You may not end up in Guinness for it, but you’re sure to have a memorable experience.

Links to posts about each of these experience – as well as videos! – are included. Enjoy!  

World’s Most Dangerous Beach

We don’t normally think of beaches as being dangerous, but Sunset Beach in St Martin in the Caribbean will set your heart aflutter. It’s directly at the end of the island’s airport strip, and you can watch planes come in on top of you. Thrill seekers like to hold on to the fence at the end of the runway and be mangled by the prop blast as jets land mere meters away. (I settled for taking pictures from a mildly respectful distance).

The Most Dangerous Beach in the World

World’s Highest (Commercial) Skydive

As a skydiver with almost 300 jumps (from a life that seems lifetimes away now), I dropped my license when I started traveling full-time. But when I was in New Zealand, I was treated to a tandem jump that allowed me to experience the world’s highest commercial skydive, exiting the plane at 15,000 feet.

World’s Highest (Commercial) Fixed Line Abseil (Rappel)

This was an absolute highlight of all my travels. In Waitomo New Zealand, this full day event involved a 100 meter abseil (rappel) into a cave, followed by five hours of venturing through this extensive watery cave system. In our wetsuits, we squeezed, swam, jumped, and shimmied through this cave, and hung out with Waitomo’s famous glow worms (which have their own funny story).

Abseiling, Caving, and Spotting Glow Worms in New Zealand

World’s Highest (Commercially) Rafted Waterfall

New Zealand is home to all kinds of world’s [whatevers], and I experienced a lot of them whilst filming a tv show there in 2010. Even after a day of sledging (which is like white-water rafting on a glorified boogie board), I was shaking in my wetsuit in anticipation of the 7 meter (23 foot) drop that flips a good percentage of rafts. Ironically we survived the drop, and then almost sank the raft whilst caught in a rapid that is apparently more dangerous than the waterfall itself.

World’s Longest Train Ride

When I did the Ultimate Train Challenge in 2011 (30 days from Lisbon to Saigon, all by train), it included a solid week on the Trans-Manchurian between Moscow and Beijing. It’s better known as the Trans-Siberian, the difference being the particular route the train takes. Either way, it’s long.

A Week on the Trans-Manchurian Railway

World’s Fastest Train

Hot on the heels of the world’s longest train ride, I embarked on the world’s fastest train from Beijing to Shanghai. Watching the world whizz by at speeds close to what planes manage was an experience. And with stations on either side that were more like airports than train stations, at times I had to wonder if I was actually flying.

13 Random Experiences on Asian Trains

World’s Longest Wall/Biggest Ancient Architecture

You got it – this is the Great Wall of China. I’ve had the good fortune to have been there not once – but twice.

Beijing – Then and Now

World’s Shortest Ferry Ride

If you fly into Toronto’s Island Airport (officially known as Toronto City Centre Airport), a ferry will deliver you to the “mainland” downtown core of Toronto. It’s a whopping 120 meters (400 feet), and the ferry itself is about a third of the size of passage it runs.

World’s Most Isolated Major City

There are a few contenders for the world’s most isolated/remote major cities (depending on your criteria such as by population size or accessibility), including Auckland New Zealand, Honolulu Hawaii, and Iquitos Peru. Regardless of the measuring stick you use, I can say I’ve been to all of them.

But Perth Australia is most eager to wear this banner, and it’s an isolated city indeed. Bonus: it also boasts the largest inner city park in the world.

Perth in 24 Hours

World’s Most Dangerous Airport

When I was filming a television show in Nepal in 2010, we flew from Kathmandu to Lukla, which is the gateway to Everest and the Himalayas for trekkers. Tenzing Hilary Airport earns its moniker as the world’s most dangerous airport due to the short runway with absolutely no margin for error. The runway is on an incline so planes coming in can stop before hitting the mountain behind it, and so planes taking off can gather sufficient speed before the runway drops off into a valley of nothingness.

The other danger factor at this airport is the weather, which comes in out of nowhere. It took us two days of waiting at Kathmandu airport for enough clear sky to allow us to fly in, and we were stuck there for three days longer than scheduled waiting for the clouds to clear so we could take off. The only other way out would have been to hike for 2 days to the nearest city where we could catch ground transportation back to Kathmandu.

