Not Afraid of the Fall Read online

  Praise for Not Afraid of the Fall

  “Not Afraid of the Fall proves that the combination of crazy-in-love and bitten-by-wanderlust can lead to amazing places—if you’re willing to take the leap and let it. Kyle and Ash explore Europe and Thailand with an insatiable thirst for authentic experiences, air conditioning, and beer. Most of the time, they manage all three.”

  —Amy McCullough, author of The Box Wine Sailors

  “Reading this memoir is like being tucked into a new best friend’s pocket and going on the adventure you wish you’d been brave enough to take. Kyle James navigates different countries, cultures, and the full range of emotion that comes with traveling with someone you love, with humor, honesty, and an infectious sense of wonder.”

  —Katie McKenna, author of How to Get Run Over by a Truck

  “An alluring read for fans of travel writing, Not Afraid of the Fall is both exhilarating and inspiring. After reading this book you’ll want to go on your own epic adventure.”

  —Ed Stafford, Discovery Channel presenter and Guinness World Record–holding first man to walk the Amazon

  Copyright © 2017 Kyle James

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Inkshares, Inc., Oakland, California

  www.inkshares.com

  Edited by J.C. Gabel | Kaitlin Severini

  Cover design by Jack Smyth | Interior Design by Kevin G. Summers

  ISBN: 9781942645283

  e-ISBN: 9781942645290

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2016941217

  First edition

  Printed in the United States of America

  My sweet Ash,

  This book is dedicated to you. Without your push, we never would have fallen.

  I was afraid to leave the comfort of our lives in Denver, but waking up to your smiling face every morning, eager to explore, assured me that everything was going to be okay. I was then afraid of not finishing this book or not being able to find a publisher, but you urged me to keep writing. Ash, you are the wind to my sails and the ink to my pen.

  No matter where I go or what I do, the only thing I am sure of is that I want you by my side. Every cliff I jump off, every moped I crash, every morning after a night of food poisoning, every Mediterranean sunset, I want you by my side.

  I never want to stop exploring with you, Ash.

  Will you marry me?

  Contents

  PREFACE

  6/7/15 Denver, USA → New York City, USA

  6/8/15 New York City, USA

  6/9/15 New York City, USA → Oslo, Norway

  6/10/15 Oslo, Norway → Paris, France

  6/11/15 Paris, France

  6/12/15 Paris, France

  6/13/15 Paris, France → Brussels, Belgium

  6/14/15 Brussels, Belgium

  6/15/15 Brussels, Belgium → Antwerp, Belgium

  6/16/15 Antwerp, Belgium

  6/17/15 Antwerp, Belgium → Rotterdam, Netherlands

  6/18/15 Rotterdam, Netherlands

  6/19/15 Rotterdam, Netherlands → Amsterdam, Netherlands

  6/20/15 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  6/21/15 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  6/22/15 Amsterdam, Netherlands → Berlin, Germany

