Adventurer • Storyteller • Overlander
Another person who inspired us as we dreamed about our own journey was Eva zu Beck – an adventurer, storyteller and overlander whose willingness to step beyond the familiar has taken her to some extraordinary corners of the world.
Kristi and I especially enjoyed watching Eva’s Superskilled series, where she continually challenged herself to learn new skills and discover what people are capable of when they push beyond their perceived limits.
But what inspired us wasn’t simply where Eva traveled.
It was the way she traveled.
With curiosity. Courage. Openness.
And a willingness to sometimes be uncomfortable, make mistakes and figure things out along the way.
Eva eventually traded conventional travel for life on the road in Odyssey, her Land Rover Defender. Her trusted companion Vilk became part of that adventure too.
Her travels have taken her well beyond the typical tourist trail, including journeys through Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Sahara.
Those words resonate deeply with us.
Because adventure isn’t always about being fearless. Sometimes it’s about being afraid, uncertain or completely outside your comfort zone – and choosing to take the next step anyway.
There was another part of Eva’s story that particularly connected with us.
We listened to her memoir, The Wilder Way, on Audible while traveling, and we loved it. The book goes much deeper than simply recounting adventures. It explores leaving behind a conventional life and searching for something freer, wilder and more meaningful.
For two people who had also stepped away from the life we’d known for decades to begin an entirely different chapter,
that message hit home.
Eva has reminded us that adventure is as much about who you become along the way as where the road takes you.
We don’t have to know exactly what’s waiting around every corner. We don’t have to feel completely ready. And we certainly don’t have to be fearless.
Sometimes we simply have to be brave enough to begin.
Eva, thank you. Thank you for reminding us to stay curious, embrace uncertainty and occasionally choose the path that makes us a little uncomfortable.
Because very often, that’s where the story begins.
YOU ONLY LIVE ADVENTURE
