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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L’église de la Madeleine

6 pm – I take the metro and go down to the banks of Seine to enjoy the lovely sunset. I exit at La Madeleine and marvel at the extraordinary church for a while. Then, I head down to Place de la Concorde, one of Paris’s main squares. It is not dinner time yet, so I decide to satisfy my sweet-tooth with a 150 year-old French classic.

Ladurée, a 150-year old macaron bakery

6:15 pm – Luckily, Ladurée is on my way. The luxury Pâtisserie established in 1862 and it has become the world’s best-known seller of premium macarons. They sell an average of 15 000 macarons every day! I had to make a quick stop!

Coconut, pistachio and rose macaron

6:30 pm – Only 3 macarons later, I walk out the store. The winners were Coconut, Pistachio and Rose. So sweet and tender! Anyway, I would love to see the sun set over the Seine, so I hurry up to the closest bridge. I stop only to snap a couple of photos of the Obelisk and the Arc de Triomphe in the background.

6:45 pm – I walk over Pont des Arts just in time. The river, the colors, the amazing architecture around…What a stunning view! I sit in awe here for a second admiring the sunset.

Sunset over the Seine

7 pm – Pont des Arts is also famous for the love locks attached to it. The tradition started back in 2008. Couples used to attach padlocks marked with their names and then throw the key into the Seine river below as a romantic gesture. This tendency grew so popular that the bridge became structurally weaker carrying the weight of all that love. Unfortunately, in 2015 the Parisian authorities took drastic measures and began detaching sections of the bridge railings together with the padlocks. They have replaced them with love locks inspired graffiti.

The love locks on Pont des Arts

7:30 pm – I walk along the river until I reach Île de la Cité,  the famous island where the city was founded. I cross over Pont Neuf and go on gazing around until I end up in front of the magnificent Notre-Dame de Paris. The cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the world. I take my time to admire this elaborate work of art – sculptures, stained glass, rose windows. It is difficult to take your eyes off Notre-Dame, especially in the twilight.

Our Lady of Paris

8 pm – I need a break to recover after devouring all that beauty. I find the perfect spot across the street – Shakespeare and Company Café. Time for some French hot chocolat!

The Bohemian Café

8:30 pm – Overwhelmed by this gorgeous spring day, I realize I am starving. I head back to Monmartre. Looking for a good meal as well as a good time to end up the night right, I walk upon a truly unique bistro. Le refuge will serve you wine in baby bottles while you are eating fondue. It is also great value for money. If you choose the fixed menu, you’ll be served an appetizer, cheese or meat fondue (go for the cheese!), dessert and wine for as much as 22 euros. A pretty good deal, right?

Dinnertime!

9:30 pm – On my way to the hostel, I cannot stop myself from walking by Sacré-Coeur once again. A quick night photo shoot and I am done!

Sacré-Coeur by night

10 pm – Time to call it a night. Merci Paris and a bientot!

Next time you end up in Paris with a day or two on your hands, make sure to hit a few of these places, but do not hesitate to explore and find your own favorite spots in the city. After all, that is what the true Paris experience is all about!

Bon voyage and bon appétit!

The post One day in Paris when you have a long layover – Part 2 appeared first on 203Challenges.

I am passionate about traveling and backpacking. My usual itinerary is as eventful as possible. As an avid traveller, when it comes to accommodation, hostels are my first option.

What do I look for in a hostel?

In general, I look for a good location, relatively good reviews and a variety of services that the hostel offers free of charge or in exchange for a small fee. After all, you’ve got to make your money count, especially when traveling on a tight budget.

During my recent trip to Colombia, the hostel that combined all three in the best possible way was:

Hostel Masaya in Santa Marta

©Masaya Hostels

Located in the heart of Santa Marta, the second oldest city on the Caribbean coast, Hostel Masaya offers the most perfect hostel experience you could ask for!

