Five Dates to Explore Her Wild Side
Submitted by SharpMan Editorial Team on Thursday 14th October 2010- More on why dinner and a movie won’t cut it.
- More dating basics.
- Five exciting dates suitable for first dates.
The biggest problem with dating? Most people don’t like to do it. Nerves and expectations make for an often-stressful occasion. Thinking about dinner and a movie? Forget it. It’s been done too many times to be a great date (check out The Case Against Dinner and a Movie). On the other hand, there are thousands of interesting date ideas and even entire books on the subject (e.g., see SharpMan’s 50 Great Dates for Any Budget) that can entertain your date and help you glean important info about the woman you’re with. After all, the more you know about your date’s personality, the better you can determine if she’s worth a second or third date.
Five Dates to Explore Her Wild Side
What types of dates will help you determine if your date is also your ideal SharpWoman? Basically, it’s as simple as planning the right activities and making a little conversation. For example, if you are the adventurous type, you’ll want to choose date activities that will help you determine whether she’s the kind of woman who will join in on the fun. Try the following:
Climb Every Mountain
If you’re the active type and enjoy hiking, then an afternoon of hiking can be a wonderful date. You don’t have to conquer Everest the first time out; a hill just challenging enough to get the blood flowing ensures that the feel-good endorphins will flow freely. This date also gives you a perfect opportunity to see what kind of shape your date is in. She might appear healthy, but if she’s sucking wind after only a couple hundred yards, you might be out with a couch potato.
For an interesting twist, turn your hiking date into a picnic. Bring a backpack stuffed with gourmet sandwiches, fruit, cheeses, water and maybe even a bottle of wine. Don’t forget a picnic blanket. As long as you don’t bring Beluga and Dom, this date can be very inexpensive.
Love is Floating
A fear of heights and falling can prevent a future SharpWoman from coming along on many activities you enjoy. As such, if your favorite sport is rock climbing and you hope to be with a woman who’s (at least) willing to try climbing, someone who is unnerved by standing on a stepstool is probably not a good pick. Going to a climbing gym is one idea, but not quite romantic enough for a first date. Think "fantasy" to up your romance quotient.
Hot-air ballooning is a great fantasy date. It’s thrilling enough to be exhilarating, but tame enough so as not to be scary. Rides usually last several hours, most often at sunrise or sunset, easily allowing you to end or extend the date afterwards. The basket, or gondola, is very stable, and once you are aloft, your balloon will float along silently at an altitude ranging from 1,000 — 2,000 feet. If you’re lucky, the pilot will be able to take you up much higher — to the one-mile mark. At over 5,000 feet above the ground (a mile is pretty high) you and your date can enjoy the view as you do your best to lean over and look down. It's a rush. Take note of any pre-trip tips the balloon outfitter suggests and don’t forget the camera. Prices typically range from $50 to $200 per person.
My, What a Curious Cologne You Are Wearing
There are few things worse than complainers. If the woman you ask out is one of these, you’ll likely pick up on it quickly enough. If her beauty allows her to slip it by you, you’ll regret it later. One of the most annoying types of complaining is about smells. Some people gag by simply passing a dairy farm. Likewise, certain splendid-tasting cheeses are known for their distinct aromas and even seafood can smell fishy. If you’re the adventurous type, you know that often the experience is worth the smell. The key is to find a SharpWoman who feels the same. After all, the canals of Venice — one of the world’s most romantic destinations — don’t smell like the latest Ralph Lauren perfume!
Flatulence and BO notwithstanding, a trip to the zoo can tell you if she doesn’t mind enduring a little olfactory discomfort in order to enjoy a great experience. A pleasant stroll through the zoo is a great opportunity for conversation and the animals always give you something to talk about. Besides being an inexpensive escape, this excursion will also reveal if she is as interested in that African safari as you are.
Shot Through the Heart
If you really want to dazzle your date, holster up the six-shooters and invite her to the local shooting range. Target shooting is always fun, and has the added benefit of uncovering her competitive spirit. Of course, this assumes that your date doesn’t have any strong aversion to guns; otherwise you’ll find that many women very much enjoy shooting — particularly if the experience is new to her.
Most shooting ranges provide the pistols, ammunition, and targets; lane space is rented by the hour. An hour of shooting for two people normally runs less than $50. Since you will be wearing ear protection, shooting isn’t a great opportunity for talking, but dinner afterwards will allow you to compare notes.
Wanna Park?
If you have ever spent any time in Europe, you’ll know that Europeans love their city parks. Munich’s English Garden is packed with people enjoying a nice summer day. Few people really know how to take it easy and simply enjoy the opportunity to do next to nothing. You’ll want to pack a Frisbee, some kites, a blanket, a picnic lunch and something to drink.
Even if you and your date simply lie on the blanket looking up at the sky and picking out shapes in the clouds, the day will be fun. You’ll have the opportunity to talk about nothing or everything. Go with the flow, relax and have fun. Sometimes, the best date is not making any but the most basic plans and going from there. After all, who knows where life will take you? Love works in mysterious ways.
Other Notes On The SharpMan Game Plan
Excite her. When a woman hears a guy tell her that he is different than most guys, her warning flags usually pop up. She has heard this many times before, so if you really are, show her that you are different. Prove it. Never tell her. Let her decide for herself. Taking her out to the movies, no matter how good the cast, is certainly not exciting. Impress her with a new idea and if possible, step out of the ordinary.
Be patient. Sitting at dinner, asking and answering a million questions isn’t romantic, especially if either or both of you have been through the same routine before with other people. Pretty soon, dates can seem like job interviews, and if you get stuck with some less-than-spectacular applicants your patience wanes. Let it play out for a while. The second you pass judgment, so has she. (Check out Date Conversations 101: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.)
Be yourself. She said yes to a date, so she is just as curious as finding out about the real you as you are interested in finding out about the real her. Sure, you want to dazzle her, but don’t go overboard. Being true to yourself is one of the most attractive qualities you have.
Focus on fun. Dating is supposed to be fun. Since most relationships are started and developed from academic or work settings, resist the urge to talk about work or school. You’ll be better able to hone in on the traits you are looking for when she is out of the professional setting. The fun factor away from the everyday grind is very important to a successful relationship. In many ways, you are meeting a new person, so don’t forget to smile.
This article last updated on Thursday 14th October 2010