TRAVEL: My travel bucket list (Part 1)!

We may not be able to travel freely at the moment, but that doesn’t mean we can’t think about traveling and planning our next trips; and that’s certainly what I’ve been spending a lot of time doing in my lockdown! Some of you may have read my previous travel bucket list from a few years back – since then, I’ve managed to tick one of the destinations off, Jordan (read about my time there in this post!) and have added even more! It’s ambitious, but I hope you’ll join me in visiting all of these exciting places over the next however many years! Check out Part 1 below, with my bucket list for the Americas and Africa. All opinions are my own.

• Alaska

Perhaps part of a broader plan to make it to all 50 states someday, Alaska is top of my list of new states to visit. One only needs to look up pictures of Alaska in the summer to see why I’d like to visit – insane natural beauty and huge amounts of wildlife. There are a number of rail or cruise trips that take in Alaska, so maybe I’ll be able to take one of these and tick off some other destinations en route!

• Canada

It’s no secret that I’d like to spend some time living in Canada one day. Not only do the population have a reputation for being more than lovely, but the country is also full of truly awesome places. I’ve become obsessed with Banff having seen photos and videos of the place, and dream of walking along the shores of Lake Louise with those gorgeous mountains in the background. If budget allows, maybe I’ll even get the chance to stay at the famous Fairmont Chateau hotel which provides spectacular views in summer or winter.

• Texas 

Rumour has it that everything’s bigger in Texas, and I’m keen to see if this is really true. I’m thinking a road trip between Dallas and Austin to check out the music scene of both cities, admire the architecture, see the big skies, and most importantly, taste the food. Barbeque, brunch, Tex Mex: sign me up!

• Cuba

As time travel has yet to become widely available, it would seem that the closest I’m going to get to this at the moment is with a trip to Cuba. Whilst a shame that the country has not been able to develop much beyond the 1950s due to trade, its vintage nature is also much of the thrill of visiting for tourists. I’d like to walk down the cobbled streets, watching the old style cars roll by, and listen to the music pouring out of the shops and bars.

• Colombia

Colombia remains a bit of an enigma for me – I don’t entirely know what mysteries the country holds, I just know that I want to visit to discover them. There’s so much of South America left for me to explore, and I’m excited at the prospect of encountering some more Latin American cities like Bogota, as well as visiting the colourful facades of some of the smaller towns.

• Bolivia

Another must on my South American adventures, Bolivia has one of my top sites to see – the Uyuni Salt Flat. I have yet to see anything quite like this, and I love the thought of driving across the salt flats and seeing its mirror-like surface. I’ve also heard about the amazing food to be found in this country, and am keen to test out all the new flavours.

• Brazil

The last of my South American countries on this bucket list (I’m sure that will have expanded by the time I get around to revising this list!) is Brazil. In my line of work, I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know loads of Brazilian people, and can assure you that they are some of the loveliest I’ve ever met. This has led me to become even more interested in discovering the country that raises such beautiful people, and get to know a bit more about their lifestyle. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro also hold lots of mystery for me, and I’d love to visit the places I’ve seen in countless travel shows and Instagram accounts.

• Morocco

There was a plan for me to visit Morocco a few years ago which unfortunately didn’t happen, but that doesn’t mean the appeal of the country has lessened for me. It only takes one look at pictures from the country’s souks to see why I might want to visit – who wouldn’t want to spend an hour or two wandering along the alleyways with the smell of spices in the air and glorious colours of clothes and fabrics surrounding you?

• Rwanda/Uganda

Basically, I’d like to go wherever I can see gorillas, and these two countries seem the best chance to do so. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen my fair share of primates across the globe, but gorillas are one I still have to tick off. Trekking through the jungle to see the family dynamics of such an interesting species? Sign me up!

So, where should I head to first? Let me know in the comments or by dropping me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry. And this isn’t even the half of my travel bucket list – I’ll be posting Part 2 with my ideas for the rest of the world soon. Stay tuned!