St Croix Lake, Les Gorges du Verdon, Provence, France

Lake Louis, Canada

Ruby Falls, Tennessee

Hocking Hills State Park, Logan Ohio

Maui, Maui Marriott

Lake Baikal, Siberia

The Northern Lake Baikal is famous for it’s unnatural beauty. During the winter, the Turquoise Ice cubes are formatted on the top of the lake. This ideal Winter Holidays destination offers beautiful scenery that will take your breath away. Located in Siberia, the Baikal lake is deepest and and clearest. The outstanding water create turquoise ice cubes.

29 Life Lessons Learned Traveling

 

1. Everyone everywhere basically wants the same thing

Vastly different as the world’s cultures are, if you speak to Italian millionaires, homeless Brazilians, Dutch fishermen and Filipino computer programmers, in their own languages, you start to see that we are all incredibly alike where it matters.
Everyone just wants validation, love, security, enjoyment and hopes for a better future. The way they verbalize this and work towards it is where things branch off, but we all have the same basic desires. You can relate to everyone in the world if you look past the superficial things that separate you.

2. Deferring your happiness to the future is a terrible idea

Too many people presume that when they have that one thing they can work towards for years then “everything will be alright”.
This is delusional.
When you get it, there’ll be something else missing in your life. I fundamentally believe that long-term pure happiness from one particular situation or achievement is a pipe-dream, but we can learn to be content with what we have, live in the now, all while enjoying the progress and changes we are making.
If your whole life is working up towards one really big major goal that you hold on to for years, then you will have a major anticlimax after the dust settles. Work towards it, but stop deferring your happiness.

3. “Someday my ship will come in” is bullshit. You will NEVER win the lottery. Be practical.

People seem to have a strange concept of how luck works and how the universe/some deity/karma/their lucky shoe or how “they deserve it” will mean that things will eventually fall into place for them. You are “due” to win the lottery or will get swept away by prince charming any day now. “You deserve it” (as if others don’t).
This is a misunderstanding of how the world actually works. Perhaps I’m wrong and praying or hoping that it will all work out, or generally being a nice person is what really “does the trick”, but why not actually get off your ass and do something tangible too while you’re at it.
I personally don’t believe in magic or fairies or astrology or sky wizards or large-scale invisible inexplicable forces at work on petty daily activities of humans. I’m skeptical about such things, and believe they are all impossible/ridiculous, and knowledge of this has enriched my life. As a practical person, I see the world as a very logical place with physical and social rules and understanding this has helped me live well in it.
The universe owes you nothing, you owe it to yourself to be the master of where your life ends up.

4. There’s no such thing as destiny. This is excellent news!

Destiny is used as a cop-out and standard excuse by most people for why they don’t do something with their lives. The thing is, it doesn’t exist.
Your limitations are not set by who you know, where you were born, what genes you have, how much money you have, how old you are right now, what you did before or other things that you can claim are your stamp of failure for life.
If you are determined enough there is a shitload of opportunities in life that are totally achievable with minimal cash, regardless of who you are.

5. Seek out people with different beliefs and views of the world to yours and get to know their side of the story

As you can probably guess from #3, I have some beliefs about the world that don’t jive with a lot of people’s. However, a lot of people get their meaning in life from believing in things I don’t. If everyone thought like me, the world would be a very boring place.
So when I meet someone with a very different belief system to mine, it’s better to get along than to try to “convert” them. This is as true for how the world works as it is for language learning methods, fashion, movie tastes etc.
When someone is sure about something and has believed it for many many years, then you cannot convince them with a few cleverly picked words. Everyone is closed minded about something, including me. They have to discover it themselves over time or just continue believing what they do. Don’t take responsibility for convincing the world you are right. It’s important to acknowledge that maybe you are actually the wrong one.
The world is much more fun with people of varying interests and beliefs. Despite my skepticism, in my travels I have hung out with astrologists, palm readers, very religious folk, conservatives, and people who hate technology. And my life and experiences are enriched so much because of it.
Spending time exclusively with people who agree with you on everything would never challenge you and allow you to learn so much more.

6. Living a good life is the best way possible to convince people

Enough words and enough arguing. Just live by example and soon you’ll have people on your side when they see your results and how passionate you are. No need to “convince” them. Just show them that you are there, tell them how you got there, and they will start to realize that maybe you aren’t that crazy after all.

7. Nobody has it all figured out

Almost everyone has problems and puts on a brave face – don’t presume they have it easy. You see of each person what they let you see. You have no idea what they are going through or what they had to put up with to be in a situation that you can consider “easy”.
This is universal – millionaires, students, the cool kid, the party animal, the introvert and everyone in between has more to their story than the superficial restricted one you see. Never dismiss them as having it easy if you don’t know the entire story.

