Melissa in her own words:

"After connecting with my now husband on match.com 20 years ago, we realized we had one key difference: he wanted a partner to 'Sail around the world'. I, on the other hand, wasn't an adventurer. I was a professional woman with a degree in Psychology, dedicated to non-profit work and healthcare.

But my husband ignited a desire in me to embrace life's adventures while we were still healthy. The turning point came when he asked, 'When are you going to quit your job and sail around the world with me?'

Despite my initial fears and attachments, I couldn't ignore the call to live life to the fullest. We set sail across the Pacific Ocean, and it changed me profoundly.

We continued our adventures by buying an RV and exploring the US, Canada, and Alaska, much to the surprise of our family.

These experiences made me resilient and fearless.

Returning from a sailing journey and hiking the John Muir Trail at age 62, I realized that the world was full of opportunities.

I see people looking at me differently now, sensing my quiet confidence. My adventure started late, but it's proof that life-changing decisions can happen at any age. The question remains: "Do it now or not?""

*Content Warning: This episode contains an instance of strong/abusive language that some listeners may find offensive.

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Show notes

Who is Melissa
Living is San Diego, California
Not being born into an adventurous family
Her early years and feeling connected to her dad (who died when she was 4)
Meeting her husband on match.com about 18 years ago
Blending 2 families together
After 10 years of marriage starting to discuss the sailing adventure
Being a career girl and not focused on adventure
Not having passion in her life
Doing little adventures but not committing to the big adventure of sailing around the world
Waiting for the kids to go to college
Making the commitment and putting a plan in place
Getting the boat and needing to learn new skills
Having a 5 year plan and changing everything about their life
Not spending more that $25 unless speaking to another person
Working as a team in a partnership
Having garage sales, saving money and making it happen
Starting to change and starting to get excited about the future adventure
Being called 'Captain B*tch Slap'
Being a forgiving person
Proving people wrong
Noticing her confidence changing
Dealing with tangled anchors while a storm is rolling in
Stats from the trip - the boat (Island Packet 37)
Starting in San Diego and sailing down to Mexico
Stopping to take a 1,000 mile car tour throughout Mexico
Pacific Puddle Jump from America's to French Polynesia
Feeling done with sailing after 11 months and wanting to go home
The challenges of getting the boat back from Hawaii to San Diego
The dream vs reality
Magical moments while out sailing and the challenges while being out on the water
Spending time on remote beautiful islands - the instagram moments
When the autopilot stopped working and having to steer the boat in 2 hour shifts for 24/7.
Deciding what to do next and wanting to sell the boat, take the money and buy an RV and travel around the US, up through Canada and head up to the wilds of Alaska
The challenges of RV Life and wanting to do 'Boondocking'
Feeling numb after traveling and feeling lost
Having therapy and starting to feel again
Getting into voice overs and having a way to start earning an income again
Learning to appreciate the little moments and the free moments
Being done with the corporate world and being a different person
Choosing to live a simple life and having more money than before, even though they're earning less
Renting out the RV
Deciding to hike the John Muir Trail (211 miles)
Planning and testing out all the gear
Why it was one of the toughest things she's ever done
Climbing Mt Whitney and the challenges with the elevation gain and loss
Trying to get equipment and gear to fit her height at 4′ 11″ / 150 cm
Ending up with an Osprey EJA 58
Trying to find trainers and shoes to fit
Watch the videos from the Pacific Ocean on YouTube
Final words of advice
Why you need to take an honest look at yourself and where you are in your life
Why you need to make a plan and get into the details
Give yourself little mini milestones to work towards
Start by putting your plan down on paper

Social Media

Websites:

www.theadventuretravelers.com

melissaharlowvo.com

Instagram: @theadventuretravelers

Youtube: @theadventuretravelers

2. Strijden voor een duurzame toekomst met Martijn Visser