The hostel is situated in a National Heritage listed Colonial house with a spacious inside patio, three floors, and wooden staircases. The atmosphere takes you back in time. That’s not all – you can enjoy the two pools, a rooftop that has one of the best views of the Cathedral, relax-zones, hammocks, deckchairs, and a cozy bar where you can sip on late night drinks or have breakfast in the morning.

A place to gather and to share

© Masaya Hostels

Masaya aims at being not only a comfortable hostel, but a social place. The hostel offers a different 100% Colombian cultural activity every day. There are salsa lessons, cooking classes, live music and Spanish parties!

The first time I walked in Hostel Masaya I truly thought it was the hostel with the most unique atmosphere I have ever been to. I ended up staying there twice during my trip – once in a dorm, once in a private room. Both are comfortable, spacious, with nearly 5-meter tall ceilings. The private rooms are named after famous Colombians such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Shakira, Carlos Vives, Juan Valdez and more, and there is a catchy colorful theme going on in each one of them.

© Masaya Hostels

© Masaya Hostels

My stay at Masaya made me reconsider the way I travel. I decided that from now on I will put aside more time to dive in the local atmosphere and just to relax. Even for as little as two days, I enjoyed every minute of my Masaya experience drinking mojitos at the rooftop and swinging in the hammocks. The staff was friendly and helpful.

No breakfast is usually a deal breaker for me

I would definitely cross off my list a hostel that does not offer free breakfast (Cheap deals are acceptable). No wi-fi would also be an issue. It is the 21^st century, right? However, one of the best hostels we stayed in Colombia was a wi-fi free zone and it was just great. If you would like to tune off and relax, I highly recommend:

Casa Loma in Minca

No Wi-Fi, no problems | © Lina Kirilova

Casa Loma is the place to chill, relax, detox and go offline! It is an alternative hostel with open-air dorms and hammocks situated on a hill overlooking Santa Marta and the Sierra Nevada National Park. In order to reach the hostel, you first have to hike about 10 minutes up cobblestone stairs.

The view at the top is totally worth it, particularly at sunset!

The view from the top | © Lina Kirilova

The hilltop wooden house is the main building of the house. You will find the kitchen (maybe with quality kitchen counter or other stones for kitchen) and common area there, as well as a couple of terraces and a few hammocks to enjoy the view. Casa Loma is surrounded by tropical forest and you can hear birds singing everywhere! With no roads, cars, shops or noisy neighbors you will be able to fully enjoy the peace and quiet, reconnect with your inner self, just lie in a hammock, drink a beer or take a nap.

The hostel serves only vegetarian food and it offers a delicious set breakfast menu and a daily lunch and dinner menu. They are famous for their curry and Mexican nights.

Breakfast | ©Lina Kirilova

I was happy to arrive in time for sunset (I had a time for yoga retreat), so I could join the dozen lucky people on the terrace for happy-hour cocktails with an amazing view.  A couple of passion fruit Mojitos later we all watched in awe as the sun set behind the mountains.

Sunset vibes | © Lina Kirilova

The third place I would like to mention here is:

Casa del Ritmo in Santa Marta

© Casa del Ritmo

Casa del Ritmo is a typical colorful house located near El Rotadero – one of the famous beaches on the Caribbean coast. I spent only one night there on my way back from Minca. It was towards the end of my Colombia trip but the setting and atmosphere, and especially the friendly service made me feel at home.

The hostel was not busy at the time, so I was pampered by the staff’s full attention and hospitality. Sandra showed me around and recommended dinner and drink options. She is funny and just great! Every room is named after a different music genre – Pop, Jazz, Bossa Nova, Tango, Salsa and so on. I got Salsa!

© Casa del Ritmo

Talking about food, this is another veggie hostel that offers fresh local food. Don’t miss the happy hour of the Art bar! They use real fruit for their Mojitos, Margaritas and Caipirinhas. Casa del Ritmo is also one of the few places where I was able to find the limited addition coca-infused beer Happy Coca from the Nevada brewery.