  6/23/15 Berlin, Germany

  6/24/15 Berlin, Germany

  6/25/15 Berlin, Germany

  6/26/15 Berlin, Germany → Prague, Czech Republic

  6/27/15 Prague, Czech Republic

  6/28/15 Prague, Czech Republic

  6/29/15 Prague, Czech Republic

  6/30/15 Prague, Czech Republic → Kraków, Poland

  7/1/15 Kraków, Poland

  7/2/15 Kraków, Poland → Auschwitz, Poland

  7/3/15 Kraków, Poland → Vienna, Austria

  7/4/15 Vienna, Austria

  7/5/15 Vienna, Austria

  7/6/15 Vienna, Austria → Budapest, Hungary

  7/7/15 Budapest, Hungary

  7/8/15 Budapest, Hungary

  7/9/15 Budapest, Hungary

  7/10/15 Budapest, Hungary

  7/11/15 Budapest, Hungary → Zagreb, Croatia

  7/12/15 Zagreb, Croatia

  7/13/15 Zagreb, Croatia

  7/14/15 Zagreb, Croatia → Kolocep, Croatia

  7/15/15 Kolocep, Croatia

  7/16/15 Kolocep, Croatia

  7/17/15 Kolocep, Croatia

  7/18/15 Kolocep, Croatia

  7/19/15 Kolocep, Croatia

  7/20/15 Kolocep, Croatia

  7/21/15 Kolocep, Croatia → Mljet, Croatia

  7/22/15 Mljet, Croatia

  7/23/15 Mljet, Croatia

  7/24/15 Mljet, Croatia

  7/25/15 Mljet, Croatia

  7/26/15 Mljet, Croatia

  7/27/15 Mljet, Croatia → Kor ula, Croatia

  7/28/15 Korčula, Croatia

  7/29/15 Korčula, Croatia

  7/30/15 Korčula, Croatia

  8/1/15 Korčula, Croatia

  8/2/15 Korčula, Croatia → Dubrovnik, Croatia

  8/3/15 Dubrovnik, Croatia → Rome, Italy

  8/4/15 Rome, Italy

  8/5/15 Rome, Italy

  8/6/15 Rome, Italy → Florence, Italy

  8/7/15 Florence, Italy

  8/8/15 Florence, Italy

  8/9/15 Florence, Italy → Siena, Italy

  8/10/15 Siena, Italy

  8/11/15 Siena, Italy → Genoa, Italy

  8/12/15 Genoa, Italy

  8/13/15 Genoa, Italy

  8/14/15 Genoa, Italy

  8/15/15 Genoa, Italy → Cinque Terre, Italy

  8/16/15 Genoa, Italy

  8/17/15 Genoa, Italy → Venice, Italy

  8/18/15 Venice, Italy → Burano, Italy → Venice, Italy

  8/19/15 Venice, Italy → Rome, Italy

  8/20/15 Rome, Italy → Rhodes, Greece

  8/21/15 Rhodes, Greece

  8/22/15 Rhodes, Greece

  8/23/15 Rhodes, Greece

  8/24/15 Rhodes, Greece

  8/25/15 Rhodes, Greece

  8/26/15 Rhodes, Greece → Santorini, Greece

  8/27/15 Santorini, Greece

  8/28/15 Santorini, Greece

  8/29/15 Santorini, Greece

  8/30/15 Santorini, Greece

  8/31/15 Santorini, Greece → Athens, Greece

  9/1/15 Athens, Greece

  9/2/15 Athens, Greece → Cairo, Egyp

  9/3/15 Cairo, Egypt → Bangkok, Thailand

  9/4/15 Bangkok, Thailand → Chiang Mai, Thailand

  9/5/15 Chiang Mai, Thailand

  9/6/15 Chiang Mai, Thailand

  9/7/15 Chiang Mai, Thailand → Elephant Nature Park, Thailand

  9/8/15 Elephant Nature Park, Thailand → Chiang Mai, Thailand

  9/9/15 Chiang Mai, Thailand

  9/10/15 Chiang Mai, Thailand → Railay Beach, Thailand

  9/11/15 Railay Beach, Thailand

  9/12/15 Railay Beach, Thailand → Ko Samui, Thailand

  9/13/15 Ko Samui, Thailand

  9/14/15 Ko Samui, Thailand

  9/15/15 Ko Samui, Thailand

  9/16/15 Ko Samui, Thailand → Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

  9/17/15 Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

  9/18/15 Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

  9/19/15 Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

  9/20/15 Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

  9/21/15 Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand → Ko Tao, Thailand

  9/22/15 Ko Tao, Thailand

  9/23/15 Ko Tao, Thailand

  9/24/15 Ko Tao, Thailand

  9/25/15 Ko Tao, Thailand

  9/26/15 Ko Tao, Thailand
<
br />   9/27/15 Ko Tao, Thailand → Bangkok, Thailand

  9/28/15 Bangkok, Thailand →

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  PREFACE

  Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? In 1989, I was born a middle child into a middle-class family in Middle America. Yes, I understand it is impossible to be born a middle child. I must have sensed there was a Valentine’s Day with my little brother’s name on it. I have been an independent middle child since I began crawling. At eight months old, I became bored with crawling and decided to walk. This allowed me to see more of my environment and get a better view of the world. At eleven months old, I discovered that taking my strides faster would cut down on my travel time and decided to run. I took plenty of falls, and in hindsight, I probably should have learned how to hit the brakes first. After third grade, I had learned enough in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and decided to move to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (That is what I told my third-grade teacher, at least.)

