My Travel Bucket List

It’s been over a year now since I traveled outside of the country.

The last time I traveled with a passport was for our honeymoon back in June 2019. Thankfully though, Cary and I didn’t have any extravagant trips planned during COVID so our plans weren’t majorly uprooted. However, I do have quite a few places that I want to travel to during my lifetime. And in the spirit of dreaming, I thought I’d share some of those places with you!

Here’s my travel bucket list!

Australia

This trip would likely require a pretty lengthy visit. Australia’s a massive continent, but it also takes a considerable amount of time to travel there by plane. Would love to see the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Sydney, Kings Canyon, Mount Wellington, and Great Ocean Road.

Brazil

Ever since they had the World Cup and the Summer Olympics in Rio, I’ve dreamed of visiting. Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Corcovado, Iguacu National Park…

Chile

I don’t know much about the country, except that the Patagonia region exists between the borders of Argentina and Chile. There are supposed to be some incredible views and hikes along the Andes Mountains. When travel restrictions are lifted, I’ll probably do a little more research to see what this amazing country has to offer, but the pictures look spectacular.

China

I’ve always wanted to go to China! I remember hearing my grandparents talk about their trip to China years ago and sitting enraptured listening to them talk about the culture, food, and history. My must-sees: Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin, and the Yangtze River. I’ve always had this mild fascination and intrigue towards the Chinese people and their way of life, and I think it would a trip of lifetime to experience it.

England

The first time I travelled to England, I was 13 years old. My grandparents had promised my older sister that when she turned 13, they would take her anywhere she wanted. Her request: France. She set the bar high, which allowed me to go to England when I turned 13. My other cousins went to Italy and California for their trips. Truly one of the best gifts I have ever been given. I will treasure that trip for the rest of my life. I think it’s one of the many reasons why I love that country so much is because my grandparents were the ones who introduced me to it. Since that first trip, I’ve since been back at least 2 maybe 3 times.

France

Provence, Paris, Versailles, Côte d’Azur, Normandy, Alsace, Mont Blanc…

Germany

My ancestry is rooted in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France and Germany. It would be neat to visit and see what evidence we could find of my family lineage. I’d love to see the Nuremberg Christmas markets, Berlin, Frankfurt, Neuschwanstein Castle, and Dresden.

Greece

Ever since I saw the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I always dreamed I’d go to Greece and meet my Kostas. Sounds romantic, right?!? To fall in love amidst the whitewashed buildings of Santorini. But now that I met and married my Kostos, I can’t imagine a more romantic adventure with my husband. Would love to tour the Greek Islands, Athens, Mount Olympus, and so much more.

India

I actually have already been to India, but I’d love to go back and explore more of it. I went to the region of Bihar in northern India for spring break my Junior year of college (March 2014). We went there through my church in Birmingham, AL for a mission trip to map out water wells and to share the gospel with unreached people groups. It was truly a trip of a lifetime. But next time, I’d love to explore Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, Agra, Bangalore, Mumbai, & Kolkata.

Indonesia

After going to India and Italy, I made a pact to myself to try and go to as many “I” countries as possible. No particular reason, it just seemed like a fun bucket list. But I’ve heard Indonesia is a stunning country full of ancient temples, mesmerizing beaches, active volcanoes, and expansive mountain landscapes. Would love to see and experience Indonesian culture!

Ireland

I’ve been to England and Scotland multiple times but have yet to visit Ireland. Scotland is vastly different from England, so I suspect that Ireland is also uniquely different from it’s British Isle counterparts. I’d love to visit the Cliffs of Moher, Dublin, The Giants Causeway, The Ring of Kerry, Croagh Patrick, and Belfast to start.

Israel & Jordan

This should be on everyone’s bucket list! I went to Israel and Jordan during the Janterm of my junior year in college with my parents. We went for a pilgrimage to see spiritual sites and truly walk in the steps of Jesus. We visited Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Cana, Capernaum, Caesarea Philippi, Jerash, Mount Nebo, the Dead Sea, Petra, Jericho, the Garden of Gethsemane, and so much more. It was incredibly poignant to go on that pilgrimage with my parents.

Italy

Inamorato with this country! Went there the Janterm of my sophomore year in college (January 2013). I was a part of an honors program that included a free trip to Italy after you completed your core classes. And as a fellow, your core classes included western intellectual tradition, writing and rhetoric, scientific inquiry, virtues, and biblical perspectives. Basically a mish mash of philosophy, history, and literature. So for two weeks we got to see what we’d learned over the past year and a half come to life. We visited Rome, Florence, Perugia, Orvieto, Foligno, and Assisi. I can’t wait to go back and eat all the gelato, carbonara, and espresso!

Peru

Macchu Picchu was declared one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. This 38-mile hike typically takes 4 days in total but is supposed to be a trip of a lifetime.

Spain

My dad spent a few years growing up in Spain when his dad was in the navy. One day, I’d love to go to Spain with him to experience his Spain. But Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Granada, & Salamanca are at the top of my list.

Uganda, Kenya, & South Africa

I’ve never been to any African country, but I think that like Australia, it will have to be a pretty extensive trip to make it worth the travel there and back. I’d love to visit Uganda, Kenya, & South Africa to start. Also a safari is a MUST!

US National Parks:

Visited: Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Want to visit: Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Zion, Arches, Grand Teton

What’s on your travel bucket list?