Stunning Travel Mysteries

Cell phones, GPS and black boxes have prevented modern-day travel disasters from being full-fledged unsolved mysteries--the kind that actually make you lose sleep the night before a trip. But sometimes fate opts to swallow its victims into a black hole of nothingness, leaving only a trail of scant clues and an open door for intricate theories about what might've happened. (Not to, y'know, scare you or anything.) We all know about the Bermuda Triangle and the Titanic, but history has provided us an ample crop of lower-profile legends that still warrant the same shock and wonder. And often there's enough of a trail left over that curious readers can visit the sites in question and investigate the mystery for themselves. From ghost ships to UFOs and disappearing aircraft, gather around the light of the Where I've Been campfire and let us spin you a tale. But proceed with caution.

The Dyatlov Pass Incident

In 1959, a group of nine young, experienced Russian skiers, led by Igor Dyatlov, were to set up a camp in the Ural Mountains with the goal of reaching the most difficult mountain, Otorten. Due to worsening weather and snow storms, they had to deviate from their plans and set up camp on another slope. When weeks passed and their safety telegraph was never sent, their families demanded a search. Authorities descended upon the mountains and finally discovered their abandoned campsite -- and what was found horrified and astounded the search team.

The skiers' tent, now covered in snow, had been torn open from the inside. Left behind in the tent were the skiers' boots and shoes, and authorities followed the skiers' bare footprints to find two of them dead under a tree, both dressed in their underwear, and then three more skiers' bodies in between the tree and the encampment, including Dyatlov's (pictured left). One man had a minor fracture in his skull, but it appeared all were attempting to return to camp and had died from hypothermia. Despite some odd clues, authorities suspected no foul play -- that is, until they found the four other bodies two months later.

Three of these bodies had fatal injuries; one had major skull damage, while two had sustained serious chest fractures -- all of the injuries given with the brute force "of a car crash." One woman was missing her tongue. However, there were no signs of struggle and no other footprints, and the injuries were too forceful to be inflicted by other humans. Additionally, the bodies were found with significant levels of radiation, and some had an unnaturally orange skin color and abnormally gray hairs. Some were wearing patches of clothing from their fellow skiers, suggesting they were taken from the corpses of the already-dead, but every skier was certainly under-dressed enough to suggest they had left in haste in the middle of the night. Investigators, baffled by the circumstances, concluded that the skiers had been killed by an "unknown compelling force." However, government authorities demanded that the investigation be halted and all documents become sealed as top-secret, including this nugget, which became public years later: 50 kilometers south of the incident, around the same time of the tragedy, another group of independent hikers had reported seeing strange orange spheres in the sky.

The cloud of fear surrounding the Cold War era spawned lots of sci-fi alarmism and UFO sightings, but the Dyatlov Pass Incident--its area now named for the ski group's leader--was troubling enough to deserve such panic. While more documents have been released since the event, the mystery behind the incident was never solved.

The Mysterious Death of a Hollywood Starlet

On January 16th, 1942, TWA Flight #3 crashed into Table Mountain near Las Vegas, Nevada, killing all 19 passengers on board. One of them was Hollywood superstar Carole Lombard, the wife of actor Clark Gable. To this day, the crash was attributed to a navigational error by its pilot; however, the series of odd events that led up to the disaster suggest there might have been much more at play.

Carole Lombard was a successful socialite as well as actress, and up until the time of her death her major venture had been the raising of over $2 million for war bonds, as she was an important face for World War II rallying in the United States. Stationed in her hometown of Indianapolis and about to return to California, she opted at the last minute to take TWA Flight 3 rather than her normal train route. The flight had been routed from New York to Indianapolis and had been scheduled for one more stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, before arriving in Burbank, California. After Lombard (pictured right) boarded, the pilot announced that the plane would be landing in St. Louis and delayed due to inclement weather. The weather around St. Louis was perfectly clear at the time, though, and passengers were confused as to the true reason why the flight would be delayed the next two hours.

