Bucket List

Places we’ve been so far, slowly progressing to our dream of travel around the world 🙂

Still many places to go since the world is big! Here are the places we most wanted to go but still haven’t been yet or in the planning to go!

  • Norway to the Lofoten Islands and northern lights (2024)
  • Egypt to see the great pyramids
  • Bhutan
  • Sossusvlei, Namibia
  • El Nido, Philippines
  • Kotor, Montenegro
  • Fiji
  • Palau to swim with the jellyfish
  • Uzbekistan

7 continents, 56 countries and counting that I have been to:

North America:

  1. USA
  2. Canada
  3. Mexico
  4. Panama
  5. Aruba
  6. Cayman Islands
  7. Bahamas
  8. Sint Maarten

South America:

  1. Peru
  2. Bolivia
  3. Argentina

Europe:

  1. Italy
  2. Greece
  3. France
  4. Germany
  5. Austria
  6. Spain
  7. Portugal
  8. Croatia
  9. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  10. Iceland
  11. United Kingdom
  12. Malta
  13. Netherlands
  14. Switzerland
  15. Hungary
  16. Czech Republic
  17. Estonia
  18. Denmark
  19. Romania
  20. San Marino
  21. Monaco
  22. Slovenia
  23. Luxembourg
  24. Belgium
  25. Turkey

Asia:

  1. China
  2. Maldives
  3. Singapore
  4. Cambodia
  5. Thailand
  6. Japan
  7. South Korea
  8. Qatar
  9. Jordan
  10. Indonesia
  11. India

Australia & Asia-Pacific

  1. Australia
  2. New Zealand
  3. French Polynesia
  4. Cook Islands

Africa

  1. Kenya
  2. Mauritius
  3. Morocco
  4. Seychelles
  5. South Africa
  6. Tanzania

Antarctica

44 thoughts on “Bucket List

  1. The Hawaiian islands are some of our favorite places on Earth. Each island is so unique and beautiful! Kauai is one of our favorite islands. Have so much fun. We loved our time in Norway as well. That country is breathtaking and the people are so friendly. 🙂

    1. We enjoyed our last trip to Hawaiian so much that we are going back to Hawaii this year and this time – Kauai 🙂 So excited, it’ll be our first time to Kauai! I also missed the delicious and variety of food in Hawaii!

    1. Oh great thanks! I haven’t start any research on Switzerland yet so not so familiar with the country but glad you mentioned it 🙂 I’ll definitely look into the Interlake area when I have a chance to go!

  2. From your bucket list, we have not done Bolivia, Egypt and Norway as well. We are going to Angkor Wat in March and then Basel/Lucerne in April. I highly suggest an African safari to your list. We went to Kenya and Tanzania in 2014 and it was one of the most unforgettable, life-changing experiences we’ve ever had.

    1. Wow, let me know how is Angkor Wat in March, is it the best timing of the year to go? Then Switzerland in April, I wish I could take vacations in consecutive months like that 🙂 I agree, an African Safari should be in my bucket list!

  3. I see that you haven’t been to much of Asia but only have Cambodia on your list. I LOVE Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The food and sights are amazing. I also want to go to Burma someday (google the pictures of Bagan, Burma! It is even more unworldly than Angkor Wat).

  4. Great photo opps in Northern Italy .Lake maggliore ,Stresa(lake Orta) has 20 chapels of sacrimonte,which have full size terra cotta figure religious scenes.Flirtacious white peacocks are on the garden palace island.Locourno ,Switzerland has Cardada and Cimetta mountains and a church which has full size terracotta figures depicting the Last supper.Switzerland has some nice hidden forts.Murren in the Lauterbrunnen Valley is amazing and includes the Schilthorn.UndergroundTrumelback falls is also in the valley.Train is defineltly the way to see Switzerland.

  5. Bern for culture.Matterhorn in zermatt for best single image.Lake Brienz near Interlaken for color reflections and hand carved wood statues along the lake.Eiger ,Monc and Jungfrau pictures from various areas around murren(no cars) great hiking.Pray for sunny days!

