I’m one of those people who takes great pleasure in crossing things off lists but,  for whatever reason, the term “bucket list” just doesn’t appeal to me. However, that’s exactly what this is! I like to think of it as more of a planning tool to make sure I keep those trips that are most important to me in the forefront of my mind. The biggest challenge for me is that I get to take an amazing trip and the next thing I know I’ve discovered more interesting things to see and places I want to visit. Anyway, here’s my round the world “to do” list!

By no means is this a complete list of all the places I would love to visit. It’s not even a complete list of what I’d like to see and do in place, just the ideas that got my attention about the destination in the first place! I’m sure as soon as one of these is crossed off several more will be added. The struggle is real.

What are the places you hope to visit? Let me know!

North America

Alaska – cruise the inside passage

Key Largo – snorkel on North America’s only living coral barrier reef

Turks and Caicos – learn to scuba dive and get open water dive certification

Yellowstone National Park – visit the most geothermically active spot in the world

Cuba – explore the food and culture of this long forbidden country

Europe

Paris — see the iconic sights of the city of light and visit classic French bakeries (I’m a pastry chef!)

Scotland — visit the places my family is from including the Outer Hebrides

Greece — sail the Greek islands and see the sights of mainland classical Greece

Switzerland — travel by train to see the Matterhorn

Barcelona  — sample the food and culture and see Gaudi’s famous works

Turkey – visit the crossroads of ancient cultures

Finland – travel by dogsled to see the Northern Lights

Asia

Jordan — visit Petra and Bethany beyond the Jordan

Jerusalem – see the Holy Land after 2000 years

Nepal/Bhutan — see Mt. Everest and possibly hike to Everest base camp

Uzbekistan — travel the Silk Road

Africa

Tanzania and Zanzibar — safari to Ngorongoro crater and beach time

Egypt — explore the ancient civilization of the pharaohs and cruise on the Nile

Morocco – ride a camel in the Sahara desert

Madagascar – explore one of the most biodiverse places on the planet

South America

Peru – hike to Machu Picchu

Patagonia – explore the end of the world

Oceania

Australia – dive on the Great Barrier Reef