40 experiences every gentleman should have before he’s 40
Before you hit 40, it’s worth trying to tick off as many awesome, once-in-a-lifetime and life-changing experiences. Why? Because quite frankly gents, you only live once, and the truth is many men don’t actually live their lives to fullest. So here’s a pretty awesome bucket list…
1. Get a speeding ticket in a car that was worth it
![Jaguar F-TYPE 2018](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/fe208353292c2919f101a36ddd44b1afd854a8a7-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
2. Traverse a country with a pack of sled dogs
![Greenland Sledding by Joe Capra](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/903e28236c97d14ec809c89e1d8f699d4fd8aba1-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Joe Capra
3. Sail a boat from one country to another
![Yacht](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/74cab5f4081d4d7e0e878f1c3d737fe04e381ca4-2560x1375.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
4. Step into the ring and go 10 rounds with someone
![Muhammad Ali by John Rooney](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/b8e31f30a347f81d5e495cddb313bee4684b5e45-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by John Rooney
5. Help someone less fortunate, but never tell a soul
![Prince Harry at the Kananelo Centre for the Deaf](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/0cdfb1acee1c71f304e40066ab88bdedcb8225f9-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Chris Jackson
6. Spend a week completely unplugged from the world
![Matterhorn France by FABRICE COFFRINI](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/48b56e11b9838ef57a68492b8e4a4450c44cc29a-2069x1160.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Fabrice Coffrini / AFP-Getty
7. Heli-ski on a mountain that isn’t overrun with trust fund kids
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/fc4f6d0642eb39c821b7bdd27ca84be0dc9a3ecd-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
8. See a great white shark up close and personal
![great white shark diving in cage](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/35165233beaa1b1f991969afb2b23c5be58e8ff3-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
9. Create a signature cocktail, or get one named after you
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/6f5390d7c44add91afe5d7bf9163eb4ed3c3ee36-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
10. Grow a full face of hair, just the once
![Daniel Craig as 007 James Bond with full beard](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/3ecdc12b1f41937832d177a9d7ed714911853c3e-2560x1375.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
11. Own a tailored bespoke suit
![Oliver Cheshire for Gentleman's Journal shot by Adam Fussell](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/fdf81ae437874dd68a7c69a71e881fb6698400e9-2560x1375.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Adam Fussell for Gentleman’s Journal
12. Buy someone an engagement ring, without them knowing, and get their size right
![choosing an engagement ring](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/e31d32f64c58e3323a4d260294b99f2ff7def46e-1080x580.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
13. Watch a film from every decade
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/764a9d271ed47c1d800384cf011c75b6393f836b-1340x720.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
14. Live in a foreign country for a year, ideally where you don’t speak the language
![Shanghai Old Town](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/beec916b690ce081115c09de77b180fdb6570d0f-2560x1376.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Shanghai Old Town
15. Eat a meal you hunted and grew yourself
![Alphonse Atoll, Seychelles](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/4a6b5f79b8fbd96b4f435f6bcfc2f0d4d51395fa-1080x583.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
16. Write something – a story, song or poem – regardless of whether or not it will be any good
![Bradley Cooper writing music](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/b3bb90ca91285b33414684de7b25d285a60aa3b5-841x451.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
17. Become a true expert at something
![gentleman-dating-etiquette](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/9757a78468bc93527336635c592079b2b1fbf47c-1080x581.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
18. Make amends with that person you have long begrudged
![Trump and Obama shake hands](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/4bfa5a0cfc2d92a468d6611f002ccd5d026601f1-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
19. Do your bit for the environment
![Prince William planting a tree](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/506cb38d1747f9afd2bf3393ccebceaf0e14377d-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Getty
21. Do the sahara desert trek
![Gentleman's Journal desert photoshoot](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/ecd88dde9a3fc847d696d57c9d18c7314065756d-1920x1032.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Adam Fussell for Gentleman’s Journal
22. Complete a three day silent retreat
![silence retreat](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/2c46a701fa4e1bae731e89a79d7b68bc68297516-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
23. Take the Trans-Siberian railway
![Trans-Siberian railway in winter with snow](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/b6bfe0ac3191e731a4a09fd563b3ab122af8b827-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
24. Volunteer in a part of the world that you’ve never been to
![Prince William and Kate feeding baby elephants by Adnan Abidi](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/7d167c19d6c3a8742da9f15b49ac4706ba6ca7e5-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Adnan Abidi
25. Learn to cook one dish like a Michelin star chef
![Bradley Cooper holds a fish in the movie Burnt](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/ffe850619cc7524841be74a68c3b69ffe273cbb3-2551x1590.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
26. Go to Trinidad and Tobago and take part in Carnival
![Trinidad Tobago Carnival by Patrick Bennett](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/62fe0ba385dbbb5bd4f52dc3c7b5cf9bd4ab7aac-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Patrick Bennett
27. Take a Harley Davidson on a road trip around America
![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/f02a4d43865b226e8ad71feced0d1951f299b8d0-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
28. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
![Mount Kilimanjaro by Karam Puri](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/e0787fec880da27fceb42ec4066c6b67a00d32e2-2069x1160.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Karam Puri
29. Go back to university and do what you wanted to do the first time
![King's College Cambridge by Andrew Dunn](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/ff150c153e8ebb05d040408f94876924cfdbaa03-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Andrew Dunn
30. Learn how to fly a plane
![Leonardo DiCaprio as PanAm pilot in Catch Me If You Can](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/6a90f2a08f828d6a8830d6cdd589c1fc3f108922-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
31. Become fluent in a language
![Midnight in Paris](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/6dba7da15155e8911c84740024cb8626a391c403-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
32. Learn to play a musical instrument
![Johnny Depp playing piano](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/ba5d62d26d5dfaf0cc7ea49afc329f05622e2033-2551x1590.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
33. Watch the sun rise somewhere incredible
![Santuario Itsukushima torii shinto gate at sunrise](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/a2497c5f8a3e77f602c983f265995d9d0f6676fe-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Santuario Itsukushima
34. Bungee jump off the tallest bridge or building in the world
![Macau tower bunjee jump](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/df1d0d5851398ecc5ddec8e4e81dbf4f46c933f4-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
35. Go to Burning Man at least once
![Burning Man by Trey Ratcliff](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/1ef8220f6614fab9c2dd269ea06b34da475629ce-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Trey Ratcliff
36. Explore a city that you’ve never been to without a map, and without asking for help
![Havana Cuba](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/d134161ada39f106baf1219014786828b70dba10-2391x1284.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
37. Travel to Iceland and see the Northern Lights
![Iceland aurora northern lights by Larry Gerbrandt](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/7ef41357f1f841b74ecc359f2440c26f7deb7f59-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
Photo by Larry Gerbrandt
38. Crash an incredible party
![Wolf of Wall Street Leo DiCaprio party](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/acf16104e6ac4001a52a16e334bd983d1532453b-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
39. Buy the one thing you’ve always wanted to, but never had the guts to
![Gulfstream's next generation $45 million G500 private jet](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/e70272d21dd58b8fddb77cafc748d4eb141b61a2-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
40. Make it to Everest Base Camp
![Everest Base Camp](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vxy259ii/production/84d0d640adc7c48711797c9417a724fc9c18b533-2560x1469.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=648)
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