People don’t live in Los Angeles because we are tied to the same old, same old. We live in Los Angeles because of the intoxicating energy of new beginnings that permeate our city. – Marianne Williamson

I love Los Angeles. It reinvents itself every two days. – Billy Connolly

It’s mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they’ll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them aren’t even young and beautiful now. – Christopher Hitchens

In Los Angeles, you can have the city life and feel like you’re on holiday at the same time. – Isabel Marant

Los Angeles has no seasons, so it’s kind of hard to keep track of time here. The lines between spring, summer, fall, and winter all blur like my vision. I get stuck on repeat for different measures of eternity. – Kris Kidd

You can have a laugh in Los Angeles, or you can weep in Los Angeles, depending on your attitude towards it. – Miranda Richardson

When I came to Los Angeles, it was the first time that I ever felt like I belong somewhere. Not because it was wacky, but because people here understood what I felt like to perform, and there were other kids my age who wanted to do it. I didn’t get looked at as God, you freak. – Jennifer Love Hewitt

Los Angeles is like a beauty parlor at the end of the universe. – Emily Mortimer

So I live in Los Angeles, and it’s kind of a goofy place. They have an airport named after John Wayne. That ought to explain it. It has a charming kind of superstitious innocence. – George Carlin

I’m attracted to creative people and train wrecks, and there’s no shortage of that in Los Angeles. – Pete Wentz

I love Los Angeles, and I love Hollywood. They’re beautiful. Everybody’s plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic. – Andy Warhol

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#1 Bathe in a waterfall

Enjoy a free shower from Mother Nature while exploring unforgettable natural attractions.

Where: Havasu and Mooney Falls (Grand Canyon, USA). Twin Falls and The Seven Sacred Pools (Mawi, Hawaii). McWay Falls (Big Sur, California). Or just visit the nearest waterfall to you.

McWay Falls, California

>>> Read: 5 American waterfalls to bathe in this summer.

#2 Go white water rafting

Let the rapids boost your adrenaline as your inflatable boat bounces up and down along the river. Swimming is not a necessary skill – as long as you’re not afraid of water. 

Where: Along the Colorado River.

#3 Cross ‘via ferrata’

In Italian ‘via ferrata’ means “iron road”. If you are afraid of heights, you will need nerves of iron (pun intended) to cross this rocky route, although it’s completely safe and you will be secured the whole time. The system of ladders, metal ropes, suspension bridges and railings make the rock formation accessible to everyone, not just professional climbers. After this ‘appetizer’, you may want to try out actual rock climbing.

Where: Telluride (in San Juan Mountains, Colorado).

#4 Hug a very special tree

…and get fresh energy from nature.

Where: It won’t be so easy to hug the largest living tree on the planet – the giant sequoia General Sherman (which soars to 275 ft [84 m]) – because its circumference at ground-level is 102 ft (31 m) The tree is located in Sequoia National Park, California.

One more idea: In many cultures, trees are a symbol of family and kinship. Get the whole family together and plant a tree in a place where you all love going to. Then you’ll have a reason to go there even more often.

General Sherman Sequoia tree | Jim Bahn/Wikipedia

#5 Get close to an animal in its natural habitat

Our lives are so dominated by concrete and steel that an encounter with an animal in the wild is a rare and exciting experience. This challenge will push you to discover the natural habitats of your favorite animals and find a way to arrange a meeting with them.

Where: Take a whale-watching boat trip from Boston Harbor to catch a glimpse of a humpback whale or dolphins. Or just visit the nearest national park.

#6 Run a (crazy) marathon

There are marathons you run simply to prove that you can do it. Start with them. Then you can try your hand at a crazy marathon.

Where: Santa Speedo Run, in Boston or Atlanta. To run the annual Santa Speedo Runs across the USA you need a Speedo bathing suit (holiday colors are preferred). You will also need some Christmas flair (Santa hat, beard, Christmas socks, etc.). A warning: December weather in Boston is far from the ideal temperature for bathing suits. So runners are allowed (recommended even) to have a drink or two before the run.

Atlanta Speedo Run | TimotyJ/Wikipedia

#7 Drink whiskey straight from the source

Whiskey is a religion with its cults and rituals. If you also pray to this particular god, visit a distillery.

Where: Jack Daniel’s. Lynchburg, Tennessee is a legendary place to take a good walk while listening to stories about Jack and where, without any judgement whatsoever, you could share your very own personal encounters with him. If you don’t drink whiskey, you can join a ‘dry tour’ and delve into the distillery’s history fully sober.

#8 Ice skate at some of the world’s most beautiful ice rinks

Strap on your skates and show us a double axel (or triple fall on the ice – it depends on your skill level) at some of the most impressive ice rinks this planet has to offer.

Where: One of the world’s most famous ice rinks can be found just in front of the Rockefeller Center in New York.

#9 Discover a beach in the middle of the city

Life is better in flip-flops, they say. If the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions the beach is a solitary bungalow on a remote island, we challenge you to find some of the best city beaches in the world.

Where: Venice Beach, Los Angeles, is perfect not only for sunbathing but also for renting roller skates or a bike and going down a seven-mile bike alley to Will Rogers State Beach.

>>> Read 5 beaches in the middle of busy cities

#10 Sweat in a valley of geysers

There are slightly more than 1,000 geysers on Earth, many of which form boiling valleys. As it seems, the influence of hot water over the human mind hasn’t been well studied yet, because people tend to think of weird stuff to do when they see a geyser. Like boiling eggs (there are hundreds of videos of that; check them out if you plan to conduct a experiment).

Where: Yellowstone National Park houses thousands of hot springs, mud pots and at least 300 geysers – one-third of the planet’s total.

