In search of the strangest places to spend the night, I’ve contacted a few fellow bloggers and friends and asked them to share with us their most adventurous night’s sleep.

On the rim of an active volcano in Ethiopia

A night by an active volcano, Ethiopia | © Trains, Plains and Tuktuks

The strangest place I’ve spent the night is on the rim of Erta Ale, a volcano in Ethiopia. I hiked up the volcano in the dark. When I got to the crater, my guide said the lava had overflowed three days earlier. I asked, “What happens if it spills again?” His answer: “Run.”

We walked across the newly hardened lava. We watched waves of molten rock crash against the rim. Our shoes melted underneath us. We were close enough that the sparks hit our feet.

All night long, we watched the volcano belch out fire under the starriest sky I’ve ever seen.

Carrie from Trains, Plains and Tuktuks (Facebook/Instagram)

Snowcastle in Finland

Snowcastle in Lapland, Finland | © Worldwide Wendy

My most memorable night in a hotel room goes way back to February 2000. My husband and I stayed in the LumiLinna Snowcastle in Kemi (Finnish Lapland). We booked one night in this magnificent castle where everything is made of ice and snow, even the beds. Two hours before you want to go to bed, you have to contact the reception because it takes some time to heat your reindeer-skin sleeping bag. At night a ‘guard’ checks all the bedrooms every hour to make sure everyone is covered well, because you could freeze to death without your sleeping bag.

The hotel offers a snow restaurant, an art gallery, and even a chapel. If you are looking for a special wedding location, this is the place to be.

I can’t say we slept very well, but it was by far the most special place we ever stayed.

Wendy Maes from Worldwide Wendy (Facebook/Instagram)

Treehouse in Thailand

Treehouse in Thailand | © Positive Impact Journey

With AirBnB launching an entire campaign on treehouses around the globe, I found myself vying to spend a night suspended above the ground and intermingled with trees. Luckily Pai in Northern Thailand gave me the prefect launching point to sleeping in a treehouse.

Nestled into the center of the Pai Treehouse Resort was a gigantic tree housing three private rooms. This was a focal attraction, although most guests chose to stay in the more luxurious villas. After making the rocky climb up with backpacks, the villas seemed fairly appealing. But we were here for the experience. And it’s novel.

While I completely recommend it, the novelty wears off after your first night. It’s similar to wanting to stay on the top bunk when you’re a kid, but dreading maundering up once you’re an adult. Eventually the charm of stunning views and enjoying a unique experience succumbs to the hurdles of climbing a small staircase up a tree and using the toilet wedged between a few branches.

Alexandra Black Paulick from Positive Impact Journey (twitter/Facebook)

Homeless in Luxembourg

Homeless in Luxembourg

“This is happening,” I think to myself, looking for a patch of grass that’s both dry and out of sight of passing cars. I’m in the old town of Luxembourg, and I’m about to become the city’s only homeless person.

This shouldn’t be happening. When I asked for a bed at the city’s only hostel, the grumpy bastard at the desk told me to “Go and do the fucking of oneself” in terrible French. I decided instead to go and do the fucking of someone else, confident that I could charm a local lass into taking me home from a bar. How wrong I was…

Now I’m huddled under a tree in a small park, wrapped in all my clothes to protect against the late-September chill. Using my bag is a pillow I lie dead still, feeling as optimistic as a corpse in a morgue. But as the fitful night passes and I flicker in and out of the dream world, my despair turns into an inexplicable thrill. Somehow I feel free.

Finally the sun rises, warming my shivering bones and revealing the spectacular, fog-shrouded castle looming over the valley below. The view is spectacular, and it’s just for me.

Nick Johns-Wickberg from the Tragic Traveller (Facebook)

The Orangutan Stilt House in the jungle of Indonesia

Courtesy of Liya Panayotova

Spending two months on the islands of Indonesia was a real treat. Among all of the unique places that Indonesia harbors, the island of Kalimantan (also known as Borneo) is the most special. Its dense tropical jungle is one of just two places in the world, inhabited by the mighty orangutan, with whom we share 97% of our DNA. Getting to see wild orangutans is a rare and special experience. One that requires you to venture deep into the jungle, travel down narrow rivers and swampy trails. In the village of Pematang Gedung, an organization called International Animal Rescue, offers this opportunity. I got to spend a night in their stilt house, hidden deep in the jungle, as part of my exploration of Borneo.

We did sleep on the floor, but the hosts provided comfy mats, mosquito nets, and even Hello Kitty pillows, to keep us snug. As a tropical rainstorm poured over the jungle, we went to our stilt-home paradise, and found a few local women preparing a traditional feast. As I drifted off to sleep, hundreds of frogs sung me a lullaby. No party hostel, gorgeous campsite, or lavish hotel could ever compare to becoming one with Borneo, even if it’s for a single evening. And so, my one-night stand with the jungle, turned into love for a lifetime. Hopefully, this story will inspire you to live out your own love affair with Indonesia!

Liya Panayotova from Contrabond Blog (Facebook/Instagram)

Floating bungalow in Thailand

Floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park, Thailand | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Since I heard there were floating bungalows in the middle of the jungle in Thailand, I knew a night there would be the highlight of my trip.

It takes more than an hour by boat to get to the bungalows, and I got this ‘end-of-the-world feeling’ when we finally arrived. The surroundings were bursting with life (birds, monkeys, fish) and the sky at night looked like it had been Photoshopped, with ten times more stars than the usual sky. It was very basic inside – only a mattress, two pillows, and a mosquito net. The bungalow kept floating gently in a soothing way… until all those beautiful creatures started their night activities, jumping into the water, chirping and uttering mating cries all night (according to our guide, every weird beast-like sound was insects mating).

Maria from 203challenges.com

Neolithic house in Bulgaria

Neolithic house in Chavdar village, Bulgaria | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Take a one–hour drive out of the capital, Sofia, and you can travel back 7,000 years in history. The five reconstructed neolithic houses near Chavdar village are not only a museum, but you can actually spend the night in three of them.

