A Recipe for Inspiration: Connections + Sharing = Expands Your Mind

Alas, I haven't been flying as much as I'd like, but I stay close to something flying related with technology at my finger tips! I am an avid user of digital toys and social media channels that I tap into to broaden my horizons. These tools allow me to explore, be inspired by others, as well as share my own adventures in this journey called Life. You never know who you inspire by sharing a piece of your world. Great ideas and stories are meant to be shared, in my opinion. I love being a part of that dynamic with the give and take on the digital highway!

On inspiration, I've always enjoyed meeting people from different walks of life and cultures as those experiences never seemed to fail me in broadening my mind, inspiring me in different ways and lending a different perspective. Growing up overseas on military bases in foreign countries is something I value immensely. I believe that experience taught me so much about appreciating, at a very basic level, to explore, see and understand that there are different ways to do doing things. I'm also grateful for the experience in that it contributed to me being open-minded about meeting people from various backgrounds. Made me learn and value that my way is my way, but it isn't the only way nor is it everyone else's way. Try saying that 5x fast! :-)

I find myself curious in meeting somebody from another country or different walks of life and often am interested in learning more about them. Why? It stretches my mind and experiences. I'm not wired for status quo. I'm an avid learner and never want to stop growing!  I believe an important part of growing is stretching myself, moving beyond the familiar and learning different ways of seeing/doing things.

Depending on the situation, I normally can strike up a casual conversation easily and gauge whether we're going to chat it up more or less fairly quickly. As much as I'm curious about differences, I do feel a strong connection with those who share like experiences, of course. That's a basic bonding trait, finding commonalities. However, I don't feel I grow if I'm only around the same type of thinking and routines. That isn't stimulating to me. So, I welcome opportunities to gain a different spin on things that challenge my way of thinking, reaffirm what's important to me and finding ways through the added perspective to do things for the better!

All this to say there are amazing people out there, some of them are your connections here, some of them you have yet to meet. Personally, I find it a rewarding experience getting inspired by another's share with me that challenges me to go out and see a new place or try something different. Speaking of which, remember my post on the awesome aerobatic flight I took in February while in Vegas? I met Maurice who is from Switzerland and traveling the world right now. Since February, he's been sharing some of his adventures with me, especially the flying ones he's experiencing. He's not only inspiring me to get out and travel more, he's really providing me a ton of inspiration seeing all the different flying opportunities around the world! 

This exposure to his adventures really challenges me to think about planning to see the places I want to see and fly, plus some new spots thanks to him! Who knew me striking up a casual conversation in the van on our way to an aerobatic flight we'd both never forget would connect me with a new international world traveling friend who has already given me wealth of inspiration in his messages and pictures shared! 

Now, Maurice told me that he's not a blogger, but had given me permission to share some of his pictures and descriptions. So, buckle up and enjoy this amazing glimpse into different places he's experienced in his world traveling adventure. I believe he knows I love flying, (I know, it's very hard to tell that about me) so there are many plane/flying pictures!:-)

Here's Maurice and I at Sky Combat Ace when we met before our epic Feb 2015 aerobatic flights in Vegas!

After leaving Vegas, he shared he visited Pima Air and Space Museum in Tuscon, including going on a tour on the boneyard of DMAFB. I haven't seen this before so now I have it on my radar!:-)

Next pictures are from his Hawaii visit. 

He took a ride in a glider plane at Dillingham airfield.

Next picture was from his stop in Japan. I love cherry blossoms. Makes me think fondly of memories growing up in Japan on base.

He shared some wonderful pictures from New Zealand! He met up with his brother to share the Chatham Island adventure. He told me he was bummed they couldn't fly with the old Convair 580 due to stormy weather. However, they were able to do some flying near Auckland. His brother is a pilot and they got to fly there. Took a ride in a Robin 200. 

They also took a seaplane ride around the volcanic mountains near Lake Taupo. He shared there's a lot of fly fishing going on there. 

He let me know that the nice, symmetric volcano pictured is best known as Mount Doom from the Lord Of The Ring movies.

He also shared this picture of a McDonald's restaurant in a plane! That's got to be the best McD to eat in. :-)

I love his advice: "If you haven't ever been here, you should seriously consider to change that. And bring the biggest and emptiest memory card you can find for your camera!"

Ha! Love the passion and I'm feeling adding NZ to my "fly and fish"

spots to visit!:-)

Now the latest email I got was just before he leaves NZ. Dude got another flight in!!

This is Whitianga airfield. He took a 30min trip in the tiny Tecnam Echo, an Italian aircraft. He shared, "At only 70 kiwi$ a bargain. That's about 53$ in your money."  I laugh when he writes "your money". I do enjoy meeting people from around the world where we even have to reference your versus my money, as in different currencies!:-)

He shared their hangar caters wedding receptions for aviation nuts. Sweet! 

He did tell me the SCA hangar is much cooler. They did have an amazing hangar. Check out my past blog to view those awesome pictures.

All in all, he is flying more than me and I'm the one training for my license. Ha! His action is showing me I'm slacking. So, what am I doing about it? Better believe I booked a good 4 hour block for some great flying this coming Friday. WOOHOO! That, my friends, is a great example of how one mind inspires another, both short term and long term for me.

I hope you too have found some inspiration in this share. A shout out Thank You to Maurice for being open to sharing these views and experiences as it could inspire others to go out, see, experience and live more!

See his flying pictures certainly has me pumped up for my flying Friday. :-)

What adventures are you looking forward to living?

Happy and Safe Adventuring, All!

Emily