© Casa del Ritmo

© Casa del Ritmo

If you have an extra day or two, consider joining some of the different activities the hostel organizes. They include sunset yoga for women on the beach, zumba classes, live music and open mic jam sessions, movie and popcorn, poker nights, salsa parties and many more.

© Casa del Ritmo

© Casa del Ritmo

“Life is not what one lived, but what one remembers and how one remembers it in order to recount it.” Gabriel García Márquez

Note: I was not paid to write this review and I did not receive a free stay in exchange. I paid for my room just like you… but I loved it so much that I felt it deserved this write-up!

The post 3 unique hostels in Colombia to kick back and relax appeared first on 203Challenges.

Here are 99 things you, as a seasoned traveler, have probably already discovered on the road. If not, it’s time to catch up!

1. Traveling is good for your mental and physical health.

2. Traveling only changes you when you take every step mindfully.

3. You shouldn’t count miles covered, but rather friends made while you’re on the road.

4. You can eat, drink, visit museums and spend the night for free almost everywhere in the world.

5. The locals, not the travel guides, know where the best food is. You just have to ask them.

6. You can hitchhike on a bicycle in Amsterdam.

7. Experimenting is the best way to discover your new passion.

8. You can sleep in a medieval church in England.

9. You probably suffer from dromomania, but you actually enjoy the feeling.

10. The best natural shower is a waterfall.

11. You should always research what clothes to bring when you visit a country for the first time.

12. When you travel with your better half, you should not be glued to each other all the time (but you should still go out on dates).

13. Even when the situation looks completely hopeless, a miracle can save you.

14. If you don’t speak the language, a friendly smile is internationally understood.

15. You can visit a place 10 times with 10 different travel companions and it will be a completely different experience every single time.

16. You should know the difference between trattoria, ristorante and osteria when you want to have a bite in Italy.

17. Traveling makes you more thankful.

18. There’s a free app that scans the paintings in galleries and tells you their stories.

19. Keeping in touch with your family makes them happy.

20. Whatever you need, wherever in the world you are, local taxi drivers always know the solution.

21. Sleeping in a bed gets boring at times and you feel the urge to swap it for a hammock, treehouse or floating bungalow.

22. Mishaps on the road make you more resilient.

23. Spending time in a forest is beneficial for your body and mind. The Japanese know this, and they even have a word for it: shinrin-yoku.

24. Sometimes being alone is better than being with someone who is not on the same wavelength as you.

25. You meet the most extraordinary people when you least expect it.

26. There are towns without a single street in this world.

27. Sometimes you just need a day of doing absolutely nothing – no attractions, no museums, no new people. On days like these, staying snug in bed is better than anything the outside world can offer.

28. If you can’t wake up to see the sunrise, it’s better not to go to bed at all.

29. Doing something you’d never usually do is the best way to expand your personal boundaries.

30. A rainy day doesn’t mean a lost day.

31. When you miss a train/plane, life might be about to offer you an interesting opportunity in return.

32. Getting angry won’t get you anywhere. Especially when crossing an international border.

33. The best discoveries are made when you get lost (sometimes on purpose).

34. Bringing postcards from your hometown is always a good idea. You always meet adorable people on the road, and even a small gift can make their day.

35. There are certain days in the year when seeing a shooting star is not a matter of chance, it’s almost certain.

36. Eating plane food is usually a bad idea.

37. Sleeping at the airport can be comfortable if you bring a blanket, a sleeping mask and headphones.

38. Speaking in a foreign language really is easier when you’ve washed down a beer. It’s proven.

39. It’s okay to pinch pennies for food and then splurge on a five-star luxury hotel. Everyone has their guilty pleasures. Don’t judge.

40. Life feels brighter when you have an upcoming trip.

41. You can travel for months with only one pair of shoes.

42. There are plenty of ways to turn an average picnic into a creative feast.

43. Even if you visit the same destination over and over again, it will be a completely different trip every time.

44. When traveling with your better half, it’s a good idea to leave time for doing your own thing and giving each other some space.

45. You’d better bring a little bubble wrap in your suitcase to protect that expensive bottle of wine you’re bringing home with you.

