We all have a bucket list of places we want to visit. For me, that list isn’t written down anywhere or is formal in any way. It is just a list I keep in my head. Once I learned I was moving overseas and could afford to travel, the list became more a reality and I had to start to pick from the places I have always wanted to go. In the last two years of living in Qatar, I have visited many places and only one of them is what I would call one of my dream trips.
My first dream trip was to Jordan to visit Petra. As I mentioned in my post about this last fall, I have wanted to visit this place ever since seeing Indiana Jones. I think in the back of my mind it wasn’t real until I actually saw Petra in person. As I grew older, the lore of Petra only grew as learned more about it. Built so long ago out of the sides of mountains in a country I knew nothing about, it was truly a desert mirage in my mind. Walking down the Siq to the Treasury, I was not disappointed. In fact, Petra only got better as I walked further into it. I am still in awe of what the Nabateans built. Despite spending a day and a half exploring Petra, I still want to go back and spend more time there.
Photo courtesy of Max Ruckman, Flickr
My next dream trip is the to the Galapagos Islands. This trip tempts every time I hear a report on the wildlife that live there. Not only did Charles Darwin discovery the survival of the fittest there, he sparked a fascination in many. The wildlife is so unique and abundant there, I want to see these animals in their natural habitat. I know that some find it controversial because of conservation issues, however I think we do some good by teaching ourselves and others about the nature and why the Galapagos and other places are so fragile and need our help. The remoteness of the islands is also appealing to me. Since there is so little left to be the first explorer in the world, I feel the need to explore things that not everyone will get to see in their lifetime. I want to be one of the lucky few who get to see a giant Galapagos tortoise, in part because of their ability to live for so long. If we could only see history through their eyes and know what they know.
Photo courtesy of Franck Vervial, Flickr
Cuba is my next dream trip. This trip might actually now that Americans can go to Cuba. And now I am in a race to beat McDonald’s there! But in all seriousness, there is something about a country that is stuck 60+ years back in time. The old cars, the old buildings and even the lack of wi-fi is appealing to me. I feel like Cuba is a place you could visit and actually get to know the locals on a different level since we know so little about their daily lives, you could go with an unbiased outlook. It is also a chance to see how society might have developed without all the technology that we have today. Obviously, not all technology but not the every present connection to each other. I bet people in Cuba still send letters!
Photo courtesy of Sunova Surfboards, Flickr
My last dream trip is Bali. I can’t even tell you in great words or detail about why I want to go to Bali, but I feel drawn to it. Maybe it is how far it is from even where I live now or the exotic people that live there and how different their lives are from mine. It could be the lush greenery surround by the beautiful ocean, but something tells me I need to go. I also feel this is a place that you don’t go to on a week’s vacation. This is definitely a slow trip for me, so I learn about the people and their culture in depth. Maybe once I go, I can tell what it is that I love about Bali.
What are some of your dream trips? Have been you been yet?
This post is part of a travel link up hosted by Emma, Rebecca, Kelly and Liz. The theme this month was Places You Can’t Get Out of Your Head. Please pay them a visit and see what places they love.