We’ve selected 8 creative and inspiring travel challenges that will turn your trips into personal adventures. Our source of inspiration is a book – “203 Travel Challenges. Travel the world. Explore Your Inner Self”.

Traveling is something personal, so take the ingredients of the following challenges, stir them, move them and change them to create your own challenges to spice up your trips.

1. Jump into a warm, open-air mineral pool while it’s snowing

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: 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, etc.).

2. Night Challenge

There are many attractions which stay open even when it’s dark outside. There are also events created to make your night more interesting. It’s a different world when you trade the light of the sun for the light of the moon and the stars.

A couple of ideas for night events: European Night of Museums (every year on a Saturday, around 18th May – the International Day of Museums), European Literature Night (in May – celebrities read excerpts from European works of art), European Theatre Night (in November). European Researchers’ Night – research centers and museums open doors to show their achievements (every year in late September). Open-air cinema to enjoy a movie under the stars.

A couple of ideas for attractions open during the night: Every summer from May until October the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, is open until midnight on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (reservation necessary). In New York the Brooklyn Museum has free admission until 11 p.m. the first Saturday of each month (except September); the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center offers 70th floor views of Manhattan until midnight (last elevator up is at 11 p.m.), and the Empire State Building’s observation deck is open until 2 a.m. In Bangkok, Thailand, every district has its own night market where you can find all kinds of food, goods and fun activities, at the same time immersing yourself the best way possible into local life. Try the biggest market, Rot Fai, or the bohemian JJ Green Night Market.

For seasoned travelers: Take a night walk through the mountains. Under the only light of the moon or a headlamp – with an experienced guide or along trails you know like the back of your hand. Night walks are an experience that is hard to forget.

3. Go out of range for 24 hours

Go out of range, see the sunrise, read a book, talk to people. 

You are constantly online. You follow the events on the social networks and sometimes it’s as if the real world has disappeared. We challenge you to go for at least 24 hours to a place where electronic devices are out of range. We challenge you to feel that you are here and you are here now, instead of drifting through virtual space.

For seasoned travelers: Deliberately turn off all your devices for a day. Get out of range for a week.

4. See a shooting star and make a wish come true

Seeing a shooting star to make a wish may seem to you like pure chance. The truth is, you can help chance come your way by being in the right place at the right time. Every year, around 12 August, the sky night fills with hundreds of shooting stars (or meteorites to be exact). The reason is the annual meteor stream called Perseids.

Fun fact… The meteors are called Perseids because when we look at the sky it seems like they come from the constellation Perseus. In fact, the shooting stars we see in the sky are part of the comet Swift-Tuttle.

How to do it: The Perseids peak around 12 August (look up the date for the year) when hundreds of meteorites can be seen every hour.

A couple more ideas: There are other meteor streams throughout the year (Geminids in mid-December, Lyrids in mid-April, Quadrantids in late December – early January) when you can see a shooting star.

5. Bathe in a waterfall

Enjoy a free shower from nature. If you try to find pictures of the waterfalls listed below, without a shadow of a doubt you will want to shower there next time.

A couple of ideas:

Skogafoss (Iceland), Havasu (Grand Canyon, USA + more ideas for waterfalls you can bathe in the USA), Ouzoud (Morocco), Skradinski buk (Croatia), Kempty (India). Or just visit the nearest waterfall to you.

6. Celebrate the International Picnic Day

On International Picnic Day (every year on 18 June), enjoy one of the best ways to be close to nature. The importance of picnics dates back to the Victorian Age when young men and women could spend time together in the open. Back in the day, they would bring fancy meals, sandwiches, sweets and crackers. Nowadays picnics require far less effort, but they can be a good reason finally to go somewhere you’ve been meaning to, but haven’t had the chance.

How to make it more interesting: You can give the picnic a theme – everyone to wear red, to bring only Italian cuisine, tea and board games, a candlelit picnic, etc. To make it more fun, you can throw in a kite, slackline, hacky sack, badminton or a frisbee.

Fun fact… According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest picnic in the world was organized in Lisbon, Portugal, on 20 June 2009 with more than 20 000 participants.

7. See a shipwreck – without going underwater

It’s human nature – we are drawn to tragedy and decay. We roam around abandoned villages, enter buildings carrying legends of ghosts and dive to reach sunken ships. If diving is not your passion, we challenge you to visit one of the most famous shipwrecks in the world… without having to dive.

A couple of ideas:

Zakynthos, Greece – At Navagio Beach, you will see the remains of a vessel washed ashore. You can take a peek from the high rocks or reach it by boat.

Muynak, Uzbekistan – Outside the town of Muynak (or Moynaq) in Uzbekistan, in the direction of the Aral Sea, you will witness a sinister view along the road – the skeletons of ships and fishing boats abandoned long ago in the desert. Up until about 30 years ago Muynak was a sea harbor, but today it is in the middle of the desert, 50 km (30 miles) from the coast, after the rivers were diverted for irrigation purposes, and so the road leading to the Aral Sea turned into a ship graveyard.