46. You only need a stick to determine north, east, south and west if you’re lost in the wilderness.

47. Hitchhikers always have amazing stories to tell.

48. If you plan to shop til you drop on your next trip, you can leave with an empty suitcase and return with a full one.

49. There are better presents to bring home than souvenirs.

50. The best places to eat are usually two blocks away from the city center, have no English menu and are packed with locals.

51. Paying by card abroad can be cheaper than withdrawing money from ATMs; remember to check with your bank before you leave on your trip.

52. When you’re too busy to travel, even your lunch break can be an awesome opportunity to do something fun.

53. You can have no money and see the world. You can have billions and still stay at home, ignorant.

54. If you hang out with your more adventurous friends, you’re more likely to try extreme experiences. It’s proven.

55. It’s fun to pretend you’re a tourist in your own city. You can even speak in a foreign language.

56. Shipwrecks are not always underwater.

57. Whenever you’re in despair because you think there’s nothing exciting coming your way, an adventure happens.

58. Sometimes, you need to give up on comfort if you desperately want to visit a place you can’t afford.

59. Reaching a mountain peak is worth opening a bottle of champagne. We always do.

60. There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ destinations; only destinations you are in the mood for.

61. There is always a way to skip the lines, wherever you are.

62. People would travel more if they were less afraid. People would be less afraid if they traveled more.

63. Going to the same restaurant day after day will inevitably bring you 1) new friends and 2) free desserts.

64. Sometimes you have to accept that you are going to remain dirty and stinky for some time.

65. A ‘five-star hotel’ can meet very different things in different countries.

66. Doing nothing is an art in some countries (like, hmm, Italy).

67. Holidays are sometimes more fun if you tweak them. Like spending Christmas in the desert.

68. The best time to fly is in the morning, because morning flights are the least likely to be delayed.

69. You should leave at least three hours for transfers between flights.

70. Packing light spares you a lot of trouble.

71. Bad weather doesn’t necessarily mean a bad trip.

72. They have free sparkling water fountains on the streets of Paris.

73. If you share your travel hacks with too many people, they will eventually stop working.

74. The same goes for those stunning secret corners of the world you discover and share pictures of… then everybody flocks there and the spot is spoiled forever.

75. Food is one of the best ways to discover a country.

76. If you can’t travel, you can become a local guide in your city and invite the world to visit you.

77. When you travel abroad, always take a few souvenirs or postcards from your country to give as gifts to locals you meet during your travels.

78. Some of the greatest beaches in the world are in the middle of busy cities.

79. A surprise trip is always a good idea for a gift.

80. Bartering for a night at a guesthouse in exchange for a photo shoot or a couple of books is actually a thing!

81. Every road you take will eventually lead you back home.

82. People change when they gather around a campfire.

83. Walking in nature kills negative thoughts.

84. A year-long journey could start with a casual Saturday talk.

85. The Gates of Hell are real, and we can access them on Earth.

86. You don’t have to be Bear Grylls to embark on an adventure. A mini-adventure counts, too.

87. You should never work during your vacation.

88. Traveling with a cause makes the whole experience more fulfilling.

89. Learning a few phrases in the local language always makes the locals more friendly and ready to help you.

90. Spontaneous trips often make the best stories.

91. The less often you check your phone, the happier you are.

92. You can live without your phone. You just didn’t know it until you lost your iPhone in the jungles of South Asia.

93. Your hometown is an exciting tourist destination, too.

94. You know where to find hundreds of tulip varieties in the Netherlands.

95. It’s sometimes cool to switch off all your electronic devices and spend a weekend completely offline.

96. Traveling is more interesting if you add some creative challenges to to your trip.

97. Small towns and villages without tourist attractions tend to have a special place in your heart because you are forced to find creative ways to have fun.

98. If you listen to a song regularly during a trip, it will remind you of that destination for the rest of your life.

99. Saying “yes” more often is the secret to an amazing life adventure!

The post 99 things every seasoned traveler knows appeared first on 203Challenges.

