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Thrill seeker's bucket list: 50 experiences to try before you die
Don't be bored -- zorb, dive, fly, hang, rescue hostages. Plus 45 other heart-thumping activities
Nude runs, meals in the sky, cycling on one of the world's most dangerous roads. There's no excuse for being bored with so many adrenaline-pumping adventures out there.
Here are 50 heart-pounding, life-affirming things to try before you die -- just don't do them all in the same week or they may be the very thing that kills you.
Which of these insane activities would you try? Vote now on our Facebook poll!
1. Be a jet fighter pilot for a day, worldwide
"Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby."
Are you a Maverick or a Goose? "Top Gun" references aside, these day you really can fly a fighter jet. Choose from the MiG-29, L-39 Albatross and Hawker Hunter to finally realize those childhood, Tom Cruise-inspired dreams.
MiGFlug is available in various locations from Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
www.migflug.com; +41 (0) 44 500 5010
2. Go volcano boarding, Nicaragua
Feel the burn -- by sliding down a live volcano on your ass.
Snow boarding is old school. The latest extreme way to slide a slope can be found at Cerro Negro in Nicaragua.
The live volcano, which erupted as recently as 1999, has become a hot spot for extreme boarders. Boarders can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour as they course down the volcano's sides. The day trip, run by Bigfoot Nicaragua, includes a hike through the landscape, a boarding session and a couple of mojitos to cool down with afterwards.
www.bigfootnicaragua.com; +505 8917 8832; US$28
3. Enter the Cage of Death, Australia
The tastiest snacks always come in see-through wrappers.
Stare into the faces of some of Australia's biggest saltwater crocodiles for 15 minutes, separated by nothing more than a couple inches of perspex.
Luckily the cage can house two people at one time, so there'll be someone there to hold your hand.
www.crocosauruscove.com; +61 8 8981 7522; US$159/232 for 1/2 persons
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4. Cling to a cliff, China
Look mom, no haaaaaaaaaaaaandss ..."
Here's a trek with a difference: at 2,160 meters, the majestic South Peak of Mount Hua is one of the most popular among climbers in the mountain range, and, some say, the most treacherous.
At one point one kilometer above the ground, you have to traverse a slim wooden plank stuck to the face of a vertical cliff.
5. Ride Insanity, United States
At US$12, this is surely the world's most expensive toilet.
Hovering 270 meters above the ground and 20 meters over the edge of Las Vegas' Stratosphere Tower, these spinning mechanical arms are sure to get your heart pounding and your hands sweating. And that's before you've strapped yourself to a seat.
It is not the only ride that is offered at the 350-meter Stratosphere Tower, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States. But it is perhaps the one most likely to make you question your own sanity.
Cost: US$12
www.stratospherehotel.com; +1 702 380 7711; US$12
6. Go Zapcat powerboating, United Kingdom
Always wear a helmet. That way no one can see you cry.
If anything was built purely for speed, and therefore thrills, it's these inflatable catamaran hulls decked out with powerful racing engines. The Gs can be brutal, and the jumps will make you wonder whether you're sailing or flying, but there are few things on water that beat these bad boys for bragging rights.
The powerboat experience in the United Kingdom is run by the current National Zapcat Championship winning team.
www.redletterdays.co.uk; ＋44 0845 640 8000; US$160 per hour
7. Climb the outside of CN Tower, Canada
Yes those little dots are people. Very crazy people.
The thrill of visiting Toronto's CN Tower used to be the half-kilometer ride up the elevator. Now, brave punters can dangle from the outside of the roof of the tower’s restaurant, 356 meters above the ground.
The Edge Walk lasts one and a half hours, with about 20 to 30 minutes spent on the walk itself.
www.edgewalkcntower.ca; ＋1 855 553 3833; US$183
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8. Perform an Everest skydive, Nepal
Why climb when you can fly?
You could spend months preparing for, and eventually climbing, the world's highest mountain ... or you could fly above it on a plane and skydive past it.
The self-proclaimed "world’s most elite skydiving adventure" allows adventurers to jump from 29,500 feet, higher than the Everest summit. Not only will you free fall past the world’s highest mountain, you'll get to laugh at those struggling to make their way up and down on foot.
www.everest-skydive.com; +33 634 267 097; US$24,035/32,182 for 1/tandem
9. Jump the Nevis Bungy, New Zealand
Gravity -- you go down, the contents of your stomach come up.
Think Usain Bolt is quick? You can travel 134 meters in 8.5 seconds, if you have a go on the Nevis Bungy, New Zealand's highest.
The adventure starts before you get to the pod, 134 meters above the Nevis River, with a 4x4 jeep journey across the kiwi backcountry. Here's a tip: don't wear white pants.
www.bungy.co.nz; +64 0800 286 4958; US$230
10. Free dive at Dean's Blue Hole, Bahamas
So serene on the outside, "Oh my god, I need to breathe!" on the inside.
Don’t be fooled by its poetic name or its tropical location. Dean’s Blue Hole is deep and dark and intimidating. But, if you're up for it, you can tame the world's deepest known seawater blue hole by learning to become a free diver.
You probably won't beat William Trubridge, who broke the unassisted free diving record by diving 100 meters here in December last year. And you certainly won't conquer all 203 meters of this light-and-oxygen-deprived sinkhole. But you will have a great time trying to do so.
www.verticalblue.net; a four-day beginner's course starts at US$475