Finally, the plane departed; however, when it arrived in Albuquerque, passengers were oddly requested to relinquish their seats to a number of army pilots, which was rare at the time and particularly strange when one of the passengers was as influential as Lombard. Albuquerque's proximity to Area 51 in Roswell also aroused suspicions later on. The flight crew was also replaced in Albuquerque, and Lombard insisted she keep her seat; however, another unscheduled stop had to take place, this time a re-fueling mission near Las Vegas. After completing the re-fuel, the experienced pilot inexplicably took off nearly seven miles off course and far lower in altitude than necessary. The bizarre errors led to the explosive crash into Table Mountain, which incinerated all evidence within the plane.

In 1985, about 100 classified FBI documents were released to reveal that UFOs were sighted near the same area as the crash site, and evidence suggested that the Army pilots from Albuquerque were put on the plane to go investigate the occurrences, and Ms. Lombard might've been caught in the conspiracy. Lombard would later be considered the first female casualty of World War II, and to this day the event is still considered a freak accident.

The Sinking of the S.S. Valencia

After watching Capt. Jack Sparrow fight off CGI skeletons in Pirates of the Caribbean, it became a bit easier to laugh off the idea of a "ghost ship" trolling the seas. But ask scraggly sailors and maritime veterans in Vancouver about the S.S. Valencia disaster, its crash site known as "The Graveyard of the Pacific," and it won't be as easy to crack jokes.

Until the cinematic demise of the Titanic, it was the tragedy of the S.S. Valencia that haunted the minds of travelers mulling sea voyage. The ship, carrying 164 passengers on a route not normally traveled by the crew, embarked off the coast of San Francisco and set off for the port of Victoria when strong winds and low visibility of stars caused crew members to lose track of their positioning and sight of land. As they tried to maneuver through Vancouver Island, known for its jutting rocks, the ship slammed into a reef that slashed a massive hole into the ship's hull. As water flooded in overnight, the captain attempted to steer the ship toward shore only to hit more rocks. Against his orders, lifeboats were lowered--improperly. In the confusion, some rafts flipped upon lowering, knocking all of its passengers into the water, while two others capsized and at least one--number 5--disappeared. All women and children died, many of them never identified, clinging to the ship cold and terrified as it slowly descended. Some lifeboats that had embarked successfully with survivors were never found, including lifeboat number 5.

A shroud of mystery entered after the investigation. Months after the event, sailors spotted a ship near Vancouver Island that resembled the Valencia, seen with a number of apparitions holding on to the mast in horror. Similar sightings were reported in the years after the event, often by shipmates not known to fabricate. Various fishermen off the Vancouver coast reportedly spotted lifeboats carrying skeletons that had drifted into a cave, but they were never found. Twenty-seven years after the disaster, when the case was all but in the back of the minds of sailors, the stray number 5 lifeboat was found drifted ashore, its paint still in very good condition, with no passengers aboard. Part of that lifeboat is currently on display at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.

The World's Most Outrageous Party Beaches

We've come a long way since Beach Blanket Bingo. The wholesome, dopey '60s film series about youth's shenanigans on the shore watches like a Sunday-morning sermon compared to the unbridled debauchery that takes place at the world's wild party beaches of today, where bingo gives way to binge. When the the beat is loud, the bodies are bodacious and the weather's right--and in some places, it's never wrong--a switch is flicked in the wild, animalistic id of thousands that is helpless to the laws of logic, morality or good taste. Whether you're drooling to join in the madness or are just fascinated that these grinding, glistening, Grey Goose-guzzling creatures are breathing the same air as yourself, Where I've Been wants to take you on a tour of some of their most beloved seaside venues to practice vice. And we won't charge a cover at the door, we promise.

