There are plenty of warm, mineral pools in the open air around the world. However pleasant they may be in the summer, there is nothing like getting into one in the winter, when snowflakes are falling from the sky and you are soaking in warm, mineral water, not caring about tiny details like weather forecasts or an air temperature more suited to polar bears…

How to do it (better):

Don’t forget to take a towel to dry yourself off as quickly as possible as you climb out of the pool. Also take your favorite warm drink in a thermos for pure bliss (coffee, cappuccino, tea and rum, only rum – we’re not judging).

Where to do it:

The Blue Lagoon in Iceland – The Blue Lagoon gets its name from the incredible color created by the mixture of fresh and salt water. It lies 40 km (24 mi) from the capital of Iceland – Reykjavík. The Blue Lagoon contains around 6 million liters (1.5 million gallons) of geothermal water, which renews itself naturally every 40 hours and its temperature is 37º C (98º F). Another cheaper and more tranquil option is the Myvatn Nature Baths nearby.

Japanese onsen – “onsen” is a type of spring that is very common in Japan. Visit Beppu, a city on the island of Kyushu, with its “Hells of Beppu” – geothermal hot spots, each differently colored due to the mineral content in the water.

*

Source: the book “203 Travel Challenges. Travel the World. Explore Your Inner Self.”

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[Psst, most of these are great ideas for dates!]

1. Go on vacation to a new city with your boyfriend/girlfriend, walk separate ways and try to find each other by the end of the evening (without using your phone!).

2. Organize a surprise trip for a loved one. The only information you need to provide them is the date and time, where to meet and what to bring (200 g of blackberries and a screwdriver, for example). Here’s a detailed plan how to organize a surprise trip for a friend for less than 30 minutes.

3. Show up at the airport with hand luggage only. Buy a cheap ticket for a flight leaving in the next few hours and spend the weekend there.

4. Visit all the cities and villages whose names start with the initial of your first name. You can limit yourself to just one county/state or dream big and challenge yourself to a whole country!

5. Build yourself a raft and sail as far as possible on it.

6. Think of a place that you would never go. Like, never ever. Now go there.

7. Walk around the city until you find a particularly beautiful or somewhat strange house. Jot down its address and send the owners a kind postcard.

8. Pretend to be a tourist in your own city. Speak to people only in a foreign language. Even if you meet friends, don’t break the game.

9. If a friend can’t join you on a trip, print his/her head in real size, add a tiny body below and shoot a photo story of this friend ‘traveling’ with you.

10. Organize a completely free trip. The longer, the better. [some ideas how to travel for free without feeling like a tramp]

***

Inspired by the book “203 Travel Challenges. Travel the World. Discover Your Inner Self”.

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If you’re fed up with boring mornings, here are 10 ways to make the start of the day a small celebration (I’ve tried most of them many times, while some are still on my list):

Sunrise date

Wake up at 4 am and drive to a beautiful sunrise spot – it could be a seashore, a cityscape or any kind of scenic spot you and your soulmate enjoy. Watch the new day dawning on a blanket and then take a nap. Of course, you can do the same with your best friend.

Sunrise in a balloon

It’s not something you can do every day, but for an extra special morning you can’t go past a sunrise flight in a hot air balloon.

Sunrise surfing

Grabbing your board and plunging into the deep blue is a surefire way to make your morning more exciting. If you haven’t tried surfing yet, photos like the one below should give you some inspiration.

Sunrise picnic

Pour some steaming coffee in a thermos, grab a few sandwiches for breakfast and head for your favorite picnic spot. Sometimes I drive for an hour to reach a remote mountain meadow just to hear the morning birdsong and enjoy the breaking dawn.

Rooftop sunrise

Do you have a friend with a magnificent rooftop terrace, or do you know a rooftop bar that organizes early morning events? Find the best view in the city and bring your coffee with you.

No-sleep sunrise

For those who cannot wake up early, we suggest a gentler option: if you don’t go to bed all night, you won’t need to hammer the alarm clock!

Kayaking at sunrise

Sneak out of your tent/bungalow and grab a kayak at dawn to catch the magical moment when the first rays of sunlight kiss the water’s surface. What I love most about these moments is the perfect serenity that surrounds you.

