Countless things can go wrong in travel, and even in life. There is no way to stop mistakes from being made and terrible situations from arising; there is, however, a way to control your own response to these mistakes and situations. Tom Butler, a great friend of Hayden’s, has spent many years of travel solving problems, and has a lot of advice to give. Tom is not only a friend of Hayden’s, but also a friend, bus driver, and groupie to Hayden’s band. The two of them discuss living a life of travel, what it means to settle down, and how to incorporate travel into your everyday life. Hayden was inspired by Tom’s travels, and the two of them talk about their inspirations and origins as travelers. Tom offers advice to those who do not have confidence in their own ability to travel.

Tom’s story takes place in Nepal, and is titled “Without a Paddle.” In it, Tom backpacks through Nepal to Kathmandu, goes on a rafting tour, and befriends his fellow travels and a puppy named Bob. However, Tom also had a terrible time with his borrowed wetsuit when he had to wait six hours and climb a hill before he could use a bathroom. The trip to Nepal taught Tom what he believes is the epitome of travel. For him, travel is not what you think is going to happen, or how you act with who you meet - sometimes, you are just a subject of the environment around you, and you just have to roll with it and have the right attitude, and you will have a positive experience. Dealing with bad things that happen, in travel as well as in life, is not always easy. Rolling with the punches and keeping a positive attitude, however, can get you anywhere. 

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