World’s Most Expensive City

Oslo Norway takes this prize, and spectacularly so. I went to a middle-of-the-road thai restaurant for lunch and paid almost $50 for a green curry and a glass of wine. This was pretty average for my meals in Oslo. Now, if you live in Oslo and earn money in the local currency, you can get by pretty well. But with Norway’s strong currency, visiting there with foreign currency in your pocket will result in your pockets being empty pretty quickly.

Travel Lessons and Surprises: Oslo

World’s Top City for Cyclists AND World’s Happiest City

Again there are a few contenders for this title (not the least of which is Amsterdam), but the prize – for both bike friendly city and happiest city – goes to Copenhagen Denmark. I don’t know that bicycling and happiness are related, but there you go.

Copenhagen: A Modern-Day Fairy Tale

Largest Beer-Producing Area in the World

If you think Germany takes this cake, think again. When I was in Boulder Colorado, I learned that it’s part of the largest beer-producing triangle in the world, with micro-breweries at every turn. Boulder tops a bunch of other lists (in America) mostly in the realm of being active, bike-friendly, dog-friendly, rich, and skinny. Guess you have to burn off the beer somehow, and with the Rocky Mountains at your doorstep it’s not too difficult.

A Curious Bubble in Boulder, Colorado

World’s Largest Techno Party

The annual Street Parade in Zurich Switzerland is actually officially billed as a political demonstration (dating back to its humble beginnings in 1992 as a demonstration for peace, love, and tolerance. Back then there were 1,000 attendees; now it sees about a million attendees, hitting the streets to party, show off their costumes, and get their groove on.

The World’s Largest Techno Party: Street Parade in Zurich

World’s Highest Bungee Jump

The world’s highest bungee jump is currently the Macau Tower at 233 metres. However in 2005 when I was in the Western Cape of South Africa, I took a leap (a few, actually) off Bloukrans Bridge which was at the time the world’s highest bungee jump at 216 metres. So considering this is a list of my own world [whatevers], I think it still counts. So there. Bite me, Macau.

World’s Highest Navigable Lake

Lake Titicaca (bordered by Bolivia and Peru) is the largest lake in South America, and the highest navigable lake in the world. I spent a few days on Isla del Sol, and even though I live at an incredibly high altitude in Peru, I marvelled at just how close to the sun this island really was.

Visiting Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia

World’s Longest Standing Protest

Since 1972, a small fire has been burning in front of Australia’s parliament building. Along with the small collection of derelict looking tents off to the side housing anywhere from a few to a few hundred Australian Aboriginals who tend to the fire, this is the world’s longest standing protest. Stumbling on to this with a friend while walking around Canberra one afternoon led to one of the most enlightening days I’ve had in all my travels.

The Australian Aboriginal Tent Embassy

World’s Worst Smelling Food

This prize goes to Surstromming, a canned fermented fish that is popular in Sweden. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it kind of food, that actually doesn’t taste nearly as repulsive as it smells. (There. I’m sure you want to try it now, don’t you)?

Northern Swedish Delicacies, Including Surstromming

Do you have any World’s fastest, highest, longest, smallest, deepest, craziest WHATEVERs in your travel repertoire?

This post 18 of the World’s Fastest, Highest, Longest (etc) Things to Do appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

“I think you would like to see a Norwegian flat. I am five minutes from the sculpture park. Would you like to come with me?”

This was just about the full interchange we two perfect strangers had, before I got off the tram early with her to visit her home.

This post is part of the Club Carlson Global Traveler program; a 3-week, 8-country adventure I’m taking through Europe, paid for and compensated by Club CarlsonSM (now Radisson Rewards). During the trip, I’m exploring the world of hotel points and how to take advantage of accommodations and upgrades with various strategies. And if you share this post (and others) on Twitter and Facebook, they might even give me 1 million points to give to you (read on for details)…..

In all cases, opinions expressed herein are my own; don’t worry – I haven’t sold my soul.

This article was originally published in 2013, and has since been updated for accuracy of links and formatting.

Being a Tourist, to Not be a Tourist

My discussion with 86 year-old Karin would not have transpired had I not been taking pictures out the window of the Oslo tram, having embraced my inner tourist and thrown abandon to my normal modus operandi of “blending in”.

So ironically, by being a tourist, I attracted the attention of a local who was not only not repelled by my presence, but compelled to invite me into her home and her life.

But enough of this minor revelation for now. My Oslo experience goes deeper than this.

Norway, Scandinavia, and (my) History

I’ve said before that travel is very contextual. The most beautiful sunset in the world is a tragic sight if you’ve just had your heart broken.

