Places Samir S. Patel Wants to Go

270 million year-old forest of stone.

An abandoned colonial French prison notorious for its hellish conditions.

Derelict airplane bodies serve as both home and income for three Thai families.

Abandoned castle was once a grand example of Russian privilege, built exclusively to win a frivolous bet between noblemen.

The farthest you can be in the contiguous U.S. from a McDonald's location.

Surrounded by a smudge of dark earth, this isolated volcano sits in stark contrast to the surrounding Sahara.

A once-luxurious, now abandoned hotel in the Italian Alps.

The most peaceful "country" in the Middle East.

This tiny island is home to the world's largest colony of Northern gannets.

This massive swimming pool is the high tech home to the human-powered submarine races.

At a Bangkok bistro, one pot of beef stew has been cooking non-stop for more than 45 years.

An ancient stone fortress considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world.

A mountain of conch shells created by centuries of fishermen.

Stone age urban planning.

The sculpture is made of more than 100,000 knives collected to raise awareness about violence.

Abstract dinosaur models in London.

Classical ruins that remember ancient Rome's presence in Africa.

Dozens of large-scale, creative, evocative curios from prominent artists dot the calm outdoor space around this major museum.

Hidden behind a Target are pillows of cooled lava that formed at the bottom of a deep lake in the Mesozoic Era.

An abandoned saucer-shaped monument in the Bulgarian mountains.

This spectacular track has run continuously since 1882.

This shining multicolored metro station deep under Naples is said to be the most beautiful in Europe.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

The Yonaguni Monument, a natural formation or the Japanese Atlantis?