Most of us, when we go on vacation head for places that are mostly comfortable or easily accessible. One time I went camping with a friend who wanted to stay in Joshua Tree National Forest but I'd just had eye surgery and needed to be somewhere with a bit more humidity so I ended up at a hotel.So people love scaling mountains, some love sailing the ocean and some search out more extreme places. So where might you go if you were looking for extreme? The following places are considered extreme.
1. Dallol, Ethiopia which is considered the hottest place on earth with temperatures at or above 95 degrees year round. It is in an active volcanic area located quite close to the equator and never gets relief from the heat.
2. Oymyakan Russia - considered the coldest place on earth with winter temperatures that stay at -90 degrees on average although the coldest temperature on record took place in 1933 and reached a -122. I'll tell you from personal experience that -90 is quite cold and its easy to get frostbite.
3. Tristan Da Cunha - a British Outpost located 1750 miles from South Africa and accessible only by using a 7 day boat ride.
4. Mawsynram, India is reputed to be the wettest place on earth, averaging more than 467 inches per year. That is more than one inch of rain per day all year round. It is also known for the century old root bridges grown by the locals.
5. Island of the Dolls Mexico is listed as being the scariest place on earth because the island is filled with old tattered dolls hanging from trees. The legend goes that a young girl drowned off shore and the caretaker starting collecting dolls to ward off evil spirits.
6. Victoria Falls is the wettest place due to its largest falling curtain of water. Around 165 million gallons of water fall over the falls every minute during the wet season.
7. Reykjavik, Iceland is classified at the farthest north capital city in the world. Due to its location it gets only 4 hours and 7 minutes of daylight on the shortest day of the year. It does have a great aural display. Note - there are other cities further north that have shorter days but it is the farthest north capital.
8. Atacama Desert in Chile receives very little rain and is noted as the driest place on earth. Its soil is equivalent to Martian soil. According to historical records, not a single drop of rain fell between October 1903 and January 1918. Not a single drop of water!
9. The Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong has the record for the highest hotel in the world occupying the top 17 floors of a 118 floor building. It offers great views of Hong Kong. Its bar and swimming pool are top floors and also set records for highest in the world.
10. The Hotel President Wilson in Switzerland charges a measly $65,000 per night for the 12 room, 12 bathroom penthouse suite. Occasionally the cost has gone up to $80,000 per night. This is considered the most expensive place in the world.
11. The Chateau Brissac castle in France has the reputation of being the most haunted place in the world with its Green Lady ghost. The owners allow the public to spend the night or take a guided tour.
12. For the bungee jumper, there is the Macau Tower with the highest commercial bungee jump. It is 764 feet off the ground. I think you'd have to be into extreme sports to enjoy this one.
All I can say is wow on many of these places. Some might be fun to visit but I guarantee that I am not going to attempt to bungee jump off the Macau Tower or even visit the desert in Chile. I hope you enjoyed the list.
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