8. There’s no shame in saying “I don’t know”

There is a stigma in some cultures to admit ignorance about a particular topic. Don’t dance around the issue – just say I don’t know. Honesty is way smarter.

9. More money will NEVER solve your problems

As long as you are not living in the street or going hungry, then you do not “need” more money. When you spend enough time with people who are actually living on next to nothing, but having a full life, then you will truly understand this. Everything that is wonderful about life doesn’t cost a penny, and the rest is way cheaper than you think it is.

10. Possessions own you

Look at the real reason you want to buy more expensive crap and realize that it all comes down to validation from others in one way or another. You don’t really need any of it unless it’s directly related to essentials in how you work or survive.
The need to buy new crap dictates your life – it fixes you in one location with that house and furniture, and it governs how much money you need to earn. And it almost never actually enriches your life in any way. The less you own the better.

11. TV is the greatest black hole of time available to mankind

I wasted so much of my life before age 21 spending 3-4 hours a day watching TV. Following shows that I “had” to see, in order to “relax”. I regret almost every second of it. The whole world was passing me by outside.
TV was an important part of the 20st century, bringing communication and news to the masses, but now it’s wasteful. People get biased news through it, when much better alternatives are available, watch terrible TV shows through it that teach them nothing, and it sucks so many hours of their lives away that they seem to forget about when they delude themselves into thinking that they don’t have time to pursue real passions in life.
TVs encourage people to be antisocial. The only TVs you should be watching are someone else's – go to your friend’s house to share a series you like if you must, or go to the bar with your mates to watch sports. Your life will not be enriched by sitting at home watching a screen with zero interactivity to it.

12. The Internet is the greatest tool ever available to us, but daily use must be capped

Unlike TVs, the Internet is interactive and allows you to take part and become virtually social. It connects communities all over the world and without it, the last 8 years simply would have been much more difficult for me for many reasons.
Having said that, it has the same potential as TV to become a black hole of time. Use it to enrich your life, but put a cap on how much you use it so you can get out and live that life. Replacing one screen with another (even when you use it to chat to people) is just escaping the real world, which is much more beautiful.

13. Get outside and do something with other people

My favourite website in the world is Couchsurfing.org, precisely because I spend so little time on it. It has simplified my travel life tremendously by allowing me to host people to maintain my languages, and to search it for interesting people to meet up with.
The world that is worth experiencing is not in books or on TV or computer screens. It’s with other human beings. Stop being shy and get out and meet them!

14. Speaking only English is incredibly limiting to non-tourist travelers

If you are visiting a country for a weekend, then you can check into your hotel and order food in an expensive restaurant and get a guided tour in English. You can even make local university educated friends, and successfully create a bubble to protect you from the local language for as long as you like, and delude yourself into thinking that this is the way things are.
But you will never truly experience the local culture if you limit yourself to being able to interact on a deep level just the well educated part of it. English-speaking travelers miss out on so much – not speaking English has defined most of my travels and the amazing experiences I have had would have been impossible if I didn’t try to learn the local languages.
ANYONE can learn a language. When I was 21 I thought I couldn’t do it, but one day I put all the bullshit excuses to one side and just spoke it. Speaking a language from day one is the ‘secret’ to being able to learn it quicker and at any age.

15. Modern foreign culture does not have to satisfy your stereotypes

Every country in the world is modernising but this does not mean that they are westernising or Americanizing. What makes them unique does not have to satisfy your “quaint” tourist-brochure view of them. Leave ignorant stereotypes aside and have an open mind about how modern life is like in that culture.
Not all Irish people drink, not all Brazilians samba and play football, and Germans, Dutch, Filipinos and everyone else will surprise you if you leave your presumptions about them at the airport.
Respect the differences, try to adapt to them yourself and realize that to them you might seem backwards in many ways.

16. Take your time

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from living in countries that are more “easy going” it’s that they are way wiser than the rest of us in their pace of life. People and countries that do everything quicker also do it worse. Take it easy and go slowly.
Enjoy every bite of food, walk at a slow pace and take in your surroundings, let the other person finish their side of the conversation while you listen attentively, and stop in the middle of your day, close your eyes or look at nature and become aware of your breathing.

17. You can’t please everyone

“I don’t know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone” – Bill Cosby.
State your opinion and stick to your guns. If you are confident enough and share your idea with enough people, you will piss off someone no matter what you talk about. That’s their problem, not yours.

18. Trying to be cool or following trends is for mindless sheep

Peer pressure is for people who are afraid of their individuality. Stand up for yourself, and go against the flow if that’s what you feel is best. What’s cool now will be frozen over in a few years.

19. Make mistakes – and LOTS of them!

Mistakes are how we learn. Failures are the stepping stones to success.

20. Wear sunscreen

Seriously. Protect your skin!