They were built with natural materials only (okay, you have one power socket hidden beneath a wooden plank) and you need a ladder to get up to your bed right under the roof. You can mill your own grains in the neolithic installation and you can light a fire in the fireplace, although I didn’t do that because it was a very hot summer night.

Maria from 203challenges.com

Read more: Champing: Sleep in a medieval church in England

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The post 7 strange places to spend the night (real stories) appeared first on 203Challenges.

Who is Meg and what does she dream of? I am a 29-year-old travel addict, an outdoor adventure enthusiast and adrenaline junkie with an incurable disease called “the travel bug”. I am from Australia and have a degree in both journalism and law. My passion for traveling and writing overtook my desire to sit in a corner office, and instead, I am now a professional travel blogger, my office ranging from villas in the Galapagos Islands, to beaches on the Great Barrier Reef, bungalows overlooking volcanoes in Costa Rica, and everywhere in between!

Pros and cons of solo travelling are… A definite pro of solo travel is the freedom – you can make your own decisions, travel to your own timetable and schedule, and don’t have to compromise or follow anyone else’s rules. It also opens the door to making new friends, as when you’re traveling alone you’re forced to put yourself out there, while having a travel companion may mean there’s no incentive to meet new people along the road. Cons might include not having someone special to share incredible moments with, that it can be scary and intimidating heading out on your own, and you might not be pushed to do things which are outside your comfort zone.

Pros and cons of travelling with my spouse are… The pros and cons of traveling with my spouse are essentially the opposite of the pros and cons of traveling alone! Pros include having that special person to share moments with, it’s often cheaper sharing the costs between two people, as with sharing the planning, and you’re often able to see things from a fresh perspective having a second pair of eyes. On the flip side, you do have to compromise as it’s unlikely you’ll both love everything the other does, and traveling with a partner may mean you don’t feel the need to meet new people and make new friends.

Volunteering abroad taught me… I’ve long since been an advocate that volunteering abroad is one of the best ways to travel – not only are there a large number of placement opportunities which enable volunteers to travel and live overseas for free, but it genuinely does shape you as a person. And it’s not a cliché to say so. It broadens your worldview, it humbles you, and it forces you to put the needs of others before your own.

The one thing travelling and law have in common is… They both facilitate intellectual stimulation. I found that a career in law is one of the most mentally challenging and rewarding pursuits available. But then I found that travel was the same. Thrust into entirely new environments, immersed in entirely new cultures, translating new languages; I found that travel was just as much of an intellectual challenge as law, if not more so.

I never travel without… а spare change of clothes in my carry on – my father is a frequent flier, and taught me this hack on my very first trip in 2003. For 14 years I did this without fail, and the one time I opted to save the space, the airline lost my bag! Not cool wearing your husband’s clothes for 48 hours until they relocate it!

Before setting off I always… change my voicemail to let people know I’m away – I always switch off roaming when I’m overseas so I don’t rack up a crazy phone bill, so if you’re trying to reach me while I’m away, best not try the mobile phone!

The first thing I do when I arrive at a new destination is… hit up the local grocery store – we always book accommodation with kitchen facilities so we can self cater. It saves an incredible chunk of money if you can cook vs eating out for every meal, and is always a fun adventure trying to read food labels in Icelandic!

The strangest thing that ever happened to me on the road was… kissing a Giraffe while in Africa… well, actually she kissed me! We visited the Giraffe Sanctuary while in Kenya, and part of the experience was being able to feed the Giraffes. Pellets were provided and the normal way to go about feeding them was to let them eat from your hand. I, on the other hand, thought it would be fantastically funny to place a pellet in-between my teeth, not realizing that a Giraffe’s tongue is about as big as my face itself! (Slight exaggeration but that’s what it felt like!) I was wiping saliva off my face for what felt like a week!

The trip that changed me… I don’t think I can pinpoint one specific trip which had a transformative effect. I think I have changed as a person from my travel experience overall. Because of traveling I like to think I am a very grounded, well-rounded person, able to accept and listen to all points of view, appreciative of all world cultures. Travel taught me how to survive by myself – taught me to become street smart. It taught me that kindness exists in the world, and that strange cultures should be explored and not judged. It continually teaches me new skills, and has opened my mind to new perspectives on history and politics. Because of travel, I will forever be curious, and forever be intrigued by different cultural norms, and forever have a thirst for world knowledge and new experiences.

The most helpful thing I’ve learned on the road that could be used in everyday life… to be thankful. Thankful for having never gone hungry. Thankful for the comforts of the Western World we generally take for granted. The amazing opportunity to travel through poverty-stricken lands really gives you perspective as to what is truly important in life, and reminds you to be thankful every day for the life you were given.

The place that surprised me the most… Bolivia. It is like no other place on the planet. There are the breathtaking Andes, the daunting altitude, the lush rainforest, the too-small bowler hats worn by the indigenous women, the vast salt flat, the decorated llamas, the pink flamingos, and that famous harrowing mountain bike ride. Bolivia wasn’t even on my radar, though we decided to visit the Amazon here instead of Peru as it was more authentic and cheaper. We spend 2 weeks in the country outside of the Amazon and our hearts were captured by the diverse and perplexing nation.

The place I would come back again and again is… Italy. Because between the culture, the history, the stunning countryside, and the friendly, hospitable nature of the Italian people, who doesn’t love an excuse to eat pizza and gelato every day of the week?

The most friendly people are in… One thing travel will teach you is that friendly people exist all over the world. In every country and culture I have visited, the local people have always been warm and friendly to foreigners.

The most challenging trip I’ve been to… climbing to the top of Mt Kilimanjaro. I’m so proud that I managed to make it to the top and prove everyone wrong, as there were a large number of people who told me I wouldn’t make it. It was one of the most challenging experiences I have faced in my life – the first 6 days of the climb were difficult, but relatively easy in that it was straight walking with a little bit of dangerous rock climbing thrown in there. The final day, the summit climb, was what it came down to for me. We rose at midnight for 6 hours of straight uphill climbing, and when I say uphill I mean at very close to a 90-degree angle kind of uphill. It very was physically draining, and we were suffering from the altitude (19,000 ft above sea level will do that to you!), however, it was more draining mentally. You truly have to push yourself and stay focused and determined to get to the top. You have to keep putting one foot in front of the other when your body is screaming for you to stop. I cried when I finally made it to the top. Collapsed in a heap and couldn’t stop bawling, because it was truly one of the hardest things I’ve worked for in my life, and that overwhelming sense of incredible achievement is something I’ll never forget.