Take a look at the surprising facts about Spain.

1. If you order a cider in a bar in Oviedo, you will be surprised by the way they pour it. In the northern Spanish town, pouring the drink from a great height has turned into a tradition among bartenders and an attraction for visitors. The reason for the high pouring custom is that the Asturian cider needs to be aerated before ending up in the glass.

2. An interesting attraction, though not so popular outside Spain, is the dancing horses. In Jerez de la Frontera, each year in May, tourists can enjoy the dance of the white horses, trained by the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.

3. For centuries, the university town of Salamanca has entertained students, children and visitors with a game of “spot the frog.” Various images are hidden in the carved wooden doors of the university – heroes, legends and coats of arms. Legend has it that there is also a frog and those who find it, will have good luck throughout the whole year.

4. The Spanish town of Girona was the place, where Gustave Eiffel “warmed up” before the Eiffel Tower. He built a bridge, one of the eleven bridges in the town, at the spot where four rivers meet.

5. Everybody associates Spain with sangria but actually the locals like to drink Tinto de verano, especially in the summer. Tinto de verano (summer red wine) is a cold drink made of wine and soda, similar to sangria, but more popular because it is prepared only with the two ingredients mentioned.

6. The Spanish have an interesting tradition in the last seconds of New Year s Eve. They eat a grape with each second from 12 to 0 before the clock strikes midnight. People do this either at home or at squares, and the most popular place for this tradition is Puerta del Sol in Madrid.

7. Many people think that paella is a national dish in Spain but the locals have a different opinion. The Spanish consider the rice meal to be typical mainly of the region of Valencia, in the south-eastern part of the country. People in this town perceive paella as their symbol and according to experts, its preparation symbolizes the mix of cultures on the territory of the country – from Roman to Arabic.

8. It is strange to ask a Spanish person if they speak Spanish because there is no such language. The official language of the country is Castilian but Galician (Galego), Catalan and Basque are completely independent languages and have official status in Galicia, Catalonia and the Basque Country respectively. The dialects are even more and the most recognizable one is Madrilenian – the dialect of Madrid.

9. Both the Spanish province of Jaén and the town of Jaén are famous as the world s olive oil center. About 40-45% of world s olive oil is produced in Spain but the industry s capital is Jaén.

10. They say that there are so many holidays in Spain that if you celebrate all of them, there won’t be a day left for work.

The post 10 fun facts about Spain to know before you go appeared first on 203Challenges.

His book, “Terning: Around the World by Bike”, is a story about the challenges he faced, but it is also a story about the kindness and generosity of the people he met along the way. As Sam says, “I am no brave adventurer; the book is the story of a twenty-three-year-old who cycled around the world in spite of himself, his flaws and (often pretty stupid) decisions’. 

We reached out to Sam to ask him about his dreams, his inspiring encounters on the road and his next challenges. There he is.

– Who is Sam Gambier and what are his dreams?

– I grew up in Cornwall, UK, and went to uni in London. When I was twenty-three, I left England and spent two years and eight months cycling around the world and since then have lived in Spain and China. (I know you didn’t really ask me, but…) I believe our experience on this planet should not be confined by the borders drawn across it and I feel lucky and guilty, in equal measure, that I was born in a place that allows me to explore the world more freely than most. I dream about a world in which we recognise ourselves as inhabitants of one shared place, rather than several disparate places separated from each other (though perhaps I should do less dreaming and more doing!).

– What was your motif to choose a bicycle as a means of transport to circumnavigate the world?

– A bicycle brings you closer to people than most other forms of transport could. The barrier of a window pane is removed, as is the ease and comfort that the window pane brings; the world is not framed for you to look at, rather you become part of the picture. On a bicycle you feel each metre, every hill and all the space between us, and I’m sure in some way this leads to a greater understanding of our world, at least its physical form. I am also quite a shy person, and a bicycle piled high with belongings starts conversations better than I do.

– What was the most heartwarming act of human kindness you experienced during your trip?

