Why Now is the Best Time to Make Your Travel Bucket List

Yes.

You read that correctly.

I realize you can’t travel right now — or if you can, you can’t go very far.

But I believe now is the best time to make your travel bucket list.

Why?

Well, I have a few reasons which I’ll get to.

However, I’d like to start with the what.

 

So, what is a travel bucket list?

Apparently this term originated with the screen writer, Justin Zackham, who wrote the film The Bucket List.

He had created his own list called “Justin’s List of Things to Do Before I Kick the Bucket” which he shortened to “Justin’s Bucket List”.

And violá  — the term bucket list was born!

So broadly speaking, a bucket list contains all the things you want to do before you die.

A travel bucket list is simply a type of bucket list that focuses on places to go or experiences to have that revolve around travel.

Perhaps you want to run with bulls in Pamplona, Spain or see the Eiffel Tower in Paris or have a pint of Guinness in a pub in Ireland.

Your travel bucket list is yours and can include anything and everything your heart desires.

Okay.

So why is now a good time to make this list?

 

Reason #1: You have some extra time on your hands to create that travel bucket list

While we are starting to see some things open, we are far from being back to our normal busy lives.

So you may find you still have a little extra time on your hands.

Why not sit down and start writing this list?

Your brain will not be so bogged down with that “to do” list so you can freely think about places you want to travel to or experiences that you want to … well, experience.

You probably still have a little additional time to do some research on some destinations.

And I bet you have a wee bit of extra time to read some travel blogs — like this one.

Take all that info and that wonderful gift of free time and sit down and make that travel bucket list.

 

Reason #2: You now know what it’s like to NOT be able to go … anywhere

Now that you know how it feels to NOT travel, I bet you’ve been thinking about all the places you would rather be, haven’t you?

Have you been dreaming of destinations that you’d like to be quarantined in?

I sure have!

Sometimes NOT being able to do something makes us want to do it all that much more.

You know, that whole reverse psychology thing.

Being told we are not allowed to travel makes us wish we could travel even more.

So take all that pent up energy and all that wanting and make that travel bucket list.

 

Reason #3: Daydreaming is good way to beat the quarantine blues

As I alluded to above, you’ve probably been doing some daydreaming of where you might rather be during the quarantine.

Or perhaps you’ve been dreaming of where you want to go once we can all travel again.

Okay, so take those daydreams and put them in writing.

Make that travel bucket list from all those ideas and dreamy thoughts in your head.

Think about what it will be like to be in a biergarten in a small town in Germany, happily drinking a beer and eating a big soft pretzel, the sound of oompah music in your ears.

Daydream about paddling in the fjords of Norway, relishing in the peace and quiet and gazing up at what Mother Nature and time have created.

Imagine wandering through a maze of streets of a small, hill town in Tuscany and coming upon a view over the vineyard covered hills.

There.

Doesn’t all that daydreaming make you feel a bit better?

And doesn’t it make you want to put all those ideas down on list?

I thought so!

 

Reason #4: You have a different mindset thanks to COVID-19

Let’s face it, these are unprecedented times.

We are all thinking differently than we did a year ago.

Some of us have lost loved ones to this horrible virus.

At the least, our lives have been turned upside down and our priorities have shifted.

My guess is you may have had one travel bucket list pre-Covid-19 and now it might be different.

Or perhaps it’s the same but you are just more determined to make it happen.

So take what you’ve been thinking, feeling and any changes that you’ve experienced in your life and create your travel bucket list.

If you already have one, do you want to amend it?

Some of you may be spending a lot of time with family and want to add some solo travel on your bucket list simply because you need a break.

That’s okay.

Others may be so happy that all your family is safe and secure that you want to prioritize a bucket list with lots of family travel or multi-generational travel on it.

Great!

Whatever has changed, or not, make that list!

Now is the time.

 

Reason #5: Life is unpredictable so now is the time

Perhaps reason number 5 is an extension of reasons 4 and 2.