Yellowstone National Park | Ashley Knedler/Unsplash

Fun fact… Geysers exist on other planets. If you’re planning a trip to outer space, you can stop by Saturn’s moon Enceladus for a water vapor eruption or go to Neptune’s moon Triton for nitrogen eruptions.

#11 See the Northern Lights

Unsurprisingly, catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights is a dream experience for millions of travelers around the world. If the aurora is also on your list, here’s how you can see it:

When can you see the Northern Lights? Unfortunately, you’re at nature’s mercy. The Northern Lights like to play hide and seek, so you’d better stick around the observation area for at least a week, at best – two weeks at worst. Your best chance is from late August until late November and in February and March. However, the truth is, no one can guarantee when the lights will appear.

Where: The best places in the world to observe the Northern Lights are Alaska, Norway, Canada, Greenland, Lapland, Iceland, and Sweden.

#12 Drive along picturesque winding roads

Some of the most picturesque roads in the world are, unfortunately, some of the most unbearable for your inner ear. But, oh, they’re worth it!

Where: Big Sur, California, or Interstate 1, is one of the best-known roads in the States. You’ll see why when it leads you to the breathtaking viewpoint over the Pacific Ocean. The Interstate spans 90 mi (145 km) from San Simeon to Carmel and offers wild nature and steep rocks, overlooking the waves crashing against the shore.

Drive on! | adrian/Unsplash

#13 Have a drink at an ice bar

Put on your snow boots and fluffy headphones and order a drink at a bar where you won’t need any extra ice…

Where: Some of the world’s best ice bars are in the USA – like Bar Minus 5 (New York) and Aurora Ice Bar (Alaska).

#14 You want a raise? Take a holiday!

It’s proven that employees who use more of their vacation days achieve better results at work and have a higher chance of being promoted. Many people don’t use all of their vacation days as they fear that their long absence might show their bosses that the work can be managed without them. However, statistics in the USA and Canada reveal that for every 10 days off from work, employees’ results improve by an average of 8%.

How to do it (if your boss won’t give you a holiday): Show this article to your boss (or an employee who urgently needs to take a break)…

#15 Spend 45 minutes in a soundproof room

Imagine a room that isolates 99.9% of sound. Imagine you’re in that room, alone. You can hear your heartbeat and, after a few minutes in the room, even your lungs! In the soundproof room you become the sound. According to Guinness World Records this is the quietest place on Earth.

Where: This is a really serious challenge. Such rooms can be found in the USA, and more and more are opening in different places around the world. Usually, they announce several visiting days throughout the year, as the main purpose of these rooms is to test technological products. Google “anechoic chamber” + the country or town closest to you.

Could you spend 45 minutes in a soundproof room? | Malte Wingen/Unsplash

#16 Join some of the craziest festivals in the world

If you feel like doing something really crazy, there are hundreds of festivals around the world created just for people like you.

Where: Burning Man – this festival is a must for every free spirit. It’s hard to put the experience into words; you have to be there to understand it. For two weeks every year, tens of thousands of people gather in the desert near the city of Reno, to create a temporary metropolis dedicated to exchanging knowledge, skills, creativity and art. Nothing is sold; there are only acts of gift giving. The culmination of the event is the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden effigy – “the Man”, which lends its name to the festival.

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

The post 16 fun travel challenges to experience the USA in a unique way appeared first on 203Challenges.

Europe

1. Lindt (Switzerland): Lindt, a Swiss chocolatier, is famous for its smooth and creamy chocolate. The Lindt Chocolate Factory in Kilchberg, near Zurich, offers guided tours where you can see the chocolate-making process and, of course, indulge in tastings.
2. Zotter Chocolate Factory (Austria): Located in Riegersburg, Austria, Zotter is known for its organic and fair-trade chocolates. The factory offers guided tours that take you through the chocolate-making process, and you can explore the vast chocolate varieties in their tasting area.
3. Neuhaus (Belgium): Neuhaus is one of Belgium’s oldest chocolate companies, known for inventing the praline. While Neuhaus doesn’t typically offer public tours of its factory, you can visit their stores throughout Belgium and indulge in their delicious chocolates.
4. Maison Cailler (Switzerland): Cailler is Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brand, and its factory, Maison Cailler, is located in Broc. The factory tour provides insights into the history of chocolate and offers tastings of Cailler’s renowned Swiss chocolate.
5. Ritter Sport (Germany): Ritter Sport, a German brand, is known for its square-shaped chocolate bars. While their main production facility is not open to the public, you can visit their colorful flagship store in Berlin to explore and taste their wide range of chocolate.
6. Moser Roth (Germany): Moser Roth is a German brand known for its high-quality chocolate. While they don’t have dedicated factory tours, their chocolates are available in supermarkets, and you can explore their various flavors.
7. Leonidas (Belgium): Leonidas is a Belgian chocolate company with a wide range of pralines. While they may not offer factory tours, you can find their stores throughout Belgium and other countries to sample their delicious chocolates.
8. Amadei (Italy): Amadei is an Italian chocolatier known for its high-quality chocolate. While they may not offer public tours, you can find their chocolates in select stores and indulge in their exquisite creations.