Ibiza - Spain

It's seen its share of E! and Travel Channel specials, sure, but Ibiza--dont forget to emphasize that 'z' as a "thhh"--is the reigning champion of beach-side insanity. Like many of the destinations we'll be examining, Ibiza, an island off the Valencia coast in Spain, carries much less in the way of its home country's historical and cultural capital than its counterparts, but sometimes the wild child was meant to wander off to create its own identity. A typical day in Ibiza begins at noon--that's when most partiers first wake up. From there the afternoon might include shopping or eating out, but sluggishness will reign supreme--most of that day will be spent recovering enough from the night previous in order to attack the one forthcoming. Perhaps the hungry reveler will first choose to get their freak on at Privilege, the Guinness record-holder as world's largest nightclub (capacity for 10,000 people), which resembles a miniature Epcot Center and frequently hosts superstar trance DJ Tiesto. Should 10,000 sweaty people wear you down, walk just a bit away to the nearby Amnesia, another Ibiza heavy-hitter famous for its raucous foam parties where some dancers sporting goggles and snorkels are engulfed in white soapy bubbles. Wherever you end up at night in Ibiza, be sure to stake out a good view of the "Disco Sunrise," as most clubs offer a transparent ceiling to heighten the effect of the morning light. Barring destruction of Biblical proportions, Ibiza, or "The Gomorrah of the Mediterranean" as it's known to be called, will continue to thump its bass into the morning every day of the week without a hint of guilt. To quote Where I've Been user Miguel, "I didn't know what I was getting into...but NO REGRETS!"

Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand

The old platitude "anything goes" has always been an exaggeration, but Patong Beach might be the closest a place gets to the true meaning of the phrase. Patong Beach is one of the most lively spots for nightlife on the planet and gets dubbed the "party capital of Asia" for a multitude of reasons. Here's a pretty big one: Whether it's your thing or not, the outskirts of Patong Beach thrive on the sex industry--whatever the orientation or fetish, there's probably someone along Patong that has specialized in that craft for 15 years. But if that's, you know, your thing, then by all means. Sex is certainly a subject of focus around Patong (where is it not?), but if you prefer more subtlety to your hedonism you can still find it in abundance. By day, the subtlety takes a more extreme form--Patong is one of the top tourist destinations in Phuket, and while it's a beautiful beach, the shoreline errs more on the wholesome side. When the sky gets darker, droves of randy party-hounds flood locales like Clublime, which piles on the pulsating electro and dance tracks to go along with foam parties and a thrice-weekly booze cruise on their 90-foot boat. There's also the velvet-roped, neon disco swank of Seduction, offering a more traditional club feel, or the old favorite Safari, the open-late dance club with the kitschy jungle theme, outdoor music and rock climbing wall. And there's never a dull moment at the transvestite cabarets like the Moulin Rose. No matter where you are in Patong Beach, follow the music and a sleazy time awaits you.

Mykonos Island, Greece

In case you ever forget where you are, here you can count on the trademark reminder: A deafening foghorn, followed by someone screaming "MY-KO-NOS!" into a megaphone. It'll be hard to forget after that--perhaps it's a method of hypnotism, because most people who return from Mykonos swear by its lifestyle (and loud chant). Epicureanism, the ancient Greek philosophy of total indulgence, finds its home in Mykonos, where white sandy beaches and beautiful scenery also make refuge for beautiful people and loud partiers. Psarrou Beach is where serious action gets bumping by night, with a clothing-optional dress code and some of the world's finest DJs spinning until the next morning, with Paradise Beach offering much of the same. Super Paradise Beach has a vibrant gay party scene and also refuses to pull the cord until sunrise. As Where I've Been users can attest--perhaps as a throwback to the no-shame Greek bath houses of old--nakedness just tends to come easier in Mykonos; past indulgers Jacki and Terrill both claim the island as their first experiences in nude sunbathing. Please make sure to lather as directed. It's time-tested and most certainly not mother-approved--Greece may be some of Earth's most fertile soil to sow the wild oats.