  Chapel Hill is my home. Even writing the words Chapel Hill makes me feel good. When I graduated from high school, I decided to take my academic talents (or lack thereof) to Boone, North Carolina, to attend Appalachian State University. This allowed me to see the world at an even higher bird’s-eye view, from 3,333 feet. The view of the mountains was great, but the view of a Southern girl from Lincolnton, North Carolina, was even better. I decided to make this girl named Ashley (Ash) mine. It took longer than I thought, and after many failed pickup lines (such as asking for ChapStick but then proclaiming I didn’t use the stick), I managed to convince her to go on a hike with me. We fell in love in the Appalachian Mountains that day, traveling across trails and rivers and exploring an area of the world neither of us had ever seen. The exploration of new things is quite an aphrodisiac. We graduated from App State, and we decided to move to Denver, Colorado, to begin our careers. It was our dream to travel the world together, but we had to work to make money, so we told ourselves we would work for a year and then leave.

  Ash was a kindergarten teacher and I worked in fundraising for a nonprofit called Junior Achievement. We lived our lives similarly to many Millennials. Getting through the five days of the week only by looking forward to the weekend. One year quickly became two, and the window to travel was disappearing. I had taken my place in the rat race to ascend the long, steep corporate ladder. As a result of our working lifestyles, our relationship suffered. Ash would wake up earlier than I did to commute to school, and we would not see each other in the morning. After work we would go to the gym. When we got home, one of us would start cooking while the other showered, and then we would switch places. We ate our meals on the couch and watched Netflix, dreading the next workday. On the weekends we would go out with friends and try to pack as much into those two days as we could. It wasn’t that we weren’t still in love; it was that we weren’t exploring new things anymore. We spent time hiking, snowboarding, and visiting new places in Colorado, but after two years of the same thing, our lives became monotonous.

  Desperate for a change, I landed what I thought was my dream job in an athletic program selling corporate sponsorships. I was leaving an amazing job at Junior Achievement with great people. Ash was absolutely devastated. She didn’t tell me, but I could see it in her eyes. She knew that this was it, our plants were rooted, and we would be in Denver for a long time. I told her that we needed to do this for our future and that we would take a two-week vacation somewhere amazing. She supported me because she knew I badly wanted this job, but our dreams of traveling the world would be put on hold once again.

  I began my new job and absolutely hated it. I spent my entire first day making cold calls. I came home and shared my disappointment with Ash. I have never felt quite as lost as I did that day in January 2015. I felt like my life had spiraled out of my control. So we made the toughest decision we had ever made: we decided to follow our dreams and travel the world. We decided to risk our future for a happier now.

  6/7/15

  Denver, USA → New York City, USA

  Ashley (Ash) woke up an hour earlier than I did. She was running around like a five-year-old on Christmas morning, throwing last-minute items into her fifty-liter REI backpack. I got out of bed quietly and snuck out of the room to avoid the tornado. When safely out of the flying-clothes zone, I let my morning routine commence: sitting on the toilet while the shower water heated up and reading my Twitter feed to catch up on general news, politics, and sports. The day we’d been planning for for six months—and dreaming about for years—had come; we were headed to the airport to leave our routine lives and travel across Europe and Southeast Asia with nothing but backpacks and each other.

  Our wheels were up by 11:00 a.m. We were passengers B5 and B7 in Southwest’s boarding line. (We never did find that mystery B6 person who somehow managed to check in between us online.) After more snacks than we could eat, multiple coffees, and four hours of prep work for our trip, we touched down at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

  Feeling adventurous and eager to test out our backpacking legs, we decided to trek the two miles from the airport to the nearest subway and ride the train into Manhattan. We exited the LaGuardia terminal to the smell of money and cigarettes. Welcome to New York.

  Google Maps had no walking directions from the airport, but what the hell does Google Maps know? We walked briskly and confidently in the cardinal direction of the subway. Two endless parking garages and a frightening Frogger experience later, our Uber had arrived.