North America

1. Hershey’s Chocolate World (Pennsylvania, USA): Hershey’s is one of the most iconic chocolate brands in the world. Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania, offers a visitor center with various attractions, including a chocolate tour ride, chocolate tastings, and the opportunity to create your own chocolate bar.
2. Ghirardelli Square (California, USA): Ghirardelli, known for its high-quality chocolate and iconic squares, has a historic location in San Francisco, California. Ghirardelli Square features a chocolate and ice cream shop where you can indulge in their delicious treats.
3. Taza Chocolate (Massachusetts, USA): Taza Chocolate, located in Somerville, Massachusetts, specializes in stone-ground chocolate using traditional Mexican methods. They offer factory tours where you can see the chocolate-making process and enjoy tastings.
4. Theo Chocolate (Washington, USA): Based in Seattle, Washington, Theo Chocolate is known for its organic and fair-trade chocolates. Theo Chocolate Factory offers guided tours that provide insights into the bean-to-bar chocolate-making process.
5. Lake Champlain Chocolates (Vermont, USA): Lake Champlain Chocolates, based in Burlington, Vermont, is known for its high-quality chocolates. While they may not offer factory tours, you can visit their retail store for a selection of chocolates.
6. Mast Brothers Chocolate (New York, USA): Located in Brooklyn, New York, Mast Brothers Chocolate is known for its bean-to-bar approach. While they may not currently offer factory tours, you can explore their flagship store and café to sample their unique chocolate creations.
7. Rogers’ Chocolates (British Columbia, Canada): Rogers’ Chocolates is a historic Canadian chocolate company based in Victoria, British Columbia. While they may not have factory tours, you can visit their stores to enjoy a variety of chocolates.
8. Purdys Chocolatier (British Columbia, Canada): Purdys Chocolatier, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is known for its premium chocolates. While they may not offer public tours, you can visit their stores across Canada to explore their selection.

Canada

1. Purdys Chocolatier: Based in Vancouver, Purdys is one of the oldest and most popular chocolate companies in Canada. They have retail stores across the country, offering a wide range of chocolates, truffles, and other sweet treats.
2. Rogers’ Chocolates: Established in 1885, Rogers’ Chocolates is a historic Canadian chocolate company based in Victoria, British Columbia. They have a variety of chocolates, including truffles, creams, and caramels.
3. Laura Secord: Laura Secord is a Canadian chocolatier with a long history, known for its quality chocolates and iconic ice cream. While they may not offer factory tours, you can visit their retail stores across Canada.
4. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: With locations across Canada, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is known for its handmade chocolates, caramel apples, and other confections. They often have stores in tourist areas and shopping centers.
5. Soma Chocolatemaker: Based in Toronto, Soma Chocolatemaker is known for its artisanal approach to chocolate making. They source high-quality cacao beans and produce a range of chocolates, including bars, truffles, and drinking chocolate.
6. Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie: Located in Burnaby, British Columbia, Chez Christophe is an award-winning chocolatier known for its exquisite chocolates and pastries. While they may not offer factory tours, you can visit their patisserie to enjoy their creations.
7. Chocolats Favoris: Originating in Quebec, Chocolats Favoris has expanded across Canada, offering a variety of chocolate-dipped treats, including ice cream cones, fruits, and more. They have boutiques where you can experience their chocolate offerings.

South America

1. Chocolatería República del Cacao (Ecuador): Ecuador is renowned for its high-quality cocoa, and República del Cacao is a prominent Ecuadorian chocolate brand. They have stores and experiences in Ecuador where you can learn about the chocolate-making process and indulge in tastings.
2. Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador): Another Ecuadorian gem, Pacari is an award-winning chocolate brand known for its organic and biodynamic practices. While they may not have a dedicated factory tour, you can find their chocolates in various locations and specialty shops.
3. Markets and Chocolatiers in Oaxaca (Mexico): Oaxaca, Mexico, is known for its rich culinary heritage, including chocolate. Visit local markets like Mercado Benito Juárez and chocolate shops such as Mayordomo to explore and taste traditional Mexican chocolates.
4. Cacao Sampaka (Argentina): Cacao Sampaka, originally from Spain, has a presence in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They offer a variety of chocolates, and you can visit their store to explore their creations.
5. Chocolatería Rausch (Colombia): Rausch is a Colombian chocolate brand with a focus on high-quality ingredients. While they may not offer public tours, you can find their chocolates in stores and experience their creations in Bogotá.
6. Casa Cacao (Peru): Located in Cusco, Peru, Casa Cacao is a chocolate-themed experience created by Jordi Roca, a renowned Spanish pastry chef. The space includes a chocolate factory, a chocolate shop, and a café where you can taste their creations.
7. Árbol de Cacao (Peru): In the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, Árbol de Cacao is a chocolate farm and eco-lodge. They offer tours that allow visitors to learn about the entire chocolate-making process, from harvesting cacao to making the final product.

Africa

1. Chocoloza (South Africa): Chocoloza, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, is known for its handmade Belgian chocolates. While they may not offer factory tours, you can visit their shop to enjoy a variety of pralines, truffles, and other chocolate treats.
2. Madécasse (Madagascar): Madécasse is a chocolate brand that produces bean-to-bar chocolate in Madagascar. The company is committed to supporting local communities and promoting sustainable practices. While they may not have a physical visitor center, you can find their products in various locations.
3. Morin (Morocco): Morin is a Moroccan chocolate brand that produces bean-to-bar chocolate. While they may not offer formal tours, you can find their chocolates in specialty shops and explore the flavors of Moroccan chocolate.
4. Vanilla Food Company (Uganda): Vanilla Food Company, based in Kampala, Uganda, is known for producing high-quality chocolate and vanilla products. While they may not have formal tours, you can explore their range of chocolates in local shops and markets.
5. Cote d’Or (Ivory Coast): Cote d’Or is a popular Ivorian chocolate brand that produces a variety of chocolate products. While they may not offer tours, you can find their chocolates in local stores and supermarkets in Ivory Coast.
6. MIA (Made in Africa) (South Africa): MIA is a chocolate brand that sources its cocoa from across Africa, including Tanzania and Madagascar. While they may not have physical locations for visits, you can find their products in stores and online.
7. Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador, with African cocoa): While Pacari is originally from Ecuador, they source cocoa from various countries, including those in Africa. They are known for their organic and fair-trade chocolates. You can find Pacari chocolate in various locations globally.