21. Stop thinking so much and act

People think their way out of doing everything that’s worth doing in life. The reason I feel I’m getting so much done in the last years is precisely because of how much time I give to over-analyzing whether I should do something important or not: None.

22. Dance and sing whenever possible

Dancing and singing are great releases and forms of expression. It’s hard not to feel good after a session of either!

23. Making new friends is easy and so is appreciating your current ones

My entire eight years travel has been alone. I arrive in a new nation without a single friend waiting for me in many cases. I have no connections, but I make them anyway. I find a party online and go straight to it and say hi to everyone. Soon, if I try enthusiastically enough, I’ll find people I can socialize with on a regular basis.
If you are friendly, genuine and charming, making friends with people from every culture and background is possible.
When people who are surrounded by family, networks, work and school colleagues, other friends, clubs and communities they are a part of… tell me that it’s hard to meet new people I feel like slapping them in the face to wake them up to the opportunities around them, which I haven’t had consistently for almost a decade. Look around you!

24. You don’t know what you’ve got ’till its gone

Don’t take anything for granted. I couldn’t afford to pay for accommodation one night and had to sleep outside on a rock because of it. Ever since then I appreciate having a bed, couch or hammock, no matter how small or where it may be, because I know what it’s like to not have one. One night was enough to burn it into me – I sigh a breath of relief every time I go to bed now.
I went partially deaf due to an ear infection for two weeks and appreciate my hearing and all the beautiful sounds around me all the more because I got it back. I also gained an appreciation for signed communication that I’d take advantage of several years later.
I’ve never lost anyone close to me, but I hug my family members and tell them I love them every chance I get, and clear any bad air with friends and don’t hold back on sharing my emotions with them. Life is too short – if I lost anything important to me then I want to make sure that I never wasted the time I did have with it or with him or her.

25. Swallow your pride and apologize

Never hold a grudge and never try to win every argument. Sometimes it’s best to let your pride slide for the sake of clearing the air with someone. Be the first to say you’re sorry. Never wait for the other person to make the first move.

26. Doing anything specifically to impress people is stupid

People will never give you the validation you seek if you try to be a dancing monkey for them. Saying how many languages you speak, how rich you are, who you know, where you studied or what you do for a living, or trying to show-off in any other way to get someone to like you, or working for these things just for the bragging rights will leave you really disappointed.
People are impressed by those who aren’t trying to impress them and are comfortable in themselves and social and interesting. Sometimes to be “interesting” all you have to do is be a good listener.

27. People are not alone in being alone

One of the most frequent questions I get asked as a long-term solo traveler is if I feel lonely. The short answer is no. The long answer would require an entire post in itself.
But the fact of the matter is that loneliness is much more common around the world than I previously thought it was. I was actually much more lonely in my university (fixed) life than I am now. And I meet many people who have vast networks of social groups who feel desperately lonely because they feel nobody gets them.
Then others who simply changed their lifestyle in some way (not necessarily by travel, but perhaps marriage or starting a demanding job) and have lost contact with all their childhood friends because of it, also feel lonely.
I’ve talked to many people who are convinced they are the only ones who feel this way. Each time I hear a similar story I can hear the Police in my head “seems I’m not alone in being alone…” Believe it or not I find this very comforting when I am genuinely separated by thousands of kilometers from anyone who even knows what my name is. Even though nobody is in exactly the same situation, the amount of people in the world I’ve met tells me that I’m very likely not the only one in such a situation, even at that very second.
No matter how lonely you might feel, there is always someone who can relate to you. Perhaps you can’t talk to them right now, but they are out there.

28. Love isn’t “all” you need, but if you don’t have it in some form, your life will be very empty

We don’t need love to survive, but without it there will be a huge hole inside you. Make sure that every day you have someone (family, friends, lover) to remind you that you are special. If you postpone this part of your life until later, after you get or do that thing you want to do, you will continue in that lonely path indefinitely.

29. The most important lessons in life can never be expressed in black and white, but must be experienced

I thought I knew it all back in university – and that everything of importance can be found in books. But the truth is that the most important things in life are very hard to put in black and white, including what I’ve said in this post.
When most of the world’s information is at our fingertips, a mouse click away, it makes it feel like we don’t need to experience any more. Movies, books, or “living vicariously through someone else” means we can apparently get the general gist of anything.
This is false. Experience is the greatest teacher of all. Stop reading about or watching the world passively and start living it.

Avoiding 10 Road Trip Mistakes

 

1. Underestimating Time

Google Maps may say four hours, but coffee stops, bathroom breaks, and unexpected adventures always take longer than expected. To get the most out of a road trip, give yourself plenty of time. I like to spend two nights each in as many destinations as possible.

