You know, I have contemplated ski instructoring, bike tour leading, NOLS or similar expedition/tour leader type stuff, but I think when it is being done as a profession, it must take some of the fun out of it.
I loved being a ski instructor, and did that until I got knocked up, but then... bills. You can definitely make that work doing other instructing in the off seasons (I taught climbing camps and swim lessons/lifeguarding). That was just fun work, and it didn't suck the fun out of skiing/climbing. It made me so much stronger that when I had personal ski time I could rip with the best of them.Being a ski instructor was a ton of fun, but that was back when I didn't have a lot of bills. When you're older and doing it strickly for the money then it can get stressful when you don't get the high paying lessons you wanted.
Now, I sit at a desk in property managment. It's a great company with great benefits, and I have time to surf the interwebs at work. So I'd say I'm "happy" here. It is a job with a career I can follow and help support my family, but I'm REALLY doing this with the knowledge that we'll be riding off into the sunset in a camper van... hopefully for the rest of our lives!!