Sunrise from your tent

The best thing about camping is that you can wake up, peek through your unzipped tent to marvel at the sunrise, then immediately go back to sleep. Two of the year’s most special sunrises are the summer and winter solstice, when you can add a ritual from your country to add to the experience.

Sunrise swimming

It’s worth waking up early to start the day with a refreshing dip in the water (a sea, a river, an ocean or a pool – whatever you have close by).

Play a sunrise song

We all hear different melodies in our heads when dawn breaks, but here are a few of my suggestions for a special song to play as you watch the sunrise. If you can play a musical instrument, you can perform the melody yourself, or you can play it on your speakers to enjoy a special sunrise soundtrack:

Shine by Benjamin Francis Leftwich      Sunrise by Simply Red      Sunrise by Norah Jones     Sunrise by One Last Night      Bloom by The Paper Kites

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Organizing a cool surprise trip as a gift looks like a big hassle, but it’s totally doable in less than an hour. Just stick to this guide and avoid all distractions, please!

1. Choose the topic [2 minutes] – you shouldn’t need more than a minute to decide what your friend (wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, dad, etc.) is most into. Animals? Consider visiting a farm or an epic zoo, or booking a nature safari. Wine? Find the best winery offer tastings in the region. Еven if you are a fan of wine, you will probably still be surprised by wine with a different and nice taste.
2. Choose the destination [20 minutes] – there’s no need to browse through thousands of properties – the fact that it’s a surprise will make the experience special anyway. Google something like ‘the best places for animal lovers in X destination’. Choose the main attraction of the trip. Then choose a hotel or guesthouse nearby. Don’t close any of the tabs with the destinations you’ve chosen and then…
3. Make sure the birthday boy/girl has no other plans for the day. Then proceed to the booking [3 minutes] – make a casual call to ask your friend if they have already planned something for their birthday, using the excuse that your colleagues are inviting you to go to the theater on the same day. Don’t reveal that you are planning something. If the answer is ‘no’, proceed to booking. If the answer is ‘yes’, try to get an idea of what it is and who is invited. I’ve reached such levels of plan sophistication that I called every single guest to tell them the birthday would actually take place at another place and time, and they should keep the secret and pretend to be attending the event organized by the birthday person. It worked perfectly well.
4. Send a mysterious invitation [5 minutes] – use free online software (like Canva or BeFunky) to create an fancy invitation. Include only this information: when and where the person should be and what they should bring. If you are taking them to a warm place, include flip-flops and sunglasses in the to-bring list. If it will be a wine tasting, you can ask them to bring aspirin. You’re done! Now wait until the birthday when you can…
5. Blindfold them for extra suspense – just when they think the mystery will finally be over, add some more anticipation by blindfolding them and playing their favorite songs while you arrive. Unless you need to board a plane. Unfortunately you can’t sneak a blindfolded person onto a plane…
6. Surprise!

…romantic

…add a spa treatment for two or a dinner at a rooftop restaurant to make it more memorable.

…adventurous

…book a bungee jump, a skydive or ride on horseback in the wilderness.

…kid-friendly

…because kids like surprises too. In fact, every trip is a trip full of surprises when you travel with kids (at least for you) because you can never know when little Jimmy will spill a whole plate of spaghetti on his sister’s head, while using the tablecloth at the restaurant as a cape. So just look up the best children’s activity nearby and bring the kids’ favorite toys and games. Kids are also usually happy to join in everything the adults do – if you let them. My friend’s daughter went paragliding for the first time when she was five years old, and she even asked to go for a second time.

Pin it because you will have friends with birthdays, like, every year:

Discover more gift ideas here: 52 best gifts that are actually unforgettable experiences

The post How to plan a surprise (birthday) trip in less than 30 minutes appeared first on 203Challenges.

A couples escape, a family holiday or a cliche-free solo trip – here’s a selection of our favorite quirky Christmas getaway ideas for a not-so-ordinary holiday season.

Because if you don’t bring the Christmas spirit in your heart, you won’t find it on your travels, even if you venture as far as Lapland.