If I have to share something inspiring with you, it would be… It is possible. I started my travel blog with the intention of inspiring others to embark on their own adventure. Everyone has what it takes to travel – you just need to act on it, and you need to truly want to do it.  There’s no point in waiting for an opportunity to arise… MAKE one arise! Otherwise one day you will wake up and there won’ be enough time to do the things you’ve always wanted. So do it now. You would be surprised at how easy it is once you decide to let yourself do it. I think fear is what prevents a lot of people traveling, but once you push past that fear you realize that the possibilities are endless – and to hell with anyone who tells you you can’t achieve something or live your dream!!

One travel challenge for everyone reading this… Do something today that will make tomorrow jealous!

The post Inspiring travel bloggers: Megan Jerrard from Mapping Megan appeared first on 203Challenges.

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My biggest guilty pleasure when traveling is looking for the most popular local ice cream shop. Since I have such a big sweet tooth, I love hearing recommendations and trying original ice cream everywhere I go! One of my most recent samples: Little Man Ice Cream in Denver.

Dani from Wanderlust on a Budget

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I can’t count just how many miles we may have traveled over the years to see our favourite artists and bands unknown.  It’s led to adventures as diverse as visiting Tammy Wynette’s trailer (all gilded and crystal) to the gig-fest that was our dream roadtrip from Nashville to Clarksdale and Memphis.  But perhaps the crowning moment was stepping out late one night in Ghent, Belgium to find a tribute to one of my favourite artists:  Iggy Pop.  In person-sized letters, propped idly against a historic wall, Ghent was inviting us to  Search and Destroy.

Bernadette from A Packed Life

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m the most shameless tightass you’ll ever encounter on the road. Of course I will eat from dumpsters. Indeed I will hitchhike, even if it’s -43°C and snowing outside. And yes, now that you mention it I DO in fact own a pair of boxer shorts that I found hanging off a road sign in Serbia. But show me a good café latte in a country that traditionally serves mud in a cup and I will invite you to TAKE ALL MY MONEY. No matter how desperate I get, I can never quite silence the Melbourne coffee wanker in me, which is why I will always enjoy that double shot skinny soy orange mocha latte, even when I’m covered in dirt and dressed in a potato sack.

Nick from The Tragic Traveller 

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Mine is bread! I love trying new types of bread around the world. I probably carb load too much but it makes me so happy!

Rowena from A Nomad on the Loose

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I am so guilty of making travel days so much easier with using airport lounges. Airport lounges completely make layovers so much better with free wifi, free food, free booze, and sometimes even free showers. Thankfully my credit card offers free airport lounge access in more than 950 airports around the world. No matter if you are off on a honeymoon in Aruba or a weekend getaway it gets the trip started off on the right foot.

Hannah from Getting Stamped

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So, what’s your travel guilty pleasure?

The post 17 travel bloggers share their guilty pleasures on the road appeared first on 203Challenges.

Who is Aditi and what does she dream of? I am a 29-year-old full-time travel blogger, freelance travel writer, and also a postgraduate student in Asian Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. My biggest dream is to lead a purposeful life. Travel around the world connecting with people. I want to do good things for humanity. Her biggest accomplishment? I come from a small town in India and belong to a fairly conservative family. I have chosen not to follow the usual (the expected one) Indian life, if this is counted as an accomplishment, then I am in.

I think local cuisine is an important part of a trip because… food is the soul of the place. Food speaks so much about the destination – the cultural influences, the history of its people, the origin of the food, etc. For example – Bak Kut Teh, a pork rib soup, is famous in Singapore and Malaysia – this dish used to be the poor man’s food, in older times this soup gave them strength to do physical labour and cost them nothing. Over the time it has become a local delicacy. Similarly, the origin of Biryani in India is so fascinating.

I never travel without… a book.

Before setting off I always… I don’t think I follow any rules as such. I am an disorganised person.

The first thing I do when I arrive at a new destination is… to find a map.

The strangest thing that ever happened to me on the road was… Once when I was travelling solo in Eastern Europe in 2012, I got robbed on a night train from Krakow to Budapest. My DSLR and all the cash was gone, thankfully, they spared my passport and cards.

The trip that changed me… I recently did a bike trip in Arunachal Pradesh, the easternmost state of India. We were on a motorbike for 17 days. We biked through the villages and stayed with indigenous tribes (not homestays but in their homes). It was quite an eye-opener and self-reflective as I got to understand what kind of travelling I enjoy the most and that travelling should not be a pure pleasure but have a meaning.

The most helpful thing I’ve learned on the road that could be used in everyday life… Use of words – Please and Thank You – goes a long way. This I have learnt from my husband –  be more humble towards people and you will receive the same.

The place that surprised me the most… Siem Reap –  in a bad way. I felt overwhelmed by the western influence there. I had a modest and low-key image in my mind.

The place I would come back again and again is… The Himalayas, any part of it. No need to mention why.

The most friendly people are in… Singapore. No doubt about it. Only rarely I come across a grumpy taxi driver, but most of the time people are smiling.

The most challenging trip I’ve been to… the bike trip to Arunachal Pradesh in peak winter, we survived the brave temperatures of -7°C.

When I organize a walking tour, I always… 1. Collect the information and take 2-3 printouts to share it with the group members. 2. Make a WhatsApp group for an effective communication.

If I have to share something inspiring with you, it would be… Travel Inspirations – people travelling in different ways without compromising with their lives. By travelling I don’t mean counting countries but really doing what they like. I have inborn wanderlust. I used to dream of faraway lands when I was young. By the time I reached my early 20s I started travelling on my own money. Now I am in my late 20s, married but have not stopped travelling. So, I guess if you are really passionate about something, nothing should stop you from doing it.

One travel challenge for everyone reading this… eat a local dish today and find out about its origin.

The post Inspiring travel bloggers: Aditi Mittal from The Sailing Bee appeared first on 203Challenges.