2. Hitting Rush Hour

Toronto may be five hours away, but so is rush hour. Plan ahead: Instead of sitting in traffic for two hours, consider visiting a museum, spending extra time on the beach, sleeping in, etc.—anything that will put you in larger cities after 8 p.m.

3. Over-Planning

Don’t book a bungee jump off the Europabrücke Bridge when you’re still 1,000 kilometers away. Nothing ruins a road trip more than thinking only of the destinations. Make a loose plan, but listen to the road. Go with the flow.

4. Inviting Larry

His jokes may seem harmless. His request to stay in five-star hotels may come off as yet another joke. But there’s nothing worse than being trapped in a car with someone you don’t get along with. Choose travel companions wisely.

5. Getting Caught Off Guard

Sometimes we don’t want to think about the worse-case scenarios, or maybe we can’t, but it’s important to be prepared. If traveling in hot weather, always keep a large jug of extra water in the car. If it’s cold, always pack warm clothes and blankets in case you have to spend the night in the car.

6. Forgetting Sunscreen

Speaking of hot weather, there’s nothing worse than getting cooked in the car. Have you ever seen the Seinfeld where Kramer falls asleep in the sun coated in butter? That’s what I’m talking about. Wear sunscreen on long driving days, and whenever possible, get off the road during the hottest hours.

7. Renting in a Foreign City

Each country has its own style of driving, and city driving can be a real hassle. Consider renting a car in a nearby town instead of a major city. This eliminates the need to navigate complicated traffic patterns and congested roadways, both when you pick up the rental and when you return it.

8. Not Getting the Right Permit

Different countries have different driving laws, and some require special permits. For example, Slovenia requires a vignette sticker, and law breakers face a hefty fine. Unfortunately, rental agents might not know the rules in neighbouring countries, so it’s up to you to do the research.

9. Not Preparing for Toll Booths

In a foreign country, a row of toll booths can look like a pinball machine. Which lane to choose? Can I pay with a credit card? These are the types of questions to ask the rental car agency before leaving.

10. Taking the Long, Long Way

Back roads let you see new parts of the world, but they sometimes take much longer than expected. I drove California’s Route 1 for the first time in a Jetta hauling a U-Haul trailer. After six hours of winding roads and sheer cliffs, I really wished I’d made an exit plan. The lesson: Even though it looks scenic on a map, it’s best to have an alternative route in your back pocket at all times.

Coolest Bars On Earth

  The Red Sea Star Bar in Eilat, Israel, is located 6 meters under the sea, offering inspiring views of fish, coral and other creatures

 The Sunland Pub in Limpopo Province, South Africa, can only handle a few patrons, but it's located inside of a 6,000-year-old Baobab tree.

 The Alux Lounge in Playa del Carmen, Mexico is just a short trip away from the beach but feels like its a few centuries from the past.
 


 The Clinic Bar in Singapore boasts hospital beds and wheelchairs for thirsty patrons. Drinks are served through test tubes and drips in a space sure to freak out anyone who's ever needed a root canal.

 Madame Claude's in Berlin is decorated with chairs, furniture and lighting hanging upside down from the ceiling and walls.

 The Sky View Bar inside of Dubai's Burj Al Arab Hotel sits on the 27th floor, 200 meters above sea level, offering customers a view of both the clouds above and the ocean below.

 Drinkers with a death wish may want to check out the Coffin bar in Truskavets, Ukraine, which is housed inside the largest coffin in the world.

  In Quebec City, the Ice Bar is carved out of an enourmous ice block inside the Ice Hotel, which is also made of ice.

The H.R. Giger Alien Bar in Chur, Switzerland, is not for the fainthearted as the chairs, ceiling, and bar are made to look like an awesome anatomy project.

6 Creepiest Places on Earth

#6. Aokigahara Forest

Aokigahara is a woodland at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan that makes The Blair Witch Project forest look like Winnie the Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood. It probably has something to do with all the dead bodies scattered around.
What Niagara Falls is to weddings, Aokigahara is to suicide. How many suicides does it takes for a place to get that reputation? A dozen? Fifty?
More than 500 fucking people have taken their own lives in Aokigahara since the 1950s.
The trend has supposedly started after Seicho Matsumoto published his novel Kuroi Kaiju (Black Sea of Trees) where two of his characters commit suicide there. After that-always eager to prove they are bizarrely susceptible to suggestion-hundreds of Japanese people have hanged themselves among the countless trees of the Aokigahara forest, which is reportedly so thick that even in high noon it's not hard to find places completely surrounded by darkness.

Also skulls.

Besides bodies and homemade nooses, the area is littered with signs displaying such uplifting messages like "Life is a precious thing! Please reconsider!" or "Think of your family!"

"If you commit suicide here, bears will poop on your corpse."