I have some unfinished business with Norway, and on a larger scale, Scandinavia.

 I’ve never visited Norway before, but I have some Norwegian friends. Well, “friends” is a loose term; in fact that’s the problem.

Being in a near-fatal accident (as I was with my partner, earlier this year) is a great way to help you determine what’s important in life; including who your friends are. My partner and I had some rude awakenings while recovering during the months following the accident, and one of those awakenings was the degree to which our Norwegian friends weren’t really our friends at all.

I hadn’t considered any of this prior to landing in Oslo. But on arrival, everything reminded me of them.

To make my trip down memory lane even more excruciating, the visual cues Norway gave me were reminders of Sweden; a place I once visited, with my “Swedish Squeeze” – a man who broke my heart. (And he broke it with a Danish woman; Copenhagen, be warned. You’re my next stop on this trip).

So with all this awkward ju-ju surrounding me, the cold temperatures, and the constant reminders of an emotional journey I’m obviously still enduring, I didn’t really want to leave the comfort of my lovely corner-suite of the Park Inn by Radisson, in Oslo.

On With the Show

But I knew I had to get over myself and get on with it. Hiding out in my room was not an option, as I surely would have regretted it.

So I did as any good little tourist would do; I bundled up in layers of scarves, grabbed my camera, and went out to “discover Oslo”. That’s when I met Karin on the tram.

The Oslo Flat

Karin’s home was beautiful. The early 20^th century fixtures and decor and high ceilings framed her racks of books and collection of artifacts. She gingerly showed me her prized tea pots and plates, and I immediately saw that Karin was a world traveler, with pieces from Mexico, The Gambia, Morocco, Thailand, and Italy adorning every free space.

Karin’s late husband was a geologist and university professor; a job that took them both around the world, and also saw them living in Denmark for 20 years, Sweden for 10 years, and of course, Norway.

“My husband was very good English speaker,” Karin said. “He did all the talking. Many people loved him.” Karin said of the man she evidently misses.

The last artifact I found myself admiring in Karin’s flat was one that brought a tear to her eye. It was an Oriental urn, and one that had a long arduous journey through three countries and turbulent flights back to Scandinavia from Thailand. This urn is where Karin will spend the rest of eternity with her husband.

“He is waiting for me,” she said with a smile and a nod towards the urn.

But Karin was in no hurry to die. She spoke of her children and grandchildren, and showed me pictures of her grand daughter in Denmark, who turned 21 today. It became apparent to me that I’m not the only person Karin has invited back to her flat; she thrives on living vicariously through travelers, and knows what an honour it is to have a chance to see something (like a local’s home) that most tourists don’t see.

Travel Happens When You’re Not Looking

When I left the hotel this morning, I was introspective and perturbed. I’d accumulated some random amusing facts about Oslo that I could pepper with pictures and call it a day, job done. I was really just looking forward to sitting back in my warm room and wallowing enjoying my own company.

Instead, my trip happened to me while I wasn’t looking.

After my surprising experience with Karin, I went on to visit Oslo’s famous Vigeland sculpture park (the world’s largest sculpture park by a single artist), took a fjord cruise, and other typical Oslo activities.

I did my best to observe everything with fresh eyes and an uncluttered mind, but it wasn’t possible.

Nor was this a bad thing. I generally enjoyed Oslo.

I liked Oslo because it surprised me. Having started to feel like I’ve “been there done that” when it comes to the travel lifestyle, I remembered that I’m still very much a student. Travel brings about lessons; lessons you can’t anticipate, and ones that you rarely sign up for. Being immersed in a place full of new stimuli creates an environment conducive to challenge; challenging your powers of communication, challenging your ability to get around, your sense of normality, and even your concept of right and wrong.

Thank you, Oslo, for the challenge. I’ll never forget you for it.

Picture-Perfect Oslo, in 1 Minute

Oslo is a beautiful place, even when the sun doesn’t shine. Two thirds of the the area within Oslo’s boundaries are forest and lakes, and even the concrete jungle itself is colourful. Typical Scandinavia, it is very clean, well organized, (and expensive).

Please enjoy this 1 minute video taste of Oslo!

Click here to watch on YouTube.

Want to learn about the other places I visited on this 8-country, 3-week extravaganza of a trip? Click here.

This post Travel’s Lessons and Surprises: Oslo appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!