Mauve’s Bucket List

by Mauverneen 

     I always feel a little jealous when someone tells me about their wonderful vacation. I love to travel - and there are so many places I want to see.

     But it gets me thinking. Ever since that movie came out everyone’s suddenly got a ‘bucket list.’ They have the top 10 or 100 or 5,001 places to visit before you die. I’ve come up with a ‘bucket list’ of my own - for travelers. But it’s not about picking which places to visit, sometimes it’s not so much WHERE you go but how you experience the journey.
     Kind of like life.

1. Visit your nation’s capitol. It is amazing in ways you never imagined.

  

Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

2.  Visit a foreign country. Whether it’s one city or a tour through the countryside, experiencing another culture is a great experience. And what better way to bring people together than to reach across barriers.



Bartering in Kenya

3.  See one of the natural wonders of the world. It could be Mt. Everest, or it could be the Sahara Desert, but standing on the edge of a majestic work of nature is a humbling experience. It makes you realize how small you are in this world.

Grand Canyon view

4.  Do something outside your comfort zone. Hang glide, Zip line, Hike or go on a Rafting trip. If you can overcome a fear, be it of water, heights, or birds, it’s worthwhile and makes it easer to do the second time around.

5.  Learn a foreign language. There is no better feeling of accomplishment than being able to converse with someone in their native tongue, ask for directions, or just confidently order a meal!




what?

6.  Take a road trip. You can stop when you want, and get to see things you'd otherwise not be even close to.  You can't see this kind of stuff from the air!

Longhorn Grill, Amado Arizona

7.   Take a train trip. In this day of hurry up, it’s such a relaxing way to travel. It's a great way to meet people, have conversations with interesting strangers, relax - and enjoy the view!

View from the train window

8.  Experience luxury. Splurge at least once and be pampered. A great hotel room, a gourmet experience, a spa treatment or a round of golf at a world class course. Treat yourself! Just be warned – it’s hard to go back to average. 

Dining on the 95th floor, Hancock Building, Chicago, IL

9.  Taste something you normally turn up your nose at! Squid? Chocolate covered grasshoppers? Mudbugs? For me it was Black Pudding. It wasn’t bad and at least I can say I tried it!

Crawfish Boil

10.  Veer off the beaten path. Sticking to the itinerary is great, but you could miss the world’s most fabulous museum or a spectacular sunrise or a chance encounter with – who knows? It’s good to be spontaneous once in a while.   

Having fun!

 11.  Take at least one of the trips on your bucket list! On the cheap if you have to, in style if you can afford to. But just GO! You won't be sorry. And oh, the stories you'll have to tell.

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint. However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

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visit my website: http://mauverneen.com