Around The World On $80

Jules Vernes adventure story, Around the World in 80 Days, stimulated the imagination of 26-year-old Robert Christopher.

"Why," he asked himself, "can't I go around the world on $80."

Bob's first step was to list all the problems that he would face. His second step was to note all possible solutions.

His third step was to take action!

He started by signing a contract with the Charles Pfizer Company, a large pharmaceutical company, to collect soil samples from the various countries that he planned to visit. Next he secured an international driver's license, obtained maps in return for a proposed report on Middle East road conditions, acquired seamen's papers, and secured a letter from the New York Police Department to show that he had no criminal record. Then he took care of his boarding by arranging for a youth hostel membership. His final step was to talk a freight airline into flying him over the Atlantic in return for photographs which could be used for company publicity.

Bob left New York City with $80 in his pocket.

He used his wits to travel around the world in 86 days.

He saved money by breakfasting free in Gander, Newfoundland, by photographing the cooks in a hotel kitchen. He also traveled free by bus from Syria to Damascus by taking pictures of a Syrian policeman who then ordered a bus driver to transport Bob. And he used the same idea to travel free from Baghdad to Teheran. This time he took pictures of the staff of the Iraq Express Transportation Company.

Another idea he used to get free or inexpensive travel was to use cigarettes as a medium of exchange. He bought four cartons of American cigarettes in Shannon, Ireland, for $4.80. He used one carton to pay someone to drive him from Paris to Vienna. And he used four cigarette packs to pay a train conductor fro a trip from Vienna to Switzerland through the Alps.

Besides cigarettes, Bob also used maps as a medium of exchange. In Bangkok, the owner of an expensive restaurant fed him in exchange for a a set of maps and a detailed description of a specific area that Bob had traveled through.

Bob finally came home to the U.S. as a crew member of the S.S. Flying Spray, which transported him from Japan to San Francisco.

Bob proved to himself that any given aim could be accomplished if he had faith in it.

Robert Christopher set himself an apparently impossible task. He wanted to challenge himself. He wanted to prove that he could do anything he set his mind to doing. He used organized thinking, exercised initiative, self-discipline, and creative vision, and acted with faith and confidence.

In your own life, you can do apparently impossible things as well if you can organize your thinking, and exercise initiative, self-discipline, and creative vision, and act with faith and confidence.

Above all, refuse to believe in the impossible. You can do anything you want once you set your mind on it and follow through with a positive plan.

Believe in your dreams and make them real by trying out all possible options. When you're sufficiently motivated to do something-no matter how impossible it may seem-your mind will create ways to convert your dreams into reality.

Resource Box

Saleem Rana got his Masters degree in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life

Copyright 2004 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.

---

Ten Sure-Fire Rules To Put Old On Hold By At Least 25 Years

Would you like to feel and function like age 40... Read More

The Solutions to Lifes 10 Biggest Problems!

Every day clients tell me about their problems, often in... Read More

Self-Improvement-Inspiration: How to Exit Your Own Rat Race

We can all get in a rut from time to... Read More

Trust the ?System? ? It Works!

The "System" ? the overall structure and organization of this... Read More

Quick Steps To Help You Take Action Now

Need to move ahead and yet find yourself holding back?Edward... Read More

Finding Motivation: What To Do When You Dont Feel Like Doing Anything

"The measure of your success usually comes down to who... Read More

Top 5 Reasons Why Youre Not Living Your Dream

1. "I'm too old to make a change." Maybe you're... Read More

How to Make it Big In Spite of Your Challenges

Imagine for a moment it's five years from now and... Read More

What Being Vs Doing Really Means

So often we hear about "being" rather than "doing." Often... Read More

The New Morality

In a world where dynamism alters egos and principles in... Read More

Rules To Live Life By

How often have we heard ourselves complaining about how unlucky... Read More

You Want Me to Do What?

Most of the time whenever we need to make an... Read More

What are You Waiting for?

Do it now! Whatever it is you have been putting... Read More

Motivation: If Today Were the Last of All Days

"If today were the last of all days........" - Marilyn... Read More

Nurturing Your Vision

There is a new television show, called Blind Justice that... Read More

When Do You Enjoy Things the Most?

It's a very strange concept. When you are in a... Read More

Learn to Do What Winners Do But Others Will Not

If you want to be a winner you have to... Read More

Self Confidence: How To Build Your Confidence In Three Simple Steps

To Feel Confident ? A C TA new, more exciting... Read More

The Missing Piece

Have you ever tried putting a puzzle together, only to... Read More

Have You Ever Not Done Something Because Someone Said You Couldnt?

"Every truly great accomplishment is at first impossible." It's a... Read More

Back to Boot Camp

You know, whenever you are going to make a major... Read More

Motivation From A Great Western - We All Have It Coming

Most self-help gurus warn us against watching too much TV.... Read More

Tips for Mastering Visualization Techniques

Visualization is creating a mental picture of something. Visualization is... Read More

Motivation: The Cure for Complacency

Q. I've always tried to work hard enough to provide... Read More

Overcoming the Fear of Getting Started

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.... Read More

Ability, Motivation, and Attitude

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what... Read More

How To Overcome Procrastination Quickly And Easily

Maybe it is time to discover a new way to... Read More

No, Fear! The Success is Yours (1)

Fear is the minds great mortal sin.And isn't it just... Read More

Why Do We Need Our Addictions?

If money is considered to be the root of all... Read More

7 Great Life Lessons From Tsunami Survivor

As I am writing this article, the world is shaken... Read More

The P Word... Procrastination

A problem many of us are familiar with. Its showing... Read More

Getting Started is the Toughest Part of the Job

One of the most challenging things about starting on a... Read More

Stop Procrastination--Just Do It!

In this article I'll talk about the reason that stops... Read More