South Beach, Miami, Florida

Its clientele is a few shades different from the 80s Miami vice-seekers in pastel-colors--the new-millennium version has evolved into a rich mutant party-beast decked out in Armani. But Miami is still the cultural crossroads of the Americas and South Beach its velvet-roped epicenter, where the currency is a shot of Patron and the language is skimpy, high-priced fashion. What's left of the pastels can be found in the Art-Deco architecture of the surrounding locales, including the hopping night spots. Since the attention span of South Beachers flickers in and out like a dance-floor strobe light, you can count on new clubs spawning and respawning each year along the storied Ocean Drive. Hardbodies currently get flexy at Mansion, formerly known as Level, an obscenely large mega-club where your admission can very well be based on how much you've dressed to impress (or how many strategic cosmetic alterations you've made to your physical appearance). Club Nikki is similarly strict, but VIP rooms at both places at the right time of the year ups your chances of getting a glimpse of a vacationing Kanye West or Lindsay Lohan. Where I've Been fan Claudine nearly had a run-in with beauty Halle Berry, while user Ray got to shoot hoops with the Harlem Globetrotters at Alonzo Mourning's Summer Camp. South Beach is never predictable and its waters glimmer like the stars that frequent its ritzy clubs.

Adult Field Trips

When you were a student, field trips were both a blessing and a curse: Sure, you'd get to escape the classroom, but you'd also have to transplant yourself to a place that was often more mind-numbing than reciting your multiplication tables, like learning how maple syrup is made or going to a state history museum. Someday I'll take my own field trips, you told yourself, as the man joylessly explained the proper way to tap a tree for sap. You probably promised yourself field trips to the theme park or candy store, but now that you're an adult there are options that span every naughty desire or taboo under the sun--and they can still be considered "educational." Whether it involves the sexy, the unhealthy, or just the downright bizarre, Where I've Been wants to find more fun ways for you to learn.

Paris Museum of Erotica (Musee Erotisme) - Paris, France

The line between art and pornography is usually drawn by this phrase: "I know it when I see it." This century, though, yesterday's taboos have become tomorrow's advertisements and what was your corner sex shop might now be regarded as educational and artistic in its execution. But it'd still be pretty unfair to call the Paris Museum of Erotica just some glorified sex shop--few areas know the art of eroticism like Paris, the land of the Moulin Rouge, and the owners of the museum have taken great care to create something that appeals to the mind as much as it might to the gonads. Stumble upon the first exhibits of ancient Japanese phallic sandals, the Aztec fertility idols and Chinese ceramic pornographic sculpture and you'll probably be thankful for modern technological advances. But it doesn't stop with Stone-Age love-makin'--there are multiple levels at the museum, some shining a light on the underground brothels and bordellos frequented by the politicians and stars of old until they were officially illegal in France in 1946, and an immeasurable amount of other paintings, photos and artifacts of all kinds and time periods. So you're convinced this could be a cool place, but you're worried about being seen as a creep? Relax--the museum, while situated in a somewhat seedy district, attracts non-perverted people of all ages and backgrounds, and they're all willing to forget social norms to explore what drives this powerful part of the id. So you can keep the mustache and glasses in the closet.

Museum of Bad Art - Massachusetts

When you're 10 years old it's hard to be forced to appreciate art if it isn't in comics, so to be whisked away to a fancy building to watch a guy in a beret stare at a portrait of a bowl of fruit probably makes a whole lot of kids hate art. But now that you're older and carry more refined, specific tastes in painting and sculpture, it's more important than ever to have a reference point--you can't appreciate the top without experiencing the bottom first, right? Now we have a reference point: The Museum of Bad Art, started out of a New England basement in 1994, has snowballed in popularity thanks to its Internet presence, now expanding to two smaller locations--the Dedham Community Theatre in Dedham, Mass., and the Somerville Gallery in Somerville, Mass. The legend begins with "Lucy In The Field With Flowers," a canvas salvaged from a dumpster that features a colorful flower bed and a frolicking old woman, straight from your local bridge club, collecting white blossoms without any hint of joy. It's become the cornerstone for a collection of pieces that are often so unconscionably bad it's a wonder they were given time and energy. MOBA takes the seriousness of the art world--that over-analytical guy in the beret--and beats it into laugh-riotous submission.