– I experienced so many moments of miraculous human kindness that it is really difficult to highlight just one. In almost every country I cycled through, people gave me food and shelter, and shared their lives with me. I think the place in which I was most overwhelmed by kindness was in Sumatera, Indonesia. Almost every day, people invited me into their homes: I slept on the floors of single-roomed houses with families of five or six; visited schools and mosques; rode about the towns visiting friends and seeing the local sights and was always met with openness, kindness and curiosity.

– What was the biggest challenge you hadn’t expected?

– Probably myself! Loneliness set in quick, and at the beginning I couldn’t shake the idea of spending so much time alone. Two-and-a-half-years by myself seemed unfathomable, and I felt the love I have for those close to me with a keenness I hadn’t experienced before. I am no brave adventurer; the book is the story of a twenty-three-year-old who cycled around the world in spite of himself, his flaws and (often pretty stupid) decisions. That I made it was a testament to the kindness and generosity of the people that I met; it was these meetings that made the journey worth it and encouraged me to carry on.

– What would you say to someone who considers repeating your feat?

– Do it, first and foremost. It will give you much more than you could ever put in and will be a life-affirming, enriching experience. People will show themselves to be wonderful and kind and you will see parts of the world which most people fly over or drive through. There is no need to plan in meticulous detail, but be prepared; it is a deeply rewarding way to travel, but it is not always the easiest. And, of course, you will not be repeating anything. I feel like when we travel we visit a time as much as a place. Even if you followed a route cycled a thousand times, it would be your adventure, remarkable and unique.

– What is your next big travel challenge?

– In the summer, I’m planning to walk a little way across Norway, from Otta to Odda, because 1.) it has a nice ring to it, 2.) it seems like a nice amount of walking to do in a month and 3.) it seems like it will be absolutely stunning. I’m a little older now, and maybe have more patience for walking; I’m looking forward to living in a tent in the real world and escaping the man-made one with jobs and bills and all that stuff for a little while.

– Share something inspiring with everyone reading this!

– Ummm… that’s put me on the spot! I really don’t consider myself to be a very inspiring person. The only thing I will say, if you are thinking about going on a mammoth adventure, is that if I can do it, anyone can.

***

Sam Gambier’s book, “Terning: Around the World by Bike”, is on Amazon here: 

To get an idea of what you can expect, read an excerpt from the book HERE.

All photos: Courtesy of Sam Gambier

Discover more travel books and interviews with travel authors here!

The post Sam Gambier’s trip around the world: 2,5 years by bike 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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Who are you and what do you dream of? I am the author of the travel-themed romantic comedy, Girls Who Travel. Though I’m originally from New York, these days I call London my home and right now writing is my full-time job though I have worked in the luxury travel industry and in advertising. My favorite thing to do (unsurprisingly) is to travel: I’ve been to nearly 40 countries and I have yet to find a place I wouldn’t want to go to. In fact, having to add pages to my passport is one of my greatest accomplishments in life!

Who is Kika Shores and what does she have in common with Nicole? Kika is a free-spirited serial backpacker: she’s a bit lost in life, but I like to say that she’s lost in the right direction. Like me, she is a romantic and an optimist, and both Kika and I share a love for the charming leafy streets of West London (where the book largely takes place). I decided to place Kika in London because while I was writing the book, I was in New York waiting for my British visa to come through so that I could return, so the book pays homage to one of my favorite places.

One thing I can say to all women to encourage them to travel solo… Traveling alone will teach you so much about yourself in such a short span of time. You will learn the spaces of your heart and head; your likes and dislikes; what moves you and what you can do without.

I chose London for the setting of my book because… West London is one of my favorite places and I could talk about it forever. That’s why I chose real streets (like Stanhope Gardens) and business (The Kensington Creperie) to put in my book—I wanted to reader to be able to walk in Kika’s footsteps.

The book shows that great adventures could happen while you are staying in one place too. The biggest adventure I’ve had while not traveling far away is… writing this book! I was in my hometown of New York at the time of writing it, and getting published swept me away on one of my life’s greatest adventures.

