Wanderlust Pt. 2: The Future
So here it is, the promised second half of my musings on travel. As I touched on before, not only have I been reminiscing about my past travel experiences, but I’ve been planning and daydreaming about the future as well.
I’ve decided that the best way to share my ideas with you is by writing out a top ten list and inspiring myself with beautiful pictures. It’s apparenlty a huge pain to post a lot of pictures, but I suggest that you visit http://www.lonelyplanetimages.com/homepage.html if you’d like to see any of the places I talk about below. If you enjoy the idea of gazillions of beautiful travel pictures, this is the website for you.
(Karrie’s) Top Ten Things to do Before I Die
- Camping in Chobe National Park (Botswana, Africa)
This was actually something that was in the works during my time in South Africa. When we were wishfully planning to make a return in the fall we concocted grand visions of all the adventures we would have as temporary residents of Africa. One of the ideas would be to get a small group of people together, rent a 4×4, stock up on supplies (i.e. water, gas, shelter, food, fun), and spend some overnights in the bush doing the safari thing. We did a couple game parks in South Africa, and it was an amazing experience. It’s truly something that shouldn’t be missed for anyone with a pulse. It’s on many peoples’ To Do Before Death lists for a reason. We thought about Chobe in particular as it is a bit more rustic (i.e. you need a 4×4 to handle some of the ‘roads’). They also have camp grounds that you can stay at, maybe even hire a guide and do a walk through the park, or take a night drive. It’s an idea that’s stuck with me. Even if we don’t end up as temporary residents in SA, I have my heart set on doing this. - Attempt to (and hopefully successfully) climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa
This little adventure is a recent idea in my constantly churning mind. In a recent issue of Women’s Health Magazine, they did an article on places to see in the world before they disappear. There were some amazing locations, but the one that caught my eye was Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s the highest peak in Africa; however, it is a non-technical climb. That means it’s a hard, 7-8 day hike up a mountain! I love mountains, but not being a climber I haven’t thought much about going up any of them. Hearing that I could be amongst the snow peaks of any mountain, and especially one in Africa, just lit up a new desire. Maciej, always being ready for some sort of adventure, is fully on board. If we can manage schedules and money we may even go as soon as winter 2009. - Trek around Cambodia and see the Temples of Angkor
This is one leg of yet another planned trip in the coming future. In addition to wanting to go to Tanzania in 2009-ish, the husband and I are also hoping to get out to Southeast Asia and Asia proper some time in the not so distant future. One of the places on my list for this trip is Angkor in Cambodia. I’ve always been hesitant to travel to such ‘exotic’ places, especially Asia as a whole. But there’s just so much natural beauty in so many places, I can’t imagine going my whole life and not seeing even a piece of it. Which leads me to the next related ‘to do’… - Take a boat through the limestone islands of Halong Bay in Vietnam
Chances are, if you’re unfamiliar with the name above, you’ve at least seen photos of the awe-inspiring islands of Halong Bay. This is what made me actually decide that I would like to take a trip to the very East, far out of my comfort zone. I knew that I had to experience this for myself at some point in my life. This will be another stop on the Asia tour of 2009/2010(?). - Stay in an over-water bungalow in Bora Bora
This is absolutely the vision of paradise that I have. A wooden thatch-roof bungalow on stilts over crystal clear water with white sands and tropical fish. Have your breakfast brought to you every morning by canoe. Lay around and not worry about anything besides getting an even tan. Now this is my idea of a vacation. The only reason I have not done this yet (and maybe a million times over) is the sheer expense of getting to the South Pacific islands. But I will do it, I swear! - Trek through Tongariro National Park in New Zealand
Of course you know this place. Have you seen Lord of the Rings? The magical land in the triology was filmed here, with its large expanse of land and mountainous terrain. It’s huge, it’s open, and it looks so peaceful. I’d love to go with the basics and just walk and be quiet. Maybe I can swing on by after returning from Bora Bora. That would save the plane fare :) - See the Northern Lights
I will go anywhere to do this. Ideally I’d like to go to Scandinavia or Iceland to see Aurora Borealis, but I will even go to Northern Manitoba if that’s what it takes (and maybe take in some polar bears while there? who knows). This is definitely something that needs to be experienced to fully comprehend. A jewel-toned light show in the sky, produced by nature. I’ve heard it’s an amazing sight and I vow to take it in, no matter how cold I have to get to experience it. Plus, as a side point, I’d like to visit the Great White North. This way I can kill two birds with one stone (so to speak). - Hike to Machu Picchu in Peru
Few things can compare to touching a piece of history so ancient that you cannot hope to comprehend the space of time from then until now. Machu Picchu is one of those sites that begs contemplation. It’s amazing that something from a different world has survived for so long, hidden away in the jungle, and can now be experienced by today’s inhabitants. Magical. - Stay in Lesotho and travel through the mountains
Lesotho is a small country inside South Africa that has it’s own history, people, and culture. It is in the Drakensburg mountains and is largely rural. When I go back to South Africa at some point (which I will do, as it’s a must) I would love to travel across this country. There are 2-day horse rides through the mountains that are guided by native Lesothos. It includes camping along the way and ending in a small village. Now all I have to do is learn to ride a horse! I guess that’s another list… Karrie’s Non-Travelling Related to do List. - Raise a pint in an Irish Pub
I would love to see the vast rolling hills of Ireland’s country side, complete with sheep, steep cliffs, and puffins. I would also like to experience the towns and cities, and converse with the locals and their Irish accents. And what would a trip to Ireland be without a pint in an old pub? Maybe I’d even brave the beefy Guinness!
And that’s it my friends… I’ve shared with you my travelling past and my (hopeful) travelling future. If things work out and money is saved, 2009/2010 will prove to be quite the adventure. I’ll be sure to keep you up to date if any concrete plans are made. And please try to keep me accountable for meeting my goals. After all, there’s no motivation like peer pressure :P
I hope that I’ve also managed to make you feel nostalgic for your own adventures, be they near or far. To end this long daydream, I leave you with a simple quotation to get things moving in your own mind: “The world is a book, those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ Saint Augustin