You may very well be saying things like, “life is short” or “life is unpredictable” or maybe “we don’t know what tomorrow or next year will be like”.

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that life really is unpredictable.

We don’t know what life —  let alone travel — will look like when we truly get past this.

And we don’t even know when we will get past the pandemic.

But we will get past it.

So what are you going to do with your time — with your life — when we are past all this?

Sit around and watch more Netflix?

I hope you’ll go do all the things you want to do.

And if you’re reading this blog, then I know you are interested in travel.

So make that travel bucket list now.

That way when we can travel again, you are ready.

No more waiting for the right time.

The coronavirus has taught us that NOW is the time.

If we wait, something else may happen.

Make your list now, and when the world opens up, you are ready to start checking things off that bucket list.

 

Thoughts on travel bucket lists

I know some folks think these lists are silly.

I believe in them to some degree.

What I don’t like is if someone has more of a check list.

By this I mean you have a list that check off as you travel.

Take a list for Ireland for example.

It may look like this:

• See the Cliffs of Moher
• Have a Guinness in an Irish pub
• Drive the Ring of Kerry
• Kiss the Blarney Stone
• See Kinsale and take this photo

 

So you do each of these — quickly — check it off and you’re done.

You know, kind of like a to do list.

Nope!

You know me, I believe in slow travel and truly experiencing a destination — connecting with the culture, the history, the people.

I believe in bucket lists — not check lists!

Travel bucket lists give us goals to strive for.

They inspire us to go experience the world or even our own backyard.

While my bucket list — which we’ll get to — includes the world, I don’t believe yours has to.

You may be fine with a list of destinations and experiences closer to home.

That’s fine.

A bucket list is yours and unique to you.

You should never feel that your bucket list is not “good” enough or “exotic” enough.

It’s yours — your travel dreams.

And that’s all that matters.

Okay…

 

So here’s a glimpse at my bucket list

While my dream list has a lot of Europe on it — because Europe is my first love — you will see other places around the globe on my list.

And really, my travel bucket list is longer than we have time for here, so this is the crème de la crème as the saying goes.

• See and possibly kayak the fjords of Norway
• Gaze at the Northern lights in Finnish Lapland or near the Lofoten Islands or Tromsø in Norway
• Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, France
• Explore and stay a few days on the island of Lewis and Harris, Scotland
• Hike in the Swiss Alps (I did a very short hike in 2014 and would love to do more!)
• See the Sistine Chapel (I love Michelangelo!)
• Track the mountain gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda
• Explore New Zealand (with some hiking for sure!)
• Play and snowshoe in the snow in Alpe di Siusi, Italy
• Cruise the Rhine and Moselle Rivers with stops at castles, vineyards and picturesque villages
• Drive the Pacific Coast Highway in the USA — very slowly with lots of stops!
• Experience autumn in New England, USA
• Explore another Greek Island (not sure which one, but I’m reading a lot!)
• Visit Japan with an emphasis on small, traditional villages surrounded by nature
• Hike in Patagonia
• Visit Petra, Jordan
• Walk along Hadrian’s Wall, England
• See some chateaux in the Loire River Valley, France (and visit some vineyards, of course 🥂)
• Walk some of the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain (all of it?)

This is just part of my list.

There is much more.

So…

Are you going to make your list?

Amend it?

What’s on your bucket list?

I’d love to know, so leave a comment below or feel free to email me or use the contact page to send me a message.

While we can’t travel now, we can still dream about traveling.

And making your travel bucket list is the place to start!

Happy Travel Dreaming 😊

 

Please note that Wander Your Way does not recommend travel at this time due to the current global health situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, many destinations and attractions found on this website will not be operating. Please stay up to date using official sources like the WHO. I do plan to continue to write about incredible destinations and to offer tips on travel to Europe, so that you will find some solace in these posts — so you dream about travel and learn about travel. This way when we can all travel again, you’ll be ready to go! For now, stay home and stay safe!

 

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