The capital of Texas, Austin is located in the south-central area. It was named the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1839. The main campus of the University of Texas is located here, founded in 1881.

Staniel Cay is a small island in the Exuma Cays of The Bahamas, surrounded by clear shallow waters, coral reefs, sandy beaches, and numerous nearby cays. The island covers less than two square miles and has a small Bahamian village on its western shore. Its position makes it a useful base for exploring the surrounding Exumas by boat, while a local airstrip provides another way to reach the island.

San Pedro de Atacama, a small town in northern Chile, sits at over 2,400 meters above sea level in one of the most geologically diverse areas on Earth. Surrounded by volcanoes, salt flats, geysers, and ancient lava flows, it has long served as a gateway to the Atacama Desert. This desert is the driest non-polar place in the world, where some weather stations have never recorded rainfall.

Medan is the capital of north Sumatra and the third largest city in Indonesia. It is a huge, sprawling city and a popular entry/exit point for travellers. The solid Dutch buildings of the affluent older suburbs inspire images of bloated bureaucrats and burghers from the colonial era, while jerry-built lean-tos house the bulk of its population.

Famous for its thermal baths and spas, it is said that the town was founded by Hannibal. It was originally called Prusa after Prusias I, king of Bithynia.