Valentine’s Day Adventures

Get out of your comfort zone and boost your self-confidence and fitness level. Challenge yourself to train and complete charity treks and cycling trips over Valentine’s Day. On February 13^th, VSO Charity has a climb up Kilimanjaro and Charity Challenge has a cycling trip from Saigon to Ankor Wat.  Great Ormond Street Hospital has a cycling trip around Rajasthan, India starting on the 14^th. There are many possibilities such as going to the Rift Valley, Morocco, hiking the Inca Trail, and other exotic locales.  Check charity web sites for these adventures and up-to-date departures.

Gwen was devastated to be newly single and dreaded being alone. Her adult children were sympathetic, however they had their own lives elsewhere.  A girlfriend told Gwen about a charity trek to Kilimanjaro and the two pals commenced training and hiking together. This trek required a certain amount of pledges to be raised for a charity, so these two were busy asking co-workers, businesses, and family to donate money. Gwen and Rose bonded with others in similar situations on this trek and made life-long friends.  They felt empowered, fulfilled and loneliness was a thing of the past. Gwen’s children were relieved that she moved on with her life in such a positive way.

Outward Bound has programs in the wilderness with some around Valentine’s Day. Participants “emerge to find out that they can do more than they thought they could.” You leave with a sense of personal growth.

If you want to get out of town before Valentine’s Day or other holidays, check on volunteer trips. You can assist archeologists on intriguing research right in the UK. Or you can travel to far flung places with volunteer associations. I went to a travel talk by a person who did scuba diving in Australia, counting marine life for Earthwatch.

Some people have done part of a Gap Year for Adults Program post-divorce. There are numerous books, web sites and resources devoted to this subject of doing Gap Year mid-life.   A divorced woman over 50 gave a fascinating slide show about her Gap Year installing and maintaining computers in a rural hospital abroad. You discover hidden talents and interests when embarking on these new post-divorce adventures.

Originally published in The Divorce Magazine .  thedivorcemagazine.co.uk