A friendship forged on the road

Courtesy of The Tragic Traveller

I expected my first ever hitchhiking trip to be fun and provide an interesting story, but I didn’t expect it to be life-changing. It was.

My plan was to thumb it directly from Guča festival in southern Serbia to Sofia, Bulgaria, where I was hoping to buy a cheap car and embark on a European road trip. After two luckless hours in the baking sun my patience was waning, until an unassuming hero named Vesko picked me up in his trusty (air-conditioned!) Mitsubishi steed. Vesko not only drove me all the way to Sofia, but then invited me to stay with him and his family in their beautiful house. The family fed, boozed and sheltered me, and even helped me buy the Citroen that would eventually take me to England and back.

Fast-forward seven months and I found myself standing outside the Bulgarian embassy in London, dressed in a borrowed suit and preparing to perform the best man duties at Vesko’s wedding. Now, several years on, I’ve visited Vesko and his family in Sofia too many times to count and, exactly a year from now, will become godfather to his first-born son on the day little Lubtcho turns three.

Nick Johns-Wickberg from The Tragic Traveller (Facebook)

Puppy with a catch in Slovakia

Courtesy of Girl Astray

In the summer of 2016, I was hitchhiking to a hippie festival in Slovakia when a car pulled over and offered to drive me to the next city. It was a man with the cutest puppy ever, which I got to hold on my knees for the ride. It was one of those huge white shepherd breeds – the dog was about three months old, but was growing fast! He was white and fluffy and was destined to guard his owners’ workshop when he was fully grown. There was, however, a catch to his cuteness. It was the first solo trip for the puppy and he was obviously feeling car sick: after a few hairpin bends on the road, the car filled with a putrid smell. We stopped and examined the snow-white fur, but fortunately, they were just farts. We rode the rest of the way with the windows down while the pup whined a little each time he let his noxious gas escape.

Karin from Girl Astray (Facebook/Instagram) 

Getting from Tripiti port to Ouranoupolis, Greece

Courtesy of The Magic of Traveling

Fruit and fish pick-up truck in Belize

Courtesy of Becky the Traveller

Whilst in Belize, I stayed in a cute (although a bit strange) little town called Crooked Tree. The town was 3 miles from the main bus route down a dirt track. My guesthouse had offered to drop me at the bus stop but as we were leaving decided to charge me $15 for the short journey. Since they overcharged me a kayak hire on a lake with no water, I declined to give them any extra money.

So with my heavy backpack in the middle of the day (it was about 40C/104F), I started walking to find a good hitchhiking spot. I was now thinking maybe I should have just paid! But after 10 minutes I reached the main road out of town and saw a pick-up truck. He stopped and I jumped into the back. There wasn’t much room as it was full of boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables – and some fish! But hey, it was a free lift. And the breeze was amazing as we whizzed along the bumpy dirt road.

Becky Angell from Becky the Traveller (Facebook/Instagram) 

A truck roller coaster experience in Cambodia

Courtesy of Curls and Coconuts Blog

A hot summer day. Or since it is Cambodia and the summer is eternal I should just say: a regular tropical day. Me and him standing on the road – sunburned faces licked by the heat, scarfs around heads, a big sign reading “Rattanakiri” in my hands. We drew it 5 minutes ago with the watercolor pencils whose main purpose is always the same – to create hitchhiking signs.

15 minutes on the side of the quiet road and there it is – the first vehicle. A huge, roaring truck. As trucks usually do, it stops in the middle of the Cambodian heat to take the weird looking boy and girl. On the front seats – three men and a woman. Wide smiley faces. They know no English and we know no Khmer. But one thing is clear – they like the watercolor sign and they are going to our destination. Moreover, they have space for 30 hitchhikers in the carriage on the back of the truck. Before we know it we are enjoying a free roller coaster experience, conveniently hidden from the noon sun.

This hitchhiking trip was one to remember – starting with travelling in an open-air carriage and ending with a lunch stop with our friendly hosts at a local restaurant. A fresh coconut, please!

Maria from Curls and Coconuts (Facebook)

Canada is not as big as you think

Hitchhiking in the Rockies | Courtesy of A Broken Backpack

I’ve accumulated many cool hitchhiking stories over the years! But my favorite by far was in the Canadian Rockies. My friend and I were pretty keen on going to Calgary Stampede. An old man picked us up. He was going all the way to Calgary, so it was a win-win. He told us about his wife and how they fell in love. This man was lovely and super interesting. He asked us what was our plan in Calgary and we told him about the stampede, which is a big rodeo event. It turned out his wife had free tickets that she wasn’t planning on using. He said he could actually go home to pick up the tickets and then drive us to the stampede.

Normally I would have said no, but we had a good feeling about this. We met his wife, we had a snack at their place and then we left for the stampede with free tickets in our hands. He was a bit worried we wouldn’t be able to find a ride back later on that night and gave us his business card so we could call him if we were desperate for a lift later, but in the end we didn’t need to call him. However, the best part of this experience was still to come!

Two weeks later, we were hitchhiking in another direction altogether. We were in the middle of a pretty remote town in British Columbia when an old lady started yelling at us. We were wondering what was going on and then she ran in our direction to talk to us. It was his wife. She recognized us and they invited us for lunch. What were the chances of seeing them again in another Canadian province! Bless them!

Melissa Giroux from A Broken Backpack (Facebook/Instagram)

The hitchhiking grannies in Bulgaria

Hitchhiking in the mountains of Bulgaria | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

As much as I love hitchhiking, I also enjoy earning good karma by picking up hitchhikers when I’m driving. One of my favorite such stories happened when I was in a small town in the mountains of Bulgaria, struggling to find the road to a nearby mountain lodge.

While I was wondering whom to ask for directions, I saw three grannies waving by the roadside. I stopped to ask them, only to realize that they were actually hitchhiking, not waving, and in mere seconds all of them had already crammed into my car. It turned out they owned potato fields high in the mountains and they hitchhiked every single day to get there and take care of the crop. One of them took a particular shining to me and spent the whole journey trying to set me up with her grandson – with the aim of marrying me off to him, of course!

