It has been over a month since the last time I had shared a portion of my travel bucket list with my readers. I had first decided to create a bucket list for myself about a year and a half ago. It was meant as a personal mental exercise for myself that would allow me to put into writing what goals I want to accomplish in my life. Once this list was created, it became a more straight forward process to begin game planning how I can ensure I would accomplish every item I had written down. The entire list was compromised of 100 goals with most of them being travel experiences I wanted to have. My goal is to accomplish 10 items off my list per year. I am proud to report that I have been successful in that goal to this point. Without further ado, here is a peak into more of travel bucket list…
Visit Palawan in the Philippines
For those readers who enjoy tropical beaches paradises that have been undeveloped and preserved; I encourage you to consider the Palawan region of the Philippines. This is quickly becoming a top tourist attraction for those who want the tropical experience that areas such as the Caribbean Hawaii, or the Maldives are famous for but at a fraction of the cost. The Philippines is aware of the treasure they have in this region and have taken great care to make sure the commercial development here is kept to a minimum as most of the places to stay are over water bungalows that fit into the areas natural setting. This is not the place to come for modern luxuries or large commercial resorts. This is the place you go to escape modern life and get in touch with nature. Whether you want to spend your days laying on the beach admiring the white sand beaches, towering limestone seamounts coming out of the ocean, or diving beneath the waves to explore some of the world’s top coral reefs; Palawan will provide you a place to do so. While you are visiting this country; there are several more locations to experience once you have your share of Palawan relaxation such as the nightlife of Boracay, the Chocolate Hills, or the city of Manilla. The Philippines is a country you can spend weeks in without ever running out of things to do. Thanks to a favorable exchange rate; these experiences can be experienced by budget-conscious travelers as well.
Raft through the Grand Canyon
Being able to hike through the Grand Canyon, has been one of my favorite experiences within the National Park system. The park offers many iconic hiking trails for both novice hikers and those with more experience. Although I had been able to hike down to one of the lower plateaus of the canyon, I was still very far above the Colorado River. One goal I have set for myself on my next return to the Grand Canyon is to experience life at the bottom of the canyon: rafting through this world heritage site and seeing the towering red sandstone walls of the canyon towering above me. While there are a few expeditions that take tourists on one day excursions around the beginning sections of the canyon; experiencing the full canyon requires a 7-10 day over night trip. Luckily, there are many professional guides in that area who offer such a service. It is an experience that allows you to spend your days rafting in one of the world’s premier locations for this activity and your nights camping underneath the stars in a secluded part of the country as the rest of the world quickly fades from memory.
See the Maroon Bells in Colorado
Located outside of Aspen, Colorado; the Maroon Bells are an iconic landscape that combines valleys of expansive aspen fields with towering snow-covered mountains. Although Aspen is most known for its popularity for skiing during the colder months; this area is also a great place for hikers and photographers. One of my favorite teams of year to see this landscape is during mid-October when the fall weather turns the aspen leaves a bright yellow color. The golden fields of aspen during this time of year, combined with the elk coming down and congregating during this time of year provides an excellent natural setting to escape into nature.
See the Ball Drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve
In addition to the raw beauty of natural landscapes, there are several items on my list that revolve around specific experiences. One of these is being able to attend the Ball Dropping ceremony in New York City during New Years. New Year’s is celebrated almost universally around the world and one of the biggest celebrations takes place in Manhattan in Times Square. Surrounded by over a million other people, this annual event is an experience to be remembered. The appeal of this celebration attracts celebrities that have put on quality performances over the years ranging from Cyndi Lauper to Lady Gaga. New York also provides many experiences to enjoy during the rest of your stay. From the iconic central park to the live shows on Broadway, to enjoying a famous New York style Pizza; it would not be difficult to spend a week in New York without even scratching the surface of what this city offers. One of the world’s major Metropolitans; it is unlike any other city in the USA. No other city offers the shear amount of people compacted into a relatively small area; nor do other cities offer the size of the buildings you can find in Manhattan. There is a reason that New York had inspired art, movies, and songs over the years. It is a city that must really be experienced in person to understand its appeal.
Sample a Cheese Platter in Paris
In addition to travel, another passion of mine and the frequent topic of many of my weekly posts is food. I love traveling across the country and trying the local cuisine at the incredible restaurants I find along the way. Among my favorite meal options is a charcuterie board made up of a collection of exotic cheeses; the stronger the flavor, the more I enjoy it. As a result, one item on my bucket list combines by passion for travel and food into one. I plan on enjoying a selection of fine cheeses in the city of lights in Paris. Being able to enjoy one of the world’s highest ranked countries for quality cheese while soaking in the culture that is surrounding me sounds like an incredible way to pass a week. Other than the food, Paris also provides plenty more attraction I look forward to being able to see. From the works of the masters at the Louvre to the lighting of the Eiffel Tower; Paris has no shortage of travel experience that it can provide. Whether its visiting France on its own, or as part of a multi-country adventure through Europe; this is a trip I am greatly looking forward too one day.
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…