Anything in life can be achieved if someone wants it badly enough. This is a mantra I deeply believe in and one I try to live my life by. There are no limits to what someone can achieve if they are willing to commit the time, energy, and consistency to achieve that goal. While some goals my seem daunting on their own, any goal can be broken down into a series of much smaller steps that are far less intimidating. Someone simply needs the consistency to complete each step. All this requires is consistency and time. Whether those goals are financial, relationship, or physical fitness oriented; with commitment, any goal is achievable. Consistency is crucial but once these steps are taken, the goal will be reached before you realize it. For example: for someone who wishes to lose 50 pounds; this goal seems too large initially but can be broken down into a series of steps such as eating a healthy lunch each day, going to the gym 5 times a week, taking the stairs, etc. I know this is true from firsthand experience as several years ago, weight loss was one of the goals I had set and achieved for myself and it kick started many of the goals I have set and achieved in the following years, including this very blog. The same mindset can be applied to travel. If there is somewhere you want to go, begin brainstorm what are the obstacles currently in your way that are preventing you from going on that trip? Time off from work? General costs? Fear of taking the plunge? Each of these can be eliminated through steps such as requesting time off from work far in advance, beginning to set aside money to pay for the trip, or joining travel groups to gain insight from those who have taken the trip to alleviate your own fears. This week, I would like to share a few more items off my personal travel goals in the hopes that it provides motivation and ideas for my readers.
See the Pyramids in Giza
Ever since I was young, there was always something about ancient Egypt that fascinated me. Whether it was the mythology, the history, the art, or just going on school field trips to various museums that all seemed to feature at least one exhibit on Egypt. While the mummies and animal-headed gods always caught my attention as a child; as I grew older, I began to gain a deeper appreciation for the region’s history and culture. Whether it was the rise of the Egyptian empire that gained it the wealth needed to create their pyramids, obelisks, and shrines; or the eventual fall of Egypt to the Roman empire that included prominent historical figures such as Julius Caesar and Cleopatra; the incredible span of time that Egypt has been around and it’s focal point in the ancient world, has allowed this region to be at the forefront of many key points throughout human history. When most people think of Egypt, one symbol that commonly comes to mind are the Great Pyramids of Giza. These have long been considered one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Built as memorial shrines by Pharaohs, the engineering and organization that was needed to great structures of that size with the technology available at the time was a feat of engineering marvel. It’s ability to endure over the years is magnified by the fact that is the only remaining wonder of the ancient world that can still be seen today. All these are the reasons why I have the Pyramids on my bucket list. There are several other things I would like to experience as well while I am in Egypt. A river trip down the Nile River is another goal I have on my bucket list, but I would also love to be able to see some of the country’s other archeological remains such as the Valley of Kings, Karnak, Abu Simbel, among countless other sites that are spread around the country.
Go on an African Safari in the Okavango Delta in Botswana
When I was in college, a documentary series that was released at that time by BBC was called Planet Earth. At the time, this series was my first glimpse at incredible natural wonders around the planet. One of the episodes that stood out to be was the seasonal transformation that occurs early in the Okavango Delta. During the dry season, this area is limited in vegetation and the wildlife there is also limited as a result. However, once the rain comes; there is an explosion of biodiversity that occurs here. The grassland and desert setting are quickly transformed into a green and lush paradise that also attracts herds of antelope, wildebeest, and other fauna in what is one of the largest overland migrations of large game on the planet. Herds numbers in the 1000s descends on this delta to take advantage of the new food source that rains brought on. Even larger wildlife such as elephants, rhinos, and giraffes are also mixed in among these herds. Where the herds go, so do the predators making this an excellent location to also see lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Being able to see this collection of wildlife come together in one concentrated area is a wonder to behold and worth inclusion on any animal lovers bucket list.
Eat Sushi in Japan
Sushi has been among my favorite things to eat for years. I love discovering new sushi restaurants where I live or trying renowned sushi establishments in regions I travel too. I love finding new specialty rolls to that a specific restaurant has on offer. I even enjoy supermarket sushi to the point where they are easily the most common pre-made meal I purchase from markets when I want a quick bite for lunch or dinner. Because of all this, I would love to travel to Japan to try sushi where it was originally created. Sushi has changed a lot during the time it was being assimilated into the American culture so being able to get a taste of its cultural origin would be a true culinary treat. Of course, Japan has so much more to offer visitors aside from sushi. While there are too many items to name here, some of my personal goals for my time in Japan would be to climb Mt. Fuji and seeing the Cherry Blossoms during their peak blooms.
Attend the Holi Festival in India
The Holi Festival takes place each spring and is meant to celebrate the coming of spring. It is often celebrated by throwing multi-colored powder into the air that represents the arrival of the colors of spring. A few years ago, I was able to attend a small Holi festival that took place in the town I was living in at the time. This festival was organized by a local community and took place in one the city’s parks and attracted a few 100 people. It was a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon getting covered in colorful powder while enjoying great Indian food such as Chicken Tikka and listening to traditional music. As fun as this event was, it made me even more excited to see this festival take place on a much larger scale in its country of origin. Seeing the Holi festival in a city such as New Delhi or Mumbai where a city filled with millions of people all celebrate this event in unity would be an excellent opportunity to experience an amazing cultural event.
A couple of years ago, I sat down and created a 100-item bucket list for myself. These are a few of the items that were on the list but there are clearly many more I have not yet talked about. While a large portion of my personal bucket list involves adventures and travel; there are several items that involve acquiring new skills, career goals, and financial milestones. I would like to encourage all my readers to create such a list for yourself. I truly believe this is an amazing thought process that will help you realize what you truly want to accomplish in life. Once you have a list of what your top goals in life are, it becomes far easier to begin a real game plan for how to begin crossing these items of your list. There is no goal that is out of reach of an individual. Most goals can be broken down into a series of small steps that each person can do to finally reach their targets. Once a goal is broken down into small steps; I can assure you from personal experience that all goals become very attainable.
I am overjoyed to have shared a few items of my bucket list with my readers so far and I hope to be able to share the stories from these locations once I cross them off my personal bucket list in due time. But those are stories for another day…