When I stopped to let them out, another threw a banknote into the car and dashed away. At my perplexed look, the third granny explained that the runaway hitchhiker had just received news of a newborn grand-grandson that morning and wanted me to drink a coffee to his health. So I did. Then I called my mom and told her that obviously hitchhiking is not as dangerous as she thinks – after all, these three ladies do it every day and they’ve reached a ripe old age!

Maria from 203challenges.com (Facebook/Pinterest)

Warm meeting during the cold winter in Sorrento

Winter. It was getting dark. My husband and I were near the railway station of Sorrento, Italy, not even on the outskirts of the city, trying to catch a ride to Naples. My hands were buried in warm black gloves and nobody could see I was hitchhiking, so I decided to take them off. But then my hands turned blue from the cold, like a real-life Facebook “like” button. We spent more than an hour waiting in the cold, until finally an elderly couple stopped and picked us and immediately offered us some candies. They spoke only Italian, while we didn’t speak a word, so our conversation consisted entirely of gestures and mimicry. When we reached our destination, we took their address and later sent a small present to our saviors.

Ivalina from 203challenges.com (Facebook/Pinterest)

Hitchhiking with my mom

Hitchhiking with my mom | 203challenges.com

My mom and I were on a vacation in a small village in the Rhodopes Mountains in Bulgaria and had to get to a bigger town, Smolyan, 30 mi (50 km away). It was Saturday and there were no public buses running to our destination, so we hopped on a bus to the next village where, the locals swore, there was some kind of transport going to our destination. After having arrived in this other village, we were approached by a local elderly man who informed us that there were actually no buses for the next few hours. “So, let’s hitchhike,” my mom said (my mom is not the kind of person who would usually say this, so I was pretty surprised and amused). She raised a thumb by the road while I was taking photos of her. No car stopped. Then we swapped roles and I managed to stop the local bread delivery truck. It turned out that the driver had seen us in the first village and, with a slightly offended tone, asked us why we didn’t ask him to give us a lift. All the way I was holding a box of eggs so they didn’t break. The best part: when we hopped out of the truck, our suitcases smelled like freshly baked bread!

Marina from 203challenges.com (Facebook/Pinterest)

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The post 9 real hitchhiking stories that will make you laugh and cry appeared first on 203Challenges.

Who is Leyla and what does she dream of?

One of my biggest dreams is to go to every country in the world. I’m not 100% sure I’ll be able to do that but I will certainly try. I try to get to 3-4 new countries every year. I like jumping on the plane, going somewhere with no reservations other than for the first night. I like that at the age of 64 I still have the desire to discover a place without having any plans and with spontaneity. I also like the idea that due to my previous work in international development I have made a contribution, however tiny. I’d like to have enough money to start a charity for women from developing countries to help them travel more easily and see the world like those of us from richer countries. I hate that they have such difficulties obtaining a visa and everyone is suspicious about them. In the end, my dream is to see a little more compassion in the world and a little less selfishness.

Photo courtesy of Leyla Giray Alayanak

The pros of solo female traveling are… The pros are so many. The first is freedom – to be able to wake up in the morning and decide what to do without having to negotiate with anyone. Second, when you are all by yourself, you can’t throw the responsibility onto someone else. You make your own decisions and that’s a solid ego-booster, especially for women. You also meet more people when you travel solo. When you travel with someone, you eat together, visit places together and you don’t even try to meet other people, whereas when you are alone, you approach people and make friends more easily – and people can also approach you more easily. Solo travel also helps your world get bigger – because you have to open up more, you can’t just hide behind your partner or your group. This way of traveling has also made me more accepting. Just because I have to sort things out by myself, I’m more accepting of the world around me, I try to fight it less. Solo travel feeds my curiosity and makes me a more interesting person.

The cons of solo female traveling are… first, the loneliness. I’ve felt lonely, I’ve even cried that there was nobody there with me when the circumstances were particularly bad, like being locked out of my hotel room at midnight. It’s worst when you are sick – that’s when you want someone to bring you a chicken soup, to sit next to you and tell you “It’s going to be OK”. There’s also a security aspect – you sometimes might feel more secure, for example, if there’s another person around to take care of your gear. If you have ever tried to carry a huge backpack into a small squat toilet because you can’t leave it anywhere, then you know what I mean. You also have to be good at everything because you have to do everything by yourself – networking, talking to people, organizing, negotiating discounts… Finally, selfies. I want to take more selfies but I can’t because every time I try to take a photo with my selfie stick, I end up with only one eye in the picture. I don’t really feel like handing my phone to a stranger to take a photo and watch them run off with it.

Photo courtesy of Leyla Giray Alayanak

I never travel without… my flashlight. I always put it in my shoe when I go to bed. If there’s a fire, I’ll put my shoes on but I’d never think of taking my flashlight – and it can save my life. It’s also a little weapon!

Before setting off, I always… make sure that it’s the right day. I have a tendency to show at the airport a day early or a day late. If I travel over a 24-hour time zone, you can almost certainly guarantee that I will show up on the wrong day.

The first thing I do when I arrive at a new destination is… to hop on a bus. I just go till the end of the line and come back. And then I hop on another bus. Riding around the city on buses helps me understand how the city works and what kind of people live in it. If I stay a few days in a city, I can spend a day on buses.

The strangest thing that ever happened to me was… when I was stuck in a flood in the Philippines and I had to canoe my way out. That was wild because we actually had to build the canoe ourselves. Another time was getting lost in a minefield in Mozambique. It was terribly scary because we were lost and there were landmines all around us, I thought I was going to die. Another time, I was lost in the Amazon rainforest. I was with a group of Indians who thought I walked too slowly so they simply left me behind. Eventually I found two children in a tiny settlement. They didn’t speak any language that I spoke, they had never seen a car before and had no idea what I was trying to say. At that moment, I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life in this tiny two-house Amazon village.

