Traveling is my #2 “thing” in life (behind cooking/eating, natch. ;) ) It’s what keeps me going.
The thought of my next big adventure – what I want to see, learn and experience next – is sometimes all I can think about!
No less than five times a week I’ll turn to Ben and say,
“Babe, can we go to ______ someday?”
(The “blank” being the latest locale I’ve got my heart set on seeing.)
“Uh-huh!” he’s learned to reply, less I give him the “Noooo, whyyy????” if he says otherwise. ;)
Well the list is getting long, my friends. So long that I thought I’d better document it before I forget one single place that I’ve thought, at one time or another, was important to see.
Then I thought maybe I’d share it with you. Maybe we have similar travel interests and goals. Maybe you’ve been to some of the places on my list and can fill me in on what to expect. The list is not by any means inclusive or closed, but it’s what I’ve got right now. And so…
My Life’s Wanderlist
(in alphabetical order because I’m crazy like that.)
Bali, Indonesia
I’ve got the eat taken care of – now all I need is the pray and love (in Indonesia!) to experience.
Bangkok & Phuket Thailand
I can’t imagine a world more vastly different than my own, but I love being challenged and immersed in the unfamiliar.
And my friend went to Phuket for her honeymoon and saw baby elephants on the beach. Ummm, yes please.
(source 1, source 2)
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Once of my Dad’s most favorite places in the US.
Castle Tour of Europe
I will never forget the castles I toured when I went to Germany in my teens. The sheer size of these hand-made masterpieces is incredible!
(source)
Charleston, South Carolina
My Dad lent me Charles Kuralt’s America book when Ben and I went to New Orleans a few years ago, in which Charles describes some of the most memorable places he’s been to around the country. In addition to NOLA, Charleston and it’s blooming azaleas in the spring was included. Boy I’d sure love to see those someday!
Zip-lining in Costa Rica
I zip lined once in Puerta Vallarta, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t harnessed or strapped in correctly…eeks. I’d like to do it right in the canopy of Costa Rica.
Croatia
Less touristy than it’s European coastal-city counterparts. Mmmm. :)
Dubai, UAE
I just really need to see this for myself. Plus I feel like it might rain gold coins there, or something.
Egypt
I’ve had a life-long fascination with Egypt and its pyramids, tombs, mummies and ancient structures. I would be crushed if I never got to see it in person.
Lake Louise, Banff, Canada
I learned of Lake Louise’s existence from one of the first food blogs I ever started reading and have been obsessed with getting there ever since.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Brilliant, ancient civilizations freak. me. out. but I still want to see this craziness.
Maldives
‘Nuff said.
(source)
Morocco
The colors! The sights! The sounds!
(source)
New England in the Fall
It has been a dream of mine for the last 5 years to take an autumn foliage tour down the east coast.
New Zealand
Ok, really lame, but I saw a few episode’s of America’s Next Top Model taped in NZ and it was breathtaking. I really want to sail there!
Niagara Falls
Every North American needs to see this at some point in their life, no?
Northern Lights in Alaska
I think a cruise to Alaska would be incredible too.
(source)
Paris, France
I have recently become obsessed with spending inordinate amounts of time sitting at a Parisian cafe sipping cappuccinos. I think I could stay here a month.
(source)
Petra, Jordan
If it came down to seeing either Petra or Egypt, I’d pick Petra – which is really saying something. A city carved out of the rock? It blows my mind!
(source)
Provence, France
I want to spin in fields of lavender then ride a cruiser bike to a crumbling farm house and sip red wine.
Kiss the Blarney Stone, Cork, Ireland
Just…need to.
Safari in Kenya, Africa
I think this would be the coolest thing in the entire world. Knowing that I could actually be eaten by a lion is both terrifying and thrilling at the same time. Mostly terrifying though. But I still want to do it.
Sahara Dessert
I know – crazy. I just feel like I want to go for like 5 minutes.
Santorini, Greece
I sort of feel like I’m cheating on Praiano by wanting to go to Santorini, but I’ve always wanted to go, and cough I was really jealous that Lena from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants got to spend an entire summer there cough.