Asia

1. Royce’ Chocolate (Japan): Royce’ is a well-known Japanese chocolate brand with a focus on high-quality chocolates, including their famous Nama Chocolate. They have stores across Japan, and you can visit to enjoy a variety of chocolate treats.
2. Patchi (Lebanon, with a presence in various Asian countries): Patchi is a luxury chocolate brand originally from Lebanon, with a significant presence in various Asian countries. They offer a wide range of chocolates and often have boutique stores where you can explore and purchase their creations.
3. La Maison du Chocolat (Japan): La Maison du Chocolat, a renowned French chocolate brand, has a presence in Japan with boutique stores. You can visit to experience their exquisite chocolates and confections.
4. Silk Cacao (Vietnam): Silk Cacao is a Vietnamese chocolate brand known for its bean-to-bar chocolates. While they may not offer formal tours, you can explore their range of chocolates in their stores and learn about their production processes.
5. Meltz Chocolate Cafe (South Korea): Meltz Chocolate Cafe is a South Korean chocolate brand that offers a variety of handmade chocolates. They have cafes where you can enjoy chocolate treats and beverages.
6. Zotter Chocolate (Japan): Zotter, an Austrian chocolate brand, has a presence in Japan, offering a variety of organic and fair-trade chocolates. While they may not have dedicated factory tours, you can explore their products in stores.
7. Demarquette Fine Chocolates (Singapore): Demarquette, a British chocolate brand, has a presence in Singapore. You can visit their store to explore their handmade chocolates and unique flavor combinations.
8. Minimal Chocolate (Taiwan): Minimal Chocolate is a Taiwanese brand that focuses on minimalist packaging and high-quality chocolate. While they may not offer formal tours, you can find their products in various locations.

Australia

1. Haigh’s Chocolates: Haigh’s is one of the oldest and most respected chocolate makers in Australia. With stores in various cities, including Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, Haigh’s offers a range of high-quality chocolates. Some locations may offer tours or tasting sessions.
2. Lindt Chocolate Cafés: Lindt, the Swiss chocolatier, has a presence in Australia with Lindt Chocolate Cafés. These cafés offer a selection of Lindt chocolates, desserts, and hot chocolate. Lindt also has a factory outlet in Marsden Park, New South Wales.
3. Koko Black: Koko Black is an Australian chocolatier known for its premium chocolate creations. With locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and other cities, Koko Black provides a luxurious chocolate experience. Some locations may have chocolate appreciation sessions.
4. San Churro: While San Churro is best known for its Spanish churros, it also offers a variety of chocolate treats. With locations across Australia, including Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth, San Churro is a popular destination for chocolate lovers.
5. Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café: Guylian, the Belgian chocolate brand, has a presence in Australia with chocolate cafés. These cafés offer a selection of Guylian’s famous Belgian chocolates and desserts. You can find them in Sydney and other major cities.
6. Ernest Hillier Chocolates: Established in 1914, Ernest Hillier is one of the oldest chocolate manufacturers in Australia. While they may not offer public tours, you can find their chocolates in specialty stores and online.
7. The Margaret River Chocolate Company: With locations in Margaret River, Perth, and Swan Valley, this Western Australian chocolatier offers a range of chocolate products. Some locations may provide insights into the chocolate-making process.
8. Max Brenner Chocolate Bar: Max Brenner is an international chocolate chain with locations in Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. They offer a chocolate-centric menu with desserts, hot chocolate, and unique chocolate creations.

Before you visit

Before planning a visit, it’s recommended to check with the specific chocolate brand or chocolatier for the most up-to-date information on store locations, tastings, and any potential tours they may offer. Keep in mind that while some brands may not have formal tours, their retail locations often provide delightful opportunities to sample and purchase their chocolates.

The post Best Places for Chocolate Lovers in the World appeared first on 203Challenges.

1.  When I’m in New York, I just want to walk down the street and feel this thing, like I’m in a movie. – Ryan Adams

2. If you want to become a real New Yorker, there’s only one rule: You have to believe New York is, has been, and always will be the greatest city on earth. The center of the universe. – Ellen R. Shapiro

3. There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless. – Simone de Beauvoir

4. London is satisfied, Paris is resigned, but New York is always hopeful. – Dorothy Parker

5. New York is an ugly city, a dirty city. Its climate is a scandal, its politics are used to frighten children, its traffic is madness, its competition is murderous. But there is one thing about it: Once you have lived in New York and it has become your home, no place else is good enough. – John Steinbeck

6. It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story. – Agatha Christie 

7. I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York’s skyline. – Ayn Rand

8.   More than anything else New York is a city of superlatives, a place where the best, the brightest, the biggest is the norm. – Marilyn J. Appleberg

9. New York is really the place to be; to go to New York, you’re going to the center of the world, the lion’s den. – Zubin Mehta

10. A hundred times I have thought: New York is a catastrophe, and fifty times: it is a beautiful catastrophe. – Le Corbusier 

11. One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years. – Thomas Wolfe

12. I get out of the taxi and it’s probably the only city which in reality looks better than on the postcards, New York. – Milos Forman

13. One can’t paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt. – Georgia O’Keefe

14. You haven’t lived until you died in New York. – Alexander Woollcott  

15. New York is a diamond iceberg floating in river water. – Truman Capote

Read more: 7 unique NYC activities for an unusual trip

16. When you leave New York you ain’t going anywhere. – Jimmy Breslin

17. It was never built for the comfort and happiness of its citizens, but to astonish the world. – Susan Ertz 

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See luxury homes for rent in New York.

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1. Nature

The vast continent of North America has many untouched natural wonders that anyone would ever dream of seeing. The place has many famous and well-known spots to visit, attractions sites, and lands that seem meaningless to many but deserve your attention. There are beautiful forests, grizzly bears, crystal clear lakes, and excellent beaches you wouldn’t want to miss out on when visiting North America. When taking a trip to any of the North American states, these Travel articles about Jamaica can greatly help to provide you with insights on how to get the best accommodations, modes of transportation, and finding the best travel guides. It’s such information that will allow you to have the time of your life whenever you are on a vacation in whatever country you decide to visit. 

