[Archived] 30 Things To Do Before You're 30

[stuwilky]

I turned 30 in October and have done many of the things on the proposed list.

I might consider a "by the time Im 40" list.

Nice idea.

[only2garners]

Interesting o2g - what is the basis for your opinion on Snowdon/Scafell Pike/Ben Nevis?

Firstly that none of them are very exciting walks - they are only popular because they are the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales. Secondly, that because of this the 3 Peaks produces hundreds of participants every year tearing up and down the motorway, parking all over the place in places like Wasdale, waking up local residents at dawn so they can fit everything in. It's particularly bad at Wasdale because many people try and do all three in 24 hours so whichever way they do it they end up in Wasdale in the middle of the night - a small village with little in the way of facilities. Thirdly, it's often done by large groups, which is much worse for the local environment that the same number in smaller groups spread out over time. Fourthly, it's often attempted by people who aren't used to walking and therefore often overstretch themselves, getting injured and dragging out the mountain rescue teams. Apart from that it's fine .

Route 66 has been superceded by newer interstates. You can still drive chunks of it and that would be pretty interesting if perhaps a little sad - a lot of empty small towns.

Not sure what that is, but someone else mentioned the Inca Trail. Dont know much about that either but at first glance it looks like it could take a while.

Inca Trail is a route to Machu Piccho or more correctly a series of interconnecting routes. The most popular route is so popular that you have to book - 500 per day allowed to start so you wouldn't be alone. I think it's a 3/4 day walk at high altitude.

[Majiball]

Some Idea's for you

50 things to do before your 30

Why not Fly a plane? Sounds like fun.

The ulitimate one that I came up with and failed on was to pull someone whilst driving on the motorway, its impossible.

[cn_barlow]

ive done one of these recently too...

Mine are all things i could do that dont rely on anyone else.

a few examples,

brew my own beer,

grow my own food,

cycle landsend to gretna green,

travel around South America

the most difficult on my list will be wingwalking - apparenlty its illegal to pay someone to take you up in their plane!

feel like im having a bit of a quater life crisis doing stuff like this though!!

[tcj_jones]

Personally, I feel that, sometimes, people can place too great an emphasis on these kinda things. I'm sure it's a great, thrilling experience to jump out of a plane or to have been on TV etc, but as long as you're happy, then that's all that really matters.

The best moments of my life so far have been mostly unplanned or 'low key' events and the things that I'm most grateful for are those that we usually take for granted. Be the best person you can, never take things for granted and always be there for the people you care about. In the mean time, make the most of life and enjoy yourself, but remember the things that are really important.

That said, aside from the obvious dreams of love, marriage and children, getting a labrador and properly experiencing the Lake District are certainly things that I would love to do before the age of 30!

[T4E]

I've added laser eye surgery to the list. Has anyone had it? Am I right in thinking that avoiding the £400 per eye people that advertise on the telly would be a good idea?

[b12_simon]

11. Drive in a foreign country on the wrong side of the road

Mate of mine did that in Wales this weekend

He's 40-something, mind

[Billy Castell]

hope its better than the ince trail

Ah the Ince trail....200 miles around a mountainous piles of shattered expectations, flotsam and turds. Along the way, you can join in with the locals as they hunt and capture the slow and hapless wildlife like the Lesser Fowler, or buy pets like the slightly expensive Andrewsaurus. You will often meet native figures who offer views and work in a manner that seems quaint and antiquated. After 200 miles of tortorous inclines and steep decsents into valleys filled with war and dispair, you will feel angry, disillusioned and will have lost a lot of money.

[Beta Ray Bill]

I've added laser eye surgery to the list. Has anyone had it? Am I right in thinking that avoiding the £400 per eye people that advertise on the telly would be a good idea?

Check, double check and triple check your prescription first.

If you have particularly bad eye sight, all it will do is mean you have to wear glasses with thinner lenses...

[T4E]

I'm short sighted, -3.50.....

Have you had it done Ed?

[Beta Ray Bill]

I'm short sighted, -3.50.....

Have you had it done Ed?

No, but I started down the path.

Also be sure your prescription has stabilised and isn't likely to change again much for the next 20 years. "Things to do before you are 50 ... buy some glasses".

[Jimmy Jupiter]

I've added laser eye surgery to the list. Has anyone had it? Am I right in thinking that avoiding the £400 per eye people that advertise on the telly would be a good idea?

