Will the REAL Adventurer Please Stand Up?

My family and I have a slight obsession.  This obsession takes up a huge amount of our time together and incites laughter, heated arguments, and inevitably leads to the throwing and dodging of writing utensils.  What could possibly cause such moments of highs and lows in a generally stable family?
 

Pictionary.  
 
This game involves quick thinking, quicker drawing, and a knack for deciphering the scribbles of a left-handed younger brother; it also requires some serious use of imagination and creativity.  Your drawing of a captain steering a “sailboat” might scream Little Old Lady Who Lives in a “Shoe” to your otherwise astute partner.
 
While I would argue that a single game of Pictionary at my house is an adventure in itself, that’s not what this post is about.  By all means, if this inspires you to gather friends for a rousing round of the game, go ahead and play!  However, I instead would like to use my Pictionary anecdote to prepare you to tap into your imagination… here it goes!
 
Close your eyes. In your mind, picture a true adventurer.  What are they wearing? Carrying? Any peculiar smells, maybe? Are they on their way somewhere, or staying in one place for a while?
 
I bet a lot of us pictured the standard image of an adventurer: rugged (hopefully good) looks, tan, wind-burned cheeks, wearing a bandana, hiking boots, carrying a walking stick, probably exuding a slightly unpleasant stench.  They’re in a transition phase between travels, so they’re in one place for now, but not for long.
 
Hearing the word “adventure” tends to direct our minds to the typical idea of what an adventurer is and is not. I’d like to challenge this impression.  While the person described above definitely qualifies, so do a lot of other, more unconventional, types of people (yep, even ones who sit inside most of the day and don’t own a bandana). 
 
Until my next post, think about this question:  What makes an adventurer? Is it how they look? How they act? Is there a common thread that weaves together the international community of adventure-seekers? 
 
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to investigate the qualities that every adventurer—from beginners to seasoned explorers—possess.  I’ll take a look at some people that I think deserve an A in adventure, some of which are likely to surprise you. Hopefully this will help us all tap into our own adventurous spirits!