My Travel Bucket List: Future Adventures For When Covid F**ks Off!
Updated: Oct 10, 2020
Last month I was supposed to be jetting off to Thailand for a three month backpacking adventure across Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, Miss Rona and the world had other plans. As a result, I've spent the majority of lockdown dreaming about walking down the aisle.
Nah, not that kind of aisle.
This kind of aisle.
Just imagine hopping on that plane, passport in hand, fighting over who get the window seat. (Sigh.) I guess many others across the world are in the same situation, with cancelled holidays, events and trips abroad. I'm finding that the best way to cope with the disappointment is to plan for the future. So, i've decided to create my own travel bucket list. A record full of my dream destinations for when Covid-19 f**ks off! Not only has this lifted my spirits but it's also given me something to look forward to again. As soon as it is safe to do so, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be on the next plane out of here.
Travel Bucket List
1) Backpack Southeast Asia:
Of course the trip that never was is at the top of my list. Luckily, mine and my boyfriend's plane tickets are valid for another year, so we'll hopefully still be able to make it happen!
Over the three months we were going to spend out there, we planned to visit seven different countries in total- Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bali, Singapore and finally Malaysia. As we began researching and planning our route, I couldn't help but fall in love with the place. From the pristine white beaches to the bustling cities, everywhere looks stunning. There seems to be an amazing array of wildlife too (a big plus for an animal lover like me) and each country is rich with fascinating culture and colourful personality. As a backpacker, you have to experience the amazing nightlife that Southeast Asia has to offer- trust me, having not set foot in a pub for 13 weeks, I'll need no convincing!
Must-sees & Experiences:
• Gardens By The Bay, Singapore
• Ankor Wat, Cambodia
• Killing fields, Cambodia
• Tubing in Laos
• Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary
• Full Moon Party, Thailand
• Ubud Monkey Forest, Bali
• Snorkelling along the Gili Islands beaches, Indonesia
•Hoi An, Vietnam
2) African Safari Adventure:
I have dreamed of going on an African safari ever since I was tiny! Who doesn't want to go spot the big 5 in their natural habitat? The Serengeti National Park, which spans across northern Tanzania, looks like an incredible place to do it. I can just picture myself in the back of an Easter Jeep, driving around the endless plains, pretending I'm Eliza Thornberry (I've already got the hair). They have these gorgeous tented camps that are the perfect mix between roughing it in the wilderness and a 5* hotel. Imagine waking up to the distant tooting of elephant. Beats Apple's god awful alarm for sure! Some tour operators also provide you with the opportunity to visit a Maasai Village. There you can interact with the people, learn about their culture and even purchase their handmade crafts as souvenir!
Must-sees & Experiences:
•Spot the big 5 on a game drive
•Watch the biggest mammal migration in the world
• Hot Air Balloon Ride
• Seronera River Valley (most animal populated area)
•Ngorongoro Conservation Area
•Retina Hippo Pool
•Maasai Village
3) See The Northern Lights
This is probably on a lot of people's bucket lists and rightly so. It looks breathtaking! Usually, I'm not a fan of the cold weather, but I'd happily freeze my tits off to witness one of nature's most spectacular wonders. You can opt to stay in a cosy log cabin or, if you're feeling a little crazy, an ice hotel. Personally, I'd choose to stay in a little glass igloo! In these you can lie back in a nice warm bed and gaze up at the glowing night sky. How magical! There's dozens of arctic activities to get involved with too, husky sledging is at the top of my list! I'd also love to eat my weight in fresh seafood, a definite possibility on this adventure.
Must-Sees & Experiences:
•Aurora Borealis (The Northern Lights)
•Husky Sledge
•Arctic Wildlife Safari
•Snowmobile
•Arctic Bath Spa/ Outdoor Hot tub
•Fresh Seafood
4) Explore Australia
Australia looks wild. The spiders are huge, the snakes are huge, the place itself is huge! The thought of giant creepy crawlies and snakes lurking in your toilet may be enough to put a few people off (my boyfriend being one of them). But Australia will always be high up on my list! From climbing the Sydney harbour bridge to exploring the sweeping scenery of the outback, there's just so much to see and experience! Probably the greatest treasure of all, is the Great Barrier Reef! Home to over 1500 species of fish as well as whales, dolphins, sea turtles and more, I can't wait to one day grab my snorkel and marvel from afar.
Must-Sees & Experiences:
•The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
•Ride the Ghan (A train that crosses the continent)
•Sydney Harbour
•The Gold Coast Beaches & Theme Parks
•Watch Turtles Hatch On The Beach
•Drive The Great Ocean Road, Victoria
•Melbourne
•Bondi Beach, Sydney
•See the Red Centre on camel back
•Byron Bay, New South Wales
5) Drive Across North America
This was inspired by one of my all time favourite films, 'Little Miss Sunshine'- although I hope my van will be in better nick! There's just no better way of seeing America! I love the idea of speeding along the great open roads, stopping at quirky roadside attractions and eating in all-American diners as you explore state after state. The most famous route to take is of course, route 66, but there's dozens of others to choose from. One I like the look of is 'The Loneliest Road.' Although it sounds dull, the 3,200 mile trip is far from it! Starting in California and ending in Maryland, the route passes through 12 different states and four state capitals, including Washington DC!
Must-Sees & Experiences: (Route Dependent)
•Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
•Gold Country
•Nevada
•Pony Express Trail
•Utah
•Colorado
•Million Dollar Highway
•Santa Fe Trail
•Kansas
•Missouri
•Indiana
•Ohio
•West Virginia & Virginia
•Washington, D.C.
•Maryland
And there you have it. My post lockdown bucket list, or at least the start of it. To be honest the past few months have taught me a lot, but perhaps one of the greatest things I've learnt is to never take an opportunity for granted. Whether its something small, like going to the pub with friends, or something much bigger, like travelling the world, I've made a promise to myself to never turn these things down. Life is short and precious. The things that we take for granted might not always be there. When its safe to do so, make sure you get out there, see the places you want to see and do the things you've always dreamed of. (Cheesy I know!)
Go get em girl!
Got a travel bucket list of your own? Let me know what's on it!