Plus, if the legend is true, Santa will find you wherever you are.

This list will guide you through all the cool and unusual things you can do this Christmas that turns out to be one of the best Christmas gifts for your friend with whom you are going on a trip during the holidays.

#1 Spend the night at a Bedouin desert camp

Sand, heat, camels: this image is the antithesis of every stereotypical Christmas card. So if you’re looking to do something different, why not head straight to the nearest desert? It doesn’t need to be a rough experience – you can stay in a luxury tent.

A luxury tent at Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan | Christian Piatt/Flickr

#2 Enjoy the glorious van life

This article says it all in a very inspirational way:

#3 Go skiing in a Santa costume

Cover yourself in a dollar-store Santa costume and stir up a little holiday confusion on the slopes of your favorite ski resort.

#4 Build an igloo and have a festive dinner inside

If you have kids, make them build the igloo while you prepare the dinner. Bring candles, warm blankets and woolen socks for everyone.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Filippo Scrivani (@filipposcrivani)

#5 Go on a Christmas road trip

We’re not suggesting just any old road trip; for this challenge, you need to decorate the car. Head somewhere that’s open on Christmas Day, like a nature park or the historical center of a nearby city.

#6 Go boating or kayaking

Book a ticket on the nearest available cruise and sail the holiday season away. Or, if you’d rather travel under your own steam, swap the cruise ship for a kayak.

#7 Just go somewhere colorful

Head to Guatemala, Colombia, Venice, Thailand or anywhere with colors more vivid than a photoshopped image.

Guatemala | Ronald Cuyan/Unsplash

#8 Soak in a warm mineral pool (especially if it’s snowing outside)

There is nothing like immersing yourself in an open-air mineral pool in the winter. You’ll feel like you’re cheating nature as you watch snowflakes falling from above while you soak in warm mineral water, not caring about tiny details like weather forecasts or temperatures more suited to polar bears… Bring hot drinks with you.

#9 Spend the day in the company of animals

Don’t get me wrong, humans are okay… but I prefer animals because (other than parrots), I’ve yet to hear one assault my ears with “‘Tis the season to be jolly” for the 1,056,669th time in a row. In fact, I respect animals’ ability to detach from the holiday craze. Find some furry friends at a farm, a nature park or a zoo – whatever you have at hand will do.

A puffin in Iceland who doesn’t know a single Christmas carol | Jonatan Pie/Unsplash

#10 Fly to the cheapest foreign country available

Check your favorite airlines’ websites or a flight comparison website to see where you can escape at the last minute… and just do it. Life is short – you should make more silly decisions.

#11 Go surfing

Surfing is a cliche if you are Australian, and an unconventional treat if you are not.

Surfing on Christmas Day? | Conner Murphy

#12 Rediscover yourself at a retreat

Why not head on a silence retreat, a meditation retreat or a nature getaway during the holidays? When the materialistic world becomes too overwhelming, it’s time to run away from it all and sit in silence to rediscover your inner self.

#13 Go skinny-dipping

This challenge is not for the faint of heart if you live close to one of the poles… but it’s still worth it if you want a Christmas to remember.

#14 Embark on a refreshing bicycle ride

If the weather isn’t too frightful, hop on your bike and enjoy a long, serene ride, making sure to occasionally glimpse through the windows of the houses you pass to see what other people do on Christmas Day. The best part about this is that the streets will be empty. Like, zombie-apocalypse empty. Have you checked out our bicycle-themed playlist to keep you company during your ride?

Santa, is that you? | Robert Couse-Baker

#15 Return to your pagan roots

Christmas is rooted in Christianity, but Christianity is rooted further back in time. Add a pagan flavor to the holiday season by using your days off to visit an ancient monument. It could be a megalith, a stone circle, a tomb or whatever ancient landmark you have nearby.

#16 Organize a snow picnic

Wrap yourself in warm clothes, pack some baked goodies and flasks full of tea and coffee (and rum, and whiskey…), and head out for a picnic in the crisp air. It’s a good idea to pack extra blankets and spare gloves. Here’s our full guide how to organize a winter picnic in the snow.

