Head to the top of the tallest building for a peaceful vantage point to watch the hustle and bustle below.

Get started with the highest point in a city…

The easiest way to find the highest point in a city is to Google “tallest building in [your city]”, purchase a ticket to the top and enjoy the view! Many tall buildings have a bar or restaurant up there too!

A little more…

To get a little more from the highest point in a city, find a tall building with a glass floor up high.

Melbourne’s Eureka Skydeck is home to ‘The Edge’ – a totally see-through glass cube on the 88th floor.

Or try Chicago’s ‘The Ledge’ found on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower – the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Maximum adventure!

Not content with staying indoors? Many cities have high up outdoor experiences too!

In Sydney you can climb the arch of the Harbour Bridge for a spectacular view.

Auckland is home to the Sky Tower – walk around a 1.2m wide platform, or even BASE jump from the 192nd floor!

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Plus! Free guide: How to Get More Adventure in Your Life

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What to wear white water rafting

For white water rafting you should wear swimwear. Ladies, you might want to wear some sports shorts and a rash vest over your bikini if you’re in a warm climate – just in case!

You should expect to be provided with a life jacket and helmet and, depending on the climate, a wetsuit and wind proof jacket for warmth.

The best place to sit in a white water raft

There is debate over the ‘best’ place to sit in a white water raft and it largely depends on the kind of experience you want to have.

Personally, I like the front. I like to see where I’m going and be right where the action is. You do get splashed the most, but you’re probably going to get wet anyway (and that’s sort of fun, right?).

In the middle you’re probably least likely to go overboard because you bounce around the least, so perhaps sit here if you’re worried at all.

The back is a good spot for a view of the action! When you go down the rapids you’ll see everything that’s going on in front of you. You’ll bounce around the most in this spot, so if you loved a bouncy castle as a kid – give this spot a try!

You are going to get wet!

In white water rafting, falling in is pretty much a given. For a start, early into the ride, the instructor is likely to ask your team to capsize the boat on purpose. I believe this is so that you realise that it isn’t so scary, ready for when it happens by accident!

But don’t worry! When you end up in the water there is a real sense of comradery amongst the team. Expect to be hoisted back into the boat by your teammates!

Out of boat activities

One thing I wasn’t expecting when I went white water rafting was the times that I wasn’t in the boat. I was expecting to fall in, yes, but I wasn’t expecting to be asked to deliberately get into the water.

My white water rafting experience included (optional) opportunities to climb up onto rocks and jump into deep water. There was also the chance to go down some of the smaller rapids just floating alone with my life jacket.

I took those opportunities and I loved them, but it did surprise me.

Photos to buy

Like many adventure activities, it’s likely that the white water rafting company will have photographers strategically placed to photograph the fastest rapids.

So enjoy it – a smile looks better than a look of terror!

Want to try it?

You could try white water rafting on the Tully River in Australia (like I did!)

Or how about Whistler in Canada? Or my ancestral home, North Wales?

If I’m looking for a particular activity close to where I live (or where I’m going!) I often use Viator – they are a TripAdvisor company and have a whole range of bookable activities all over the world. I’ve booked a few things through them and they’ve been great.

Have you tried white water rafting already? What was your experience like? I’d love to know!

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Things You Need To Know Before You Tandem Skydive (Don’t Do What I Did…)

Just for transparency, because integrity is really important to me, I do want you to know that the product links on this page are affiliate links. That means that I will get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you decide to purchase an activity.

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I tried tandem skydiving in Mission Beach in Australia and it was one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had. It is definitely worth doing once in your life!

Tandem skydive from the highest height possible

You won’t be able to tell the difference between 10,000ft and 14,000ft from the plane and it makes a big difference to the free fall time.

Jumping from 10,000ft gives you approximately 30 seconds free fall. Jumping from 14,000ft gives you twice that!

If you’re going to do it, you might as well make the most of the experience.

Invest in the video package

Before you tandem skydive, if there is an option for a video package – take it. In the age of social media you’ll want to be sharing this awesome experience!

I got the video + photo package which has been YouTubed, Facebooked and Instagrammed to within an inch of its life (…and now blogged!).

Think about location for your tandem skydive

For most people, skydiving is a once in a lifetime activity. So it’s worth doing it somewhere amazing rather than an a random airfield.

I did mine on Mission Beach in Australia, where the reef meets the rain forest, and landed on the beach.

But don’t make these mistakes!

Don’t take the mickey out of the guy packing your parachute

It felt like a long wait, waiting for the clouds to clear enough to jump. I distracted myself by chatting to the hot guy with the slightly crazy adrenaline junkie eyes.

I was super nervous and knew I’d taken the playful insults too far when he looked up and said “Honey, I’m packing your parachute! Be careful!”. Eep!

Don’t let your tandem skydive guy somersault out of the plane

On the ground you get a short training session explaining what to expect. You’ll be told to sit on the edge of the plane doorway with your feet dangling and tip your head back to look at the sky.

When it was almost time to jump, my tandem skydive guy said “Hey, remember what they said? You’re not gonna do that, you’re gonna stand up.”

Err, ok – I decided not to argue. It turned out that, because I’m small and light he wanted to do a flip out of the plane. I was not expecting it!!

Don’t look down before you jump

Follow the advise to tip your head back just before you jump – it prevents whiplash. I looked down. I saw the two people that jumped before me spiraling to their doom (they were fine!) and I hurt my neck.

And by the way…

• Clouds don’t feel like cotton wool. They’re kinda cold and wet!
• It’s possible to get motion sick. If you’re prone to that take a travel sickness tablet before you go.
• Skydiving doesn’t feel at all like falling. The ground is so far away it doesn’t look like it’s rushing up to meet you.

So there’s what you need to know before you tandem skydive!

There are so many places that you can do a tandem skydive and I totally recommend that you give it a go one day!

If you need further inspiration, watch the video of mine…

If you’re not convinced on skydiving just yet, check out my other adventure ideas!

Join my email list and get adventure inspiration in your inbox!

Plus! Free guide: How to Get More Adventure in Your Life

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How To Get More Adventure In Your Life

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