Happy New Year everyone, I hope that you all had the best break over the festive period, I took a little bit more time off than I probably should have but I’m finally back in action and before I head off on my first trip of 2019 I thought I’d share with you a follow on post to my previous travel round up.
Travelling as a big part of my job combined with having so many amazing adventurous friends and partners in crime means that I have been lucky enough to tick off so many things on my travel bucket list over the past 10 years or so. That being said the world is a big old place and there’s still so many more things I want to see and do within it! Though the majority of my destination dreams have already been fulfilled there’s always room for more on my ever expanding bucket list! So I thought I would start the year with my top 10 lust list and that way I can spend the rest of it trying to make some of them happen!
1. Swim with the humpback whales in Tonga
My number one goal in life when it comes to Bucket List goals is to swim with wild Humpback Whales. If you have been following my travel journey for the years I’ve been sharing it online then you will already know this about me but for those of you new to the C&C crew, I talk about exactly why here. In 2017 I traveled to Tahiti where I hoped to finally fulfill the dream and whilst we did witness a breach (the best sight of my life!), due to weather conditions I wasn’t lucky enough to swim with the beautiful mammals. So, alas I’m back to saving up for another trip to try again. This time I’ll travel to Tonga in search of the whales, it’s one of the most likely places to be able to encounter them between last July and October. I might not make it out there this year as it’s a pricey trip but I’m hoping by 2020 I’ll have been able to make it happen.
2. See The Northern Lights
A common wish on travel bucket lists is to witness nature’s surreal and stunning light show, The Aurora Borealis. I found myself in a few situations over the past few years where a sighting could have been possible but I have still never been quite lucky enough to catch a glimpse. As I’ve already been to Iceland, West Canada and Swedish Lapland (where sightings during the winter months are very likely) I would now love to travel to Norway so I can tick off another country as well as hopefully managing finally to see the sky fill with psychedelic colour. A stay at kakslauttanen arctic resort would be a pretty sweet spot to see them too 😉
3. Go to Tokyo in Japan
Somewhere I’m yet to tick off my original bucket list is Japan. There’s so many places within the country I’d like to see but the main event and where I’d most like to see for myself is Tokyo. It just strikes me as a city like no other and I would want to experience every weird and wonderful thing going! If I were to be really choosy I’d travel during Spring to see the famous cherry blossom filled streets, I love the idea of nature’s pretty contrast against the tech-lit streets.
4. Explore India
Despite being on Indian TV daily with Travel XP I am still yet to travel to the country that so many of you familiarize me with. India is a country that I’ve always said I would only travel to if I could see the real side of it, with someone who knows it well enough to share the culture as well as the destination itself. I’d love to spend a really good chunk of time traveling within India as there is so much beauty to be seen and such diversity between the cities and the landscape.
5. Hike the Inca Trail in Peru
To visit Machu Picchu would be amazing. I travelled through South America for a whole month some years ago and I fell in love with that side of the world. We explored Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia and I would happily re-visit any one of those countries but the one regret I had after the trip was not managing to incorporate a trip to Peru. Also, now I know I don’t suffer from altitude sickness there’s more reason than before to hike the famous Inca Trail, I just need to find some adventurous and fit enough to trek it with me!
6. Stay at Azulik Tulum
It’s not often that I’ll base a bucket list addition around something man-made but there has never been a hotel I’ve wanted to stay at more than Azulik Tulum. The eco-resort in Mexico is everything my eyes could dream up as the perfect romantic get-a-way. The rooms are all open air facing out to the private beach with stunningly unique interiors and every corner of the resort looks breathtaking, one day, hopefully soon, I’ll see it all for myself.
7. Charter a Yacht for a Week
I love being on the water, I live for being at sea and if you offered me a house or a boat for the rest of my life I’d happily chose a sailing vessel! Spending a week at sea is a dream escape for me. I was lucky enough to spend 3 days on a chartered yacht in Australia a couple of years ago and it was one of my all time favourite experiences. I’d take to the waters anywhere in the world but there’s something about sailing the British Virgin Islands that has always taken my fancy, either there or during the summer season around the Ionian Coast of Greece.
8. Safari in South Africa
It also shouldn’t come as a surprise to those of you who’ve frequented my site or social media that a safari trip is still on my list. African nature holidays are always my biggest recommendation for the most incredibly life changing holidays, whomever asks for my advice on any given day. I’ve been lucky enough to experience two safaris now one in Kenya and the other Tanzania and next on my list if I had the luxury of choosing would be in South Africa. It’s a country I’ve not yet been to and the Singita resorts located there look incredible!
9. Expedition in Antarctica
Something that I’m sure will be one of the last things to tick off my bucket list would be to travel to Antarctica for the ultimate marine and wildlife expedition. There’s only a handful of cruises available each year due to the extremely specialist skills required to navigate the area and weather wise there’s a small window of opportunity but the reward for actually making it out there is indescribable. The scenery and wildlife is completely unique to the area and knowing I was one of the very few people in the world to witness the destination would be a priceless (though the most expensive trip I’d ever take!) holiday.
10. See the Orcas in the Wild
A bucket list excursion of mine last year was to stay on Vancouver Island, I traveled there to see the killer whales and wild bears but only managed to see the latter. We did our best to spot orcas but they decided to shy away from us this time round. Growing up Free Willy was a constant on my TV and it’s been my longest memorable dream to see ‘Killer’ whales in the wild. I’ll either head back to West Canada to try and spot them or if I see any during the Antarctic trip that could be a win win 😉 There are other locations in the world to have the chance of seeing them in the wild but as Canada is one of my favourite countries, if I had to chose, I’d head back there any day!