A picnic is always a good idea, no matter the weather | picseli

#17 Change the season

If you have spent your whole life celebrating snowy, white Christmases scented with the smell of chestnuts roasting on the open fire, then a little change will be more than refreshing. Head to another climatic zone and see what the change of scenery has to offer.

Change the season this Christmas | Thomas Kelley

#18 Travel to a neighboring city to eat at an exotic restaurant

As there is no Christmas in China, Bangladesh or Thailand, restaurants serving these national dishes will probably be open. Choose a nearby city and check which international restaurants there have the highest rating on Google, Facebook or TripAdvisor.

#19 Book a remote cabin in the forest

The more remote, the better. Keep it warm and cozy, staying by the fireplace and preparing your own mulled wine. Take advantage of the fact that you are close to nature and practice the Japanese art of ‘forest-bathing’: shinrin-yoku.

Go somewhere remote | Paul Itkin

#20 Climb somewhere high for a gorgeous view

Depending on your preferences, this may be a skyscraper, a mountain peak or a just a tree.

#21 Eat your Christmas lunch on a plane, train, etc.

Most public transportation continues running even on Christmas Day. Even if you are not forced to be on a plane or train on Christmas Day, you can arrange a journey for yourself and make the most of the trip. Bring some cookies and special cinnamon latte with you if you’re worried about missing the holiday spirit.

Pin it for later, because the Christmas craze may eventually become too overwhelming and you may want to escape:

The post 21 unusual Christmas travel ideas for every kind of traveler appeared first on 203Challenges.

#1 Go far away from the city at night to gaze at the stars

City lights prevent you from seeing the sky in all its splendor. Go a few miles out of town and you will see so many more constellations. Take a blanket to lie on the ground comfortably. Download a constellation identifying app (like Sky Map, for example). Find Mars, Venus, Saturn, the Zodiac constellations.

#2 Bathe in a waterfall

Enjoy together a free shower from nature.

#3 Lost and found couples challenge

Go on a vacation with your loved one in a faraway city. Once you arrive, split up and try to find each other. The biggest question is how you will play the game: whether you will do what you usually do so that your partner can find you; or you will look for activities you think your partner will be doing? Romantic cities with compact city centers (like Vienna, Bratislava, and Amsterdam) are a good option.

Lost and found couples | Photo: Tord Sollie/Unsplash

#4 Climb a new peak and open a bottle of wine there

Hike up in the mountains and feel like deities looking over their lands. Celebrate reaching the top with a bottle of champagne and share it with your special one. This is an achievement worthy of a proper celebration!

#5 Create your own romantic travel challenge – the crazier, the better

The world is full of crazy people who fulfill their own crazy challenges. Create your own freaky idea and set to accomplishing it together. It could be anything from walking every street in your town to visiting every national park in the country or eating ice cream in front of every castle in Europe.

#6 For thrill junkies: go bungee jumping together

Sharing moments of thrill makes the bond between you stronger.

#7 Jump in the snow after taking a sauna

Spice up your spa day with something many Scandinavians do. Cooling down after a sauna is as important as heating up. It shouldn’t happen too abruptly but if you go to Finland in the winter, you’ll see people jumping into the ice-cold water of a lake or rolling in the snow after a sauna. Not that it’s strictly considered normal, but it’s not an uncommon sight, either. After this shock to your body, don’t forget to pat yourself down with the birch twigs that can be found in every Finnish sauna.

#8 A monthly date on a bench

Choose a favorite bench at a beautiful place that fills you with energy (it could be in the mountains, in a park, in a favorite town). Sit on it together every month. Take 12 photos and make a collage of them. Notice how everything around you changes and how you have changed.

Monthly date on a bench | Photo: Gary Bending/Unsplash

#9 Have a bottle of local wine with a view

“Years, lovers and glasses of wine; these things must not be counted”, said someone and we completely agree.

Not every date needs to be in a fancy restaurant. Keep this date simple and local; buy a bottle of local wine. Find a place with a view (of the sea, mountain tops, over the city) and share the bottle with your loved one. No hurrying, no talking required.

