Pretty good bucket list. I feel fortunate for the travel I’ve done, but there are still so many places I want to go in the world.
Since I can’t do everything on that list here are the few that I picked out:
- 1. Set foot on each of the seven continents. Antarctica might be a tough one, but once you’ve reached all seven you can truly call yourself a world traveler. (I’ve only set on two…shit)
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5. Visit a “real” blues bar in Chicago. What better way to leave music’s commercialism behind and find the soul of the blues?
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6. Learn another language. This is definitely a weighty and time-consuming proposition, but there are plenty of resources out there to ease the process.
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10. Dive with a whale shark. Swimming with these gentle giants is among the most powerful wilderness experiences in the world.
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13. Surf. It’s not about being a ripper but just catching waves.
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14. SCUBA in the Great Barrier Reef. The largest coral reef in the world is a must for dive enthusiasts. It is the world’s most unique aquatic environment.
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21. Climb an active volcano.
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22. Buy a boat and learn to sail. Before the Brothers Wright, everyone traveled by wind power. It’s still the most sustainable way to travel there is. (You do not know how badly I want to do this one.)
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24. Bathe in the Ganges. What better way to experience the spiritual heart of India?
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25. Travel around the world. Sure, you could do this without ever setting foot outside of planes and airports, but few people ever truly traverse the entire globe. Round the world tickets are great for budget-minded wanderers.
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26. Photograph an endangered species. Aside from an image you can keep for a lifetime, it will remind you, and others, how fragile life can be.
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28. Spend 24 hours alone in the jungle.
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31. Attend a music festival in another country.
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32. Cross a country using only public transportation. See a country the way most of its people do: from the window of a bus, train, or ferry.
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34. Attend the Olympics. Whatever you say about the commercialism of the Olympic Games, they are one of the biggest events on the planet. (Well lucky for me the Winter Olympics are coming to Canada in 2010.)
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42. Visit the birthplace or gravesite of a cultural icon. Could be Che Guevara or Picasso or Levi Strauss or the guy who invented widgets; anyone you think is important. (I’m tweaking this one, I got artists, musicians and even a family member who died in WWII to visit.)
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43. Find your version of “The Beach.” One of the best travel books ever inspired a generation of backpackers. Why not find your own version of untouched paradise?
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44. Enjoy a freshly rolled cigar in Cuba. Taste a hand rolled specialty close to its source.
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45. Visit every capital city in Europe. The crowded continent is full of beautiful architecture and diverse cultures.
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47. Skydive. It is the ultimate thrill, unless you add a wingsuit, and actually fly.
And right now I’m 19 going on 20 so this needs to get done…and fast.
