TRAVEL: My travel bucket list (Part 2)!

We’re back with another instalment of my Travel Bucket List – if you haven’t read Part 1, check that out here. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy reading about where I’d like to travel to over the next however many years! All opinions are my own.

• Malta

I only realised how lucky I was to live in Europe after I’d left it. The ease of travelling from one country to another, spending a long weekend discovering a new European city quite unlike my own, is something that I don’t think I’ll take for granted again, and one place I’m keen to check out is Malta. The island is both naturally and architecturally stunning, and full of history, so a must for my bucket list.

• Poland

I can’t quite place my finger on what it is about Poland that appeals to me so much. Maybe it’s that I’ve really enjoyed visiting other countries in Eastern Europe. Maybe because I love the sounds of the Polish language. Maybe it’s because it seems like the ideal place for a European getaway – long days and late nights, exploring the bars and restaurants of the cities, walking down busy streets full of vibrancy. Only one way to find out.

• Turkey

One word: Cappadocia. Oh my gosh, I have fallen so in love with the photos and videos of hot air balloons taking off over Cappadocia, the beautiful buildings stretching off towards the horizon, and the stunning sunrise skies. I am always looking for experiences that take my breath away, and I have no doubt that this would be one.

• Azerbaijan

I have yet to hear another keen traveller say that Azerbaijan is on their bucket list, because I don’t think that it’s the first place that springs to mind when people think of where they’d like to go. Why not? Somehow the amazingly modern city of Baku seems to have sprung up with nobody noticing. It looks like a fascinating place to visit with some of the coolest buildings I’ve ever seen.

• Russia

I’ve missed far too many chances to visit Russia, so I certainly won’t be letting the next one pass me by. Friends and family who’ve visited Russia have told me that St Petersburg is my kind of city, and if someone tells you that a city like that is made for you, you have to go, right? I’m so keen to check out the history and culture of the city, and maybe hop on a train to visit the likes of Moscow too. Even writing this down is making me want to book a flight right now!

• India

Oh boy, there are so many things about India that appeal to me. Do I want to go on a street food tour to try out all of the delicious vegetarian food? A yoga retreat to search for inner calm? Sightseeing to the Taj Mahal and the Gateway of India? Search for a better quality of life that attracts so many expats? Race down the bustling streets in the back of a tuk tuk? Yes to all!

• South Korea

I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled to many places over the course of my life so far, and yet the one continent I’d say that I’ve visited least and thus know the least about is Asia. As such, the next decade or so seems the perfect time to learn more about this part of the world, and one country I’d love to visit sooner rather than later is South Korea, indeed it’s even somewhere I could envision living someday. In my career, I’ve worked with so many Korean nationals who all seem so vibrant, and I’m sure that’s something to do with the culture they’ve been brought up with. I’d love to gather even an ounce of that vibrancy.

• Japan

I spoke previously about the thrall of Cuba being its position as a time capsule of the past, and I think Japan absolutely has to be an indication of the future. Whilst most of us are living in 2020, Japan already seems to be in 2050 – bustling cities full of neon, automation, robots, and just altogether more efficient ways of living. Checking into a capsule hotel and then hitting the streets for dinner served at a robot café (or maybe a cat café? Or a Pokemon café?) sounds ideal to me. Add to this the country’s exceeding natural beauty from sakura season in Spring, to bamboo forests, Mount Fuji, and hot springs home to monkeys; plus the wonderful traditional cultural elements of tea ceremonies and Minka houses. So much to see and do! 

 

 

• Philippines

If there was an award for the most beautiful place on planet Earth, I think the Philippines would certainly be in the running. Picture this: start off by exploring Manila, and then island hop to Boracay, Coron, and Siargao, cruise past rice terraces, dive in crystal clear waters, swim underneath waterfalls. Don’t mind if I do. 

Wow, writing all of these down has made me so eager to pack my bags and get going! I’d love to know whether any of the places I’ve spoken about in this series are on your bucket lists too, or indeed if you have other places you’d like to visit that I haven’t even thought of – leave a comment below or drop me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry with your own bucket list ideas. Stay tuned for more travel content coming soon. Thanks for reading!

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!