54. Ride on the Singapore Flyer
Think you’ve ridden a real Ferris Wheel before? Maybe you have, but never like this! At a claustrophobia-inducing height of 165m (541ft–and just for your edification, that’s 42 stories high), it’s the tallest Ferris Wheel in the world, narrowly beating the gigantic Star of Nanchang (525ft) in China. Another extraordinary thing about the Flyer is its very unorthodox, roomy (complete with A/C) ‘capsules‘; and get this, each one of these 28 capsules holds 28 folks. So, if you’re terrified of heights, another person to cling to is just a seat away!
55. Take a Week-Long Technology Hiatus
Technology permeates virtually every facet of our modern lives. We religiously cling to and swear by our iPhones, iPads, laptops, and so forth, but lose sight of just how amazing these [relatively] very new technologies are and how good we have it compared to just a few generations ago. Make plans to partake in a week or two’s hiatus of all your technical goodies: No cell phones, no laptops, no nothing 21st- or even 20th-century.
Fast forward: Once your tech sabbatical is complete, you’ll probably enjoy a renewed gratitude and sense of immense awe towards things that you once probably considered ‘indispensable’.
56. Write Your Last Will and Testament
Okay so at first, this gem’s probably going to strike you as a bit depressing and possibly even morbid. This will pass, though! So why write your own last will and testament? Tons of very good reasons—to leave behind a written legacy for your survivors (children, grandchildren, spouse…) to remember you by, to leave one for future generations, to give them a ‘road map’ as to the direction you’d want them to take their lives, to….
57. Drive on the German Autobahns
Anyone who’s ever been [even] remotely interested in cars and/or auto racing has heard of the legendary Autobahn (Bundesautobahn), a system of highways in Germany where motorists can go as fast as they damn well please. What most people don’t know, though, is that the Autobahn comprises the fifth longest set of national highways in the world at almost 8,000 miles long, just behind the U.S.’s. Here’s a good tip, though: Watch out for cars (usually high-end, luxury marques like Mercedes, BMW, and Ferrari) going in excess of 150mph (241kph by European standards). Or better yet, rent your own!
58. Party at Mardi Gras
New Orleans. Bourbon Street. The French Quarter. Parade floats, funny masks, doubloons, king cake, and beads. LOTS of beads. All ring synonymous with the annual Mardi Gras festival in southern Louisiana. Each January, during the dead of winter for many parts of the U.S., tens-of-thousands of party goers flock to the streets of New Orleans (and several other prominent cities around the world that celebrate the event) to participate in the two week-long festival leading up to Fat Tuesday.