Three books I read while traveling… I just came back from a short vacation in Dubrovnik and I read the following: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (an amazingly well-written and gritty and gorgeous coming-of-age tale set in the New York City restaurant world); The Thing About Love by Julie James (a fun, silly, and simple romantic comedy about FBI agents falling in love); and Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnès Martin-Lugand, which I haven’t started reading yet, but OMG, how good is that title?!

The writers I think I could be friends with are… When I was a young backpacker, me and Hemingway would have hated/loved each other. I can totally see us having drinking competitions and waking up in different countries, being like, how did we ever get here? Now that I’m a bit older and more mature (we hope anyway), I think me and Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat Pray Love fame), would be great friends. We both love food and travel and honestly, that’s everything I want in a BFF!

The experience that influenced me the most as a person/as a writer is… It wasn’t really one single experience, but when I returned from my first real trip (when I was seventeen I went to the Czech Republic), I understood for the first time that I was so lucky to be able to travel and have that experience—because not everyone is so lucky. And that gratitude, that fizzy feeling like I won the lottery, has shaped me. It gave me the audaciousness, the hutzpah, and guts to go out and really live my life wildly and brightly, even to think, hey, I’m going to go out there and do what I want to do: write a book!

To all the people out there who want to write a book I would say… Do. Not. Give. Up. I had to write five books before finally getting published. Just keep at it. There’s this awesome rule of the universe that says if you keep working on something it’s actually impossible to not get better at it. Just keep at it, you’ll get better, I promise.

I never travel without… hand-sanitizer! (Seriously, it’s filthy out there and no one has time for that.)

The strangest thing that ever happened to me on the road was… meeting all the delightful weirdos of this planet!

The most challenging trip I’ve ever taken was…my first solo trip to Italy and Greece. I had taken many trips before so it did not occur to me that I would ever get homesick or find it challenging, but for the first week of the trip, I was so lonely! I did, however, wait it out and I am so glad that I did because homesickness and loneliness are fleeting. I was fine by the next week.

The most helpful thing I’ve learned on the road that could be used in everyday life… There’s no harm in asking.

One travel challenge for our readers…. Spend one whole day without your phone. It’s a horrifying prospect, oh I know, but afterward (that is, if you survive), you will feel so capable and accomplish and hopefully, it will help you really be present and live in the moment. (That’s what tell myself anyway!)

*

Girls Who Travel is available on Amazon (a special promotion runs from June 18 to July 2, 2017).

The post Inspiring Travel Authors: Nicole Trilivas appeared first on 203Challenges.

When I was 20, I used to believe that if I traveled alone, the boredom would kill me. At that time, I thought that the deep essence of life was to spend time with your friends. And that all those weirdos traveling solo around the world obviously were compelled to do so because they didn’t have any friends to share the road with.

Only a few years later, I started to appreciate the time I spend in my own company more and more. And I started to understand that, although I have much to share with my friends, I often forget to share thoughts with the most important person in my life: myself.

1. If you are bored of traveling alone, obviously you don’t find yourself very interesting

It’s funny that for most people the scariest thing about traveling solo is… the boredom. I thought so, too.

In fact, the first time I went on a solo trip, I was compelled to do it. A few weeks before our flight to Luxembourg my fellow traveler mysteriously disappeared. She stopped answering her phone, didn’t reply to my messages… It was clear – either I won’t go anywhere, or I’ll go alone. I did go alone. It was life changing.

I boarded the plane, landed in Frankfurt, took the shuttle bus to Luxembourg city, where at the station my Couchsurfing host stood. During the day I was wandering in the towns doing only what I wanted to do, in the evenings we were chatting with my host in front of his fireplace. One of the days his aunt took me on a road trip around the Moselle Valley wineries. No time for boredom left.

Just think about it for a second: if you do only the things you like, how could you ever be bored?

