Ok.

Ive been neglecting poor old Thumbward Bound as if its the son with no athletic talent....

Today I met Jeremy Marie, a famous world touring Hitchhiker. It was amazing. We just chilled by the water, and got to exchange stories of life via the thumb. Its hard to ever talk to people who have never done it, as its very hard to relate, but it was like a prodigal brother with him. A few years older than me and a decade of experience between, we exchanged stories, tips and plans. It was brilliant, and the full post will be up shortly.

Heres the link to his website, definitely check it out.

TOUR DU MONDE

We're in Miami coincidentally together, both looking for a boat to the Caribbean.

More coming!

I FRIGGEN LOVE HITCHHIKING!!!!



that is all.

Its funny the things we take for granted, fail to appreciate, or focus all our gratitude towards. Its the food we expect immanently. the beauty of a newly influenced perspective, and the material possession. Its easy to overlook the meal were eating, as its always there, and we didn't have to do anything for it, other than a quick fiver, or boil a pot. We focus on our iPod, or Blackberry, as it is a cool material possession, as well as connection to the world we know. Well what about the world we don't know?
When I haven't eaten all day, I begin to rationalize and prioritize. It really puts shit into perspective, and makes me appreciate and see things differently.
Then I jump on google and find out almost 1/2 of the world doesn't know when their next meal will be......
I have an iPod, computer, cool gadgets. When I'm cold, hungry and tired, none of that shit matters in the slightest bit.

Maybe we should think about these things, even if they're sometimes intangible.
Or maybe that not everyone has the same opportunities we do, and we should consider ourselves lucky, instead of judging them as beneath us....

I know I didn't always think like the way I do now, and every day Im learning more and more about myself, and the people around it.

Change your thoughts and you change your world. Change your world, and you can change someone elses. Change someone else's and you can change the world.

So the trip has commenced, and I am on the road, although only a few hours down it.
Im going to be using the other blog; "where in the world is nate?" to keep the updates of my trip, and use Thumbward Bound to post other stories, links and related hitching articles.

Thats all folks!

If I got to chose a new set of friends, it would be from these guys.
LINK

Didnt you get the memo?

Finally got to snowboard today, and it worked out well, as it was the last possible chance to do this while still in Canada. I was chatting with a friend on the chairlift, and we reminisced about the good old days of being eleventeen. Lego, Saturday morning cartoons, basement forts, crushes, recess all that jazz. Man sometimes I wish I was a kid, in my Umbro shorts, and tearaway pants, worrying about when the sun goes down, as that was the curfew. Life was alot simpler back then, not a single worry. I think the inspiration and enthusiasm of youth is our single greatest resource. It encompasses all that we should strive to be; happy and carefree. Yes, the Hydro bill is due, and the kitchen reno estimations were through the roof, but its these material factors in our life which we prioritize before our general happiness. Unless you are a heroin addicted nymphomaniac (how did you find blogger??) you will have a roof over your head and belly full. We think that if we don't work our behinds off for 'the man', rush home in commuter traffic to boring old spaghetti, watch Corner Gas while balancing the chequebook before bed and do it all over again tomorrow and the next day, we will end up on the streets. We cant take that vacation because we have so many things that don't matter to attend to first! Its nice to have nice things, I myself am a sucker for some new gear, whatever it may be, but I'm not going to go out and invest myself into a life of unhappiness to obtain these things. I'm doing it now for this trip, and its awful. I hate waking up in the mornings, dreading my day ahead. And so many among us are living this everyday, all day for their entire lives. Oui, sacrifices need to be made, but are we seriously happy after 25 years when we have that out-of-our-price-range bungalow, and nothing to talk about? Its like the movie Officespace.

I was staring at some kids who had just climbed off a bus from school to go shred the mountain. I thought about how cool it would be to have had that when I was that age; the chance to snowboard right after school all night, through the school board. They were all like puppies, so excited, running screaming, lacing the boots with more enthusiasm than a Texan cheerleader during the Final4. I was being all Mr Deep Intellect, and realized something; Youth is not an age, or generation. It is a lifestyle. 5 or 50, do what makes you happiest. We only live once, but if you did it right, once is enough.

Young hearts be free.

I think you can still do it in prison.....

Have you guys heard of this? Ive known about it for a while, it was in a book I got a few years ago called street cultures and I saw a thing about it again a while back in Vice magazine. I think its a cool concept, not really my cup of orange pekoe though...

Guerrilla Gardening.