In the 70s, the problem got national attention and the Japanese government began doing annual sweeps of the forest in search of bodies. In 2002, they found 78. But who knows how many they missed? In all likelihood there probably is a hanged person somewhere in Aokigahara on any given day.
By the way, if an entire dark forest full of hanged corpses wasn't bad enough, a few years ago some people noticed that a lot of the dead in Aokigahara probably had cash or jewelry on them. Thus began the proud Japanese tradition of Aokigahara Scavenging where people are running around the Death Forest, looking for dead guys to loot.

#5. The Overtoun Bridge

Located near Scotland's charming little village of Milton in the peaceful burgh of Dumbarton, the Overtoun Bridge is a local arch construction where no human beings have ever died in any suspicious circumstances whatsoever over the last few decades.
However, during that span, for reasons we can't begin to possibly understand, hundreds and hundreds of dogs have killed themselves there. It appears that dogs have been plunging off of Overtoun since the early 60s, at a rate of one animal a month... bringing the total number today to around 600 mutts, who for some reason, decided to end it all.

And we're not talking about a series of unfortunate accidents that could have been avoided with a simple guard rail. People who actually witnessed the reported dogs willingly climbing the parapet wall and leaping to their doom with dumbass doggy grins on their faces. Whether they were crying blood remains to be confirmed.
Theories on why is this happening have been all over the place, from particularly aromatic rodents to a simple stream of bizarre coincidences. We call bullshit on both seeing as--to paraphrase Ian Fleming--"Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action and over 600 is clearly the work of an ancient Sumerian demon or some shit."

To further drive the point home, it has been observed that certain dogs that jumped off the bridge and survived, fucking climbed back up and THREW THEMSELVES TO THEIR DEATHS ALL OVER AGAIN.
Because the great Overtoun demon's hunger will not be appeased with tries. He demands fresh canine blood, and lots of it.

#4. Winchester Mystery House

In San Jose there is this house. It is a gigantic, sprawling 160-room complex designed like a maze, with mile-long hallways, secret passages, dead ends, doors opening to blank walls and staircases leading to the ceiling.

It's the work of Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune. In the late 19th century, deeply saddened over the death of her husband and daughter, she visited a Boston medium who told her she was haunted by the spirits of all the victims of Winchester rifles. She needed to make peace with them by... always be building a house. As in, never stop building a house, or else she will die. What a nice thing to say to someone who has just lost her family. There is no way this could end with Sarah building a real life version of the Addams Family household.

In 1884, Winchester started construction of her new San Jose mansion, which has gone on non-stop for 38 years right until her death. Despite modern contractors taking about that much time to put in the wooden paneling in your kitchen, the Winchester mansion eventually grew so big you could, in all seriousness, get lost in it. And getting lost was the idea, the crazy twists and turns and dead ends were intended to confuse the ghosts. Sarah was kind of a jerk like that.

But pissing off vengeful spirits was just one of the many architectural choices for the mansion. The entire Winchester Mystery House was decorated with a constant spiderweb motif--which Sarah believed had some spiritual meaning--and everything from the hooks on the walls to candle holders has been arranged around the number 13, supposedly for good luck. Yeah... for someone trying to free herself from ghosts, Winchester did everything but sacrifice a baby goat to Satan to assure her house will be haunted.

#3.The Sedlec Ossuary

Remember when we said Aokigahara was the Niagara falls of suicide? Well, for centuries the abbot in the small Czech town of Sedlec has been the Niagara Falls for dead people, regardless of cause of death. Ever since someone sprinkled soil from the Holy Land on the local cemetery in the 13th century, people from all over Europe started demanding to be buried there and the Sedlec graveyard kept growing until 1870, when the priests decided to finally do something about all those surplus bones lying around. Something insane.

Bam! Chandelier full of bones!

Today, the Sedlec Ossuary is a chapel famous for being decorated with tens of thousands of human bones. This macabre style of interior design was the work of Czech woodcarver Frantisek Rint who, for some reason, was hired to organize the church's extensive skeleton collection. The results were huge mounds of human remains in the four corners of the chapel, a terrifying chandelier built from every bone in the human body, and a massive skull coat of arms adorning the entrance.

We realize this is the Czech Republic and all, but it has been 27 years, surely Poltergeist was released out there already. Like, maybe last year or something? Why are they still playing with human bones as if they were Satan's Lego blocks and making them sit through Mass every single day for almost 140 years now? On the Tempting Fate scale, the only thing worse would be to start using some of the skulls as ceremonial mugs or chamber pots.

At this point, does it really surprise anyone that the church became the inspiration for Dr. Satan's lair in the Rob Zombie movie House of 1000 Corpses?