Photo courtesy of Leyla Giray Alayanak

The trip that changed me… there were two. When I was 15 and living in Spain, I ran away from home. I went to the South of Spain, I hopped on a ferry to the city of Ceuta, which is a city in North Africa that belongs to Spain. I felt really grown up, sitting in the middle of the kasbah, sipping mint tea, until my father showed up to bring me back home. This trip changed me because it was the first time I realized I was happiest when I traveled. The other trip that really changed me was the one I took in my 40s, when I quit my job and took off to see the world for six months. I was gone for nearly four years, backpacking in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. When I came home, I was a completely different person, much stronger, much more comfortable in myself and clear about what I wanted in life.

The most helpful thing I’ve learned on the road… is that getting angry doesn’t get you anywhere. Just that.

The place that surprised me the most… I’m surprised by every place because I don’t have preconceived notions before I arrive. But I was recently surprised by Uzbekistan, which I had never visited before. The country has restored many of the buildings and monuments on the old Silk Road and it’s visually stunning. I didn’t want to leave.

The place I would come back again and again is… there are two such places: Spain and Thailand. I grew up in Spain and I lived for several years in Thailand, and both feel like home. Even if I don’t live there anymore, they are in a way my spiritual homes.

Photo courtesy of Leyla Giray Alayanak

The most challenging trip… was the first year of my backpacking trip, the year up the spine of Africa. I started in Cape Town and I was headed to Cairo but I was stopped by the war in Sudan. It was challenging because the Internet was in its infancy, as was email, and I was out of touch for many weeks because I had to wait to find a long-distance telephone. I didn’t have a concrete plan of where I was going except that I was going north. Every day I would wake up and decide my route. I was on my own for a year and I loved this challenge.

If I have to share something inspiring with you, it would be… try to say ‘yes’! Would you like to come to a strange aboriginal barbecue? Your default answer might be ‘no’ because you don’t understand the question, you don’t know the people who are asking you. etc… By saying ‘yes’, you could have adventures you never dreamed of, and you’ll be pulled to places you would normally not go to. Of course, you still have to use your common sense. If the situation really feels unsafe, stay away from it.

One travel challenge for everyone reading this… get out of your comfort zone. Go somewhere you don’t understand the language or where you don’t know the food. If you are a city person, go for a nature hike. Push yourself and you’ll come back with a real sense of accomplishment.

The post Inspiring travel bloggers: Leyla Giray Alyanak from Women on the Road appeared first on 203Challenges.

This and more optimistic life inspiration from our special interview with Marie:

Who am I and what do I dream of: I’m a 54-year-old freelance writer, travel blogger and big travel nut, based in Toronto, Canada. During my working life, I was in turn a software developer, web application developer, and technical writer. I’m a very independent person who tends to mostly ignore trends, fashions, and peer pressure, to do what is best for my life at any given time. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve worked for everything I have, and never had anything handed out to me. My main guiding value has always been freedom, and I’m also a free thinker who loves to have deep conversations about life, the universe, and everything.

My dream right now is to become fully self-employed, that is, be able to live and travel without drawing a salary from a company or using up my savings. I’m making progress with freelance writing. And I still have hope that my blog may bring in real income someday. Another goal I have is to visit 100 countries in my lifetime. By the end of this year, I will have seen 60.

Skydiving in New Zealand | Courtesy of Big Travel Nut

My latest adventure was… travelling to the Canary Islands. I spent almost a month in Spain last winter, including 2+ weeks on Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. These islands are known for beaches and resorts that attract North Europeans, but I made a point of avoiding those entirely by staying in the main city on each island and using buses to visit surrounding villages and attractions. I speak reasonable Spanish and I was more interested in the culture, nature, and food than lying around on a beach.

A common misconception about travelling solo is… that you’ll spend your entire trip alone and feel lonely. Despite being an introvert, I meet a lot more people when travelling alone than with a friend. Opportunities to meet people are endless when you’re out and about all day in a foreign country. It’s a very different dynamic than one’s routine at home.

Inca Trail | Courtesy of Big Travel Nut

The first thing I do when I arrive at a new destination is… drop my bag in my room and look for coffee, food, and WiFi in that order!

The strangest thing that ever happened to me on the road was… being bitten by a dog in Argentina (completely unprovoked) and spending the next four weeks of my trip carrying rabies vaccines in a cold box.

I never travel without… a camera.

A big dinner spread at a guesthouse in Sri Lanka during my round-the-world trip in 1997 | Courtesy of Big Travel Nut

Before setting off I always… clean my apartment. When I come back tired and jet-lagged, it’s great to walk into a neat and good smelling home.

The trip that has changed me the most… That is probably my round-the-world backpacking trip (see answer to question #12). I believe this is when I developed several of a traveller’s essential traits: patience, self-confidence, resourcefulness, adaptability, and trusting your instincts.

Antarctica | Courtesy of Big Travel Nut

The most helpful thing I’ve learned on the road that could be used in everyday life… focusing on solutions rather than culprits. People in developing countries do this naturally. Plans often get derailed and things go awry, but instead of assigning blame and complaining, they immediately spring into action and move into Plan B mode.

The place that surprised me the most… Antarctica. Like most people, I used to think of Antarctica as a snowy frozen desert. But as soon as I saw early digital photos from people who had cruised there, I knew I had to go. Travelling on water, you visit islands as well as the coast of the Antarctic peninsula. You see glaciers, blue ice floes, gigantic icebergs, and tons of wildlife, especially penguins and seals (but also birds and whales). During the austral summer, the weather is not really that cold either.

The place I would come back again and again is… Greece! I used to list 10+ countries every time somebody asked me which was my favourite. (I truly couldn’t decide.) Finally, this year I asked myself the question: “If you could only go back to one country for the rest of your life, which one would it be?” And the answer was “Greece”. So I guess that makes it my favourite country.

Last winter in Lanzarote | Courtesy of Big Travel Nut

The most challenging trip I’ve been on… In 1997, I left my job, gave up my rental apartment, put my stuff in storage and jumped on a plane to Saigon to start my round-the-world trip. It was supposed to last at least 6 months. My longest trip so far had been 6 weeks. I was travelling solo and my plan was to explore parts of Southeast Asia, South Asia, Egypt, the Middle East, and Europe. I came back home exhausted 4.5 months later, after Egypt completely finished me off. It felt a bit like a failure at the time, but I learned so much on this trip, both about myself and the fascinating cultures I encountered. These 20 weeks transformed me into a “real” traveller. One of the main takeaways from the trip was the importance of pacing oneself and being able to slow down and rest when needed.