#10 Have a drink at an ice bar

Put on your snowboots and fluffy headphones and order a drink at a bar where you won’t need ice with your drink… Some of the world’s best ice bars are in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, at Hotel de Glace (Quebec, Canada), Chillout Bar (Dubai), Bar Minus 5 (New York, USA), Aurora Ice Bar (Alaska, USA), Xtracold Ice Bar (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Ice Club Roma (Rome, Italy).

#11 The random stop date

Set out at least once on a journey with only one point on your itinerary – the starting point. Sometimes it’s good to leave things to fate. And fate always has interesting ideas about who and what to introduce you to.

Here’s a complete guide to spontaneous travel with specific ideas by car, by train, etc.

#12 Soak in a warm, open-air mineral pool while it’s snowing

Find the nearest warm, mineral pool in the open air and visit it in winter, when snowflakes are falling from the sky. Take your favorite warm drink in a thermos for pure bliss (coffee, cappuccino, tea and rum, etc.). Read the full idea here.

#13 Join a night sky watch

Find the nearest astronomical observatory and check possible dates for a night sky watch through a telescope. Some observatories host special events, such as dinners under the sky.

#14 Organize a completely free or almost free trip

#15 Celebrate a traditional holiday in a non-traditional way

Traditions are to be changed from time to time. Bring something different into your life (and that of your loved one) by turning a classical holiday upside down. It will certainly be a holiday you will remember for years to come. Here are our guides with 21 unusual Christmas travel ideas and DIY: a cheap and unusual Easter travel idea.

#16 Sunrise and a morning picnic

Get in your car and drive at night. Go to the beach or another beautiful place to watch the sunrise. Watch the sun coming up with your loved one. Have a picnic in the morning and then take a short nap on the blanket.

>>> Discover more fun and unusual picnic ideas.

Photo: ©Maria Angelova/203challenges

#17 Sign up for a crazy marathon together

What a better way to make people closer than difficulties? These crazy marathons held around the world have enough difficulties to make you lean on each other and to make you feel you’ve accomplished something really big.

When two people are participating in the competition, you can work together in one direction, encourage each other, and help each other. This is the real purpose and meaning. You can customize love marathon or half marathon medals for the competition you participated in this time, keep them at home, and they will be a sweet memory to see in the future.

#18 The slow return trip date

Choose a destination and go there as quickly as possible. But on the way back home choose the slowest possible transport and way of returning. Swap the several-hour flight for a several-day exciting road trip. Stop, change transport, take detours, postpone your arrival – even if only by five minutes. Enjoy every place, every encounter and your time together.

#19 Organize a surprise trip for your better half

The birthday boy/girl may think they have plans for the special day until you kidnap them in an unknown direction… Here’s our foolproof 30-minute guide to organizing a surprise birthday trip.

Photo: ©Maria Angelova/203challenges

#20 Get lost on purpose

Getting lost in an unknown city is the best way to find interesting things and experiences, to meet interesting people (who are rarely among the crowds of tourists) and come across unexpected treasures. Choose a random remote part of the city you are visiting and get lost together.

#21 Close your eyes, turn the map of your country three times and then point to a place

Оpen your eyes and discover your destination for next weekend. Well, if you live in Canada or the USA, you may want to take a map of the state/province or county.

#22 Go to the rooftop of a building in your own city and see the city from above

When in a foreign place, tourists are ready to pay significant amounts of money to go up the Empire State Building or other observation decks upon skyscrapers. They don’t do it in their own town, though, where the pleasure is most probably free. Even if there are no skyscrapers around, find a tall building where a friend of yours works or lives, go to its rooftop and have a drink while enjoying the view.

#23 Cycling

Cycling is a wonderful date idea that allows couples to explore new places and enjoy the beauty of nature. You can choose a scenic route that takes you through picturesque landscapes, beautiful parks, or charming towns. Moreover, riding a bike is a fantastic date idea for couples with children because it provides an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise, and spend quality time together as a family. If your child is too young to ride their own bike, you can bring a bike seat (for instance, this one https://threo.co.uk/product/front-mounted-child-bike-seat). It is not only fun but also healthy and great for bonding. So, gear up and hit the road for a memorable cycling date with your loved ones!”

