Extreme Sports - it's definitely not for everyone.
You have to be brave - and I am brave.
My name is Ryan Scholes.
I need this adrenaline rush! Asking myself if what I'm about to do is too risky, and then just ignoring that fear and simply doing it.
I walk past my own fear as if it was an illusion, as if it was only a shadow.
That's the only way I feel alive - when I'm doing risky, extreme sports.
Mountain climbing, para gliding.. That's what I'm into!
But I'm not a bungee jumping kinda guy.
I want to move and be active, not depend on a rope and just fall to the floor like a drop of rain!
I'm always looking for new challenges - climbing new hights, highlining in the mountains without any safety measures ..
Not that I'm proud of that, but when there are no safety measures, I'm serious.
This means 100% discipline and focus.
I want to take my life seriously. And extreme sports are serious!
I travel around the world and do all different kinds of things.
Of course, I get injured once in a while, but weren't we blessed with a body so that we can USE it?
Most people think that money will make their life complete - or maybe having a family.
But in my opinion, living your life to the fullest is the only way to true happiness.
That's why I chose this lifestyle.
My ex-girlfriend never understood my values, she said it was too risky for her to start a family with someone that does lots of dangerous stuff like I do.
I couldn't have the same discussion any longer - I had to make a cut.
And now she's told me that I could continue my sports!
That's women logic for you. Changing their opinion from day to day!
So now, I'm free like a bird and looking for a new challenge!
Tonight, I'm meeting my friend Fritz who wanted to tell me something about his new project.
When I arrived at the Bar, he was already sitting there, and greeted me with a friendly smile and a hug. "Hey Ryan, long time no see! how are you?", he asked.
We chatted for a few minutes, and then he got to the point.
"You know..." he started, avoiding eye contact. "I'm planning to go on an expedition to the north pole. It will be amazing! A once in a lifetime experience! I admit, you're already the 8th person I've asked but... I'm sure it will be exciting!"
"North Pole?", I mumbled. Someone like me isn't only into sports - exploring something new or visiting places where hardly any human has ever been to gives me a rush of adrenaline as well!
"Why do you want to visit the North Pole?", I asked him.
"Well...", Fritz started to explain. "You know how my ancestors belonged to Nazi Germany. I did some research and found out that the Nazis were exploring Antarctica before WWII ...
... and they were looking for the entrance to a secret world - the Hollow Earth. A totally different world inside the core of our planet!"
I laughed. "Hollow Earth? Another world within our planet? And you believe that?"
Now Fritz laughed as well. "No, I don't really expect to find a secret world. But it's so interesting, and they didn't travel to the north pole and do all sorts of tests and research there without a good reason! My great-grandfather was on that expedition, and they found out that there's a huge piece of land in the middle of the north pole where there's no ice. There, they started building a camp and doing all sorts of studies. You know that these people were evil, but they sure as hell weren't dumb.
Why do you think the US visited the North Pole shortly before D-Day with a whole army? That's what sparked my thought! That's what our life is for - finding answers to these mysteries!"
I went home, and the next day I couldn't stop thinking about Fritz's story.
A Hollow Earth ...
Yes it sounds crazy, but how could I possibly live without checking for myself? How could I live with the thought that I had the opportunity to explore something as mysterious as this, but I never even tried it just because I didn't take it seriously enough ?
I sighed, and took out my phone to call Fritz.
"I have thought about your proposal..." I said slowly. "Send me some more Info about this whole thing."
I could hear Fritz laughing on the phone. "So now you're interested? Doesn't sound as ridiculous as you first thought, right? Sure I'll send all the background info your way. Let me know your decision until wednesday."
That night, I was laying in bed, thinking about Fritz's proposal.
The North pole. Antarctica. The Hollow Earth.
So many mysterious things that I couldn't explain - that humans couldn't explain!
Wasn't this the opportunity I had been looking for?
Doing something entirely different?
Maybe this mission was the one for me.
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