Never mind getting overwhelmed by planning an ambitious weekend escape. Most of us have nine-to-five obligations Monday through Friday, but they’re sandwiched by five-to-nine blocks that we tend to neglect

This quote, from a recent article in Outside Magazine, describes Alastair Humphrey’s no-excuse approach to embarking on a microadventure, which he defines as an adventure that is “close to home, cheap, simple, short and yet very effective”. Named in 2012 as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, for his pioneering work on this concept of microadventures, Alastair encourages people to set aside the mundane constraints of every day life to seek the spirit, challenge and reward of big adventures, on a small (and therefore achievable) scale. He claims this is as simple as going somewhere you have never been before to “climb a hill, jump in a river, sleep under the stars”.

I myself am one of those with “nine-to-five obligations”. And I know how easy it is to fill the hours outside of work hours with a somewhat monotonous routine of gym sessions, social engagements and household chores. But, inspired by Alastair, below are my top suggestions for microadventures in Sydney. I’m deviating a little from hiking here, and you’ll notice a common theme; they nearly all involve the water, or at the very least, water views. Between the dazzling harbour and the breathtaking coastline, it’s hard to go past microadventures that capitalise on the beauty of Sydney’s waterways. As Alastair says: “adventure is everywhere, every day and it is up to us to seek it out.”

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