#24 Go to the concert of a favorite band abroad

Tickets for a concert of your favorite band are a perfect romantic gift but they are even better if you add plane tickets to them. For music fans it’s a double win – they listen to their favorite artists live and visit new places. Check regularly the websites of your favorite bands for concert dates in countries you’d like to go to anyway.

#25 Have breakfast at home. Have lunch 200 miles away. Have dinner abroad.

One of my all-time favorites.

#26 Go to the airport and buy a ticket for the cheapest destination of the day

Go to the airport with your luggage packed. You can go together with your friends. The destination is not important. Spend the weekend there.

#27 Ski or snowboard only in your underwear

Or even without.

#28 Go skinny-dipping in the nearest lake

Just because.

The post 28 unusual and adventurous date ideas for travel loving couples appeared first on 203Challenges.

It’s not always easy to travel with your partner, but you can always source some wisdom from those who have discovered the little secrets of romantic travel.

We’ve asked friends and strangers who often travel with their better halves. Here are their survival tips:

#1 You should both take part in the preparation of the trip – Alexander Nenov

Unless the trip is a surprise, you should both make decisions about the destination, schedule, hotel and airline, etc. It’s a good strategy to share these tasks, so you both feel satisfied and important. It’s a common mistake to let your loved one do all the planning, while you are forced to ‘be happy’ with whatever comes your way. There’s nothing worse than setting foot in Uganda when you actually dreamed of checking for yourself whether Thailand is as crazy as you’d heard.

#2 Don’t forget to go on a date together – Lou Liebau

I’ve been traveling with my guy for nearly two years now – he is English and I am American. It’s been a ride. I think one of the most helpful things you can do is to still go on dates. When you travel you are most likely going out to eat a lot and move around a lot, to the extent that it becomes a habit. So sometimes you don’t think about taking your partner out to a nice dinner that you plan out just for them. It’s important to go out of your way for the other person and still show them you care, rather than getting caught up in the moving around and the hustle of traveling.

#3 Don’t travel with someone whom one of you dislikes – Marta Leonard

Regardless of whether they are friends, relatives or colleagues, if one of you doesn’t like them, don’t travel together with them! It’s even worse if during the whole trip you conform with those people and ignore your better half’s feelings. But the worst of all is if you insist on spending 100% of the time with those people without saving some special time for you two. If you follow this anti-guide, you will for sure end up with no boyfriend/girlfriend or even worse: with one who doesn’t want to travel with you ever again.

#4 Plan activities during your vacation – Mark Wencey

It’s been proven that if you go on a vacation with nothing planned but beach and three meals a day, and you spend all of your time together, that’s a very, very bad idea. You will most probably have your first fight on the second day of your trip. Or at best, on the third. Spending 24 hours per day together with nothing interesting to do is the best recipe for an annoying and catastrophic romantic vacation.

#5 Stick to your own hobbies – Donna Jackson

My number one tip for couples when travelling together as digital nomads or on holidays is that they should explore their own areas of interest or hobbies, and not try to do everything together.

#6 Don’t be glued to each other – Amanda James

Allow yourselves some time alone. If one of you is shopping for souvenirs, let the other walk around and take photos or sit down for a snack. Arrange a meeting place and time. These small refreshing breaks will supply you with new stories to share with each other.

#7 Take turns deciding what to do the next day – Marina Garbeva

If you love each other but you are incompatible as travelers, make a deal to take turns in making plans for the next day. Thus, both of you will have a truly versatile vacation and an opportunity to surprise the other with an activity they would not normally choose.

#8 Meet other people. New people. Friends abroad. Just people – Marie Bench

I don’t mean to say that you’ll be bored by your partner, but every time my boyfriend and I (traveling together for three years now) meet other people, our trips reach a whole new level. Not only do you broaden your horizons, but you also make new friends, change the plan to meet them again on the road, go to their country to visit them… or at least that’s what we do. You should try it sometimes. It’s fun.

