Travel Bucket List

As many of you know travelling is my thing.  Prior to kids Doc and I, had a huge map in our room and we had each chosen 10 things for a bucket list that we wanted to do.  Once our little adventurers arrived bucket lists, where we travel too has greatly changed and the lists have long been (lost and) forgotten.   Then yesterday (its now been 5 days) I saw this idea of a bucket list from minitravellers and it got me thinking.  It is now 2am on the day after my birthday, I can’t sleep and I’m in a reflective mood so I thought I would compile a list.  These are in no particular order but here are my top 10 things that I want to do with my four adventurers in the next 5 years.

1.  Cornwall

We did travel to Cornwall with Maya and stayed at the Forest Holidays site there.  However, we didn’t really get to see much of the area.  The whole area looks amazing, with so many different activities for families to do and I would love to go and spend some time exploring the area properly.

2. Farmstay

Some years ago, whilst looking for ideas for holidays with toddlers I saw an article in The Guardian that had a farmstay as the top choice.  Since then I have been looking into different farmstays especially those which have a focus on making it a fun, interactive experience for little adventurers.  The top two which seem to be provide a fantastic holiday to children and have great reviews are Coombe Mill Or HigherLank Farm.  I would love to visit these (or both if your reading Doc!)

3.  Outer Hebrides

This one will sound a little weird, but I saw some awesome pictures of the majesty of the Scottish Islands.  I’ve always wanted to go to the real far North, we learnt about the Shetland Islands when I was about 8, but there are so many Island at the far north of the Scotland and they all love fabulous for exploring.  I do like to take the path which is a little out of the norm as it makes for a real adventure.

4.  Road trip around Europe

This has always been on my bucket list and as a teen I had really wanted to Euro Rail my way around Europe.  It never came to fruition but I would love to spend a few summers with my adventurers taking all the sights, sounds and history of mainland Europe.  From the Swiss Alps to the windmills of Rotterdam, from the Acropolis in Athens to the Al Hambra in Spain. There’s so many things I want to see and experience.  My top five would be Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Netherlands, Greece and Italy. (Ok that’s six but I couldn’t decide.)

5.  Bath and Stonehenge

I am a big Austen fan, (Persuasion is in my top 10 of favourite books) which means a visit to Bath is a must.  There is so much history in the city that I think all little adventurers should visit.  Stonehenge looks majestic and eerily magical and I love the fact that after all these years all we can do is speculate as it to why they exist.  After the Stone Heads on Easter Island, this was always one of the sights of the worlds that has really appealed to me.

6. Camper van / Canal boat

Maya has asked to go on holiday in a camper van (after gaining inspiration from none other then Peppa Pig) but we are finding it hard to find decent campervans to hire at a reasonable price.  I love the fact that Maya has a desire to visit and try new things and would love to take her.  I always love trying new and different accommodations and think it makes little adventurers more flexible and encourages them to give new adventures a try.  If not a camper van my second option would be a Canal Boat.  Growing up watching Rosie and Jim in the 80’s who doesn’t love the idea of going on a canal boat?

7.  Lapland

Now, this may sound like it is for the little adventurers but this has always been one of the biggies on my list.  Christmas is definitely the most wonderful time of the year.  I think there is a magic about Huskies, Santa (and the reindeer) and thick, thick snow. I would love to go and think it would be a fabulous experience for the kiddies especially when the magic of Christmas is really there.

8.  Ireland

We had planned a road trip in Ireland this October half term but family and job situations meant hat we didn’t end up booking anything.  But I would love to go see the Emerald Isle.  We met so many people in Australia, when we went in 2007, who has travelled across the world to just visit Ireland.  Prior to this, Ireland hadn’t really been on my radar but coming home I started looking into it. I would like to do 2 – 3 weeks here to get a real feel of the place.  My to dos are cliffs of Moher, the Kerry ring including dingle and the Giants Causeway.

9.  Hawaii.

When Doc and I got married we had decided to visit Hawaii for our honeymoon.  I remember researching in which Island to stay and remember sitting in Manchester Central library (whilst on study leave) finding myself in the travel section of the library pouring over a book on Maui.  However, on the day we were going to book we ended up changing our holiday destination.  When I say we, I really mean Doc.  Doc had a moment of panic after looking on google maps and realising that Hawaii was one of the places which was furthest away from another land mass.  I don’t why but he got really panicky that we would be visiting a place in the middle of the ocean.  I know weird right? Bit I digress.  So Hawaii has been on my List from as far as a can remember and Maya has also said this is on her list of places that she would like to go to (now lets see Doc refuse his Princess…).

10.  18/24 months travelling around the world

Now this is the ultimate on my bucket list and I would love the opportunity to do this.  I want to take 12-24 months out, pack up our bags and go and see the world, and when I say I want to, I mean with every essence of my being that I would love to do this.   I want our youngest Zayn to be able to read but before maya starts high school I would love to go on a round the world trip.  I follow so many travelling families and I know from my trip with Doc in 2007, that feeling of waking up each morning with no set routine, no other jobs/tasks but to give my family my full attention is one of the most liberating feelings, ever.  I want to actually spend time together and make that our focus rather than fitting this around our lives in the rat race.  I want to show my children the world, have them see the history with their own eyes, climb the Great Wall of China, see the ruins of the Mayan empire, Machu Picchu.  Feel and see all of Mother natures miracles, I want them to visit the Amazon, feel the force of Niagara Falls, see the turtles and nature that inspired Darwin.  Learn about ancient civilizations not through books but seeing them and touching their stories.  I want them to see and understand that people are people regardless of where they are from

My ideal would be 6 months in Asia (from which months would be in India and Sri Lanka), 1 month Australia, 1 month NZ (but I could forego them if they were too expensive), 2 months islands in pacific islands, 2 months Central America, 6 months South America (including Galapagos) and 1 month in South Africa.  I would love to volunteer and really immerse ourselves in the communities we have chosen to visit.  So we’d better get saving 🙂

What would be on your list? we would love to hear your list.