Bucket List

Last weekend I booked a holiday for my family. Nothing spectacular about that you might think, I’m a travel agent and I like to travel so it’s probably to be expected. However, this trip is a very special one as it is one of my top bucket list destinations, Yellowstone National Park. I’ve wanted to go for years after being inspired by TV programmes, David Attenborough and stories from people who have been. I’ve book countless numbers of clients on trips to the area and every time I have looked enviously at their itineraries. It has always been one I’ve put off because the kids were too young and mainly because we couldn’t afford it! But this year, with the help of an exceptional air fare in the school holidays, we can do it financially, and the kids are just about old enough and interested enough.

This got me thinking about bucket lists. What else is on my ‘to do/see list’ and how that differs from everyone else’s. Many bucket list ideas are actually destinations or countries. I often hear people say it’s our dream trip, or the trip of our lifetime when discussing holidays to the likes of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South America. These sort of destinations all have the ‘big trip’ feel to them that elevates them to Bucket list status. There are not much more satisfying things in my job than putting these, often complex, itineraries together and then finding out when my clients get back that it was the trip of their lifetime and did exceed all expectations.

But sometimes it is not always the destination as much as the experience that is the pull. These experiences can range from seeing the Northern Lights, which is certainly on my list, to seeing a particular animal in its natural habitat. The animal list is something I always find intriguing. For me it’s a leopard. I’ve been to South Africa, Sri Lanka, Oman and Tanzania and the closest I’ve got is at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. But for others it’s polar bears, orangutans, dolphins, the Big 5 or in one case a honey badger. Yes, I have put together a trip to South Africa and Botswana with the main aim to see the elusive honey badger! If you’ve not heard of these amazing creatures before, look them up on YouTube!

Other experiences can be wide ranging. Being in Japan for the cherry blossom in spring or seeing the leaves change colour so splendidly during the fall in New England have both appeared on people’s lists. Route 66 doesn't even technically exist anymore but the dream of driving across America in a red Mustang convertible excites.

Sporting events can often be part of the dream. This is now top of my list as an Indianapolis Colts fan. For as long as I can remember, I have always dreamed of seeing my team play at home. Indianapolis I very much doubt features on anyone else’s list you’d think. Maybe not, I once put together a honeymoon where the groom wanted to visit Indy to watch the Colts before flying to the Caribbean. We both looked at each other with a mixture of shock and pride when we released we were probably the only two people in the world that would want to do that as part of our honeymoons.

But sport does provide so many bucket list items, whether it’s as simple as going down to London to watch a day’s play at Wimbledon to seeing an Ashes Boxing Day test match in Melbourne. I have sent people all around the world to watch Formula One races in Singapore, Abu Dabi and Monza. Not forgetting Monaco, the ultimate in any enthusiast’s diary.

It can also be an event like the Olympics or a World Cup that inspire people to visit. I was lucky enough to go to the Olympics in Athens in 2004 and the atmosphere as well as the sport brought the whole country to life. With the next Olympics being held in Japan in 2020 this could be a double tick for many!

But it is not just sporting events that can install holidays to people’s bucket lists. The Rio Carnival is a great example of this. People want to experience ‘carnival’ but then get to add a trip around the country which adds even more, like visiting the Pantanal’s, Amazon or Iguassu Falls which were may not be the reason for the trip but certainly add a lot to it. The same can be said for the Inca Trail or Galapagos Islands. I have often suggested adding more onto to those iconic trips. Like visiting an Amazon jungle lodge or taking an airplane trip over the Nazca lines. These can then sometimes be the unexpected highlight of the trip!

The Migration across the plains of the Serengeti is often an animal lovers dream. To see millions of wilder beast march across the parks with all that follow them is undoubtedly one of the spectacles of the animal kingdom. This can be matched by the sight of a Tiger in Ranthambore or Pench National parks in India or a polar bear on an Artic cruise. For places like the Artic, or Antarctica, often a cruise is not just the best but the only way to see it. Silversea's cruises through the Antarctic or a Paul Gauguin cruise visiting Bora Bora and the Pacific Islands might not have been on your list until you read this and google searched them!

Like a cruise sometimes it can be the mode of transport which is the bucket list item. Quite often this can be the chance to fly Business Class on the way to your destination. The flat bed, champagne, lounges and exclusivity can certainly add to the trip of a lifetime. But sometimes it’s when your there. The Rocky Mountaineer train in Canada is a stunning way to see the Rockies. Staying with trains the Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney in Australia over the course of 6 days or the Oriental Express both figure in a lot of peoples dream list.

For me though seeing the Colts and a Leopard remain at the top of my list. Along with visiting Bhutan, Fiji and Argentina in terms of countries and I’d love to see the Northern lights and a Polar Bear! With the excitement of my upcoming Yellowstone trip I’ve also decided to stop waiting and to start doing, so hopefully it will lead to new places and ideas on my ever-evolving list.

Let me know what your dream trip is, maybe we can get you there sooner than you thought. Rather than the ‘dream’ let’s see if we can make it a reality.