The Heart of Iowa Wine Trail - Iowa

Take it from the Music Man: You really ought to give Iowa a try. But had the Music Man lived to this century, he might have endorsed the Midwestern farming state for not only being a fine place to purchase band equipment but as the most overlooked region to buy a fine bottle of wine. Recent past has been kind to agriculturally-minded families in Iowa, as the introduction of the "cold-climate grape" has seen the amount of local wineries grow from a mere baker's dozen in 2000 to an impressive 80 in 2009, making it a must-see destination for the connoisseurs bored by the same old tastes. From "sweet dessert wines to fruit wines to dry crisp whites and full-bodied reds," the area's wine tourism is fledgling but exciting--check out the Heart of Iowa Wine Trail, which offers a $25 unlimited "passport" to some of the more established vineyards in the area. There's education to be found here for the more thoughtful drinkers--each proprietor will be certainly willing to explain the intricate fermentation and distribution processes--but if you make a weekend trip of the Wine Trail, you're also certain to get a belly's full of fine wine at bargain-basement prices.

Hot Cookie - San Francisco, CA

You probably couldn't derive any educational value from a field trip to Hot Cookie at all if you tried. But isn't that the beauty of being an adult? After a stressful day of what-have-you, whether it's work or sightseeing or nothing at all, you have the inalienable right and willpower to buy a cookie shaped like a naked female figure or a giant black penis. And at San Francisco's Hot Cookie you can exercise that right to its fullest extent--quickly and affordably, the way it was intended. Walk around in the surrounding neighborhood and look for the red underpants in the front store display with "HOT COOKIE" emblazoned in white on the back, step in and indulge--whether you're looking to have fun with shapes or stick to standards, Hot Cookie is simply one of the best bakers of the treat around, employing a unique blend of ingredients to give their cookies character--no gimmicks necessary.

Pop Culture Landmarks

(seeing-stars.com)

Not only was Ron Burgundy lying when he famously declared San Diego land of the "whale's vagina," but if you're looking to check out the site where Jack Black punted Burgundy's dog into the river, you'll find that much of "Anchorman" wasn't even filmed in San Diego. Pop culture tourism has risen steadily in popularity for decades--there's something oddly universal about the desire to plant our feet where the famous once did; if we're superstitious enough, maybe we think that walking in the same footsteps as John Lennon in Strawberry Fields will allow us to capture something magical like the Beatles did. Or that finding the spot where Ron Burgundy squared off in a medieval battle with other mustachioed newscasters will spiritually connect us with our inner warrior. Or maybe we're just celebrity-crazed to the point of worry. Whatever the reason, pop culture landmarks make for fascinating destinations for the hobbyists and fanatics in us all. Where I've Been checks out the most buzz-worthy celebrity and cultural landmarks, whether they're sexy, historic or just plain whacked-out.

Harry Potter - United Kingdom

It's really only a matter of time before tourism agencies start offering Harry Potter pilgrimage packages to the U.K., but we'll improvise until then. For the curious, the best starting point would have to be Kings Cross, the London rail station launching pad for aspiring wizards to reach the promised land of Hogwarts Academy. In the books and films, Harry departs the fictional Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross, found by walking through a brick wall barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Kings Cross has created a cheeky homage to Sir Potter, keeping his luggage cart lodged inside the wall. It's a proud Facebook photo waiting to happen. For the die-hard must-have Potter apostles, the films' on-location destinations can be pretty stunning, if not remote--the basis for Hogwarts is located at Alnwick Castle (below) in the region of Northumberland, England, a famous stronghold that has stood for over 900 years.



Michael Jackson - Gary, Indiana, United States

Unfortunately, less you stow away in a cargo plane, you won't be able to fly a jetliner into the Gary International Airport anymore. You'll just have to settle for Chicago's transport instead. Gary has changed quite a bit (and not for the better) since its native son, Michael Jackson, left it, but true diehards will have to begin retracing Michael's steps here, coincidentally located at 2300 Jackson Street (named for the president). Local citizens are already hoping for a boost, with some calling for a museum established in the legend's honor. Jackson's storied Neverland in Santa Barbara, California, still hasn't been opened to the public, but they've already got an amusement park and a zoo, which has to mean that it's only a matter of time.