    1. I only have 4 full days in Switzerland so won’t be able to see all of them….I should’ve planned more days but I changed my itinerary so I can go over to Amsterdam for 3 days because it was right on tulip season. I’ll focus this trip mainly in Western Switzerland, 3 nights based in Lucerne and make day trips from there. I am planning to do Mount Rigi, Lauterbrunnen, Spiez, Thun, and Bern. Now that you mentioned Lake Brienz….is it better than Lake Thun? Then, instead of Zurich, I planned to visit Colmar and spend 1 night 2 days there; I love those colorful houses. Hope I’ll have luck with sunny days!

  6. Photographing the Keukenhof is quite challenging.I liked the fields the most.Van Gogh and Rijkmuseum paintings are fun to photograph and edit.Thun would be better as a cruise,but Brienz is better from land .

  7. My best photos in South Africa involved leopards with their kill in a tree.I had 6 or more relaxed leopard sightings daily in Northern Sabi sands private reserve,yet only one wild leopard sighting on the rest of the trip.Invading male lions also make great photos.Their are 2 male lion pairs in the Klaserie private reserve.Lion cubs come with viewing restrictions.Bufffalo herds are hard to find.Elephants are plentiful,yet they are more interesting where there is deep water like Chobe National park or Oswango Delta.Very few hippos in private reserves.Cheetahs and wild dogs are hard to find.If you do not view any cheetahs go to Hoedspruit endangered species center for free viewing.Panoramic route from Graskop to Hoedspruit is quite enjoyable if you have the time.Kambaku lodge in Timbavati private reserve,Nthambo in Klaserie reserve.Sanparks Kruger all have very good facebook pages showing their pictures and videos of daily sightings.

    1. Thanks for the tips Tom, do you have an online photo site to share some of your photos? I would love to see them! We’ll be heading to Kruger National Park end of July, will be spending 2 nights in Kruger and another 2 nights in Sabi Sands Private Reserves. Hopefully, we are lucky with the sightings!

      1. I do not have an online photo site.Nocturnal glow(leopards, lions) also makes for great photos.You can get a negotiated discount of 10% or more from most private booking agents on private reserve bookings.I used 2 trip advisor experts.

  8. Really love your bucket list! Are you off to Switzerland soon? and then Morocco? How long are you planning in each? How do you travel so much? I’d really love to know it is my dream? Do you save all your money & not own a house etc.? I find it a struggle with everyday expenses to save for trips 🙁 I’d think a post on how you afford to travel so much would be such a helpful post 🙂 Jess

  9. Thank you so much I will be sure to check that out 🙂 I love all the places you go & dreaming about one day going myself. I especially hope to travel to Morocco (so I cannot wait for your post on that) and I’d love to visit Turkey ( in particular Cappadocia), Russia oh & Japan to see the cherry blossoms. Do any of those place interest you? May I ask, if you had to choose one only absolute favourite place you have travelled to where would it be? 🙂

    1. Turkey has been on my bucket list but due to recent terrorist attacks, we delayed that in our plans. Japan would be nice too, so far we haven’t made it to Asia but hopefully will in 2018! If I had to choose one place, it would be definitely Santorini!!!

  10. You should visit India at some point.November is the best month.Make sure that they had a good rainy season to fill the reflection pools.Car,gas,touring ,driver and all his expenses will cost about 50-60 usd per day.Starting from Delhi ,then going to Agra and then Jaipur.After Jaipur some people go to varansi and Khajuro.i went to Jodphur and then headed for Udaipur.Flying from Jaipur to udaipur is probably a better option.Ellora and Ajanta caves,which are incredible buddhist hindu and jain temples and sculptures would be a short flight from Mumbai or delhi.Guest house are quite cheap.I did the 12 day trip for 2000 usd and got some incredible photos.

  11. Do you have an Instagram page to follow at all? I’d love to see your posts when you are actually at the places. I can’t wait to see the tulips & Morocco 🙂

  12. Absolutely love reading your travels & looking at your great photos. I love to travel also & would love to go to Europe again before my husband & I start a family, I was wondering if you one day plan for children & if so, will you plan to take them travelling? something I always think about is that having a family shouldn’t stop the travel & adventure 🙂 Harper

    1. Hi Harper, totally agree that having kids shouldn’t stop travel & adventure! I will take them to short trips only and wait till they get older to go on a longer trip as I think it’ll be a waste to pay for the expensive tickets and hotels while they wouldn’t remember anything from the trip. I really want them to experience the joy of traveling and creating family memories that’ll last forever 🙂

  13. Looks like the leaves survived the hurricanes.BEST REFLECTIONS-jericho state Park N.h,cherry pond jefferson N.H.,Indian head resort pond(franconia Notch). ,Echo Lake(below cannon).Lake Chocura and Eaton N.h around 10-15.Salt marshes on N.h seacoast.Check Jim Salge and Chris Whiton Photography.Start north and work south,.Northern section will peak around october 3 and franconia notch About October 7.

