When You Travel The World... You Find What You're Looking For

One of the most common questions I get asked before an expedition is:

"Is it safe?"

The destination changes.

Sometimes it's Mexico.

Sometimes it's Brazil.

Sometimes it's Mongolia, South Africa, or the Bahamas.

But the question is always the same.

Is it safe to travel there?

And after more than twenty-three years of traveling the world, my answer is usually the same.

Yes of course it is, we wouldn’t be going there if it wasn’t. 

But… you find what you're looking for.

Now let me be clear. Bad things happen. Crime exists. Common sense matters. There are places in every country that are best avoided.

But most people asking this question aren't really asking about crime statistics.

They're asking if the locations we are visiting are dangerous.

The truth is this.

If you're looking for trouble, you’re probably going to find it.

If you're wandering unfamiliar cities at three in the morning, looking for the next bar, the next party, or the next bad decision, eventually trouble has a way of introducing itself.

The world has never struggled to provide opportunities for poor choices.

But that's not what I'm looking for.

When I travel, I'm looking for wildlife.

I'm looking for stories.

I'm looking for beautiful landscapes, local restaurants, small villages, and conversations with people whose lives are completely different from my own.

And what I continue to find, over and over again, are good people.

That doesn't mean I travel carelessly.

In fact, I do the opposite.

I protect my camera gear and personal belongings. I pay attention to my surroundings. I lock valuables away when appropriate. I avoid putting myself into situations that don't make sense, and I've never been much of a fan of wandering large cities, especially at night.

Wherever I travel, I try to remain aware.

Awareness and fear are not the same thing.

Being aware doesn't mean you distrust people. It doesn't mean you assume the worst about a destination. It simply means you understand that personal responsibility travels with you.

I don't let my guard down because I'm in Mexico.

I don't let my guard down because I'm in Brazil.

I don't let my guard down because I'm in Mongolia.

And I don't let my guard down when I'm at home.

Awareness is a habit, not a reaction.

Ironically, I think this mindset is one of the reasons my experiences around the world have been so positive. I don't travel in fear, but I don't travel blindly either.

I pay attention.

Then I focus on the things I came to find.

Over the years I've sat at dinner tables in remote villages.

I've shared boats with fishermen.

I've been welcomed into homes, communities, and cultures all over the world.

I've met people who had every reason to ignore a stranger and instead chose to help.

I've watched guides work tirelessly to give guests the experience of a lifetime.

I've seen kindness expressed in languages I couldn't understand.

What I've discovered is that most people are simply trying to live their lives, take care of their families, and find happiness wherever they can.

They're not much different than you and me.

Many of the places we visit on expedition are small communities built around wildlife and tourism.

These aren't places filled with people looking for trouble.

They're places filled with people who are proud of their homes and excited to share them with visitors.

And that's exactly what I find.

Magic.

Not because the world is perfect.

Not because danger doesn't exist.

But because I believe travel works a lot like life.

If you spend your days looking for reasons to be afraid, you'll find plenty.

If you spend your days looking for reasons to be angry, you'll find those too.

But if you look for kindness, generosity, beauty, adventure, and connection, you'll find those as well.

The world tends to reveal what we're paying attention to.

After more than twenty-three years on the road, my memories are filled with whale sharks, jaguars, sperm whales, brown bears, snow leopards, and countless acts of kindness from complete strangers.

Those are the things I was searching for.

And those are the things I found.

Because in my experience, the world is far kinder, more welcoming, and more beautiful than most people imagine.

So when people ask me if a destination is safe, I usually smile.

Then I tell them the truth.

Of course it is!

Travel Day...The Beautiful Chaos Begins

It always starts the same, early alarms, groggy eyes, last-minute gear checks, and the quiet hum of anticipation.

Today is a travel day… We are Mexico Bound!

The beginning of another adventure into the unknown. 

And while I’ve done this hundreds of times, it never feels routine. 

There’s always a mix of emotion swirling just below the surface.

There’s the excitement, of course, the thrill of what’s ahead. 

The chance to see old animal friends in wild places. 

To meet new people. 

To witness the kind of moments you can’t predict and could never plan.

But there’s also the tug. 

The ache of leaving home.

The heaviness in the chest when you close the door behind you, knowing it’ll be weeks before you open it again.

You say goodbye to the familiar rhythm of daily life, and step into the rush of airports, red-eye flights, and border crossings.

And then… you arrive… Damn, I love Mexico.

The warm air hits you the moment you step outside the airport, thick with ocean and sun and a scent you forgot you missed.

The sounds are different. 

The language dances around you.

People smile in that way only Mexico seems to know; genuine, relaxed, present.

Even the light here feels different, like it’s been touched by salt and time.

Suddenly your body remembers why you came.

Your senses sharpen.

Your soul starts to stretch again.

That’s the magic of travel. 

It shakes the dust off.

 It strips away the predictable and throws you into presence.

You can’t coast on autopilot when everything around you is unfamiliar. 

You have to notice. 

You have to feel.

So yes, travel days can be chaotic.

Yes, they’re exhausting.

Yes, something always goes wrong, flights get delayed, luggage gets lost, you forget something important.

But still… we go.

Because the wild calls.

And something inside us answers.

Hola Mexico… Let’s see what stories you have waiting for us this time.

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*New Blogs posted 3–4 times a week. (sometimes more.)
Follow along for fresh stories, trip updates, and raw moments from the wild.

Change Happens!

In my professional life and my personal life, I continue to evolve and change. A part of it is growing older, but a huge part is because of the adventures we have experienced. 

The person I was a year ago is not the person I am today. It can be hard to explain, and sometimes it's hard for the people close to you to understand, I know my loved ones have suffered through the years because of it.

but it's a raw truth. 

Adventures change you… the journey of life changes you - Sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad. Things that were important, or seemed important six months ago, may no longer be so today.

The things that remain the same are my love for family and friends and what our company SDM Adventures means to me - passion, adventure, fun, and the beauty of the wild places and animals we love to spend time with.

Many years ago, I wrote a newsletter about how I am evolving and changing through my travels. It was very personal. Looking back, it may have been too personal. 

However, the response I got from that newsletter was overwhelming. 

Our subscribers responded in one of two ways; Some got angry and unsubscribed - others wanted to experience the kind of changes I was talking about. 

I can't help that some of our readers had a negative emotional response to the newsletter. They were just not ready to hear that message. 

And that is ok. We are all on different journeys. 

But on the flip side, there was also a very positive response from so many of our readers who were pretty excited on the idea of having their lives changed by adventures… there was a lot.

The thing is, change is not what you seek out when you experience life-altering adventures. The change is what happens when you survive them. Life flows, and you flow with it, and when the trip is over and the dust settles, you are just never the same again. 

You may think you are the same, but you are not. When you break free from routine and move out of your comfort zone to experience the world's magic, something happens to you deep down inside. 

And the more experiences you have, the more visible those changes become. Your energy grows and becomes something you can feel. And if you don't believe me - Try sharing time with someone who has traveled a lot. Talk with them, you can almost feel that energy in the air around them. It is such a cool vibe. 

Even as much as we have traveled, some people out there just make you feel like you're standing still in life.  And without them even trying to… they inspire you to want more out of your own life. 

So get out there my friends! 

Go on a journey, take a walk in the woods, sit and watch a hundred sunsets. Experience the natural world and all its perfection, and watch and feel how the world changes you. 

You may not be ready for it.

But if you are, then I hope to see you out in the world - let’s trade stories and inspire each other to do more… somewhere… anywhere.

Thank you for reading