He was an American Literature major at Middlebury College who loved the outdoors, and who thought about several appropriate careers for himself as he was graduating: fishing boat guide, ski bum, writer for outdoor travel magazine.

FORBES: Louis Bacon Loves Birds, Bette Midler Can't Remember, And Other Scenes From The Audubon Gala At The Plaza Hotel

Climbing into a small tin boat, my guide and I rolled out onto Mush Lake.

BBC: Kluane, Canada (Credit: Parks Canada/Fritz Mueller)

It is best to arrange your tour through one of the travel agencies in Pangkalan Bun such as Borneo Holidays (www.borneowisata.com), which takes the hassle out of choosing a boat, captain, guide and a cook.

BBC: Drifting down the Sekonyer

The next morning, our guide, Sam, was standing by the boat.

BBC: Lobster diving in the Abacos

"It's a Parisian tradition for lovers, " says a guide for the Vedettes du Pont-Neuf tour boat company.

WSJ: Couples Adorn Bridges With Weighty Tokens of the Heart

The fishermen agreed to take me along but not our guide or producer, as it was too windy, and the boat would be unstable with all of us onboard.

CNN: All alone on the shores of the Aral Sea