Anchorman - Long Beach / Los Angeles, CA

The Will Ferrell-helmed broadcast news farce has to have increased tourism numbers in its home city of San Diego, right? People will travel anywhere for good journalism these days. Unfortunately, if you visit "Sahn Deeahgo," you'll probably be disappointed to find much of the film was actually shot in Long Beach. If you're ever worried that Baxter, head anchor Ron Burgundy's canine companion, has been kicked into a nearby body of water by a bitter motorist, you might want to check out Queens Way Bridge, also in Long Beach, where poor Baxter had to overcome unthinkable odds to survive. Heck, even the scene where Veronica Corningstone is almost attacked by kodiak bears isn't even at the San Diego Zoo--it's at a place in L.A. now called Old Zoo in Griffith Park. All of this time, Hollywood producers have been shooting scenes and lying about their actual city settings? I'm not even mad--I'm impressed.

Chelsea Hotel - Manhattan, New York

If you're ever on a celebrity scavenger hunt, a visit to New York's Chelsea Hotel should knock a few off of your checklist. Let's run through:

* Find a site where beat poets chatted about life, pentameter: Check. Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso used to frequent Chelsea, and Dylan Thomas found refuge there.
* Find a site where people once wrote books and plays that you now have to read in high school English: Arthur Miller, Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams, Jack Kerouac... the list goes on and on. If you ever have brutal writer's block, Chelsea may be your last chance.
* Find a hotel that was frequently trashed by rock stars: Alice Cooper, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Dee Dee Ramone, and countless others probably left their room slightly less clean than when they found it.
* Find a location where a trashed rock star's girlfriend met her demise: Chelsea was the final resting place of Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of Sex Pistols guitarist Sid Vicious, who was found stabbed to death, apparently in a drug-hazed stupor by Vicious himself, who died just two years later of a heroin overdose.

Touting Time: BootsnAll

It's a common myth that one is the loneliest number--if you're a traveler, going solo can be one of the most enriching life decisions you'll ever make. It's a risk that thousands of people take each year, whether it's to find solitude and inner peace or to meet new people you never would have ever imagined (or both). And let's face it--while our friends and family are lovely, having to make choices for only one person is far less stressful and infinitely more freeing.

Should you be tempted by the adventures of independent travel, there's no better place to start than BootsnAll, a community of backpackers and wanderers who have taken what they've learned and loved and channeled it into an informational goldmine and one-stop shop for planning.

Let's skip to the best part: BootsnAll has an innovative widget that allows users to create and print their own personal travel guides for some of the solo traveler's most popular international destinations, and many of the guides have a choice between languages--their London guide has over a dozen alone. The guides are comprehensive and specific and as good as any you'll find in a bookstore.

The other shining feature of BootsnAll is their regularly-updated, wide-ranging collection of travel articles--topics can start anywhere from a first-person account of a trip to Accra, Ghana to an opinion/informational piece about why travel guides aren't the ideal way to hash out a journey plan, and how to work around recommendations to make a trip your own (using their free travel guides, of course). It's all oriented toward the budget-minded and risk-taking demographic, a group of people that could stand to grow.

If you're having reservations or need advice about upcoming travels, their message boards foster a nurturing, knowledgeable community of independent travel veterans--it's mostly skewed toward European places, but there's expansion happening for all regions. Upon your returning, you'll more than likely want to be the one giving advice--probably the reason why the community has thrived in the first place.

So if you're looking for something new and exciting for your next jaunt, why not go it alone? There's far more to gain than you're probably telling yourself. And if you're young and single, you really have no excuse. Unless you're penniless. But even that can be worked around if you set your mind to it. If I haven't convinced you yet, check out BootsnAll. We want pictures when you get back, too.