  Our Uber dropped us off in the busy neighborhood of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The feeling I get in New York City is unlike how I feel in any other city in the world; it’s almost like I am the star of a movie, and the bustling streets and honking taxis are just the background in my scene. Everyone has his or her own movie in New York City.

  Eager for our afternoon caffeine fix, we ventured to the closest Starbucks, a mere fifty yards away. Did you know there are more Starbucks in New York City than pigeons? That is a false statement that I just made up; you shouldn’t believe everything you read.

  We ordered extra-large coffees and then walked next door to an overpriced pizzeria to grab massive slices of New York–style pizza.

  We took our calories and caffeine to Central Park, where we nestled into the grass to people watch and wait for our friends Orrie and Rebekah to get home from a wedding.

  Orrie and Rebekah are college friends from our alma mater, Appalachian State. We had not seen them in a few years, so we were excited to spend a couple days in their company. They are the type of people who improve every part of your life when you are around them. Their positive energy is both uplifting and infectious. They were the perfect people to send us away as we fell into the unknown world of unemployed backpackers.

  We arrived at their tiny Manhattan apartment around 11:00 p.m. and caught up with them for a few minutes before they headed to bed.

  6/8/15

  New York City, USA

  Orrie and Rebekah’s apartment window faces the building next door, so the sunlight had almost no way to enter the apartment naturally. We slept until 10:00 a.m. in the dark quarters of the studio. This was still only 8:00 a.m. Denver time, but we felt like lazy slobs nonetheless.

  With little motivation to spend any more money than we needed to, Ash, Rebekah, and I hung out in the apartment, chatted about our trip, and waited for Orrie to get home from work. Rebekah was so easy to talk to. Many people, myself included, simply hear people talk, but instead of truly listening, they’re just planning what they will say next and waiting to interject. Rebekah honestly and attentively tuned in to whatever was coming out of our mouths.

  When Orrie got home, we ventured back into the playground of New York City, enjoying overpriced beer and underpriced company in the West Village.

  Orrie and Rebekah decided to take us to their favorite restaurant in Chinatown to save money. As we walked, it amazed me how abruptly the culture changed during the course of a mere ten blocks. From robust bars and fine din
ing, to busy streets of shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants with Mandarin painted across the tops of the businesses.

  We stumbled upon the dumpling shack Orrie and Rebekah swore by. We nearly missed the sweltering hallway you had to duck down into to grab some grub. (This place looked like it would give me an upset stomach.) The shack was filled with steam and the stench that accompanied it. Despite the suspect conditions, the line of people out the door steadily grew.

  All I knew was it was a dollar for four steamed or fried dumplings. Ash and I ordered twenty. Why doesn’t this guy charge more money? I thought. The line never subsided, and four dumplings for a total price of one dollar seemed criminal. The dumplings were amazing, and Ash and I filled our faces while laughing as if we had figured out a cheat code to low-priced, essential New York City cuisine.

  We decided to head home to prepare for our second travel day. We took the subway to our stop and ascended up the stairs only to find that what was once a nice New York City evening had turned into a chilly, rainy night. At a break in the rain, we raced past speeding garbage trucks and soaked trash lined up along the street; the whole city smelled like a wet dog. As we climbed into bed for our last night in the United States, I thought about how great it felt going to places like the dumpling shack, places that only the locals knew about. Hopefully, we could find people as nice as Orrie and Rebekah overseas to show us the local gems.

  6/9/15

  New York City, USA → Oslo, Norway

  Once again, we slept through Orrie and Rebekah’s morning routines and awoke at 10:30 a.m. like two bears emerging from their cave. With only one day left in New York, we obviously had to eat breakfast at a New York bagel shop. I ordered the lox and cream cheese, Ash the veggie spread.

  We spent the afternoon people watching on Fifth Avenue as thousands of dollars walked by. I thought about how fresh these people looked but also about how stressful it must be to maintain a reputation of wearing clothes so nice. Everyone who walked by was wearing what would have been my most expensive outfit. Speaking of money, Ash remembered we needed to get some euros for our trip, so we strolled to the bank. It took us two Bank of America trips and two Chase trips to achieve this tedious task.