My Bucket List

My Bucket List

Someone 30 years older than me told me I was too young to have a bucket list. Ha! You got to be kidding me, I thought. Who cares how old you are? Isn’t it just a list of experiences and achievements you want to accomplish before you die? I’m pretty sure I started compiling my “bucket list” before I even knew what one was and then changed the title of it.

“Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.”

Anonymous

Growing up, I always said I wanted to visit all 50 US states, explore all seven continents, and experience the 7 Wonders of the World. My list has grown a lot since then, and I am not even sure what is considered a world wonder these days. Over the years, I realized I was continually adding a lot more things than I was doing and decided to change that.

Instead of going wherever the cheap airfares are or agreeing to random trips, I decided to narrow down my travel bucket list and start focusing on my bucket list dreams. I am hoping to see and experience as much of my top 40 before I’m 40 as I can. That gives me 5 five years (I just turned 35 in December), can I do it?

The Top 40 before I’m 40

  1. Visit all 50 US states
  2. Frolic through tulip fields in the Netherlands
  3. See a Santorini sunset while exploring Greece
  4. Swim with Humpback whales in Tonga
  5. Take a very long trip to New Zealand
  6. Observe Gorillas in their natural habitat
  7. Experience an African Safari and see the BIG 5
  8. Take a photo in front of Machu Pichu
  9. See my reflection in the Salar de Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia
  10. Meditate in Bhutan
  11. Eat Thai food in Thailand
  12. Go bike riding through Tuscany, Italy
  13. Hang glide in Switzerland
  14. Skydive over the Swiss Alps
  15. See the Northern Lights
  16. Stroll through the villages inspiring Beauty & the Beast in Colmar, France
  17. Spend the night in the Sahara desert
  18. See a lantern festival in person
  19. Explore ancient ruins in Egypt
  20. Scuba dive in the Red Sea
  21. Camper van through Alberta, Canada
  22. See a hot air balloon sunrise in Cappadocia, Turkey
  23. Hike to Petra, Jordan and see it illuminated at night
  24. Try Sandboarding- maybe in Peru?
  25. Stay in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives
  26. Hike to Mt. Everest base camp
  27. Paddle Board through Glaciers in Antarctica
  28. Cliff jump in Croatia
  29. Swim in Jellyfish Lake, Palau
  30. Walk along the great wall of China
  31. Stay in a castle in Ireland
  32. Sail through the Whitsunday Islands, Australia
  33. Watch baby sea turtles hatch- ANYWHERE!
  34. Explore the Galapagos Islands by boat
  35. Swim through the lakes of Coron Philippines
  36. Go on a dog sled ride
  37. Hike the W trek in Patagonia
  38. Road trip through the Dolomites in Italy
  39. See Iguazu falls in Argentina
  40. Explore the waterfalls and islands of Indonesia

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do”

Mark Twain
  • inspirational life quote saying she believed she could so she did
  • inspirational life quote

What I have already Experienced

  • Visited 28 States: Alaska, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington, California, Arizona, Utah, Hawaii
  • Visited 5 Continents: Australia, Asia, North America, South America, Europe
  • Been to 18 Countries: USA, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Curacao, Panama, Costa Rica, Spain, France, Italy, Scotland, England, Iceland, Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, India
  • Enjoyed an Opera at the Sydney Opera House-2019
  • Dived the Great Barrier Reef- 2019
  • Held a Koala Bear- 2019
  • Scuba dived in the Philippines- Coron 2019
  • Visited the Isle of Skye in Scotland- 2019
  • Ziplined in Costa Rica, Maui, and Puerto Rico -2009
  • Walked over the Golden Gate Bridge- 2016
  • Climbed the Statue of Liberty- 1996
  • Kayaked in Fajardo Bioluminescent Bay, Puerto Rico- 2016
  • Free dived with dolphins- Kona, Hawaii 2008
  • Swam with Whalesharks- Mexico 2019
  • Saw the Mona Lisa-Louvre 2005
  • Wore a sari in front of the Taj Mahal- 2019
  • Wandered around Stonehenge- 2005
  • Saw the sunrise above the clouds on Haleakala, Maui- 2006
  • Relaxed in the Blue Lagoon, Iceland- 2017
  • Caught a bill-fish- 190 lb Black Marlin 2006 Kona Hawaii
  • Free dived for lobsters in the FL Keys- many times since 2008
  • Saw the David in Florence, Italy- 2018
  • Took a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris- 2005

Bucket List Continued

  • Road trip to see the Fall foliage in the US
  • Eat Sashimi in Japan
  • Live abroad for at least a year
  • Take a long distance sailing voyage
  • Explore Romantic Road in Germany
  • Spend too much money in Monaco
  • Go on a Sand safari in Dubai
  • Visit all the US’s National Parks
  • Visit Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil
  • Shave my head-for a good reason (I know that sounds crazy!)
  • Visit Austria in the winter time
  • Soak in the beauty of the Amalfi Coast
  • Explore the Amazon Rain forest
  • Fly my drone in Kauai
  • Cage dive with Great White Sharks

Ok, that is all I can think of for now, of course, I can’t help but keep adding!

Why do I Travel?

I travel for the experiences, the adventures, the thrill of meeting new people, and immersing myself in fascinating cultures. I thrive on the positive energy I get when seeing something unique, learning something new, and overcoming challenges I’m often faced when landing outside my comfort zone.

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory”

Dr. Seuss

I am grateful for all the experiences I have had and can’t wait to keep exploring this big fascinating world! I hope you will join me on my journey by subscribing to my email list to stay up to date on where all my travels take me.