| ody"> | | | | Another idea he used to get free or inexpensive |
| Jules Vernes adventure story, Around the World | | | | travel was to use cigarettes as a medium of |
| in 80 Days, stimulated the imagination of | | | | exchange. He bought four cartons of American |
| 26-year-old Robert Christopher. | | | | cigarettes in Shannon, Ireland, for $4.80. He used |
| "Why," he asked himself, "can't I go around the | | | | one carton to pay someone to drive him from |
| world on $80." | | | | Paris to Vienna. And he used four cigarette packs |
| Bob's first step was to list all the problems that | | | | to pay a train conductor fro a trip from Vienna to |
| he would face. His second step was to note all | | | | Switzerland through the Alps. |
| possible solutions. | | | | Besides cigarettes, Bob also used maps as a |
| His third step was to take action! | | | | medium of exchange. In Bangkok, the owner of |
| He started by signing a contract with the Charles | | | | an expensive restaurant fed him in exchange for |
| Pfizer Company, a large pharmaceutical company, | | | | a a set of maps and a detailed description of a |
| to collect soil samples from the various countries | | | | specific area that Bob had traveled through. |
| that he planned to visit. Next he secured an | | | | Bob finally came home to the U.S. as a crew |
| international driver's license, obtained maps in | | | | member of the S.S. Flying Spray, which |
| return for a proposed report on Middle East road | | | | transported him from Japan to San Francisco. |
| conditions, acquired seamen's papers, and secured | | | | Bob proved to himself that any given aim could |
| a letter from the New York Police Department to | | | | be accomplished if he had faith in it. |
| show that he had no criminal record. Then he | | | | Robert Christopher set himself an apparently |
| took care of his boarding by arranging for a youth | | | | impossible task. He wanted to challenge himself. |
| hostel membership. His final step was to talk a | | | | He wanted to prove that he could do anything he |
| freight airline into flying him over the Atlantic in | | | | set his mind to doing. He used organized thinking, |
| return for photographs which could be used for | | | | exercised initiative, self-discipline, and creative |
| company publicity. | | | | vision, and acted with faith and confidence. |
| Bob left New York City with $80 in his pocket. | | | | In your own life, you can do apparently impossible |
| He used his wits to travel around the world in 86 | | | | things as well if you can organize your thinking, |
| days. | | | | and exercise initiative, self-discipline, and creative |
| He saved money by breakfasting free in Gander, | | | | vision, and act with faith and confidence. |
| Newfoundland, by photographing the cooks in a | | | | Above all, refuse to believe in the impossible. You |
| hotel kitchen. He also traveled free by bus from | | | | can do anything you want once you set your |
| Syria to Damascus by taking pictures of a Syrian | | | | mind on it and follow through with a positive plan. |
| policeman who then ordered a bus driver to | | | | Believe in your dreams and make them real by |
| transport Bob. And he used the same idea to | | | | trying out all possible options. When you're |
| travel free from Baghdad to Teheran. This time | | | | sufficiently motivated to do something--no matter |
| he took pictures of the staff of the Iraq Express | | | | how impossible it may seem--your mind will |
| Transportation Company. | | | | create ways to convert your dreams into reality. |