2. It’s not necessary to embark on dangerous solo expeditions – a weekend in a rural guesthouse will do as a beginning

Many believe that traveling alone is dangerous. Especially if you are a woman, especially if you are abroad and attracted by villages-at-the-end-of-the-world, where, everybody knows, nothing good awaits the daring tourist.

This kind of adventure is energizing. But you can start with something simple. Go for a weekend in a remote guesthouse, go camping, trekking, biking, go abroad for a city break.

3. At least once a year visit a place you have never been before

These words are accredited to Dalai Lama, although probably he never said that. But the message is beautiful. You can transform it a bit – travel solo at least once a year, even just for a weekend. To refill your positive emotional storage and to rearrange your thoughts.

You can travel the whole world but there is no sense to do it if you run away from yourself.

The post Why everybody must travel alone at least once a year appeared first on 203Challenges.

On the other hand, if you plan to hitchhike in Sicily you’re in for a few helpful hints!

#1 Sometimes, hitchhiking is your only choice

As two girls, we weren’t planning to hitchhike in Sicily. Of course, we hadn’t taken into consideration the fact that in Italy, the term “national holiday” usually means “no trains”*. If you don’t have a car but you have an overwhelming desire to get from the town of Noto to Modica – the chocolate capital of Sicily – your fate is predestined and you’ll soon find yourself by the roadside.

* “No trains” is a collective term for “no trains, no buses, and nowhere to even rent a motorbike”.

#2 Nobody hitchhikes in Sicily, but that shouldn’t put you off

The first thing you’ll realize is that there aren’t any other hitchhikers on the side of the road in Sicily. In fact, many locals told us not to hitchhike because it was dangerous. This was perfect. On one hand, we are fearless in the face of the danger. On the other hand, our livers are already damaged beyond repair, so we doubted that anyone would risk much to take them from us…

#3 Sicilian roads aren’t as direct as you might expect

Sicily has just a few major roads, and many of the island’s towns are connected only by a spiderweb of secondary roads. That means instead of straight stretches, you’ll probably have to hitchhike in sections. We were standing by the road, the epitome of perfect hitchhikers (wide smiles, freshly showered etc.), and every fifth car stopped, but unfortunately nobody was going to our destination (only 25 miles away). Some cars even broke traffic rules to come and see if they could help. Others offered to take us to other destinations, but there’s not much you can say to take a woman’s mind off chocolate!

#4 Sometimes you have to change your plan

At the end of the day, hitchhiking is all about luck. After 30 minutes baking in the sun, we finally decided that we would swim naked in chocolate fountains some other time. Instead, we decided to head for the beach 6 miles away and swim there, rather than spending the day by the road.

#5 (For hitchhiking girls) Sicilian men may seem pushy, but they aren’t disrespectful

Two lads – local lemon farmers – picked us up and drove us to the beach. They went out of their way to take us there, even though it was a work day for them and they were heading to the plantation. One of them was happy to socialize (Why are you in Sicily? Why do you hitchhike? Where do you sleep? Don’t you want me to host you – I have soooo much space and my mamma will cook a feast for you…). At the last offer my friend dialed the number of the police on her phone and prepared to call it if necessary. No, we have a hotel room and no, we don’t know if we’ll be free tonight. Although the guys tried their chances, they weren’t disrespectful or intimidating in any way. When we reached the coast they still offered to come and pick us up from the beach in the afternoon, seeing as there were no buses or taxis to take us home. We thanked them politely and got out of the car. But, of course, we told the boys to thank their hospitable mothers for their generous offers!

# Extra tip: stick to the basics

Sticking to the universal rules of hitchhiking works in Sicily: smile, be neat, and choose spots where the drivers can conveniently pull over. If you are girls in dresses, like us, don’t forget to bring your backpacks so you don’t get mistaken for ladies of, let’s say, another profession …

Read more: 9 real hitchhiking stories that will make you laugh and cry

7 unusual things to do in Sicily

Featured image: © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges

The post Hitchhiking in Sicily – 5 first-hand tips from two girls appeared first on 203Challenges.