How-to Travel (Curiously)

Forward

This guide is geared towards exploration

amateurs. Remember, curiosity is key. Don’t

worry, we’ll find you a hand to hold.

Preparation

Before every great adventure, it is of great

necessity to prepare a knapsack packed with

goods:

1. high glucose but fibrous (therefore

healthy) s’mores granola bars

2. packets of tiny colourful bow-tie fruit

drops

3. pretzels drizzled with chocolate

4. a small container of fresh cut

watermelon and strawberries

5. a fork your mother won’t miss

6. a leather bound journal

7. a note pad/to-do list

8. an inky red ballpoint pen

9. a pack of cards

10. a couple plastic bags (you never know

what kind of artifacts you may come

across)

11. a mix of bills and coins enough for an

ice cream expedition

12. a map (from the local bus stop), for

parent pick-up co-ordinates in case you

get lost

13. a fellow adventurer to witness your

discoveries

14. a positive attitude, and most important

of all: Curiosity

Steps to Great Adventures

1. For those who take shelter under the roof of

one’s parents, call them, leave them a note

(a sticky-note on the door will do), and

remind them over breakfast, lunch and

dinner (starting from the morning before)

to ensure that they understand and

remember that you are bound for

adventure.

2. Take a step outside, and be consumed

by the rays of the sun. Breathe in. The

tulips billow in the light breeze with pink

cores and yellow dye seeping down the soft

velvet petals. Breathe out. Consider this

thought; do plants have feelings?

3. Notice the robin perched on the power

line, singing in harmony with the

swallows somewhere hidden in the vastness

of the sky. Breathe in… breathe out. You

are ready to depart.

4. With your knapsack on your back, set

off, skipping down the sidewalk, the

cement pushing back up against your feet

to the dwelling of your partner in crime.

5. Think to yourself; are you the one

hitting the ground, or is the ground the

one hitting you? Pull out a notepad. Write

in your to-do list, “Borrow a book that

details the three famous laws of Newton

regarding forces.”

6. While you wait for their welcome, sit on

the on the floral cushioned porch swing,

gently swaying with the wind. Kick off

those mud caked sandals and pop open a

bag of pretzels; obviously because they’d be

first to be crushed.

7. Glace towards the nearest tree top,

spying on a newly hatched robin, pink

and featherless. Question yourself: why do

birds lay eggs?

8. Before you officially depart, a brief

battle plan must be confirmed. A map

should be spread out on the nearest picnic

wooden table while the best route is plotted

out. Draw out some dotted routes with the

red, inky pen you brought along.

9. Take a break. Let the idea of how pens

are manufactured boggle your brain.

Make a mental note to yourself, find the

right How It’s Made episode online once

you get home.

10. Follow this carefully prepared plan and

head to the first destination. Tread

carefully, being sure not to step on

wriggling earthworms or scurrying ants.

Notice the long, seemingly faceless and

dually double-tailed worm; how can they

even reproduce?

11. Arriving at the nearest forest within

your suburban neighborhood, realise that

this olive, wooded, mud trail path is where

real adventure begins.

12. Embark with caution.

13. Study the rocks, darting squirrels

that rustle leaves, and the swamps;

noticing small fish and turtles rippling

the surface of murky pond water. However

interesting the tiny creatures of suburban

forests may be, still take note and honour

the microscopic creatures as well. Miniscule

protists and bacterial life forms are

everywhere.

14. Throughout your journey, it is highly

recommended that you keep an eye out for

small clearings within the forest, just big

enough to fit two people lying flat on their

backs.

15. Keep an eye out for long branches in

the sea of green that resemble faces and

objects created by the contrast of the dark

shadows. Collect them.

16. Be amazed. Nature is so bountiful and

each creature, branch and leaf is unique.

God is so good.

17. With the collected branches, build a

small shelter in the clearing you found.

18. When all is done, take a rest. Snack on

chewy granola bars and wash off the

sticky chocolate that melted off with water

from trickling stream. Wipe your hands

on sleeves of your partner, secretly.

19. Crack open a book and flip to the

bookmarked pages. Insert pretty leaves,

flowers and petals collected throughout the

trip; they’ll be preserved.

20. The sun is setting and time drains its

light along with your energy. Your

eyelids get heavy and slowly but surely,

your eyelashes meet. Breathe in. Feel a

light breeze graze your skin. Breathe out.

Hear the soft buzz of dancing bumble bees.

21. Relax. Rest upon the travel knapsack.

If your adventure partner has fallen into a

deep state of slumber from all the physical

activity, you will be assigned Mission

TTS: Take Their Sweater. Once TTS has

been accomplished, display your victory

by wrapping it around you; its dual

purpose being to keep you warm of course.

22. Open your eyes. Let your partner know

that you’re awake to stop them from

shaking you any longer. Tell them “Yes,

__________. I’m awake.” in the most

enthusiastic, energy-filled voice you have.

23. Brush off the curious ants wandering

across your belly. Let your eyes trail after

them, because you never know when you’ll

find their secret anthill entrance. If you

do, mark it with a flag. Then you’ll know

where to return to the next day.

24. Head home after an eventful day and

have a hearty meal; chunky clam chowder

complemented by crispy saltine crackers.

Get some rest, because adventure awaits,

and it’ll knock on your door bright and

early tomorrow morning.

25. Repeat steps 1-24 until summer ends.

On those seemingly bland summer days which occur

far too frequently, one may choose to pursue

productivity and entertainment versus being a first

class couch potato. However we may ideas that spark

seem to be nonsensical. The irritating sound of

upcoming due dates constantly ringing ten months a

year (eleven if you’re the eager study enthusiast) is no

longer existent. This “entercational” (a curious cross

between entertainment and education) How-to Guide

will open your eyes to the world as you have never seen

it before. Envelope your senses and dive into this

adventure to great depths untraveled.

We feature a convenient pocket-sized edition,

satisfaction is guaranteed.