2. History

Now, this is not an idea that will cross the minds of people. Anyone willing to explore North America knows that this is a continent that holds vast and fascinating history. North American History is eventful, from the people’s history to that of forming the government. The majestic land has several historical landmarks, from the presidential homes to the iconic revolutionary battlefields of war. Some of them include:

• The statue of liberty in New York City is a powerful symbol of the highlights of human rights and national independence.
• The Venetian Pool in Florida is the oldest and also the most significant pool with fresh water.
• Baranof Castle in America reminds of the handing over territory to America by Russia in 1867.
• The Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina takes us back to 1903 when two brothers launched the first successful flight.

3. Culture

The fascinating aspect of traveling and exploring nations is discovering people’s cultures and lifestyles. It is exciting and fun, especially when you have to adjust and learn how they run things in their day-to-day life. In most cases, you might find yourself asking, ‘How does this food taste?’ or ‘What is the meaning of this term?’ Contrary to other nations where culture is compact and practical, North Americans prefer a large and luxurious lifestyle. You shouldn’t be surprised by the parties held every day in Los Angeles. residents in North American states love sports, the most popular being basketball and baseball. There are also winter games like skiing and diving, enjoyed by people in the land. 

There are various reasons to explore North America. The three reasons in this article should convince you of why it is worth your every penny. When planning your trip, it would be best if you researched to know the specific places that you need to visit. Planning helps you avoid confusion due to the vastness of the continent. It also prepares you for any inconveniences that might arise, like changes in weather conditions, transportation requirements, and the costs that come with it. Nevertheless, it will be meaningful if you had the chance to visit the attraction sites in this great continent. 

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“It’s an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city and possess all the attractions of the next world.” – Oscar Wilde

”San Francisco is a breathtakingly beautiful city, with lots of great contrasts between dark and light, often overlapping each other. It’s a great setting for a horror story.” – Christopher Moore

”San Francisco is one of the great cultural plateaus in the world….one of the really urbane communities in the United States…one of the truly cosmopolitan places – and for many, many years, it has always had a warm welcome for human beings from all over the world.” – Duke Ellington

”San Francisco is the only city I can think of that can survive all the things you people are doing to it and still look beautiful.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

”San Francisco is poetry.  Even the hills rhyme.” – Pat Montandon

”Anyone who doesn’t have a great time in San Francisco is pretty much dead to me. You go there as a snarky New Yorker thinking it’s politically correct, it’s crunchy granola, it’s vegetarian, and it surprises you every time. It’s a two-fisted drinking town, a carnivorous meat-eating town, it’s dirty and nasty and wonderful.” – Anthony Bourdain

”One day if I go to heaven… I’ll look around and say ‘It ain’t bad. But it ain’t San Francisco.” – Herb Caen

”Every man should be allowed to love two cities, his own and San Francisco.” – Gene Fowler

”San Francisco is the best place in the whole world for an easy life.” –  Imogen Cunningham

”I don’t know of any other city where you can walk through so many culturally diverse neighborhoods, and you’re never out of sight of the wild hills.  Nature is very close here.”- Gary Snyder

”The port of San Francisco……is a marvel of nature, and might well be called the harbor of harbors….And I think if it could be well settled like Europe there would not be anything more beautiful in all the world.” – Juan Bautista de Anza

”Your city is remarkable not only for its beauty.  It is also, of all the cities in the United States, the one whose name, the world over, conjures up the most visions and more than any other city incites one to dream.” – Georges Pompidou

”San Francisco is exciting, moody, exhilarating. I even love the muted fogs.” – Julie Christie

”Of all American cities of whatever size the most friendly on preliminary inspection, and on further acquaintance the most likable. The happiest-hearted, the gayest, the most care-free city on this continent.” – Irwin S. Cobb

”No city invites the heart to come to life as San Francisco does.  Arrival in San Francisco is an experience in living.” – – William Saroyan

”San Francisco has always been a haven for misfits and weirdos. I’m both of these, which is why I came here.” – Michael Franti

”San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. Every house a poem, every dweller within immortal. This is the whole truth.” – William Saroyan

”If you’re alive, you can’t be bored in San Francisco. If you’re not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life.” – William Saroyan

”To a traveler paying his first visit, it has the interest of a new planet.  It ignores the meteorological laws which govern the rest of the world.” – Fitz Hugh Ludlow

”We’re crazy about this city. The first time we came here, we walked the streets all day — all over town — and nobody hassled us. People smiled, friendly-like, and we knew we could live here… Los Angeles? That’s just a big parking lot where you buy a hamburger for a trip to San Francisco… And the beautiful old houses and the strange light. We’ve never been in a city with light like this. We sit in our hotel room for hours, watching the fog come in, the light change.” – John Lennon

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1. Traffic signals in New York are just rough guidelines. – David Letterman

2. New York now leads the world’s great cities in the number of people around whom you shouldn’t make a sudden move. – David Letterman

3. The last time anybody made a list of the top hundred character attributes of New Yorkers, common sense snuck in at number 79. – Douglas Adams 

4. The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding. – John Updike

5. In New York, most people don’t have cars, so if you want to kill a person, you have to take the subway to their house. And sometimes on the way, the train is delayed and you get impatient, so you have to kill someone on the subway. That’s why there are so many subway murders; no one has a car. – George Carlin

6. Practically everybody in New York has half a mind to write a book — and does. – Groucho Marx

7. Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place. – Johnny Carson

8. New York is the only city in the world where you can get deliberately run down on the sidewalk by a pedestrian. – Russell Baker 

