I'm not one to openly mourn the passing of a celebrity, but there are few public figures who spoke to my sense of wanderlust and adventure the way Anthony Bourdain did. Through his eloquent story-telling and charisma, he inspired me to go out and explore as much of the world as possible. To seek out the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable, and the unknown. And in doing this, grow into a more well-rounded, empathetic human being.
Bourdain talked about more than just top-ten restaurants and tourist attractions. He called for us to understand each other, to have tough conversations, to walk in each other's shoes, all while sipping beer and eating great food.
This blog post is an ode to Anthony Bourdain, his words, and the influence he had on the way I view and explore the world.
"Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown."
- Parts Unknown.
It's easy to get caught up planning the perfect vacation. The perfect trip. Setting up daily budgets, creating strict itineraries, and devising backup plans for any situation. After all, it's good to be prepared, right?
Turns out, trying to plan for every little twist and turn, creates nothing but straight lines. Staying within the lines isn't always very fun, and can end up being stressful. Bourdain inspired us to plan the essential stuff, then let the destination fill in the rest of the adventure.
When my wife and I went on our month-long European trip, we didn't try to plan everything upfront. We had a list of destinations, but we figured out lodging and transportation on the road. The flexibility allowed us to reroute the latter part of our journey, leading to unplanned experiences like paragliding in Lauterbrunnen, exploring clock-towers in Lucerne, and chugging apfelwein in Frankfurt.
The world is full of adventure, we just have to give it a chance to surprise us.
"Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s OK. The journey changes you; it should change you."
- No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach. October 2007.
For many of us who work a typical office job, life gets very boring. We often travel to escape the monotony. So, we take time off, pack our bags, and run away to some fairy-tale theme park for a week.
Bourdain reminded us that travel is much more than beach resorts and tropical cruises. It's an opportunity to immerse ourselves in different, far-away places. He wasn't afraid to expose us to some harsh realities, making visible some of worst living-conditions we could imagine.
In travel, and in life, things aren't always pretty. And that's perfectly fine. One moment you might be sipping pinotage at a vineyard in Franschhoek. The next moment, you're walking through an impoverished township outside of Gansbaai, an extremely humbling experience.
It's important to embrace all the aspects of what we see, even if the memories are painful. In the end, it's all part of the journey, and has a lasting effect on our view of the world.
“I'm not an advocate or an activist or an educator or a journalist. I'm out there trying to tell stories the best I can.”
- Interview with Kam Williams. January 2015.
Bourdain brought a unique voice to travel media. Not only did he highlight a destination's sites and attractions, he exposed as much as he could from underneath it. He spoke openly about political turmoil, socioeconomic differences, and the overall human condition of the places he visited.
I created this blog to share my experiences and help others in their own travel endeavors. No, I may not be as eloquent as Bourdain, but he inspired me to share my thoughts with anyone willing to listen. Maybe my writing goes mostly unnoticed, maybe I've helped someone. I'm not sure. Either way, I'm telling my stories the best I can.
“Like I said before, your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”
- Kitchen Confidential. December 2008.
You don't have to watch many episodes of No Reservations or Parts Unknown to see how much Bourdain enjoyed "living it up" with his friends. On many occasions, he's throwing back the local alcohol, laughing, and partying into the night.
Traveling to a new and unfamiliar place often prevents us from enjoying ourselves. However, we need to remember: we may never have another opportunity to be in this particular moment, in this particular place, ever again.
Rest easy, Anthony Bourdain. You will be missed by many. We'll keep explorin' for you.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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