#9 Leave the expectations at home – Slavomir Ignatov

Travel with no expectations; think of yourself as just two people taken out of their mundane life and placed in new, unknown surroundings, hand in hand. The French have a beautiful word for this: FLÂNER, to perceive life with all your senses alongside your loved one.

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Going somewhere high feels like being a deity looking over their lands. For active people, it can also be a great idea for a romantic trip. It’s a simple but memorable idea. 

How to do it

First of all, if you have trouble finding your way, you don’t know the trails or are worried you might get lost, join your mountaineering friends or sign up for a tourist club. 

For a hike in the mountain you need several basic things – a comfortable backpack and hiking shoes, a windproof jacket, a raincoat, tourist utensils and cutlery (plate, mug, fork and Swiss army knife), a mat, a headlamp/flashlight, water (sometimes you can’t get it on the route), light and high-energy foods (nuts, dried fruit), a first-aid kit.

For this date idea, you will need a bottle of champagne or your favorite wine as well. You can take two wine glasses in bubble wrap for extra glamour or just opt for the plastic ‘wine’ glasses. 

Celebrate reaching the top popping the bottle of champagne and share it with your loved one. This is an achievement worthy of a proper celebration!

Get inspired…

Jack Kerouac said it best: “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain”.

The post Date idea: Pop a bottle of champagne on a mountain peak appeared first on 203Challenges.

Big adventures are inspiring and they are great for impressing strangers in bars, but they happen quite rarely and the gap between them can make your life feel empty and uneventful. Plus, sometimes you just can’t take a day off from work even when you’re itching to get out and do something fun.

But all hope is not lost! There are several options that you’ve probably failed to notice in your despair.

After all, on a normal working day you’re free:

• in the morning;
• during your lunch break;
• after work (including the evening).

Here are 12 ideas for mini trips and adventures that you can squeeze into these breaks. They’re exciting, Instagram-worthy (because we all crave that killer shot that gets 100+ likes) and will help your free spirit survive until the weekend comes.

#1 Organize a sunrise picnic

A sunrise picnic by the lake | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

A picnic can be so much more than eating an alfresco meal on a blanket. Simply changing the time of your picnic can completely change the experience. Leave home an hour or so before sunrise, take a flask of coffee and breakfast in a basket, then drive somewhere beautiful to greet the new day.

>>> Try more creative picnic ideas.

#2 Head outside for your morning workout

Outdoor yoga routine | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

Yoga, tai chi or downhill biking – whatever your sporting passion is, try it somewhere new and exciting. Why practice your morning meditation in your living room when you can do it in a forest or a quiet park?

#3 Go ‘forest bathing’ like the Japanese

Go forest bathing | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

The Japanese call it shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) – the practice of walking in the forest to improve your health. The Swedes have a somewhat similar tradition called gökotta, which involves heading to a forest before sunrise to listen to the first birdsong of the morning. It’s much more exciting to tell your colleagues you practiced shinrin-yoku or gökotta instead of simply saying “I went to the park this morning.”

#4 Walk to work

Swap your daily commute for a walk to combine a healthy lifestyle, physical activity and a peaceful rebellion against big city’s pollution. It’s no coincidence that there’s a Walk to Work Day – use it as inspiration!

#5 Do something unusual in your lunch break

If you stop thinking of your lunch break as just a meal time, you’ll be able to come up with tons of amazing activities that you can squeeze into your day. If you’re struggling for inspiration, read this list of unusual lunch break ideas.

#6 Hop on your bike and ride to the nearest peak

Cycle for the sunset | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

All the sweat and pain of climbing a hill on two wheels is worth it when there’s a jaw-dropping view at the top. Take a bottle of wine and share it with your fellow mini-adventurers on a summer’s day; you can enjoy the sunlight long after work is over.

Psst. We’ve compiled a cycling playlist here.

#7 Dine on a lake shore

Dine on a lake shore | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

Instead of having dinner at home or at a restaurant, grab your favorite takeaway and head to the nearest lake. Reservoirs, river banks, city ponds and fountains will also suffice if your neighborhood is lacking in lakes. Of course, lakeside meals are often interrupted by lakeside birds, so keep some crumbs at hand for your feathered friends.