The other challenging trip was hiking the Inca trail in Peru in 2004. I had never done a multi-day hike at altitude before, so the physical aspect was hard. Upon arrival in Cuzco, the company we had booked with told us that they had secured a permit for me, but not for my friend, so I had to deal with that too. (Got it resolved in the end.)

My recipe for turning dreams into reality is… believing that they are possible.

Marie’s first trip in Europe in 1992 | Courtesy of Big Travel Nut

If I have to share something inspiring with you, it would be… Anybody can travel, no matter your background, personality, or finances. You just have to want it badly enough. I came from a family of very modest means, who didn’t travel at all, and I was the shyest kid ever. But from the moment I realized that there was a big world out there, I made up my mind to see it.

One travel challenge for everyone reading this… In a country where you don’t speak the language, have a meal in a restaurant where you can’t read the menu.

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Follow Big Travel Nut on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Marie has recently reviewed my book “203 Travel Challenges” – read the review here. 

The post Inspiring travel bloggers: Marie from Big Travel Nut appeared first on 203Challenges.

Filatelista – (n.) a person who collects passport stamps.

Meet Lola Méndez, a full-time traveler sharing her adventures on her blog Miss Filatelista. She’s been on the road for over three years now and has explored more than 50 countries. Passionate about sustainable travel she seeks out ethical experiences that benefit local communities.

What are the crazy things you experience while traveling for so long? How can we easily make our own trips more ethical? What does one dream of after spending so much time on the road? Here’s what Lola shared with us in a special interview with 203challenges.com.

– Who is Lola Méndez and what are her dreams?

– Wow, this is a loaded question! There’s so much to unpack here. Maybe I should ask you for a word count? To be brief I’m a recovering New Yorker with Uruguayan heritage. I’ve been traveling full-time for three years and work as a freelance journalist. Through my travels and my work, I focus on sustainability both environmentally and socially. My dream is that either through my eco-luxury blog, Miss Filatelista, or the articles I’ve published on various media platforms, will encourage others to take small steps towards being more responsible as they travel. A great place to start is my monthly series of responsible travel challenges. Each month I tackle one topic in depth with sage advice about how to make small changes that will make a big difference for the communities you visit and our precious planet.

– Share three of the craziest things that you’ve experienced on the road!

– Fortunately, the crazy things that happen on the road end up being the most memorable! I don’t usually run into too many hardships but funnily enough, yesterday was one of those ‘omg what is HAPPENING’ kind of days. I went to sunrise yoga at 4:30 AM on the beach in Hoi An, where I’ve been living for two months. I stupidly left my iPhone 6S in the taxi but miraculously the driver brought it back within 15 minutes and would only accept the equivalent of 3 USD from me. I was feeling incredibly lucky and that perhaps I had good karma after all.

Later that afternoon I got a reminder to check into my hotel in Hanoi today, when I thought my flight was in two days! I almost completely missed my flight and had no idea that the day I’d just spent in Hoi An would be my last day in this city I love so much. I was quite frantic when I was about to cross the road and then saw a girl I knew from Spain whom I hadn’t seen for three years, I called out to her, checked for traffic, then as I crossed the road I was hit by a motorbike for the first time ever!

To continue the chaos of the day when I got home my house was completely unlocked and all of the lights were on. But nothing was missing. I only have a bruise from the accident. I didn’t miss my flight. I got my phone back. My lesson here is that I had gotten way too comfortable and need to stay aware of my surroundings, something everyone can use a reminder about every once in a while. All in all, the crazy day turned out fine, nothing is missing, and I’m not injured. But I hear the universe loud and clear that I need to be more aware!

– What are some myths that need to be busted about ethical and sustainable travel?

– There’s a lot of judgment in the responsible travel community which is counterintuitive and doesn’t help encourage people to be more conscious in any way. There is no such thing as a perfectly sustainable traveler. I don’t aspire to be a completely ethical traveler, because I don’t believe this is a possibility. Instead, each and every day I am learning new ways that I can limit my waste, reduce my negative impact on the places I travel, and new methods to support the people and places that I’m so fortunate to visit.

Another major thing to be aware of is that the term ‘eco’ is widely misused, especially here in Southeast Asia. Eco is often simply used to describe something that is outdoors in nature. I’ve visited eco-lodges that serve water in plastic bottles and gone on eco tours that destroy nature instead of nourishing it. Learn from my mistakes!

– What are a few easy steps we can make to travel in a more ethical way?

– The series of responsible travel challenges on Miss Filatelista is a great place to start traveling in a more ethical way. There have been seven detailed dedicated posts so far that discuss topics such as ethical wildlife viewing, overseas volunteering, respecting local culture, and plastic-free travel.

– What’s the best tip you’d give a novice traveler?

– The most important thing I’ve learned while traveling is how to be open-minded and not judgemental about things that seem unusual to me based on my western upbringing. As travelers and world citizens, we must remember that there are a million different ways to live a life, and one is not better than the other. If you come across a situation that you deem less than ideal it is important to put your privilege in check and not make assumptions or project your unwanted opinions. Just because you wouldn’t be comfortable in someone else’s living situation didn’t mean it’s wrong or bad. Instead be gracious for this learning opportunity and do your best to emerge yourself in a culture. I guarantee you’ll walk away as a more well-rounded, understanding, and worldly person. Also, don’t travel for the photo opportunity. Aim to be a meaningful traveler, not an influencer. If the internet disappeared tomorrow and you couldn’t document and share your experiences, would you travel? If you have to consider this question then it may be time to reevaluate why you’re traveling.

– What’s the one thing you never travel without?

– As a dedicated sustainable traveler, I always bring my reusable water bottle and neck pillow on flights. Doing so helps me cut back on wasteful plastic packaging consumption, (although cardboard packaging is also an environmentally eco-friendly product). Airplane pillows are always wrapped in plastic and water is usually provided in a small plastic bottle or plastic cup. It’s quite simple to cut out this single-use plastic waste with long-lasting eco-friendly alternatives.