9. What’s the use of a great city having temptations if fellows don’t yield to them? – P.G. Wodehouse

10. …For in that city [New York] there is neurosis in the air which the inhabitants mistake for energy. – Evelyn Waugh

11. When you leave New York, you are astonished at how clean the rest of the world is. Clean is not enough. – Fran Lebowitz

12. There is more sophistication and less sense in New York than anywhere else on the globe. – Elbert Hubbard

13. Every true New Yorker believes with all his heart that when a New Yorker is tired of New York, he is tired of life. – Robert Moses 

14. It’ll be a great place if they ever finish it. – O. Henry

15. Manhattan is an accumulation of possible disasters that never happen. – Edward I. Koch

16. New York is a place where the rich walk, the poor drive Cadillac’s, and the beggars die of malnutrition with thousands of dollars hidden in their mattresses. – Duke Ellington

17. On a New York subway you get fined for spitting, but you can throw up for nothing. – Lewis Grizzard

Read more: 7 unique NYC activities for an unusual trip

18. True New Yorkers do not really seek information about the outside world. They feel that if anything is not in New York it is not likely to be interesting. – Jimmy Breslin

19. New York – The city where the people from Oshkosh look at the people from Dubuque in the next theater seats and say “These New Yorkers don’t dress any better than we do. – Robert Benchley

20. My dad was the town drunk. Most of the time that’s not so bad; but New York City? – Henny Youngman

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An avid 203 Challenges reader, Rob Erwin is the author of the best-selling travel adventure book, Lost with Directions: Ambling Around America, available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle. His story, which humorously details a cross-country journey through some of America’s most incredible wild places and eclectic small towns along the way, is a refreshing take on what it means to live and travel adventurously. In other words, Rob’s a 203 Challenges kind of guy!

Read our interview with Rob Erwin here.

The Wildest Place in the Lower 48 Will Scare the Crap Out of You (And You’ll Love It.)

An Excerpt from Lost with Directions: Ambling Around America

Having made my phone call, I left Cook City and reentered the park on the way to my evening’s destination – the famous Lamar Valley of Yellowstone. Such is the abundance and diversity of wildlife in this forty square-miles along the Lamar River that it is often referred to as the Serengeti of North America. Indeed, as I entered the valley, many hundreds of bison could be seen out in lush grasslands lazily grazing and resting. But somewhere out there, currently out of sight, was another more frightening resident of this vast expanse.

Although the last remaining wolf pack was killed in Yellowstone in 1926 under predator extermination policies of the day, wolves were eventually reintroduced into the park in 1995 by biologists who were interested to see if the species had what it took to make a comeback. In an experiment in conservation that garnered worldwide attention, fourteen gray wolves were transported from western Canada down to Yellowstone, where in the middle of January people lined the roads to watch as they passed through the northern gates of the park via horse trailer. Broken off into three small packs and released with tracking collars into the Lamar Valley, biologists everywhere now watched and waited, as they held their breaths to see what would happen next.

On a cold January day in 1995, people lined the roads to watch wolves return to Yellowstone for the first time in almost 70 years. 

As it turns out, the experiment worked better than anyone could have ever imagined. The original packs immediately thrived in their new ecosystem, taking advantage of drastically overpopulated elk herds, who had previously experienced few natural predators. Soon, the wolves started making happy, healthy little wolf pups, and the rest is history. Now, over twenty years later, they have spread throughout the park and around 100 wolves in ten separate packs call Yellowstone home, while many hundreds more populate the surrounding region.

As I pulled my car over to the side of the road, parking at an overlook by the trailhead, it was early evening and still about two hours from dusk when the wolves of Lamar would start to come out and become most active. Already though, in excited anticipation, were dozens of wildlife watchers lined up along the railing of the overlook, their powerful binoculars and scopes trained out to the valley, slowly scanning from side to side searching for any signs of movement.

Getting out of the car to examine my pack, I double-checked that I had all of the essential supplies I would need to spend the night in camp. Satisfied that everything was in order, I wrestled the hulking bag onto my back, slipping my arms through the straps, and was immediately buried by its overbearing weight once again. My quads ached heavily and my back was sore, still feeling the effects of the painful climb out of the canyon earlier that morning. Fortunately, tonight would be a cake-walk in comparison – a short three-and-a-half-mile jaunt over relatively flat terrain to a place along the Cache Creek, which downstream flows into the Lamar River.

Wildlife watching in Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park | NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Ready to head out any minute now, I spread my large foldout trail map over the hood of the car and verified the route I was to take on my way out to the campsite. But in the midst of my final preparations, I was startled by a collective gasp from the crowd on the overlook, which caused me to raise my eyes out towards the valley.

Off in the distance, two small blurs raced from left to right, easily several hundred yards away and well out of range of my farsighted eyes. Fumbling about frantically for my binoculars, I finally managed to pull them out of my pack but was now unable to find the speeding blurs in my lenses. Continuing to scan about wildly, at last, they appeared in my sights.

What I saw was amazing – a lone, grayish-white wolf locked in a full-out, maniacal pursuit of a pronghorn antelope that was literally running for its very life. The two of them were absolutely flying.

Not surprisingly, the pronghorn had used its superior quickness (at an incredible 55 mph, they’re the second-fastest mammal on Earth) to open a distance of perhaps fifteen yards in front, but the wolf was relentless… desperate even. Against all odds, he seemed to inexplicably be closing down the gap as the two of them continued to race across the valley at almost unfathomable speeds – I had never seen living things move so fast in my entire life.

From our vantage on the overlook, it felt like a movie playing out before our eyes, but in my mind I tried to imagine what the very real, life-and-death struggle must be like up close – the sound of frantic hooves pounding against the ground, grass thrashing, dust flying, the wolf snarling with determination, saliva flying from his mouth as he raced to close the gap.