  14. Middle Sugarloaf off Zealand road in N.h and Welch Dickey near watervill e Valley are easy low altitude hikes with great color.Nexti would be valleys and conservation ponds in massachusetts or rivers.

  15. i hit the Welch Dickey trail at peak last year on 10-13(best color is on the lower left loop of the trail,to avoid your fear of heights)Lake Chocura(tamworth n.h.) lake reflection and eaton reflection was 10-16.New Hampshire seacoast was 10-20(jenesee beach toward New Castle has some great salt marsh color reflections(follow back road not the coastal view).Halibut state park in Rockport ma,sometimes has great color around 10-20(scrub foliage that may blow away before reaching peak color).Mount Roberts in Lake Winnipisaukee has good color mid october(only seen pictures).

  16. The egypt trip was a great success.Daily visits to seti 1 and Nefertari.Great tomb photos.Prices are dirt cheap on all levels.Plenty of security.Photographers dream trip.

  17. i probably took 1000 photos.Still editing.i always try to avoid the main tourists groups.Valley of the Kings ,Karnak and the pyramids in Cairo had crowds.When i arrived November 28 there were less people,but when i left December 7 the crowds were getting larger.The day excursions to Abydos,Dendara and the temples along the nile toward Aswan had the fewest tourists.LUXOR is a great home base to work from.I got the Luxor 5 day pass with the seti 1 Nefertari add on,so i could visit any Luxor Area attractions without getting tickets.I got a car hire from a great travel agency recommended by trip advisor members.4 days with guide and 2 days without.

  18. I used Oceanus travel.20usd per day car and driver,15usd for the guide,40usd car and driver for the 3hour excursions.The Cairo excursion car driver and guide with airport transfer was 30usd per person.
    Renting a car is not recommended in Egypt.If you stay in Luxor there is a passenger ferry from the East bank to West bank.You can get a taxi from the west bank for 1ousd per day.I felt more comfortable with the private car and driver from the recommended agency.Valley of the kings is 30 minutes from East bank Luxor by car over the bridge.

    Lots of lodging options.I went with a 5 star hotel deal (east bank)that had a good rating on food and had a quiet location.There are hotels right near the passenger ferry and guest houses and small hotels on the west bank.

    1. Those prices are inexpensive! Do you feel a week is the right amount of time to see all? How’s the security there, do you feel pretty safe at least with a guide?

  19. Luxor area is 3-4days(luxor pass with Nefertari and Seti 1 is for 5 days 160usd).Day trip to Aswan 1 day ,day trip to Abydos ,Dendara 1 day(best color bass reliefs).Luxor is a nice place with many leisure activities .Resorts are nice and cheap.Stayed at the Sonesta st George.Cairo 1-2 days.Antiquities museum(king tut treasures)Giza Pyramids,Northern pyramids (not as impressive and a bit of a drive).I got a 40usd airline discount for a layover in Cairo,so i stayed only 1 day.I do not like crowded polluted cities with traffic issues.Concorde Salaam is a good hotel choice booked thru Orbitz.Free airport shuttle 15 minutes from airport.
    Aswan-Abusimbel area would be a few more days and would increase your flight cost.No pictures inside Abusimbel.

    Lots of military and police.Vendors and street people are annoying since tourism has been at a low point recently.You can walk the east bank of Luxor ,yet the vendors are a problem,so i used the private car.Guides are helpful and will show you where to get good cheap food.Our guide( Wallid) did not force any shopping on us,which would be a problem.Wallid showed me pictures ops i would not have found.

    As an attractive woman,you will have some problems with moslem males if you do not dress modestly.Similar to Morocco.

    1. Thanks Tom for the details! If I do plan to go, for sure, I’ll have a group of friends to go with us to decrease the verbal harassment from the males 😉

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