Sydney, Australia – Homebush Bay in Sydney has become the final resting place of no longer operating ships. Some of them were swallowed by mangroves, growing over the rusty decks.

8. You want a raise? Take a holiday!

It is a proven fact 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. A study, however, shows that employees, who take all of their vacation days, show better results at work. Statistics in the USA and Canada reveal that for every 10 days off from work, the employee’s results improve by an average of 8%.

*

If you have used boat that you want to sell, you can use platforms like Grays.

The post 8 creative travel challenges to inspire your next trip appeared first on 203Challenges.

If you have ever stood atop the deck of a beached ship, waves lapping against its rusted hull as far as the eye can see, you already know about the powerful draw of discovering intriguing and mysterious shipwrecks. The allure is just as strong for these historic vessels scattered across the ocean depths, with many having become famous destinations over the years.

From romantic stories to spooky tales, come with us to explore some of the world’s most popular wrecks and discover what makes them so special!

Panagiotis – Zakynthos

There are a lot of shipwrecks in the Greek seas, and all are equally fascinating. One shipwreck is located on a beach and has been dubbed shipwreck island Greece. This is located on Navagio Beach and is a significant tourist attraction for Greece.

It sits in a small cove, which has since been named smuggler’s cove when the ship met its end at the beginning of 1980. It is said that this ship was used to smuggle cigarettes from Turkey, its neighboring country, and was then shipped to Tunisia, where they sold were from the actual ship.

The Wreck of King Philip – San Francisco, California

The next shipwreck is King Phillip’s Wreck, located in San Francisco, California. This shipwreck is only clearly visible when the tide is shallow. Located on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach, you will find what is left of the remains of an American medium clipper ship. It is said that this is the most complete you will find of any of the remains of these types of ships worldwide.

This ship was built in 1856 and wrecked about 20 years later, in 1878. Although this was a fairly short lifespan, the ship survived plenty. When the ship was wrecked, many parts were sold for scrap, and it took multiple occasions to try and demolish it. Even more than 100 years later, and being almost completely buried by sand, there are still remains that can be seen when the tides are low.

Blankenese Shipwreck – Hamburg, Germany

Moving on down our list, we have Blankenese Shipwreck in Hamburg, Germany. It was named after the beach where it is found, and it’s effortless to access through Hamburg public transport. It was an old, Finnish, four-masted schooner-cum-motor glider that experienced an abrupt engine explosion.

The cargo bay was loaded with wood, and once the vessel caught fire, it could no longer be quenched or saved. The boat was towed to a beach where it now lives as a tourist attraction for those visiting Hamburg.

The Amsterdam Shipwreck – Hastings, England

Although the name might suggest differently, the subsequent shipwreck is located in Hastings, England, and is another great one to see. The Amsterdam shipwreck is a somewhat intact cargo ship over 260 years old.

This shipwreck is hidden from view except at very low tides, meaning that if you want to spot it, you will need to time yourself well. This ship was from the Dutch East India Company and is known to be one of the most well-preserved East Indian vessels around, even through its shipwreck.

Cemetery of the Burci – Silea. Italy

Last but not least, the final shipwreck to look at is the Cemetery of the Burci, located in Silea, Italy. Rather than just being one shipwreck, this is a collection of sunken wooden barges that have taken over a section of this Italian river. This collection of sunken boats has a haunting atmosphere. It is said that these wooden barges were popular in the late 1970s and used to transport various goods between Venice and Treviso. Many of these boats were abandoned along th

The post The Most Popular Shipwrecks to Visit in 2023 appeared first on 203Challenges.

#1 Marvel at The Floating Forest

Located near Olympic Park, a short train ride from Sydney CBD, are some old shipwrecks – one of them with a difference. Definitely something to check out on your 482 visa. Over the years, the trees and bushes from the nearby mangrove swamps have taken root in the hull of the SS Ayrfield creating a mini-floating forest. While the tree ships look amazing all day, the absolute best time to visit them is sunset or sunrise when the golden light reflects them back beautifully in the water. Put SS Ayrfield in Google Maps to see where to go.

#2 Visit an Adult Fairground

Children might be allowed in Archie Brother’s Cirque Electriq until 8 pm, but after that, its big kids only as you drink hard-shakes topped with Tim Tams (a famous Australian biscuit), ride dodgems to your heart’s content and try and win enough tickets on the games of skill (or chance) as humanly possible. See more here.

#3 Spot the Sydney Seal

The Sydney Seal | Stilgherrian/Flickr

He’s totally wild so there’s no guarantee he’ll be there, but a New Zealand fur seal can be found lounging about on a set of steps just behind the Opera House. He’s so famous he’s even been in a Simpson’s cartoon. Look for the signs that say ‘Don’t Feed the Seal’ and you’re in the right place.

