When it comes to a travel ?to do list?, Neil Maslen from Travel Counsellors shows that there is a world of options for all seasons and reasons!
This week I booked a holiday for myself.
Hardly ground-breaking news as I?m a travel agent. However, this one was different as it?s number one on my bucket list. You are probably assuming I?m swimming with dolphins or trekking Machu Pichu. But no, my dream trip is Indianapolis to see the NFL team I?ve supported all my life play at home for the first time! It?s a long story...
This got me thinking about bucket lists. What else is on my ?to do list? and how does it differ from other people? Many are specific destinations. I hear people say it?s the dream to visit the likes of Australia or New Zealand. These sort of destinations all have the ?big trip? feel to them that elevates them to bucket list status.
But it?s not always the destination as much as the experience that is the pull. Experiences can range from seeing the Northern Lights, to seeing a specific animal in its natural habitat. For me, it?s the leopard. I?ve been to South Africa, Sri Lanka and Oman, but the closest I?ve got is at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. For others it?s polar bears, orangutans or, in one case, a honey badger. Yes, I have put together a trip to South Africa and Botswana with the main aim to see the elusive honey badger. If you?ve not heard of these amazing creatures before, look them up on YouTube!
Being in Japan for the cherry blossoms in spring or seeing the autumn foliage in New England have both appeared on people?s lists. Route 66 doesn't even technically exist anymore but the dream of driving across America in a red Mustang convertible excites.
Sporting events can be part of the dream, whether it?s as simple as going down to London to watch a day?s play at Wimbledon to seeing an Ashes test match. I have sent people all around the world to watch Formula One races in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Monaco.
But I will stick with seeing the Colts and hopefully a leopard. Along with visiting Bhutan, Fiji and Argentina and I?d love to see the Northern lights and a Polar Bear. With the excitement of my Indianapolis trip I?ve decided to stop waiting and to start doing. Iceland is next!
