Every traveler has one. It changes depending on our mood, what we've been reading, and who we've talked to, but it's always there. The List. Sometimes we write it down, sometimes it's only in our heads, but it's there. We talk about it, "it's on my list" and "that's getting bumped up on my list", but on all the travel blogs I read, I haven't yet seen anyone's list.
It's the list of places you want to travel to. Your list might have 5, 10, 100 or a 1000 places to visit, but I'm just talking about the top 5. The places you really want to see.
In the spirit of sharing, and because when you put something in writing, it's one step closer to doing, here are my Top 5 Travel Dreams:
1. See Machu Picchu. I was in high school the first time I saw a picture of the incredible ruins, and they have been on my list ever since.
2. Do a canopy tour and ride a zip line somewhere in Central America.
3. Explore the fjords in Norway.
4. Scooter across Italy like Peter Moore, author of Vroom with a View
5. Hike in the Scottish Highlands.
Those are mine, now what are yours? Don't worry about having to include exotic destinations. It's about the places you want to visit, not where anyone else says you should go. Please share your top 5 in the comments or, if you have one, in your own blog.
If you could go anywhere, where would it be and what would you do there?
The picture above is Ashford Castle in County Mayo. Visiting a castle in Ireland used to be in my top 5, but it got crossed off the list last summer.*Darren Rowse at ProBlogger has a Group Writing Project going on, and the theme is "Top 5". I decided to take on the challenge, and I'm curious what other bloggers will come up with.
16 comments:
Oh, man. You ask the hard questions! Narrow it down to the top 5? Hm - I'll have to get to work on my own list ASAP. I've been meaning to do this for awhile, mainly so I don't forget.
I love your #2 by the way - very cool.
Hi Mike, I decided to write my list down, because it was getting too long to remember all the destinations. Reading travel books and blogs doesn't help, either!
I'm hoping to cross #2 off my list this summer. Plans aren't set yet, so I'm trying not to get too excited.
Righty-oh, then,
You've started me off. I'll get on with drawing up my list!
Cheers
David
Five is a tough list but here it goes:
ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli, Turkey.
A summer following the MotoGP circuit.
A year to immerse ourselves in Berlin.
A World Series game featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A tiger photo safari in India.nzctl
David- I can't wait to read your list!
Steve- Thank you for your Top 5. I love the idea of living somewhere else for a year. Settling in and getting to know the area, no rushing through the sites.
*I was at your site earlier, and just finished reading all about Colditz Castle. Wow. It must have been fascinating to see. After reading your wonderful description of David, I think I will add a stop in Florence during my scooter trip in Italy.
Travel across America
Go on an Alaskan Cruise
Ski-ing in Canada
Trip to Hong Kong
See every European City
The mountain table in South Africa. Its just a blast
I really loved my visit to Singapore and Hongkong. It is not about their place, its about the diversity of their culture that I liked about their places.
My top travel dream would be on the mountains of canada. ^_^ Skiing there would be nice
1) Visit North Korea. I've been interested in visiting North Korea for a while now. It'd be an interesting place to see. Unfortunately, the 'tour' prices are extremely high, starting at around Euro 1800 for 5 nights. A little Googling resulting in this: http://www.koryotours.com . Do before I die ;-).
2) Thailands Diving Areas. Travel-Junkie.com has a lot on this subject. He's given me some great advice. Fantastic advice, in fact. It's getting me excited. I'm thinking about doing this around November.
3) Chili. Just visiting SAmerica would be great. Something I haven't done yet. I've seen a lot of the world for my age, but there's always more left to see. I wish it could be my job.
4) Japan. Some might know that I plan on studying in Japan next year. But I've never been there yet. Will fix this later this year. I'll then also see if I actually like it enough to spend two years there.
5) Everest. In my life, I'd like to attempt the summit of the tallest mountain in the world. I'd obviously need some heavy-duty preparing. This is my ultimate dream.
Really tricky, that one - plenty of places, but how can you narrow it down to 5? Gah!
the ones that spring instantly to mind are:
1. Drive a Jeepney from the Philippines to UK with my best mate (with the odd ferry, naturally)
2. Fish for Piranha from a dugout in the Amazon
3. Travel the entire Silk Route
4. Trans-Siberian Express
5. Morocco (all of it!)
great post, Stacey - and some great destinations you go got goin' on there!
Nath
Erica, Sharon and Karlo, Thank you for visiting Rambling Traveler and sharing your travel dreams. It's always interesting to read about the places people want to visit, and it also reminds me of places I want to see!
Timen and Nathan, I can't wait to read about your experiences traveling to those destinations. You just have to figure out how to keep blogging during your travels, otherwise I'll miss reading your posts!
Diving in Thailand- I've been reading Travel-Junkie's posts, too, and he's got me thinking about it.
Driving from the Philippines to UK- That sounds like a lot of fun, and like a book begging to be written.
Hi Stacy,
Briefly, here are some I've ticked off:
Yukon 1999
Alaska 1999
Taj Mahal 2003
Queensland 2005
Coastal South Australia 1999
The last one, the coastline around the old whaling stations (which is now a stretch of protected water where the Southern Right whales come to calve) is what inspired a couple of chapters about the fictional bush outpost, Jindaroo Creek, in my novel `Vegemite Vindaloo'.
Hi Nath, had trouble with your site a couple of weeks ago. Please tell me if you're back online, mate.
Cheers
David
1) the Galapagos Islands (I actually had to make a choice between these Islands and Macchu Picchu and Cuzco, and I picked Macchu Picchu..I am glad I did, as Peru was breathtaking, but I still want to see those islands before Ecuador curtails tourism substantially there).
2) the Greek temples in Agrigento and Syracuse in Sicily
3) Temple Mount in Jerusalem
4) Santiago de Compostela
5) Ephesus
Amazing how travel can often make us yearn for more....I have been all over South America and Western Europe, but I still want to do these!
Hi David, you've been to some great places. I have Alaska and the Taj Mahal on my list of places to see.
Nathan switched over to wordpress, and now his blog is at www.ubertramp.com
Anonymous: Thank you for sharing your top 5. The Guardian had an interesting article on the Galapagos Islands a few days ago. I agree, traveling just makes me want to see more.
Hi Stacy,
The Taj was something surreal. Strangely enough - I never went within 200 miles of the place when I lived in India.
We took the kids on a stinking hot day - and it was still magical. Must dig out the photos and post a story in your honour.
Thanks for the info about Nathan's new url. Will drop in and say hi.
Cheers
David
Post a Comment