"Take a risk just for yourself, and wade into the deep end of the ocean." (Noah Lennox)

The World's Most Extreme Bungee Jumps

Bloukrans Bridge Bungee (Michiel Van Belder)

What's excitement without a little risk? Right. It's easy to say until you're on a platform, attached only to a string and peering down at the bottomless canyon below your feet. But the rewards are clear: unforgettable views, an unthinkable adrenaline rush and a lifetime of bragging rights, to name a few. Bungee jumping has only officially existed for about 30 years, and since then there have been advancements in safety and technology, as well as countless new sites where you can take the plunge. Until jetpacks are mainstream, this is probably the closest thing to individual human flight that we have (which is, to say, "falling with style"). Where I've Been takes a gander at what will promise to be the most gut-wrenching five seconds of your short life, and all the world's most daring and dazzling jump sites that host it. If you'd like us to talk you from the ledge, we've included some extreme videos as well that just might deter you.

Bloukrans Bridge - Cape Town



Take this to heed, first-time jumpers: If you're going to be terrified, you can at least breathe easy knowing the bridge won't give out behind you. The sturdy Bloukrans Bridge, 216 meters from the ground and located in the Tsitsikamma region, is the highest single-span arched bridge and third highest bridge on the planet. It was, until very recently, also the highest documented commercial bungee jump in the world. But just because Bloukrans lost the record doesn't mean your jowls will flap in the wind any slower or less violently. And if swinging on an elastic pendulum isn't your thing, bungee proprietor Face Adrenalin offers another high-flying activity: The Flying Fox zipline, which takes you 200 meters to the archway of the Bloukrans Bridge.

007 Bungee Center - Ticino, Switzerland

Leave it to James Bond to somehow make bungee jumping even cooler. Adjust your imaginary bowtie and make the jump like Bond did at the end of the opening sequence of GoldenEye, a scene that entrenched Pierce Brosnan in the 007 franchise, as well as a stunt that set a bungee record (220m) and has been called one of the greatest in cinema history. Though it was staged to be in Eastern Europe, the actual filming took place at Verzasca Dam in Ticino, Switzerland, and has become a hot destination for wannabe secret agents. And depending on your skill level, the Jump Master may permit you to add a little more style to your jump than the refined Mr. Bond might've preferred--some flips and twists, perhaps. You might leave shaken, but certainly not stirred. (We're done.)

AJ Hackett Macau - Macau, China



Get acquainted with the name A.J. Hackett--he's New Zealand's pioneer of the 'sport' as we know it today, and he's developed a worldwide enterprise of commercial bungee jumps in the most exotic locations you can find, while taking time out to break a slew of Guinness Book records along the way. His newest thrill resides on the roof of the massive Macau Tower in Macau, China, which has now captured the throne of highest commercial bungee jump with a fall of 233 meters. Eek. The unique trait of the Macau jump is the utterly unnecessary technology that puts only a few meters between you and the tower, just enough to where you don't make contact. Don't say we didn't warn you.

AJ Hackett Bungy - Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand

Being the birthplace of bungee and all, it's no surprise that Queenstown, New Zealand, now hosts quite possibly the widest array of bungee adventures you'll find in one city--almost all of them the brainchild of Hackett, of course. You can test out the 43-meter leap at Kawarau Bridge, the first commercially-available bungee jump ever, which allows you a variety of jump styles, including tandem ones, and the choice of touching the water below (or full-on dousing yourself in it). Those who enjoy even more variety with their insanity might want to head to The Ledge, where jumpers are allowed a running start to attempt any mid-air flips and twists, all with the lights of Queenstown shining below them.

Ultimate Bungy - Nepal

Ultimate Bungy at the Last Resort might take the cake for the most breathtaking scenery offered by a bungee jump. Situated above the raging Bhoti Kose river in a massive tropical gorge, you take your 150-meter leap from a bridge specifically designed for thrill-seekers. On the way down--if you're inclined to look from side to side and not straight down into the depths that beckon you--you'll witness miles of almost untouched, gorgeous jungle that line the Himalayas. We did a quick poll and decided that if you start mumbling the sentence "Oh, I actually just got back from bungee jumping in...," you'll flash the most Hollywood glamour and awe if you end it with "Nepal" or "the Himalayas." It sounds like something Angelina Jolie might do on a little weekend jaunt, no? Where I've Been: We're number one in ego preservation services.