What do you think?

I’ll see you out there…!

What’s an LLC?

An LLC is a Limited Liability Corporation. It basically means I am now working for a business known as Adventures With Ben LLC. It lets me do all sorts of businessy things like sell stuff, generate profit and claim expenses on taxes to maximize profit (even better). It also allows me to spread good cheer with my business idea.

How did You do It?

Easy. I filled out the paperwork online, mailed it to the Florida State Department, filed for a Federal Tax ID number online and voila! I’m a business in less than a workweek. Yet another example of how government can sometimes be efficient!

What Are You Going to Do Now That You’re an LLC?

I’m going to sell stuff. I have a concept inspired from my travels around the globe. Can’t share what it is yet, but stay tuned. I’m currently in negotiations with a distributor.

Why Are You Doing This?

There are lots of reason why I’m becoming an LLC.

1. Generate a second stream of income - Traveling is expensive. You know that. I’ve gotta find a way to support that long-term
2. Diversifying Income is Important – Like your stock portfolio, you should diversify your income. Most individuals only have one source of income. If something should happen to that you’re SOL.
3. To take a risk - I want to do something risky. Not reckless risky, but the live with no regrets kind. If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got. I want to try something different. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
4. To have an adventure - This will be fun. It will be tough, time-consuming and I have a huge learning curve, but I’m hoping it will all be worth it.

So What’s Next?

Stay tuned at adventureswithben.com or my Facebook Fan Page for my adventures as a small business!

I’ll see you out there…! After I finish adding LLC to every official mention of adventures with ben LLC. (see, that’s the first one)

adventureswithben.com is supported by The City Scramble. If you'd like to race, click on the image to register.

It all started with an idea…Summer should be spent enjoying the outdoors, not being stuck at work. So along with my fellow Orlando Blogger Bess from Central Florida Top 5, we’ve decided to call in sick and explore the best destination in Central Florida to take a sick day – but we need your help.

Based on your suggestions from our original post, we’ve selected our favorite five. We need YOU to VOTE on where we should go when we call in sick on Friday, July 23rd. Voting will take place from now until July 17th.

The Destinations

Here’s the links to each of the five destinations we’ve selected:

• Bok Tower Gardens
• Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
• Daytona Musuem of Arts & Sciences
• Loughman Lake Lodge Airboat Ride
• An afternoon of shopping, dining and exploring in Mt. Dora

Vote

Individuals may vote only once, but feel free to comment with your best persuasive argument to entice others to vote for your favorite!

Follow

We’ll be tweeting and blogging all day on the 23rd, and the following week (July 25th, with all the details of our adventure). And hey, if you want to call in sick too on Friday and have your own adventure that would be fantastic!

We’ll see you out there…! Wherever it is that you send us.

*****

If you’d like to connect with Ben and Bess, follow them below:

adventureswithben.com - Homepage | Twitter | Facebook

Central Florida Top 5 - Homepage | Twitter | Facebook

Earlier this week I debated whether or not I should Bungee Jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Watch this YouTube video to see how I answered the question…

Can you believe it? I did it!!!

I was jumper number 22 for the day at 69 Kilograms.

Falling from 111 Meters

Bungee Jumping had been on My Adventure List for the longest time. And when given the opportunity here in Africa, I couldn’t pass it up. There are lots of places around the world to do it, but with the backdrop of Victoria Falls as you plummet, there’s truly no other place in the world that could be better.

This was one of the scariest moments in my life. It took me the entire day to build up the courage. I was jumping alone, so there was little support or encouragement to coach me through it – making it even tougher. While I was visiting Vic Falls on the Zambian side, I ran into a school group with some students who wanted to jump, but their chaperones wouldn’t allow them. So this jump, was in part, a tribute to them. The adventurous spirit lives in each of us, we just need a little push. Thank you to my friends on twitter, the Indian Tour Group and those American Students I ran into that helped me through the decision-making process

And with that push I was hurtling down to the ground. While the Victoria Falls Bridge is not the tallest Bungee Jump in the world, it’s higher than most. What must have been around 5 seconds, was nothing but acceleration. You couldn’t feel any tension letting you know you were strapped to something. Pure free fall. Pure terror.

