Bucket List: 225 Things to Do Before You Die

25. Bathe in the Ganges River During the Purna Kumbh Mela

Ritual bathing in the Ganges The 45-day Purna Kumbh Mela is a holy pilgrimage (among Hindus and non-Hindus alike) that takes place every 12 years. Depending on the position of the planet Jupiter (‘Brhaspati’ in Hindi) in relation to the Sun and Earth, the festivities can take place in different cities, like Prayag, Uijain, Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, or Haridwar. However, beware: You may want to leave the Irish Spring soap at home, as the locals frown upon actual ‘soap’ being used in their holy water. Go figure!

26. Attend the Olympic Games

Olympic Games opening ceremonyThank the ancient Greeks for the idea of the modern-day Olympics, even though these ultimate competitions weren’t really revived (since around 393 A.D.) until the late 19th century. But no matter what your level of interest in sports is—whether ‘fanatic’ or ‘non-enthusiast’—there’s not one person that won’t get a thrill out of attending at least one Olympic game once in their life. As of this writing, London is slated to hold the next Summer Olympic games, with Solchi (Russia) hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics. Mark one on your calendar and make plans accordingly!

27. Visit the Birthplace or Gravesite of a Cultural Icon

Lincoln's tombWho are your favorite late, great people? Picasso, Abe Lincoln, Mark Twain…Elvis? Whoever they are, what better way to pay your respects to them than by visiting their final resting places (and, of course, getting yourself in that destined-for-Facebook photo next to ’em)? To find such places, websites like FindaGrave and GraveHunter have you covered.

28. Enjoy a Freshly Rolled Cigar in Cuba

Smoking a big Cuban cigar in Old HavanaNever mind the fact that Cuban cigars are forbidden imports in the U.S. Some rules are just meant to be broken. Besides that, it’s not even illegal if it’s actually being done in Cuba! That said, make sure that your stogie is actually ‘Cuban’, because up to 90% of them in the U.S. and Cuba are suspected counterfeits. A genuine, quality Cuban cigar should be labeled as ‘long-filled’ (never machine-made) and ‘hand-rolled’.

29. Drive Your Dream Car

Bugatti Galibier with doors openLive anywhere near or ever plan to travel to Miami or New York City? Always dreamed of driving an ultra-exotic car? Hit the folks at Gotham Dream Cars up. They rent (for a princely sum) such lusty cars as the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sportscar and S550 ultra-luxury sedan, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ferrari 599 GTB and F430 Spider—all of them easily $100k+ automobiles. A word of caution, though: Make certain that you have some damn good insurance!