#4 Visit the Underwood Ark

Look down one of the side roads as you walk down Sydney’s busy George Street and you might do a double take. Way above your head, poking out the side of a building are some tree roots… wander down the road and you’ll realise it’s actually an entire tree suspended horizontally along an empty alleyway! Called the Underwood Ark it’s supposed to symbolise the old boat-building history of the area. Not sure if it does but it’s a good talking point. Find it at the junction of Dalley and Underwood Streets.

#5 Climb the Harbour Bridge Pylon

Sydeny Harbour Bridge | Jorge Láscar/Flickr

Everyone has heard about climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but fewer people know that you can get equally amazing views for a tiny percentage of the price if you climb the Pylon Lookout of the bridge instead. This costs just $15 yet still gives you an incredible 360-degree view of the harbour.

#6 Visit Wendy’s Secret Garden

Wendy’s Secret Garden | Teresa Parker/Flickr

When Wendy Whiteley’s husband died she threw herself into restoring the patch of land under their home – it’s now a quiet, peaceful garden with tiny fairies, old sinks and little silver owls among the hidden treasures scattered around for you to find in your own personal scavenger hunt. It’s a few minute’s walk away from North Sydney station or the Luna Park funfair which also offers the odd quirky thing to do – summer time sees them offering dining on their Ferris Wheel.

#7 Drink in a Viking Themed Bar

Where else, well in the Southern Hemisphere at least, are you going to get the chance to drink a beer from an old hunting horn or quaff cocktails containing bone broth, seawater or mead and honey? Mjolner is a super hip underground bar snuck behind a secret door between Sydney’s Redfern and Surry Hills. Should you also wish to feed your inner Viking, you can choose meat and cheese plates at the bar or go the whole hog (almost literally) with their carvery menu in the restaurant.

#8 Try a Silent Disco In The Street

Disco D Tours offer a one hour chance to dance your way around the historic Rocks area of Sydney, or more touristy Darling Harbour, grooving to sounds only you (and everyone else on your dance tour) can hear. Yes, at first it feels strange but you’ll quickly get over that and have the time of your life. From $35 a person.

#9 Hunt ghosts

Sometimes it seems that everywhere in Sydney has their own ghost but possibly the eeriest place you can visit to spot them is Q Station. This area, near Manly, is the old quarantine station where migrants suspected of possibly carrying disease were held before being allowed to enter Sydney itself. Obviously, a lot of those who came here never made that journey to Sydney and the site is said to be haunted by those left behind. You can tailor your ghost tour to your fear factor starting with just a few scary stories working up to full-on paranormal investigation. The truly brave can even sleep overnight in the old hospital on the grounds. Now, that is unusual.

Here’s a map of the spots mentioned above:

***

Journalist Helen Foster runs Destination>Differentville – a travel blog aiming to find the quirky things to eat, see or do in a place.

See also: An essential guide to exploring Australia’s Beautiful North West

Searching for luggage storage in Sydney? Whether you want to drop your bags off and head into town before your next flight or waiting to check in to your Airbnb, we’ve got you covered! Thanks to a network of hundreds of local shops and hotels, Stasher offers you affordable and fully insured Sydney luggage storage in the vicinity of all major transport hubs. Read more about our alternative to traditional storage lockers in Sydney.

The post 9 unusual things to do in Sydney appeared first on 203Challenges.

It’s human nature – we are drawn to tragedy and decay. We roam around abandoned villages, enter buildings haunted by ghosts and dive to reach sunken ships. If you want to admire the latter without the hassle of learning to dive, we challenge you to visit some of the most famous shipwrecks in the world… from the comfort of dry land.

Zakynthos, Greece

Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece | by Cristian Ghe.

At Navagio Beach (literally translated as Shipwreck Beach), you will see the remains of a vessel called MV Panagiotis, which washed ashore many years ago. It sunk in 1980, and rumor has it that its freight consisted mainly of contraband cigarettes, although there’s little evidence of that beyond the power of a good urban legend. You can take a peek from the high cliffs above, or reach the shipwreck by boat.

Muynak, Uzbekistan

Shipwreck in Moynaq, Uzbekistan | by Arian Zwegers

Outside the town of Muynak (or Moynaq) in Uzbekistan, as you head towards the Aral Sea, you will witness a sinister sight along the road: the skeletons of ships and fishing boats abandoned long ago in the desert. Up until about 30 years ago, Muynak was a sea harbor, but today it lies in the middle of the desert – 50 km (30 mi) from the coast – after the rivers were diverted for irrigation purposes. This environmentally dubious piece of policy has turned the road leading to the Aral Sea into a ship graveyard.

Sydney, Australia 

The Shipyard in Homebush Bay, Sydney | by Marc Dalmulder

Since 1966, Homebush Bay in Sydney has been the final resting place for retired ships whose glory days were during WWI and WWII. Some of them have been swallowed by mangroves, which grow over their rusty decks.

Fun fact: many Sydney-dwellers don’t know about the existence of this shipyard. There’s a point pinned on Google Maps marking the best lookout spot.

Pin it for later:

The post Three places where you can see a shipwreck without getting wet appeared first on 203Challenges.