#2.San Zhi Resort

What do you get when you cross a series of abandoned, rusting, futuristic UFO-shaped buildings with a series of mysterious deaths covered up by the government? How about the ghost town-slash-tourist resort of San Zhi, located just outside Taipei and inside your worst nightmares.
The exclusive San Zhi resort in Taiwan was supposed to be the destination for bored, rich folk who always wondered what it would be like to live inside an over-sized hockey puck. Construction of Pod City started around the 80s but was quickly shut down after a series of mysterious on-site fatal accidents... or it could have been due to Godzilla attacks for all we know. There is actually very little official information on San Zhi. We can't even confirm how many people died there or if they screamed something about eyeless children eating their souls. The whole thing is shrouded in secrecy.

Currently, most of the information on the complex comes from the locals who--what a surprise--refuse to go near the damn thing. And thus the abandoned 90 pods just stand there, waiting for anyone foolish enough to wander in.

#1.Prypiat

A whole lot of you just got deja vu looking at the above picture. Specifically, those of you who have played Call of Duty 4, as there is an entire level that takes place there. If you thought the idea of a completely silent, abandoned, radioactive city was typical video game apocalyptic fantasy, you were wrong.
Prypiat is in the northern Ukraine and once housed the workers and scientists of the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant. Founded in the 70s, it held as many as 50,000 people. Then in 1986, according to a footnote in the official Soviet records, there was a small malfunction in the Chernobyl reactor, so for safety reasons the city was evacuated.

Since then, Prypiat has been desolated, its buildings decaying, the giant Ferris Wheel just standing there all alone with nobody to ride it. The city actually had an entire amusement park for the families of the Chernobyl employees. Because when you are living next to a nuclear reactor which was outdated even by 1986 Soviet standards, the only thing on your mind is bumper cars.

The city is located in what is known as the Zone of Alienation, the 30-kilometer radius directly affected by the Chernobyl "minor technical difficulty" over 20 years ago. Despite that, Prypiat is now opened to the public because the radiation levels have apparently went down significantly over the years. We guess we have a different view on radiation than the government of Ukraine. They obviously have a scale for it, while we consider any radiation a very bad thing.
Aside from the inherent risk of getting bit by a radioactive snail and becoming the lamest superhero ever, there is another reason why you will never see us among the tourists occasionally visiting Prypiat.

The fucking nursery. We told you this was a place built for families and wouldn't you know it, they have a nursery, which according to certain claims is currently paved with baby shoes and abandoned dolls. So, Prypiat is basically an abandoned radioactive ghost Soviet baby amusement park.

10 Places to Move Abroad and Extend Your Life

1. Okinawa, Japan

Japanese rank high in lifespan studies, but Okinawans boast exceptional health. Inhabiting a tiny island in the East China Sea, locals have low rates of alzheimers, heart disease, and breast cancer, with 80% fewer cases of heart attacks and cancer than Americans.
The Okinawa diet has been studied intensely. Staples include fresh island fruits like pineapple and shikuwasa, bitter melon, sweet potato, seaweed, tofu, tea, green leafy vegetables, pork, and fish. Locals also follow the cultural tradition of hara hachi bu, or eating only until 80% full. The elderly are active, working on farms and exercising for leisure. Many live independent of nursing homes and daily connect with community.

2. Andorra

Situated between Spain and France, this small principality of 84,000 people has one of the longest life expectancies in world. Residents enjoy good water, a top-notch health care system, and Mediterranean diet. It is believed that stress levels are low due to Andorra’s remarkable social stability. There has been no standing army there for 700 years, and the region currently boasts full employment. Seniors take full advantage of public leisure centers, enrolling in art lessons and recreation classes.

3. Ikaria, Greece

Today people living on Ikaria, a mountainous Greek isle in the Aegean, reach the age of 90 at 4 times the rate of the average American. Their fitness is attributed to their activity level and unhurried lifestyle. Naps are taken regularly as locals have a laid back concept of time. The diet is low in meat, fish, and sugar and high in whole grains, potatoes, and green vegetables. People also regularly consume goat milk and herbal teas over their lifetime.

4. Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

For the 75,000 people who live in the Nicoya Peninsula, modern life closely resembles that of a century ago. Residents maintain solid relationships, eat a plant-based diet, and recognize active work as essential to quality of life. Many residents are sabaneros (cowboys who work on ranches) and small farmers. It’s not uncommon for food to be cooked on wood-burning stoves.

 Locals eat a “Mesoamerican Trifecta” diet, consisting of corn tortillas, beans, and squash. The water supply is high in minerals that increase bone health. Because of the dry sunny climate, locals suffer from few respiratory diseases and get plenty of Vitamin D.

