I've always had the travel bug. I became a flight attendant (long, long ago) to fuel that bug and get paid for it. I've been maintaining my Bucket List of travel destinations for a long time. These are places I want to go with family and friends and even on my own. But it's memorable to travel with at least one other person to share the experience. Just like the Winchester Mystery House this list is a work in progress, it will never be complete.
What's on your bucket list?What's on your bucket list?
Why have a bucket list? A bucket list is a way to help bring clarity to your life. To make you think about what's important to you. To set goals and set priorities. When my husband and I planned to have a family one of our goals was to give our children the love of travel. They definitely have that bug. They love to travel and see new sights. So get your passports and plan away. Here are two great sites to help you think about what's important in a bucket list: 43 Things and Barefoot List - Check 'em out.
In no particular order, the list below is from 2012. I've redmarked the ones I've accomplished since I wrote it. It's gratifying to see the places get checked off.
Your Travel Bucket ListBucket List
What's on your bucket list?
Paris - with my dear friend and our two daughters. Our goal is to go the year our youngest children graduate from high school and before we begin our lives as "empty nesters."
Mexico - to build houses for impoverished families. (2012 Check!)
Australia - When it's winter here, we'll be enjoying summer down under. I want to see a koala and visit one of my brother's colleagues. [Australia was one of our favorite family vacations. We visited Sydney, Great Barrier Reef (Cairns) and the Gold Coast. We celebrated Christmas with my brother's colleague who we've become great friends with.] 2012
Mount Rushmore, S. Dakota - just because it's there.
Maui, Hawaii - Celebrate my 2nd daughter's high school graduation 2013. And now we're planning our 3rd daughter's HS graduation and eldest daughter's college graduation celebration there in 2016.
Lincang, China - Teach English to Chinese students.
Beijing, China - walk the Great Wall and see Tienanmen Square.
Hong Kong - ride the star ferry with my family and eat lots of dim sum. Go to the night markets.
Fiji - eat fresh seafood by the beach and watch the sunset.
Tokyo, Japan - Get shoved in the subway like sardines and eat lots of tempura and sushi.
Venice, Italy - Have my husband serenade me as we ride a gondola.
Salzburg and Vienna, Austria - Stroll the gardens at Schonbrunn.
Bali - check out the surfers at Kuta Beach. And check them out some more.
Costa Rica - Capture some amazing bird photos. Go to the rainforest.
Brugge, Brussels - eat at the Den Dyver and have a meal paired with beer. Have some chocolate and espresso at Dagelijks Brood.
Alaska - See an iceberg, polar bear and penguin.
Vancouver, Canada - eat Dim Sum in Chinatown and hike in Stanley Park. Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge. We're going July 2015!
Toronto, Ontario - see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and buy a touristy souvenir.
Boston, MA - have a tea party and go on a duck tour - 2013.
New York City - see a Broadway play and get an actor's autograph. Got autographs from the actors of WICKED 2013.
London - Have tea with the queen. Or with my husband. Shop Harrod's, see Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Walk the Millennium Bridge. Eat fish and chips and smashed peas.
Take a cruise on the French Riviera. See Nice, France - Lie on the beach and wade in the ocean. See the sunset.
Rome, Italy - attend mass at St. Peter's Basilica. See the Sistine Chapel. Toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain. (we've been before, but I'd love to spend more than 2 days there).
Austin, Texas - dine and listen to music with my husband at Stubb's Bar-B-Q.
Switzerland - Ski in the Swiss Alps. Zermatt or Camonix?
Live for 6 months in Europe. Start with a flat in Paris.
Taipei, Taiwan - shop and eat at the night markets. See the Palace Museum. Visit a former student from when I lived there in my college days.
Go on a safari in The Serengeti - in the planning stages -wahoo.
Drive the windy roads of New Zealand - in the planning stages.
Iceland
Dublin, Ireland. I've been to Shannon, Ireland, but would love to return and see it more thoroughly.
San Francisco is my backyardSan Francisco is my backyard
Completed Bucket List
Rode "It's a Small World" in Disneyland, Disney World and Euro Disney. Heard a French girl say "howdy" in Frontierland in Euro Disney.
Traveled the world to see Sea World in San Diego, Orlando, and Barcelona.
Won a trip to Orlando in 2004 from Bloomingdales! Got to swim with the dolphins.
Took our girls to the Grand Opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and rode the Forbidden Journey, Dragon Challenge, Flight of the Hippogriff and drank lots of Butterbeer.
Swam with the Dolphins in Discovery Cove, Florida.
Celebrated my eldest daughter's high school graduation in Maui, Hawaii.
Sent postcards from Paris via the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Day, 2008. Had hot cocoa in the tower as we experienced a black out. Shopped Marchés Noël, ate chocolat crepes in the Latin Quarter, bought an antique book for a friend, and got upgraded to a suite overlooking the Eiffel Tower on New Year's Eve.
Attended the Ceremony of the Keys in London, visited mummies at the British museum, rode a double decker bus, shopped Harrod's and bought some British edition books.
Drank beer in a pub in Amsterdam, visited our former flat with our girls, had Dutch pancakes for breakfast.
Ate Maryland crabs with cousins at Bethany Beach, DE. Rode go-carts, went water skiing and went boogey boarding.
Circled the statue of liberty on the Staten Island Ferry, rode a limo from Times Square to Little Italy, saw Ground Zero, saw Phantom of the Opera and bought an I Heart NY T-Shirt in NYC.
Ate burgers in paradise at Burgers in Paradise in Laihana, Maui.
Took a first class sleeper train from San Jose to Vail, Colorado. Skied Vail for a week with great friends.
Saw a re-enactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, saw the Liberty Bell, and ate in Chinatown in Philadelphia.
Flew first class from Maui to San Francisco.
Lived abroad in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Celebrated Thanksgiving in Grenoble, France with dear friends.
Saw the Tour de France finale in Paris.
Ate Belgian waffles in Brussels. Shopped for diamonds in the diamond district.
Got re-Maui'd.
Celebrated milestone birthdays on a cruise to the Mexican Rivera. Ports of call included Cabo San Lucas, Puerta Vallarta and Mazatlan.
Actually went camping and slept in a tent (more than 1 time!)
Rode a train from Amsterdam to Paris, and rode the Chunnel from Paris to London. Went on track 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Rail Station in London. Stood on Point Zero in Paris.