– What’s the first thing you do when you arrive at a new place?

– Food. Anything food related has to be the first thing I do when I arrive in a new place! Especially because I’m vegan. So, heading off on a locally-led food tour or a cooking class helps me get a grasp on what traditional foods are veggie friendly and gives me a chance to learn the local lingo for terms I’ll need to know in order to eat! As I’ve just arrived in Hanoi a few hours ago I’ll actually be headed off on a vegan food tour with responsible tour operator Backstreet Academy for lunch. I’m already so hungry and can’t wait to taste northern Vietnamese dishes and compare them to central and southern specialties.

– What’s your next great travel challenge?

– This is going to seem a bit odd coming from someone who has traveled continuously for so long, and often alone, but my biggest challenge at the moment is readjusting to solo travel. For quite a while I was traveling with my ex-boyfriend and got very comfortable due to having a large male companion to protect me, drive me around, share costs, and take my photos. I know those all seem so superficial but those comforts made traveling so much easier. I’m slowly making my way back to being a confident solo traveler but I’m very apprehensive about being alone again especially after enduring several sexual assaults while traveling alone. I have to remind myself daily that I thrived alone in India for 6 months and can handle any situation on my own.

– Share something inspiring with everyone reading this!

– I get asked a lot about what has inspired me to travel and what keeps me motivated to keep exploring. After giving it a lot of thought I think my upbringing prepared me to be a globetrotter. My father escaped the military junta in Uruguay by walking for four months across South America. He traveled out of necessities but spun his adventures into my bedtime stories which sparked a fascination with the world from a young age. My father’s plight also developed my sense of understanding, compassion, and eagerness to explore remote corners of the globe. Growing up in an international Uruguayan-American family exposed me to travel at a young age and resulted in my compulsive sense of wanderlust which has percolated throughout my life.

My desire to continue gallivanting is simply powered by the unknown. I’ve seen so little of the world. There are endless cultures that I hope to have the chance to get to know. So many more people I hope to meet and or meals I want to eat! There are so many more places to go, there is so much more to learn. This is my greatest motivation in life and my biggest source of encouragement to keep on traveling.

All photos: courtesy of Lola Méndez/Miss Filatelista

The post Inspiring travel bloggers: Lola from Miss Filatelista appeared first on 203Challenges.

Are you inspired? Here’s more from Rohan:

Who are you and what do you dream of?

I am a 27 year old New Zealander. For the last 2 years, I have been a primary school teacher in Germany but I am now a full time traveller and blogger. My partner and I both love to meet people so look forward to making friends with locals and hope to spend some time volunteering in communities in our future travels. My dream is to create a lifestyle that means I can travel often.

My latest adventure is… In July 2017, my partner and I sold all of our stuff and began our biggest adventure yet. We are travelling by van from Germany to Azerbaijan. We will then sell the van and continue with our backpacks through Iran and Asia. We plan to keep travelling the world until our money runs out!

Courtesy of Travels of a Bookpacker

A common misconception about living in a van is… That you need to be the outdoor type. I’m a total city kid and while I’m OK with peeing in the bushes, I also like to have the comfort of a real shower and some wi-fi every few days. We mix up free camping with campgrounds and even AirBnBs to relax and do some washing. The great thing about van life is that you have the freedom to choose!

The first thing I do when I arrive at a new destination is… crack open a beer! Whether we’ve been in the hot van all day or just arrived in a new country and need to try the local brew, you can never go wrong with a cold beer!

I never travel without… my phone. It’s old and slow but it’s my map, my camera, my clock, my translator, calculator and connection to my friends and family.

Courtesy of Travels of a Bookpacker

The strangest thing that ever happened to me on the road was… when Zlatan Ibrahimovic sat next to me at an airport and I had to ask him who he was!

Before setting off I always… have a practice pack. I get this from my mother who is chronically organised. A few days before a big trip I like to make sure everything fits into my bag, make lists of the things I need and often cut out some unnecessary items!

The trip that changed me… would have to be my first solo travel. At 21, I packed a bag and spent 5 months backpacking Europe alone and ended up living in Edinburgh for 18 months. This trip gave me so much independence and forged my first connections with Europe where I have spent most of my adult life and will continue to return to.

The most helpful thing I’ve learned on the road that could be used in everyday life… appreciate your home as much as you do foreign places. I have spent a lot of my adult life away from New Zealand but I have developed a new understanding and love of the place that I will always call home. It’s not perfect but it is one of the best countries on Earth and I plan to spend more time getting to know it next time I’m home!

The place that surprised me the most… Kazakhstan. We had very few expectations before travelling here and didn’t know many people who had been. But we were constantly wowed by the architecture, history, affordability and kindness of the people.

Courtesy of Travels of a Bookpacker

The place I would come back again and again is… Edinburgh! I’ve spent a total of 2 years living in this amazing city and yet every time I go back I discover something new or have a whole new appreciation for the beauty, vibe and character that make this such an incredible place to be. I will always think of Edinburgh as my second home.

The most challenging trip I’ve been on… was to Cuba. This country is beautiful and incredibly interesting but lacks a lot of tourist infrastructure outside of Havana. Travelling independently and on a budget was really challenging. Thankfully, I was not alone and my partner speaks Spanish so we got by. Had I been alone, I don’t think I would have lasted the month!

My recipe for turning dreams into reality is… Don’t have dreams, just have plans! If you start telling people you’re going to do something, it’s much more likely you’ll actually do it. I also set myself a date as this makes it so much more real and gets me excited working up to it!

If I have to share something inspiring with you, it would be… one of my favourite sayings: ‘never try, never know’. It can be applied to all kinds of situations from trying the odd sounding cocktail at a bar to moving into a van with your partner to travel the world!

One travel challenge for everyone reading this… Make an effort to befriend some locals on your next trip, it will entirely change your experience of a place. Whether it’s chatting to a person at the local market, striking up conversation in a bar or staying with some Couchsurfing hosts, most locals are more than happy to chat with you about their hometown and life in their country!

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Follow Travels of a Bookpacker on facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Rohan has recently reviewed “203 Travel Challenges”, so make sure to read her review here.

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