I want to travel the world. My passport is ready to be stamped, and I am waiting impatiently for the borders to open and the flights increase capacity. Most importantly, I’m waiting for the CDC to say it is safe to travel. But dang, after being locked up for six months. I want to travel the world now more than ever.
Even though so many Americans are ignoring travel restrictions, or using the finite number of rapid tests to give themselves permission to travel- I am not. I am staying home, socially distancing and wearing my mask at the store. I want to travel of course. But I don’t, because I am being socially responsible.
But I’m thinking about it. And that thinking often ends up with conversations like this:
No one: hey Kate, what’d you do today?
Me: I typed up a travel bucket list during a global pandemic
No one: but… you’re not traveling any time soon. You didn’t even leave the house today. You literally got back into pajamas after your shower.
Me: it costs zero dollars to mind your own business.
As we rolled into 2020, before the world as we knew it crumbled into masks and stay at home mandates, I had wanted to travel more. (I had a whole travel section on my 2020 goals blog post!) Like I’ve said a time or two, I am a free spirit wanderlust bitten by the travel bug. I love road trips, Disney cruises, spontaneity, and exploration. Last year I wanted to focus on being a local tourist right here within a short drive’s distance. We did spend a day in Savannah, and an hour at Mepkin Abbey, and I hope to knock out the rest of my day trip bucket list at some point in the next year (assuming the ‘rona gets squashed). But that isn’t going to stop me from dreaming of jet setting, and traveling the world. Unlike my friend Adrienne, who has already visited all seven continents, or Angela who has run multiple international marathons, my travel bucket list is simple.
Go anywhere but here.
My Top Ten International Travel Bucket List
Obviously there are so many popular tourist destinations that are incredibly beautiful and we should all visit before we die. I still want to visit them, and I would love to go just to say I did. Who doesn’t want to visit the Seven Wonders of the World (Niagara Falls being the easiest, since I grew up in New York). But this list is my international travel bucket list that steps outside the obvious. I don’t want a tourist trap, I want it to be an experience to be remembered.
1. France
Even though its cliche, France is always top of my list. It probably doesn’t belong on my wish list, since I’ve already been there. But French is the only language other than English I’m fluent in, so I would be the most comfortable traveling without the tourist neon sign over my head. I’ve been to three regions so far (Lyon, Jura, and Paris) but I still want to visit the other areas.
2. Panama
My high school boyfriend’s mother always spoke so highly of the beauty of Panama, and I fell in love with the idea of visiting. Like any teenage romance, we used to talk about visiting it together, and even though we haven’t spoken in over a decade, Panama is still on my travel bucket list. I’m a nerd for the history side of the Panama Canal, and think it would be so cool to see the space between North and South America.
3. Lebanon
Having a newly discovered Jewish appreciation, it would be assumed that I wanted to visit Israel. But I don’t. When I look at the middle east, I want the hidden beauty of Lebanon. It only entered my travel bucket list in 2015ish, after a friend went there and I was so jealous of her photos. Since it’s not a huge tourist destination, it would be
4. Iceland
When I was in middle school I had a snail mail penpal in Iceland, and I told her I wanted to visit. Ironically, it was my French penpal I ended up visiting a few years later. But Iceland has always been on my travel bucket list, and has been moving up the list in the past few years because it has such a different societal point of view. It could beat Lebanon by next year.
5. Netherlands
The Netherlands was probably the first place I ever put on my travel bucket list, and I have reason to believe it will be the first location on this list that I actually go after publishing this post. I grew up in New York, which was settled by the Dutch. That being said, I lived and worked in Amsterdam (NY) and went to the Rotterdam Mall, and I have a strong desire to go to the originals. I loved our upstate NY tulip festivals, but I want to see the OG. This year might be a washout, but 2021 is going to wees geweldig.
6. Singapore
To be honest, Asia as a whole is such a culture diamond mind that I would love to spend a month or two just hopping from one country to the next and really soak it in. My sister studied abroad and spent a semester in South Korea, and her experience is something to be envied. But if I had to choose only one, it would be Singapore. Adrienne, linked above, speaks highly of Singapore and Hong Kong, and has been begging me to go with her. Since she’s familiar with the country, my travel there could be non-touristy, which is important to me. I hate being a tourist, I want the local experience.
7. Guam
Did you know many Americans don’t know the history of Guam, as an American territory, let alone could they locate it on a map. Technically Guam probably doesn’t belong on my international travel bucket list, since it is an American territory, but since it had been a sovereign nation for so long it is making my list. Although it is a super small island, it is so beautiful and has an amazing history and culture. I would go there before Hawaii.
8. Scotland
Ireland is one of the top tourist destinations right now, and I want to avoid that. But my family is full of redheads, and we often tell people that it is because we are Scottish. That may or may not be true, even after my mom took the DNA ancestry test. Either way, who doesn’t want to see hundred year old castles and connect with the only cultural link they might have?
PS// Check your family history with a DNA test — Ancestry DNA or 23 and Me
9. Spain
I mainly want to visit Spain because of music in Barcelona. I think it would be incredible to soak up the music and food. But I don’t want to spend an entire trip in Spain, so I would probably piggyback it with Portugal during a France trip.
10. Morocco
Although probably the most basic white girl and touristy rationale, I think it’s pretty. The pictures of Morocco are stunning, and I can’t resist. But when I think about my reasoning for wanting to go it usually gets bumped off the list because I don’t want to go somewhere just because it’s a travel destination
Bonus Destination- Italy
If we consider Morocco is booted off, or if I don’t count France since I’ve been there a few times, I put Italy on. Yes, I know, Italy is one of the top travel locations on bucket list, which goes against my “I want to go where the tourists aren’t” plan. But that just means I stay away from Rome, Florence, and Venice. Instead, I want to tour the olive vineyards in Bari, and maybe visit my sister-in-law.
Are you ready to get your butt out of the country and travel again? Or do you prefer staying state side and sticking with road trips, or being a local tourist in your community. Let me know in the comments where you want to go once it is safe to do so again.
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