Frantically he kept the chase, continuing to inch closer, as the two of them raced over a small ridgeline in the distance and disappeared from sight. And just like that, it was over. The valley was once again perfectly still, as if the whole thing had only been a dream.

While incredible to witness, the chase had proved to be quite unnerving as well. Sure, I had come out to Lamar because I wanted to see the wolves, and deep down I knew they posed no real threat. But it’s easy to be brave when you’re daydreaming from the safety and security of your living room, watching a PBS Nature documentary on the couch while munching on a bag of microwave popcorn. It’s quite another thing to be brave when you’re actually standing on the edge of that immense, lonely valley and know that once you step foot out there, you’re entirely on your own. Now it was very real, and suddenly, it was quite frightening.

My first instinct was to turn around and leave immediately. The Pebble Creek Campground was just a few miles up the road back towards the Northeast Entrance. Surely, there I could find a nice little spot for the night, surrounded by the comfort and security of other fellow travelers. Heck, I could even go back to Cooke City and grab a nice dinner while I was at it.

But I quickly dispelled the thought from my head. If I had wanted comfort and security, I could have just stayed back home in Iowa. The whole point of this solo-phase of the journey was to test my mettle and push my limits. And there was no better way to do it than by facing my fears – wolves or no wolves, I was going out to that valley.

Lamar Valley | NPS photo by Neal Herbert

Allowing several minutes to pass, time which I spent gathering my courage, I took a deep breath as I folded my trail map and began descending down from the overlook. Walking through the crowd, I incurred a variety of confused looks and strange glances as I passed. I attempted to appear confident, trying not to betray the fact that I was shaken by what I’d just witnessed.

I began my journey tentatively, but the further I walked from the road, the more my feelings of uneasiness grew into something more. Soon the people and their vehicles at the overlook became smaller and smaller, until eventually they were just specks in the distance. With each step I took, the more vulnerable I felt. Quickly, I was consumed with fear and began wildly scanning my surroundings, looking for any signs of the wolves I knew to be out here. And while I couldn’t see them, I was suddenly quite sure that somewhere out there, they were most certainly watching me.

Now pulling out the long machete I hauled in my pack for emergencies, I grasped it tightly in my right hand while simultaneously clutching my bear spray in the left. Nervously proceeding through the valley, I slowly climbed the same ridgeline where the wolf and pronghorn had raced over just twenty minutes before and fully expected to see the wolf eagerly waiting for me on the other side.

Now fully hidden from view of the tourists back at the road, I was completely and utterly alone, and my nerves began to play tricks on me – I’d freeze at the slightest sound of the wind rustling the grass, peer over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t being followed, and somehow convince myself that far-off shapes in the distance were predators, though inevitably they were just rocks or fallen trees. Short of breath and with sweaty palms, I was suddenly overcome with a lightheadedness that gave the whole ordeal an almost hallucinatory feel.

Fighting the urge to turn and run back to the safety of civilization, I continued along in this primal, fear-stricken state for well over an hour, until finally arriving at the banks of Cache Creek. It had been the longest, most miserable three and a half miles of my life.

The campsite was set in a small collection of trees in an otherwise empty, soggy meadow, perhaps fifty yards from the gravelly banks of the creek. Because of my frequent stops to investigate imagined threats, and an overly-cautious pace which had served to prolong my agony, the hike in had taken far longer than it should have.

It was at this point that I started to question what the hell I was doing out here. I’d set out on this hike trying to prove how brave I was, but had instead spent most of the time double-fisting a can of bear spray and a machete like some madman escaped from an insane asylum. I was dirty, I stunk, I was lonely, I was scared – and for what?

Fortunately, the ritual of making camp and setting up my tent did much to calm my nerves and put me at ease. What’s more, this was the first backcountry site I’d been at all trip where I was finally permitted to establish a campfire. In many places out West the risk of man-made wildfire is simply too great for campfires to be allowed when staying out in the wilderness. But apparently, here at Cache Creek, the risk was sufficiently tolerable for the park service to allow it.

Gathering the driest small twigs and sticks I could find, I arranged them in a small teepee formation around the handful of newspapers I’d brought along as kindling and watched with excitement as they quickly ignited. Soon, with the addition of larger pieces, my humble pile had unexpectedly morphed into a roaring backwoods bonfire. Celebrating my own private Tom Hanks Castaway moment, I didn’t go quite so far as to tear off my shirt and start dancing around the flames screaming “I’ve made fire!”, but I did experience a brief surge of manly pride, nonetheless. I was still far from being a backwoodsman, but it felt good to at least be making progress.

My reward for all of this was a bag of large, extra puffy marshmallows I’d purchased earlier in the day at the Roosevelt Lodge for just this moment. After my tense and stressful evening on the trail, I was now grateful to have a delicious, sugary treat to make it all go away. Sharpening the end of a long narrow branch, I skewered two of them and patiently hovered them near the glowing orange embers of the fire until they were perfectly crisp and golden brown, careful not to get them too close lest they spontaneously burst into flames. At first, I worried the sweet aroma might attract any nearby bears, but ended up ignoring the risks and rationalized this might actually be a good thing. A few bears might help to keep the wolves away.

Biting into the gooey, molten-sugar center, I felt the weight of my stressful evening fall from my shoulders. Making a second batch, I enjoyed this simple pleasure by the campfire as I watched a long and grueling day turn to dusk. Enjoying the warmth of the fire until it gave out, I poured some water over top of it, hung my bear bag, and eventually shuffled back to the tent where I was immediately overcome with a crushing fatigue. The physical exhaustion from my morning climb out of the canyon, along with the intense emotional drain from my hike in the valley this evening, had finally caught up with me, and my body and mind were demanding a reset.

Quickly drifting off to the low, soothing roar of the creek, I was out cold before the sun had even fully set in the sky.

