Do You Have a List?
Do you have a list of places you want to see, things you want to experience, countries you would like to visit? Or maybe a vague notion of where you would like to travel someday if you get the chance?
I don’t really have a written list. Instead, I have more of an informal lineup that constantly changes as I acquire new interests, lose others, and actually visit the places of my dreams.
One of my aspirational travel dreams is to spend a quiet week in an overwater bungalow somewhere exotic like Tahiti, Fiji, or Bora Bora, just relaxing, swimming, and snorkeling. Another is to take a cruise down the beautiful Adriatic Sea, stopping in the walled, red-roofed town of Dubrovnik. On other days, I love the idea of going on some sort of safari in Africa so I can see majestic, wild animals in their natural habitat.
While my imagination frequently takes me to these international adventures, I also realize that there is so much of the United States that I have yet to see. I would love to get the chance to visit historic cities like Charleston, SC, or drive down to the Florida Keys. And of course, it would be amazing to visit the gorgeous national parks I have only seen in photographs: Glacier, Yellowstone, Arches, and the Grand Canyon.
Some experiences on my list have a narrower focus, such as seeing certain works of art. There have been two particular paintings I have long wanted to see, and in 2019 I was able to visit both in person: Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Munch’s The Scream. I was able to visit the former at the MOMA during a short visit to New York City, and the latter at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. While I didn’t plan either trip specifically around these paintings, I jumped at the opportunity to see them when my travels serendipitously led me in their paths.
As much as I want to see new places, I am also drawn back to several that I have visited and absolutely love. As a result, I’ve expanded my list to include returning to these destinations, including the Norwegian fjords and Iceland as well as Australia and New Zealand. And of course, my lineup isn’t complete without some old family favorites, such as Hawaii and Walt Disney World. At times I can find it difficult to balance a desire to experience new places while still feeling the call from destinations I’ve been to many times before. I’m not entirely sure where I will go next, but it’s a big, wide, wonderful world out there and I am excited at the opportunity to see more of it!
Do you have a list? Or a place you would really like to visit? I’d love to hear about your thoughts and wishes in the comments below. Where would you like to travel?
