Bucket lists have gotten a bad rap, too often seen as a rush to check off experiences without any thought or meaning. I don’t think of it that way – perhaps because I’ve always been a list maker. My travel bucket list doesn’t represent a race to accomplish, far from it. Some of the items on my list are practical and will eventually be checked off. Others are beyond my current budget and abilities, but a girl’s gotta dream. so they’re on the list.
I haven’t updated my list for two years, so it’s time. Here are the items that have been crossed off in those two years. There aren’t a lot, so no one will be accusing me of racing through the list.
- Ride in a gondola in Venice – This was changed to a motor boat because of conditions existing in Venice when I was there. Checked off in June 2011.
- Visit Quebec City – I was drawn to visit Quebec City by its reputation as the Paris of North America. The visit didn’t disappoint. Checked off November 2011.
- Speak Spanish in Barcelona – This was modified to speak Catalan, the language spoken in this region of Spain, and while I stumbled about with it, I gave it a go. Checked of September 2012.
- Visit Brussels – On my list because it’s the capital of the European Union, I visited and checked this off in March 2013.
- Drink beer in Berlin – I did a lot of this when I was in Berlin for ITB. Thanks to friends Rick Calvert, Patti Hosking, and Chris Gray Faust for encouraging it.
- River cruise in Europe – I’ve done many ocean cruises, but wanted to wanted to branch out and try a slower style. This opportunity came up with an invitation from friend Chris Gray Faust and an inaugural sailing out of Antwerp on the River Splendor. Checked off March 2013.
- Visit Amsterdam – This was should have been done earlier since Amsterdam is a major hub in Europe, but my travels somehow have missed it. This was the ending location of the river cruise and I had a day and half to explore. Checked off March 2013.
- Drive around Ireland – This was done in the week following TBEX. Checked off October 2013.
- Massage in Thailand – Originally I thought it would be a beach massage, but when I had the opportunity to experience several different kinds of massages in Thailand, I modified the list item. They were all heavenly. Checked off November 2013.
- Ride an elephant – This item is being removed from the list as a result of learning more about how these beautiful beasts are often mistreated and abused in order to please tourists who want to ride. A big thanks to Diana for helping me learn more about this. Removing this from my list is more in keeping with my values.
With those checked off, it’s now time to add a few more things. Remember, my limit is 100 items, a combination of general destinations as well as specific experiences, and a mix of domestic and international locations. And, perhaps the hardest one, no self editing – the list reflects my interests as of today. And, if you read the entire list, you’ll see some pretty basic things that I just haven’t gotten around to. Yet.
MJ’s 100 Travel Bucket List
- Malta
- Iceland
- Cuba
- Safari in Africa
- Visit the White House
- Turkey
- Visit a lighthouse in Maine (and eat lobster, too)
- Montgomery, Alabama
GreeceMarch 2014- Go to a Red Sox game in Boston
Visit the EvergladesJune 2015- Visit the great pyramids in Egypt
- Transatlantic crossing by ship sailing into New York Harbor
- London
- Go to the top of the Empire State Building
- Wine tasting in the Finger Lakes
- Molokai
- Trace some roots in Madrid
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Enjoy a weekend on Cape Cod
- Tunisia
- Barging in France
- Wear a fabulous hat at the Kentucky Derby
- See the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba
- Press olives in Italy
- Spend a weekend on the Jersey shore
- Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Sunbathing on Daytona Beach
- Buenos Aires
- Ride a camel
- Spend a weekend on a dude ranch
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Gibraltar
- Stay in a room on stilts over the water somewhere in French Polynesia
- Montreal
- Enjoy chili in New Mexico
- Driving trip in Wales
- Learn to cook Cajun/Creole food in Louisiana
- Swim in the Dead Sea
- Sleep in an Ice Hotel
- Morocco
- Catalina Island
- Spend a week at the Golden Door spa
- Eat at Rao’s in Harlem
- Sardinia, Italy
- Ride in a blimp
- Paddleboat cruise
- Make wine in Argentina
- Barbados
- Vacation on a houseboat
- Sail in the British Virgin Islands
- Gettysburg
- Have a signature scent formulated in Paris
- Experience the First Class treatment on Emirates
- Savannah, Georgia
- Take a train ride across the United States
- Yellowstone and Old Faithful
- Take a cooking class in Italy
- Charleston, South Carolina
#000000;”>Custom made clothes from Hong KongChanged this to made in Thailand. October 2015- Mexico City
- Round the world cruise
- Lay down a bet in Monte Carlo
- Whale watching in Hawaii
- Stay in a castle
- Visit Graceland
- Visit a real life ghost town
- Great Barrier Reef
- Sedona
- Go to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
St. Maarten/Sint MartinNovember 2015- Stay in a penthouse suite in NYC
- Have an audience with the Pope in Vatican City
- Learn to throw a boomerang Down Under
- Bali
- Take a road trip to the Florida Keys
- Open a Swiss bank account
- Niagara Falls (from the U.S. side)
Spend a night in a yurtStayed in a teepee (sort of like a yurt), August 2014- Watch tennis at Wimbledon
- Martha’s Vineyard
- Visit Pennsylvania’s Amish Country
Eat barbecue in Kansas CitySummer 2015- Take an RV trip
- Laugh it up at Second City in Chicago
- Walk on the Great Wall of China
- See the Northern Lights in Lapland
- Enjoy tea culture on a tea trail
- Toast the New Year in Paris
- Take a ghost tour in Savannah
- See the snow monkeys in Nagano
- Wine tasting in South Africa
- Luxury train trip
- Eat street food in Vietnam
- Visit a European Christmas Market
- Russia, by land or by sea
- Visit all 50 states (current count 36)
- Antarctica
- Explore Charleston
- Drink wine in South Africa
Do you have a Travel Bucket list? Do we share any of the same travel dreams?