(source)
Savannah, Georgia
I want to hunt down Paula Deen and make her feed me macaroni and cheese.
Seychelles
I blame House Hunters International for my recent obsession with Seychelles. I feel like they’ve taped 10 episodes on this tiny island off the eastern coast of Africa in the last year. Stunning natural beauty!
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The sheer size and meaning of this monument is something that has always intrigued me.
(source)
La Tomatina Festival, Bunol, Spain
My inner type A is petrified of the mess, but my inner wild child is winning out. :)
Tuscany, Italy
I want to explore every inch of Italy – including the picturesque wine country that reminds me of A Walk in the Clouds. I know – wrong country, but same cozy, romantic feeling!
Venice, Italy
I am literally waiting on pins and needles for the moment I arrive in Venice. I hope to the high Heavens that it hasn’t sunk by the time I get there!
(source)
Vietnam
Just feeling like I really need to see this place.
Yosemite National Park, California
North America has some of the most breathtaking scenery and landscape in the world. I’d love to check out what Yosemite has to offer!
(source)
Zanzibar
Clear water. Dolphins. Hammocks. Sign me up.
Zion National Park, Utah
The beauty of this place absolutely blows my mind – and it’s just a few states away!
(source)
Now all I have to do is convince Ben that taking a year off to travel the world is a good idea…
Raise your hand if you’re with me! ;)
~~~~~
Where do we overlap on My Life’s Wanderlist? What’s on yours?
LindsayH 08.11.2011
We saw the Northern Lights from Ames one night 7 years ago during a crazy solar storm. They were amazing from here, it must be incredible to see them all the time.
kelly 08.11.2011
We are going to Cannon Beach this fall!
Rachel 08.11.2011
I would go to any and all of those places on your list as well…I’d cross off kissing the Blarney Stone, though, as I’ve already done that. I’d love to visit Scotland, Australia (my best friend from high school emigrated there a couple years ago, so maybe a reunion of sorts is in my future!), anywhere in the Caribbean, South America…Heck, right now, I’d be happy just to visit the Badlands in western SoDak or parts of Wyoming & Montana! :)
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef 08.11.2011
oooh i love it! i’ve been to Neuschwanstein in Germany and it is so fabulous. cold, but exquisite. and safari…yes, done that too, but in south africa. awesome experience!
Tessa 08.11.2011
You can basically sign me up for all of you places, but I’d add Belize (been there but need to go back!) and Australia. I scuba and absolutely have to dive these spots!
Kristie 08.11.2011
I live in Charleston, SC, so I’m a bit spoiled by having such a beautiful, friendly city at my fingertips! And, Paula Dean’s restaurant doesn’t have anything on Charleston’s Cru Cafe’s mac and cheese – you’ll have to try it when you and Ben visit!
I definitely have been bitten by the travel bug lately – Portugal this past June (amazing!!), London/Belgium/Amsterdam next week, and already booking 2 weeks in Tahiti and South Pacific next summer to celebrate my husband being done with school. Travel is so addictive, but so much fun!! Work hard, and play harder ;-)
Love your blog!! I always look forward to reading it!
Emily 08.11.2011
oh my gosh. my indecisiveness of where I want to travel the most has always been high, and you just made it ten times worse! all these places look SO awesome!!!!! eeeeeeep, i want to go to Paris! no, New Zealand. No, no it’s Tuscany.
Jessica 08.11.2011
My husband proposed to me on a sailboat in the Charleston harbor!!! The city is beautiful and very romantic! You should definitely visit someday!
sheila 08.11.2011
Maybe go to Italy with Alessandra on one of her cooking tours.
Katie @ Changing Patterns 08.11.2011
Wow! I only have like 5 places on my list, but you’ve inspired me to really look into other places I want to go. Tuscany and Barcelona are def at the top of my list.
Hwkichick 08.11.2011
You forgot le mars Iowa ice cream capital of the world?!?!
