What’s a bucket list? Well, before you kick the bucket you make a list of all the must see places you wish to see before you die. In the movie, ‘The Bucket List’, the two main character both have terminal illness and they wish to break out of their normal routine and they make a list of things they want to do before they die and start doing them. An excellent movie, it made the concept well-known terminology, and ask anyone, most will have a bucket list.
I started making my bucket list a few years back, and every year I tick off a few items off my list. The ones that will take more planning and execution will have to wait until the children are older.
The Traveler’s Bucket List
#1 Congo– Meeting the silverback gorilla in the jungles of the congo. A guided tour, where they take you hiking through the overgrown jungle, until you make your way to the gorilla group of ten.
#2 Machu Picchu, South America – 15th century abandoned Inca City, that was voted a new seven wonder of the world and declared a UNESCO heritage site. This city has been under restoration for decades, giving tourists a better idea of what the city was like. It was believed to be abandoned in 1524, after 2/3 of the population died from smallpox, after the Spanish arrived.
#3 Deserts of Morocco– Images of riding camel back across a hot sandy desert spring from my imagination. An experience waiting for us when the children are old enough to enjoy it.
#4 Swimming with a whale shark at Ningaloo Reef – I would love to snorkel with one of these gentle giants located between Ningaloo Reef and Shark Bay. It is one of 15 national parks in Australia.
#5 Indian Yoga Retreat – Perhaps idea made famous by the book Eat, Pray, Love, I love the idea of going to India and learning the art of Yoga. Before children I was very much into Yoga, and for years this was my morning routine. I would love to pick it back up for the second half of my life to help stay centered and focused on my goals.
#6 The Camino de Santiago de Compostela -also known by the English names Way of St. James, St. James’s Way, St. James’s Path, St. James’s Trail, Route of Santiago de Compostela,and Road to Santiago, is the name of any of the pilgrimage routes (most commonly the Camino Francés or French route) to the shrine of the apostle St. James the great in the Cathedral of Santiago de COmpostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried. Many take up this route as a form of spiritual path or retreat, and for their spiritual growth.
#7 The Great Wall of China
This wall was built between the 7th and 9th centuries to protect different parts of different cities and stretches 8850 km. Mutianyu — the most magnificent fully-restored Great Wall section, but I would be happy to hike Jinshanling.
———-
My list has been edited and changed over the years because as I finish an item, I take them off. These items are the ones that are left. I hope to make it to these places one day. I dream of it.
Of course COVID-19 and the OMNICRON variant have put a damper on our exciting adventures, but I am crossing my fingers that all will be right in the world again and that we can travel freely throughout the world without worrying about crazy weather and viruses that kill. in the meantime, YouTube has some pretty incredible adventure series and travel videos that makes you feel like you are there.
