The other morning while Ben and I were on a run, we decided that we wanted to create a bucket list of things we wanted to do before we die, and made a vow to try and cross one thing off our list each year.  

So in staying with that, last night we made a list of about twenty or so things, so I thought that today I would share a few of those travel dreams with you.

I have always had a serious case of wanderlust.  When I was younger I used to lay in my bedroom listening to music while dreaming of far off places and writing down all the cities I wanted to visit in my diary.  Finally, one night I tromped into my Dad’s office and professed I wanted to graduate high school early to study abroad somewhere… I honestly hadn’t really thought it out, but my surprise he said, “all right, where do you want to go?”  I didn’t really have a particular destination in mind, I just knew that I needed to explore.  So he pulled out his trusty globe and we spun it while looking away and slammed a finger down, expecting some brilliant blow of fate.  Of course it landed in the middle of the ocean, so we went by language.  I decided I wanted to learn Spanish since it’s the most spoken non-English language in the US, so Spain it was.  For those four months while I studied abroad I got to travel all over Europe and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  Even though I was homesick at the time in missing my senior year, I think I long for those days more than any others.  It was just such a cool experience traveling and learning a new language and culture.

Traveling is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  Not only do you discover new people, sights and cultures, but you also discover a lot about yourself.  It forces you to leave your comfort zone, break out of your shell and provides you with a new perspective on things.  Not to mention the endless inspiration thanks to the pretty sights and satisfying eats.

Through the years I have seen friends who up and quit their jobs to travel the world, and I envy and admire their determination to see the ends of the earth.  Most of us aren’t as lucky, which is why crossing off your bucket list one destination at a time will help you experience your dreams before it’s too late.  Even if you only get to a few, every experience is worth the memories.  And the added bonus?  You get to take those with you when you go.  So here’s to baby steps.

What is on your bucket list?

*Editors Note: This bucket list has been adjusted since it’s original posting in order to remove riding camels through the desert in Palmyra, Syria.  Although it remains a dream to visit the beautiful city, ride camels and sleep in the desert in a bedouin tent, this dream may not soon be realized as a result of ISIS fighters recently seizing control of the city.  I hope the city is not destroyed in the fighting and that someday I can visit, but as of now, it is not advised that tourists visit Syria.  Thus, I have added another item from our bucket list in it’s place, which is to see a bengal tiger in the wild in India.  I have never been to India and have always wanted to visit and see the Taj Mahal, see elephants and hopefully see a bengal tiger in the wild.  They are such majestic creatures and when I visited Nepal back in 1993, we had hoped to see one while visiting ‘Tiger Tops’ in Chitwan National Park, but they were elusive and my dream never came to fruition.  So it still remains a bucket list, only this time I would like to visit the remote Bandhavgarh National Park in India.

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4

Next Post