This book is an overview of about ten years of my life. I've been fortunate to have the ability to travel around the world and experience many new and exciting things. During this time frame, I lived in four different states and traveled to over thirty countries.
My book starts out on a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on our way to the Philippines. This is my opening chapter, then I go back in time to when this whole book got started, starting with me as a financial advisor for a large mutual fund. I take vacation time to backpack through Europe and fall in love with the whole adventure. I get back and quit my job.
From here, I take what I call a snowball ride that was amazing. I've worked on a hot-air balloon team (Arizona), a season at Yosemite National Park (California), one month on a shrimping boat and 4.5 months at an oyster farm (both in Alaska), a dinner cruise/excursions to other islands (Hawaii), sportfishing (Maui), and many other things to make this all possible.
As far as what I have seen and where I've been is concerned, it is amazing, and I'm so grateful for everything: Europe--seven countries and sixteen major cities, six weeks; Japan and Thailand, five weeks; a dude ranch in Mexico; so much of Yosemite National Park; six months in Alaska (all on the ocean); and moving to Maui solo with $800 in my pocket (Maui is a big part of this book. One month turned into ten years); and six months in South America / Central America. I crossed the Pacific on a boat in twenty-eight days and traveled through Southeast Asia solo in 1.5 months. The list goes on, and there is so much more to read about.
Take a Decade: A True Story is a book about adventure, opportunities, friendships, good times, and bad times. There is love and death, happiness and sadness, and most importantly, a lifetime of so many happy memories. It is a book of opportunity to each and every one who may read it. I did it, so can you!