5. Hunza Valley, Pakistan

Surrounded by the Himalayas in Northeast Pakistan, the Hunza Valley was historically thought to be the mythical Shangri La. There is no evidence that residents live to 150 years old as claimed in the 1970s, but modern research supports that Hunza elderly boast enviable fitness levels. The diet is plant based, consisting mainly of wheat and barley and antioxidant fruits like cherries and plums. The rough terrain encourages high activity level among residents, leading to increased agility in old age. Residents are also known to have very positive outlooks on life and strong family ties.

6. Vilcambamba, Ecuador

Vilcambamba is often referred to as the “Valley of Longevity” for its remote location and lifespan of residents. Beginning in the 1950s, locals have been studied for their low rates of chronic illness and claims of living to 120. Although researchers debunked some claims as exaggerations, they concede that the activity level and diet of residents does offer them extraordinary health.
Seniors commonly work on ranches, performing manual tasks and riding horses. They eat almost no animal products and rely on fresh organic vegetables with medicinal properties. Their fresh water from nearby mountains has high concentration of healthy minerals.

7. Sardinia, Italy

Unlike much of the world, where average gender lifespan is different, men and women in Sardinia share equal longevity estimates. In addition, they reach 100 years old at twice the average than the rest of the world. A common saying on this Italian island is a kent’ annos, or “May you live to 100.”
The cuisine consists of raw milk and cheese, fresh vegetables, and small amounts of lamb, pork, and oily fish. Residents are family oriented and very active well into old age. Some research on Sardinian longevity links it to genetics. Few Sardinians marry outsiders and there appears to be a genetic basis for men suffering fewer cases of heart disease and stroke.

8. Abkhasia, Georgia

Almost 100,000 people live in the mountainous region of Abkhasia, a breakaway region of Georgia. Locals have been studied with interest for their fantastic claims of lifespans reaching 150 years old. Although researchers cast doubt on those figures, they concede that elderly suffer low rates of disease and enjoy high quality of life.
The Abkhasian diet consists of locally grown vegetables, beans, and grains, moderate vodka intake, and low meat, fish, and sugar consumption. They have extensive family networks believed to reduce stress, and status is conferred by age, rather than wealth or achievement. In addition, culturally, locals believe events derive from their own actions, rather than outside forces. In this way, they feel greater control over the lives.

9. Macau, China

Although not identified as Blue Zones per se, Macau and San Marino, Italy also rank high on longevity estimates around the world. Macanese live on average to 84.38 years, one of the longest expectancies in the world. Although not studied extensively, features of this unique former Portuguese colony stand out to researchers. The diet is plant and seafood based, drawing on cuisine traditions of China and Portugal. The city is relatively wealthy, given its status as the newest gambling capitol of the world. Social welfare programs are well funded, giving residents many recreation opportunities. Health care is a priority with dozens of western and Chinese medical centers and a doctor density of 1.5 doctors per thousand people. 

10. San Marino

San Marino is a rugged tiny republic situated in the Apennine Mountains within the boundaries of Italy. Studies report that the average male in this region lives to age 81. Employment rates are high and the standard of living averages $32,000 US per year. It is believed that stress levels are low here because of little economic social division, low divorce rates, and high integration of elders into society. Seniors often live with younger family members rather than nursing homes or hospitals.

Europe's Great Cities on the Cheap

General rules for cutting costs in Europe:
- Book accommodation as far in advance as possible.
- Consider renting an apartment if you're in a group.
- Check you're not travelling during peak season or during European school holidays
- Cook your own food, shop at supermarkets, eat from bakeries and carry your own water bottle.
- Avoid English language 'tourist' menus and scan the menu for excess cover charges.
- Tourist office cards can be overpriced - be sure to read the fine print to see if they'll suit your attractions and destinations.
- Check museum websites to see if they offer a free day or after hours reduced price entry.
- Walk as much as possible 

London

HOTELS: Tune hotels (www.tunehotels.com), the hotel arm of budget airline Air Asia X offers dirt-cheap London lodgings from £35 ($A54). While rooms at the four locations are so small you can't swing a cat (and were a challenge for our party of two when we stayed) rooms are exceptionally clean and the staff professional. Book in advance for the best deals. 

FOOD: London can be an expensive place to eat. A great resource is reservation website TopTable.co.uk, which has a deals section offering both inexpensive set menus or 50 per cent off packages. 

THINGS TO DO: London is blessed with a multitude of free museums, art galleries and attractions. Stroll through the royal parks, visit the British Museum (www.britishmuseum.org), Tate Modern (www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern) and National Gallery (www.nationalgallery.org.uk) and battle the crowds for a glimpse of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
GETTING AROUND: Invest in an Oyster card (https://oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do) and a good map, and keep in mind that sometimes it may be quicker to walk between stations than pay for the Tube.