I had it done last year (I was 26). Extremely strange and scary thing (reminded me of Clockwork Orange when i was having it done). The procedure itself was painless but uncomfortable, and once the anesthetic wears off it is painful for a few hours (they recommend you be asleep by the time that happens, unfortunately the pain woke me up!). It takes a few days for the vision to completely unblur and a few months for it to really be at its peak, but it's been by far the best money i've ever spent, I now have better than 20/20 vision unaided. I went with Optical Express.

[T4E]

Good info Jimmy, thanks. I'll take a look at what Optical Express offer.

[philipl]

Much to my amazement, I seem to have done quite a lot of the things on these lists although now it is moe a case of 60 things to do before 60!

[Tom]

This is a great idea, a few things I'd love to do, mainly mentioned already:

- Get qualified in scuba diving, I've been to Sharm and Cancun a few times and done a lot of snorkelling and would love to learn to Scuba and go out to some of the wrecks out there

- Go deep sea fishing somewhere tropical

- See the northern lights (this one will never happen)

- Parachute jump (I'm terrifeid of heights though)

- Go to a Wrestlemania

- Go to /ny for Xmas, I've been twice in Febuary and love it but I think Christmas would be something else

[Hughesy]

Add to your list - 2 women in your bed at once.....

[Ricky]

Similar prescription to me. I'm -3.25 in one eye and -3.75 in the other.

[Shevchenko]

- See the northern lights (this one will never happen)

Why not?

[Claytons Left Boot]

- See the northern lights (this one will never happen)

That's on my list also but I'm 21 years past the cut off date! I've crewed a yacht within the Arctic Circle in Norway but being June it was the wrong time of the year for the Lights. I also wanted to swim in the Arctic Ocean. I took my trunks but once I felt the water temperature, there was no way! A wuss, I know. Apparently we were warned that were we to fall overboard we had 8 minutes to survive pending pick up. Any more and you were a gonner!

Can't do the links (it's an age thing) but try :- www.hurtigruten.co.uk and click on Northern Lights at the top.

[ultrablue]

Just thoght I'd share an idea for anyone out there who is coming up to leaving uni or at a loose end job wise, and has one of these 30 things before 30 lists.

I'm into my last few months of a two year stint teaching English in Korea. Amazing experience in a country that I knew nothing about (other than their exploits in WC2002) that has enabled me to visit places and do things I never thought I could. Plus I've saved a nice wedge too. Accomodation paid for by employers, flights too.

All you need is a degree and a shed load of patience and politeness. Teaching is not for everybody I know, but anyone who fancies doing a TEFL I would highly recommend coming out to Korea!

[gumboots]

amazing where being asked "What do you want for your birthday?" and not being able to think of anything can lead you.

[Iceman]

Get to Ewood Park :-( jeez its so expensive, but i got 3 years to save up. Hopefully Rovers wil still be in the premierleague lol

[T4E]

I might add "buy Iccers a beer in Blues" to the list.

Don't let me down

[67splitscreen]

For all those thinking of scuba diving, do it, I started around 20 tears ago, it's very addictive though. Will take over your life and money, Teaching scuba for those looking for a few years off after Uni has to be a +, making money while you do something so exhilarating, and the rewards of passing on your knowledge to others.

it is possible with PADI and SIS to go from your first dive to instructor in around 6 months or less if you hammer the studying and amass the required amount of dives required.

Give the Barrier reef a miss go west to Vingaloo, or head up to the northern tip of Sulawesi to Manado, rated 5th in the world and dive the world famous Lambeh strait.

Edit

The studying is not as bad as it sounds, watching videos reading specific course books, all with multi answer questions exams after each section.

Heres a link to the biggest dive organization in the world, they can even find you work, get you on research programs all over the world,

PADI

This was on a dive with 5 students south of Phuket in 2007. the Manta ray had a wing span of around 5 mtr. Also something smaller at around 20mm a nubibranch (sea slug) a bit more colouful than your average garden slug.

[Sydney Rovers]

If you're into decent walks, there's one in NZ south Island, if you get that far.

It's called the Milford Track, takes four days (there are huts to stay in), you have to book to get on it. Some absolutely stunning scenery.

Totally agree Dave, I've always wanted to do that but never got around to it.