As you will have seen on my bucket list, the list of places I want to travel to is nigh endless. However, there are a few parts of this planet my urge to get to (again) is especially strong. These are in no particular order:
- Ethiopia – The most recent go-to place on my radar. Lately, I have come across a few articles that raised my attention for this often overlooked country in Eastern Africa. Apparently, there is just enough tourism to make travelling work somewhat easily – but not yet the crowds the sights will surely draw in a couple of years.
- Laos – On my first visit in 2007 I discovered slowness. On my next visit I want to see if Laos still “does it” for me, if I can ever get enough of fresh spring rolls at Luang Prabang’s night market and also venture beyond and into the jungle and the more remote areas of Laos.
- Africa – Namibia, Botswana, Zanzibar, Tanzania – those names sound like adventure and incredible landscapes. Endless sand dunes, exotic animals and a variety of colours I have never seen before come to my mind.
- Patagonia – I imagine hiking between glacier-clad mountains.
- Antarctica – The epitome of emptiness. Ever since the 7th continent has come to my closer attention around 2007 I have secretly dreamed of spending a winter on a station. Two visits at the International Antarctic Centre (LINK) in Christchurch didn’t help. The solitude, the intensive work with only a small team in which you simply have to rely on everybody greatly appeals to me.
- Afghanistan – Mind you, not now. Should the political situation one day improve, however (which I truly hope – not just for my sake), I would very much like to travel there to see all the beauty the country has to offer despite its ruthlessly brutal more recent past. A travel friend of mine works for the ICRC and is currently in Afghanistan – her photos of both people and landscape are simply amazing.
- Nepal – The frantic buzz of Kathmandu versus the quietude of the Himalayas. My mind was never as free as when my days were filled with walking, eating, sleeping – repeat. There simply is so much beauty in this country.
- Thailand – Two visits only further whetted my appetite for this beautiful place. Getting around is easy-as, the cost of living greatly reduced from what I’m used to in Europe, the people friendly and helpful, the landscape impressive, the weather pleasant and the food – let’s not get me started on the food.
- New Zealand – While we only returned from a 5-week-trip, I haven’t had enough of beautiful Aotearoa and could actually imagine living there. Somewhere around Plimmerton on the North Island would do nicely.
- Australia – Driving across the Nullarbor, up the West Coast during wildflower season or from tropical Queensland to the Red Centre – I definitely see myself in a car or camper the next time. With Mr A on the passenger seat.
What countries or areas have you been craving to travel to? Do you have any definite plans to go there or are you still in the “dreaming”-stage?
Dear Alice,
I hope you will never move to New Zealand but except that fact I really love your list. It’s quite interesting to find that much of Africa on it. Personally I’d love to see the ‘real’ Africa, till now I’ve only seen the northern part and though I really enjoyed my trips there I need to see more of that continent. I’d love to hike up on the Kili and see as much of the amazing wildlife as possible.
But the next tours will be in the SEA region for about 8 weeks in summer and I hope I will see Tibet as soon as possible, it had always been one of my big dreams to be in Lasa and feel the energy of the piece which the Buddhism rays.
Looking forward to reading more about your journeys.
Anna Christine