#8 Book a table at a restaurant in another city

Indulging in a scrumptious meal is always a special event, no matter whether you’re abroad or at home. To make this weekday night even more special, research a good restaurant in a neighboring city and head there. Don’t forget to try the dessert of the day!

#9 Go stargazing

A blanket, a friend and a half-hour drive out of the city are the only three ingredients you need for a memorable night under the stars. If it’s August and you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you can plan to see the Perseids meteor shower.

#10 Sleep in a hotel in your own city

Choose a cozy boutique hotel in your own city and treat yourself to a midweek vacation. Take advantage of all the services: the spa center, the gourmet restaurant, the rooftop bar…

#11 Go midweek camping somewhere close to your city

Go midweek camping | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

Midweek camping is so unexpectedly refreshing that once you’ve tried it, you may wonder why you’ve wasted all those years sleeping under a ceiling. It’s much easier than it sounds; you don’t need a day off and you don’t need to drive for miles. Simply read our guide: How to organize a midweek nature escape in 10 easy steps.

#12 Go on a night hike

Provided you have an acceptable mountain/hill close to where you live and there’s a trail you know like the back of your hand, you have no excuse not to put your headlamp on and head on a refreshing hike under the moonlight. Choose a night with a full moon for an extra special experience.

Featured image: © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

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Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all,

said Helen Keller once, and we believe her. If life doesn’t provide you with enough adventures, the next best thing is to challenge yourself.

During my last trip to Brazil, I asked each of my friends to pose a fun challenge to me. The list I compiled turned out to be the most inspirational read of my life. It made me play soccer with boys on Copacabana beach, sleep at a stranger’s house, speak in Portuguese (although I couldn’t and I still can’t) and cook a Bulgarian national meal for a Brazilian, among many other random achievements.

You understand. Challenging  yourself and others is fun. Here are 20 creative ideas for challenging yourself everyday, every week or every month (you can adjust the frequency) without having to suck on a lemon, neck a gallon of milk, swallow a spoonful of cinnamon or bite into a raw onion.

#1 Set an alert on your calendar or other phone app to remind you to do a good deed every single month. We all want to help others, but we are often so engrossed in our daily routine that we need a gentle little kick in the butt to do something selfless.

#2 Take the same photo of yourself in the same place every year. 

#3 Choose a day of the month when you meet a friend and you try a new restaurant together. Step up your game by choosing a different national cuisine every time.

#4 Every time you travel abroad, research what’s the strangest food there and try it. Like tarantulas in Cambodia.

#5 Every day, try to speak with a different accent or dialect. 

#6 Set a ridiculously low budget and take turns with your friends to cook a dinner for four for that money. Delicious food only, please – you must take this challenge seriously.

#7 Organize this with friends – everyone should bring only one food product without telling the others what it will be. Then you should cook something delicious with all these mystery ingredients.

#8 Wake up for the sunrise 30 days in a row. Maybe you can also practice the Swedish ritual of gokotta.

#9 Plant a tree every year. 

#10 Call that friend whom you haven’t spoken to for ages.

#11 Learn a new fun fact every day. 

#12 Prepare a breakfast for someone at home (even if this person wakes up earlier than you, you can prepare it the night before) or at the office.

#13 Spend a weekend with all electronic devices switched off (preferably they will be locked in a safe in another city and you won’t have the key).

#14 Say ‘yes’ to every single offer you receive for a week (like in the 2008 movie Yes Man with Jim Carrey, which you can re-watch for inspiration).

#15 Choose a different route to your workplace every day for a month. 

#16 Compliment a different person every day for a month.

#17 Stop complaining for a month. Every time you catch yourself complaining, put a dollar in a jar. At the end of the month, buy yourself a treat or spend it on someone who needs the money (see Challenge #1).

#18 Visit a new place every weekend for at least three months. It could be somewhere just 20 miles from your house – the only condition is that you’ve never been there before.

#19 Ask a different friend to think up a challenge for you every month.

#20 Bake cookies for a friend for no reason.

And don’t forget to take care for your eyes, and your health.

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