Amo 08.11.2011
The baby elephants would love you! I am down for the fall foliage tour this year!! Girls trip?!? ;)
sharon weaver 08.11.2011
I ate at Paula’s place in Savanana and i liked her macaroni and cheese. I’ve since went to her web site and made it at home. It is different, lots of different cheese’s that you normally wouldn’t put in the dish. Try it at home and see how you feel about it.
Sheri 08.11.2011
I live in Calgary which is only a couple hours away from Banff and Lake Louise. There is nothing like the Rocky Mountains and the fresh mountain air. If you have never been taking a trip here is a must and will not dissapoint :) The views are majestic and the towns are charming. Winter or summer you will have a good time.
As for the rest of your list….you have a lot of places that are on my list that I want to see. Paris being one of them!
Sara 08.11.2011
To be honest? Paula’s mac & cheese is not all it’s cracked up to be. We were in Savannah just for one day, and wanted to eat at her restaurant. We ended up deciding to do a foodie tour, which stopped at Paula Deen’s. I tried the mac & cheese and was not impressed. But the foodie tour was AWESOME! We tried so many great hole-in-the-wall places.
jad18 08.11.2011
Paris and venice are my two favorite cities, you gotta go to both. I really want to visit Australia, costa rica, anguilla, and ireland. In the US, I want to visit Hawaii, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole and Portland. So many places, so little time. At least we made it to Sedona and Grand Canyon this year which were two on my list before.
Brittnie 08.11.2011
Love all of these beautiful pictures! I have been to Egypt and it was amazing. I actually rode a camel (um…a lot harder than it looks!) up to the pyramids. Totally awesome.
I have also been on an African safari (in Uganda, East Africa) and it was AMAZING. What you said about getting eaten alive by a lion is true but AMAZING. This is one of my most favorite travel experiences to date. I got to ride on top of the jeeps and came SO CLOSE to elephants, lions, etc. Was actually scared at one point. CRAZY but again, AMAZING.
Lake Louise/Banff Canada is also beautiful. I was lucky to travel there summer 2005 after I graduated from college. Go in the summer!! There is so much to do (fun active/outdoors activities) and it is breathtaking! Honestly this is probably my second favorite travel experience (second to the African safari).
Love this list… I think I will start one of my own. Right. Now. :)
Molly 08.11.2011
Holy perfect timing, IGE! My husband and I were just talking about all the worldly places we want to visit after he stumbled upon this list yesterday : http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/​2EiByU/www.pxleyes.com/blog/20​11/05/the-50-most-important-la​ndmarks-of-the-world/ . Between those 50 and your list, my dream list just got a little bit longer. Baby elephants, you say?? Better add Thailand! We are satisfying a little bit of our wanderlust by moving all over the US every three months as I work as a traveling physical therapist.. but we still call Iowa home! :)
Brittany @ Life of a Bama Girl 08.11.2011
I would love to go to all of the places on your list! I have been close to Machu Picchu when I went to Lima, Peru but did not go there. I absolutely loved Lima! It was an experience I will never forget! I will hopefully be in Savannah, GA in November for the Rock and Roll Half marathon. I will most definitely be looking for Paula while I am there!
Lynn @ Learning Curves Blog 08.11.2011
We have several destinations in common…Bali (a MUST), Yosemite (I’ve lived in California for like 18 years and STILL haven’t been), Zion, Vietnam, Phuket, Machu Picchu…shoot, I’d go to any of the places you have listed!!
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I was extremely fortunate to live in Fairbanks (Moose Creek and North Pole) Alaska for 5 years. We moved there the summer before my senior year of high school. THAT was tough…but I’ve seen the Northern Lights and many other amazing thing in Alaska (the Arctic Circle, Denali National Park, grizzly bears and 350 pund halibut).
I would recommend Death Valley (in the late fall) as another domestic destination…it is stunning and can’t really be explained as it is more of an experience. It is my favorite place {so far}.
Love the book America! My BF and I are hitting the road in the RV in 1 year and 4 months…permanently (or until we can’t stand each other anymore)…that book will be our guide!!