WIth the Zambezi River coming closer, you snap back up, bounce up and down and dangle while waiting for your rescue.

What I Learned

We only live once. When our time is up, our time is up. Seize the day, Just do it, Carpe Diem, Live with no regrets, whatever cliche you want. We could all use a little adventure in our lives.

I took a risk and conquered my fear. I’ve lived to tell the tale and have no regrets. This is a memory and story that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Despite the excuses, despite the fear of the unknown, despite being alone I did it. And you can to.

What’s your biggest fear? And what are you going to do about it?

You can find some of my Vic Falls Bungee Jump photos on my Facebook Fan Page.

I’ll see you out there…! But not with a cord strapped to my ankles.

The Essentials

For More Information: I couldn’t find any official site for the Bungee Jump Outfitter, Big Air, but check out this comprehensive tour operator’s website with all the details you need. You may want to book ahead during busy season. I walked right up.

Attraction Costs: It was $110 for the Bungee Jump. If you want to add on a bungee swing and zipline it’s a substantial savings if you do all three at once. The Bungee Jump was all I needed. The DVD and Photo CD cost me an additional $45 – a very steep price for a few snapshots and video. I was traveling alone so no one could record my jump. If you have a travel partner, have them take photos on rapid shutter mode, and buy the DVD. It’s filmed from 2 different angles, a nice touch.

How to get there: You can’t miss it. As you approach the Victoria Falls Bridge from the Zambian side, you’ll see the steps leading up to the registration desk. You may find lots of people on the side of the road asking you if you’re going to Bungee Jump. Not sure if they get a commission, just trying to make conversation or scamming you. Whatever the reason, you don’t need their services to register.

Suggested Time to Experience Fully: 5 seconds for the fall, 5 minutes waiting upside-down to be hoisted back up. Enjoy the view

Best Time to Visit: As soon as you find the courage to sign the paperwork. The longer you wait, the harder the decision will be. Once you pay your money, there are no refunds. So throw down your cash and jump.

Ben Recommends: Every traveler to Victoria Falls should do this, especially if you’ve never bungee jumped. If you opt out, you’ll regret it as soon as you return home. Stare fear in the face and jump.

This adventure to Victoria Falls was sponsored by Chanters Lodge, Livingstone. Considering a trip to Livingstone? Click the photo to book your accommodation at Chanters Lodge.

That’s the question I asked myself over and over again.

That gorge is a long way down! 111 meters to be exact (364 feet).

Bungee Jumping has always been on My Adventure List. There are lots of places one can go bungee jumping in the world. But the ONLY place you should consider doing it is Victoria Falls. Except for one thing, it’s incredibly terrifying to think about it, look at it and make the decision to sign the legal paperwork to do it.

Every person I spoke with said I had to jump. I knew I had to do it, but saying it and doing it are two very different actions. Plus, it’s easy for them to say I should jump when they’re not the ones going to strap a bungee cord around their ankles, leap from a platform and hurtle down to the rocky waters below.

On my way from Zambia into Zimbabwe I had the opportunity to jump. I said no. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Then on the return from Zimbabwe to Zambia I had another opportunity, which would also be my last. On the way back through “No Man’s Land” (the territory between Zimbabwe and Zambia on the Victoria Falls Bridge), I started vocalizing all the reasons why I should not jump. Take a look in this YouTube video:

There’s only 1 reason why I should jump: Because this is the only place in the world to do it and I’m not coming back. If you can think of any others, comment.

So 14 reasons not to jump, and only 1 reason to jump.

What happened? Find out later this week – or you can visit me on Facebook for a preview!

I’ll see you out there…! Maybe on the way down.

This adventure to Victoria Falls was sponsored by Chanters Lodge, Livingstone. Click the photo to book your Victoria Falls accommodation.