALTHY PROCESS TO PLAY OUT.
REST YOU WILL BE MORE TIRED THAN YOU EXPECT AND A WEEK WONT DO IT. AFTER WEEKS IN THE STATE OF ALERTNESS AN EXPEDITION DEMANDS YOU NEED TO REST YOUR BRAIN NOT JUST YOUR BODY. GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION CIRCUIT DOESN’T ALWAYS HELP.
ASSESS BE CRITICAL. WHAT WENT RIGHT, WHAT DIDN’T. WHAT COULD BE DONE BETTER. NOT EVERY TRIP NEEDS TO BE ON AN UPWARD CURVE TO K2. SOMETIMES THE NEXT TRIP COULD BE SOMETHING NEW. SOMETIMES TAKE A YEAR OFF.
REPLACE FIX OR REPLACE ANYTHING IMPORTANT THAT DIDN’T COME HOME. SLEEPING MATS THAT PUNCTURED, JACKETS WITH HOLES, ZIPS THAT FUNKED UP, WIRES & PITONS THAT WERE LEFT FOR ANCHORS, CORD YOU USED UP, BOOTS THAT HAVE DONE THEIR TIME. GOING OVER GEAR IS A GOOD TIME TO DETERMINE WHAT YOU CAN REPLACE WITH SOMETHING BETTER. IF YOU DIDN’T EVEN LOOK AT THE #5 CAM MAYBE LEAVE IT OUT NEXT TIME, WOULD HAMMOCKS WORK INSTEAD OF A PORTALEDGE?
REFINE EXPERIENCE IS WHAT YOU’VE EARNED AND A TRULY REMOTE TRIP GIVES YOU UNIQUE INSIGHTS. IF YOU KNOW YOU DIDN’T NEED A TENT AND A TARP WOULD DO, RUN WITH IT. IF LOCAL PLASTIC BOTTLES WORK BETTER THAN NALGENES, GO WITH IT. IF A LIGHTER SLEEPING BAG, SKINNIER ROPE OR TITANIUM PITONS WOULD DO THE JOB, SWAP OUT.
THE POINT OF EXPEDITIONS IS TO DO UNIQUE TRIPS WHERE EXISTING NORMS MAY NOT APPLY. COMING HOME ONLY TO UNTHINKINGLY SIGN UP AND TROT OFF TO THE NEXT ONE IS MISSING THE DEEPER EXPERIENCE. FROM INITIAL CONTACT AFTER PLAYING WITH WINDY TV THROUGH TO BEING GREETED BY YOUR KIDS AT ARRIVALS, THESE THINGS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE FOR EVERYONE BUT FOR THOSE WHO DO THEM THEY ARE UNIQUE.
