Let’s stop beating around the bush and be honest about this: when we get close to 30, we all get a little anxious. We all feel like youth is abandoning our body, like old age is just around the corner. You can relax of course, because that is just not the case! Okay, maybe you gained a level of maturity that will make doing certain things very different from the way we did them at 20, so, if you want to make sure you make the best of your last years of youth and lightheartedness, follow our guide to the 5 experiences you should have before you turn 30. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Extreme hiking
Extreme hiking requires a lot of energy, and if you don’t want to risk giving up before you reach the end of your trail, you must do it as long as you are young and strong, LOL. You will be able to fully appreciate wild nature, culture and landscapes that will truly fill your heart.
Our tips: the Inca Trail in Machu Picchu, Peru; the GR20 in Corsica, France, one of the most challenging trails in Europe; the Overland Track in Tasmania, Australia, or the Caminito del Rey near Malaga, Spain.
Caminito del rey (Flickr Jose Castillo)
Travel the world by train
A 50 or 60-hour trip by train is not for the faint of heart, even though infrastructure is getting better and better everywhere, with time. Watching the world go by from a train window is an incredible feeling and it is something you should try at least once in life, especially when you are young, easy to please, and sleeping in uncomfortable situations — or getting no sleep at all — is not an issue.
Our tips: the California Zephyr Train that joins Chicago and San Francisco; the Rovos Rail, joining Cape Town and Johannesburg, with extensions to Zambia, Tanzania and Namibia; the European Interrail, which gives you the chance to go from Milan to Barcelona by train, among other routes.
California Zephyr Train (Flickr james bretz)
Help others
Volunteering is one of the most noble pursuits in life. If you are young, it can be an incredible experience and it will be easier to organize, because it will be easier to take time off for others now rather than later on, when you have a job or a family. Don’t miss this chance then, and get ready for this incredibly stimulating journey: there are a lot of organizations in the world that need your help.
Our tips: FoodPantries.org that works with countries experiencing a food shortage; the National Park Service, for nature lovers; and Habitat for Humanity, which gives a home to those who don’t have one.
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- Habitat for Humanity
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- FoodPantries
Under the sea!
Snorkeling fans already know it’s great, and if you haven’t seen the underwater world yet… You should! It is an amazing world, and it will put everything into perspective, by making you understand that what you know is just a small fraction of the world around us.
Our tips: the Coral Reef in Australia, featuring 400 different types of coral, 1500 fish species and 4000 types of mollusks, to give you an idea of the extent of biodiversity in this place; the Seychelles, where a boat will drop you off the coast, and you will find yourself face to face with underwater life; Safaga in Egypt, to discover the Red Sea’s underwater treasures. Safaga is the leeast touristy location along this sea.
Bungee Jumping
It is not an exaggeration to say that bungee jumping is probably one of the most extreme experiences you can have in life. This leap of faith could be an excellent ritual, to say goodbye to your 20s and welcome our 30s!
Our tips: the highest places to jump are at the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado (321mt, or over 1000ft); the Macau Tower in Macau, China (233 mt, or 764ft) and in Locarno, Switzerland, (220mt, or 721ft.).
(Flickr Global Panorama)