Throughout the Voyages, we emphasize the mantra, "everything is optional." We take pride in offering a variety of activities, meals, hikes, and workouts, and we genuinely appreciate it when everyone gets involved. However, we equally respect and support guests who choose to opt out of certain activities.
Let me share a couple personal experiences from this summer. During the June Voyage, I found myself grappling with sun poisoning, an unpleasant consequence of excessive sun exposure resulting in painful, itchy red bumps. Our destination was Nisyros, where we planned to visit a volcano. Ali, our enthusiastic guide, proposed an additional hike from the volcano back to the boat. Despite having an active group keen on the extra hike, I made the conscious decision to opt out.
While I accompanied the group to the volcano and spent an enjoyable afternoon exploring the crater with the group, I chose to take the shuttle back to the boat instead of participating in the bonus hike. It wasn't an easy decision for me, as I genuinely relish the excitement of discovering new hikes with Ali. However, my body was signaling a clear need to escape the sun promptly, and I listened.
Fast forward to the September Voyages, and I found myself facing a different challenge— a fractured ankle from dog-related tumble in my backyard. Despite the injury, I managed to participate in most of the hikes by prioritizing ankle elevation and Mediterranean submersion afterward. I did, however, skip the workouts that involved lateral movements and/or stabilization.
So, when I emphasize that the Voyages can be as active as you choose, I speak from personal experience. We've had guests who embrace every hike, even throwing in hill repeats for good measure. Conversely, some guests opt to skip all the hikes and the workouts. Then there are those, like me, who gauge their activity level based on how they feel in the moment.
There's a profound metaphor for life woven into these experiences—something about embracing the nuances and shades of grey. In a world where everything is optional, the power to choose how actively we participate is a liberating and empowering aspect of the Voyages and, perhaps, a reflection of life itself.