***

Learn more about Rob and purchase the book, and be sure to look for more of his contributions to 203 Challenges in the near future. Discover more of Rob Erwin’s stories on his website lostwithdirections.com

Featured image: Sunset in Lamar Valley | NPS / Jacob W. Frank 

Read more travel book excerpts to find your next favorite author!

The post Wolves in Yellowstone – excerpt from the book ‘Lost with Directions’ appeared first on 203Challenges.

Discover Vancouver beyond the main tourist attractions. Follow this guide of quirky and unusual things to see and do in the Canadian city.

The Elizabethan Hedge Maze at VanDusen Botanical Gardens

Elizabethan Hedge Maze at VanDusen Botanical Gardens | Stan Shebs/WikiCommons

One of only six hedge mazes in North America, the Elizabethan Hedge Maze at VanDusen Botanical Gardens consists of 3,000 pyramidal cedars and was planted in the autumn of 1981. If maze-running isn’t for you, there’s an observation platform to view all the lost souls trying to find their way out.

Address: 5151 Oak Street

The Vancouver Police Museum and Archives

The Vancouver Police Museum and Archives

The Vancouver Police Museum and Archives is an independent museum run by the Vancouver Police Historical Society. In an authentic heritage building, it takes you on a journey through the city’s history of policing, crime, and justice, up to the modern day. Exhibits include criminal artist sketching, mock crime scenes, and for the more macabre tastes, the original morgue and autopsy facility.

Address: 240 East Cordova Street

The Jimi Hendrix Shrine

The Jimi Hendrix Shrine | Roland Tanglao/Flickr

Jimi’s grandmother, Nora Hendrix, lived in Vancouver and owned Vie’s Chicken and Steakhouse where the shrine is now located and where Jimi would spend summers visiting his grandmother. Legend has it that Jimi and his cousins would help serve great artists like Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong. The entrance is free but donations are welcome.

Address: 432 Homer Street

Neon Vancouver/Ugly Vancouver Exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver

Neon Vancouver | Adric83/Flickr

From the 1950’s through the 1970’s Vancouver had nearly 19,000 neon signs whose presence caused a city-wide controversy over what was tacky and what was glamorous. Many of these signs, some rescued from the junk yard, are located here along with the history of this war of aesthetics.

Address: 1100 Chestnut Street

The ‘Giants’ on Granville Island

Six 70-foot tall silos at the Ocean Concrete worksite on Granville Island have been turned into works of art by Brazilian twins Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo. Commissioned by Vancouver Biennale in 2014, these silos are now some of the most photographed works of art in the city. Unfortunately, they cost approximately $17,000 a year to maintain. 

Address: 1415 Johnston Street

*

This post is submitted by Theresa Ladner, a mom, wife, traveller, cook, and writer who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She writes a travel blog located at adventures-in-middle-aged-travel.com and hopes to keep adding to it for a long time to come.

Featured photo: Theresa Ladner

The post Five unusual things to do in Vancouver, BC appeared first on 203Challenges.

1. The way that stores price their products makes no apparent economic sense, and is not linear at all.

For example, at a typical store:

– 1 can of coke: $1.00

– 12 cans of coke: $3.00

– 1 ice cream bar: $3.00

– 12 ice cream bars: $7.00

Americans are encouraged to buy in bulk, which often leads to a lot of waste.

2. The return policy on almost everything

It is hard to believe that you can literally buy anything, including food, and return it within 90 days for a full refund even if you don’t have a specific reason for doing so (most stores actually have a Buyer’s Remorse category under Reason for Return options while returning the product).

3. The pervasiveness of fast food and the sheer variety of products available

The typical supermarket has at least a hundred varieties of frozen pizza, 50 brands of trail mix, etc. I was just astounded by the different kinds of products available even at small gas station convenience stores.

4. Soda being cheaper than bottled water

It makes no sense that carbonated and flavored water is cheaper than regular water, but hey, that’s just how it is.

5. Rest stops at the highways

It is a fact there are full service rest stops with decent chain restaurants and big supermarkets every couple of miles on interstate highways.

6. Fruit and vegetable prices, as compared to fast food prices

– Bag of grapes: $6.00

– Box of strawberries: $5.00

– McChicken: $1.00

– McDouble: $1.00

7. Unlimited soda refills

The big fast food chains offer clients an empty cup when they order a soda and then you are free to make as many refills as you wish. Another impressive thing is the great variety of soda drinks.

8. Serving sizes

In most countries a big-size package of chips weights around 100-200 g. In the USA, however, you can find huge packages (almost of the size of a sack), which you have seen only in funny photo collections or in the comedy movies. The same is valid for the coffee.

9. US Flag displayed everywhere

For people coming from countries with very strict rules, the wide use of the US national flag is really impressive. The American flag is proudly waved at schools, buildings and houses. It is also a favorite print for clothes, accessories, lingerie, swimming suites, whatever you think of.

10. Over-commercialization of holidays and festivals

Commercialization of the holidays is present everywhere in the world but the Americans have reached a whole new level. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and many others, have turned into real holidays. And there is an almost year-round sale of Christmas, Halloween, Easter.

11. An almost-classless society

Most Americans roughly have the same standard of living. Everybody has access to ample food, everybody shops at the same supermarkets, malls, stores, etc. Plumbers, construction workers and janitors drive their own cars, which is quite difficult for people practicing these professions in other countries.

This is probably explained with the fact that obtaining credit in this country is extremely easy. Anybody can buy anything, for the most part, except for something like a Maserati, obviously. As a result, most monetary possessions aren’t really status symbols. Probably the only status symbol in America are your job and educational.

12. The family relations

Often foreigners see the Americans as independent personalities, almost lone wolves, who see their relatives a couple of times a year. You may be surprised to learn that this is just a movie cliché, which is absolutely wrong. The parents do not chase away their children when they finish high school. Many American families share really warm relations.

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