Paris

HOTELS: Finding a budget bed in Paris is hard work, and you don't always get what you pay for. Consider an apartment if you're in a group, otherwise try places like Oops Hostel (www.oops-paris.com) who offer doubles from €70 (A$87). Plain Jane but affordable, the Hotel Ibis in Montmartre (www.ibishotel.com) has affordable rooms from €83 per night. 


FOOD: Paris is the land of pastries and picnics, which should sustain you through breakfast and dinner. At dinnertime, look out for the 'menu du jour', normally a three-course set menu with wine for under €20. 


THINGS TO DO: It costs nothing to get into Paris's most visited monument, the Notre Dame. On the first Sunday of the month, you can get into the museums like the Louvre (www.louvre.fr) and Musee D'Orsay (www.musee-orsay.fr) for free (just expect a crowd). Take the stairs rather than the lift at the Eiffel Tower (it's cheaper- €5 for a stairs ticket, €8.50-€14 for the lifts). BYO your own croissants and buy an espresso for a €1 from the cafes and have breakfast on the tower. 

GETTING AROUND: Paris's Metro is cheap and efficient- buy a 'carnet' of 10 tickets from the automated machines for under €12 (www.ratp.fr) 

Rome

HOTELS: When booking a hotel in Rome, location is key, with most budget option up near the train station. The best of this bunch is The Beehive (www.the-beehive.com), which offers shared bathroom double rooms from €70. For something more central, the small and cosy Hotel Dominus Tiberina in the Trastevere region (www.hoteldomustiberina.it) is a good option with rooms from €89. 

FOOD: Before 11am, hit the local espresso bar for a cappuccino and cornet standing up at the bar. At lunchtime, raid traditional local bakeries like the Forno Campo de F'iori (www.fornocampodefiori.com) for focaccia and snacks, and be sure to eat your weight in gelato throughout the day. At dinnertime, look for smaller restaurants out of the tourist centre with handwritten daily menus in Italian in plastic sleeves, and try to order the specials. 


THINGS TO DO: Rome is like a giant open-air museum. Stroll past the Trevi Fountain, loiter on the Spanish Steps, try your hand in the Mouth of Truth, climb up the Victory Monument and gaze out over the Roman Forum towards the Colosseum. 

GETTING AROUND: Stay in the centre and you'll be able to access the best of the city by foot. Metro and buses run frequently but can crowded. 

Venice

HOTELS: Hotels in Venice are generally dated and overpriced. It's worth investing in an apartment like those available through www.homeaway.com.au. For those who are diehards and don't mind big bus groups, you can camp on the Lido (www.unionlido.com). Always work out the distance between the nearest water bus stop and your hotel (you'll have to lug your bags this distance) 

FOOD: Follow the locals' lead and stock up on cichetti, the Venetian version of tapas. Consisting of fried fish, meatballs or slices of meat on bread eaten standing up at the bar, the small bites will set you back only a euro or so. Most places are scattered around the market over the Rialto. 

THINGS TO DO: Venice is a city to get lost in. Avoid the €80 gondola rides and instead take a traghetti across the Grand Canal. You'll cross the canal in a gondola with 20 others for around a €1.50. 

GETTING AROUND: Venice is serviced by the ACTV Valporetto boat bus service (www.actv.it) that connects all islands in the lagoon. Tickets aren't that cheap (€7 each), however the #1 Valpo ride down the Grand Canal is some of the best coin you'll spend in the city, and they also offer cheaper 12hr, 24hr, 36hr and 7 day passes. 

Vienna

HOTELS: Just by the Naschmarkt, Wombat's (www.wombats-hostels.com) is an impressive hostel complex with disabled access, double rooms (from €58), neatly separated from the rowdy dorms by a security access pass to minimise noise. Although it has a young crowd, private rooms are quite comfortable. Also check out the smaller pensiones scattered across the city. They can be both central and cheap- mainly because there is no lift and you'll have to lug your bag up the stairs. 

FOOD: The Naschmarkt (www.wienernaschmarkt.eu) is one of 26 markets in Vienna, filled with delicacies, grocers and cafes is the perfect place to stock up on a filling, cheap meal, (try the Turkish breakfasts). Look out for the popular Trzesniewski (www.speckmitei.at) chain, which offers snack-size pieces of bread covered in spreads and also try the wurst, or sausage, stands that dot the centre's city streets - they're surprisingly tasty. 

THINGS TO DO: Vienna is pretty enough to spend a day strolling the streets. On Sunday mornings, standing-room tickets for the Vienna Boys' Choir (www.wienersaengerknaben.at) at the Hofburg Imperial Chapel are free (be prepared to queue). Also worth are look are the Prater Amusement Park (www.prater.at) and a walk through the surrounding Weiner Prater park. 

GETTING AROUND: Vienna has an excellent tram, bus and underground network, with single tickets costing €2 and a weekly pass €15 (www.wienerlinien.at/eportal).