I was glancing through our eBook the other day and landed on a page where I shared the travel bucket list I created for our Australian road trip adventure.
At the time of writing the travel ebook, our trip was in the planning stage. We hadn’t left and had no real understanding of how we were going to make the Australian road trip adventure happen.
I just knew what the burning desires were within me – those adventures I just had to have.
I remember preparing my list and leaving things off it because I didn’t think I could make it happen. That’s not the purpose of a bucket list. It’s not for us to create based upon our own judgements of what we think we can or can’t do.
It’s the place to unravel the desires of our heart and list them down. It’s the releasing of a dream so the magic can start working to create them for us.
You don’t have to attach yourself to them or push or pull to make them happen. That often leads to disappointment when they don’t work and the control we try to put over them gets in the way of flexibility and flow – the space that allows magic creation to happen.
That’s why it’s important to create your travel bucket list.
You are the starting point for how your future will look. You set the wheels in motion. You decide what it is you want to see and do and you let that be the framework or the guide for the path you take.
Then you put one foot in front of the other, starting at the point A that makes most sense, and allow the journey to take you.
I’m so glad, I decided to ignore the voices telling me that some of my bucket list dreams couldn’t be done and wrote them down anyway.
I moved down that list amazed how we had checked off almost every single one, including the ones I didn’t think I could make happen. I reflected upon how we made them happen and was blown away by the magic – the unplanned events and chance happenings that twisted and turned us to those experiences.
Here is the list I started with:
- Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef √
- Walk around Uluru, Northern Territory√
- Visit Arnhem, Northern Territory ( I briefly visited before this trip. You can see that here)
- Swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, WA (Didn’t make the whale sharks but swam with manta rays)
- The Melbourne Cup (horse race) √
- Slow travel in Tasmania for a month √
- Get lost in Wineglass Bay, Tasmania √
- Bay of Fires, Tasmania √
- King Island, Tasmania
- Cradle Mountain hikes, Tasmania √
- Australian Tennis Open, Melbourne √
- Jervis Bay, NSW √
- Hyams Beach, NSW √
- Snowy Mountains, NSW √
- Kangaroo Island, South Australia
- Barossa Valley, South Australia√
- Drive the Nullarbor Plain
- The Great Ocean Road, Victoria √
- Live in the Daintree Forest, Queensland √
- Bright, Victoria √
- The Pinnacles, Western Australia√
- Spend a week on Rottnest Island, Western
Australia √ - Flinders Ranges, South Australia
- Camel ride on Cable Beach, Broome √
- The Bungle Bungles √
- Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory √
What’s so great about this list now is I have a handy record of what we did and didn’t do so I know what to come back to. And I can clearly see what I still have to do and focus on making those dreams happen.
Here are a few more we’ve added to our list thanks to travelers tips along the way:
- Margaret River, WA (not sure why this was not on the original)
- Esperance, WA
- Denmark, WA
- Coober Pedy, SA
- MacDonnell Ranges, NT
And of course, there were many things I did not know about at the time, that have jumped on that list. Unexpected surprises and experiences.
That’s why it’s important once you create the bucket list to let go of the rigid control and deadlines for it. Make space for the things you know nothing about. They came roaring in like the wind and will knock your socks off.
Here are a few of the things that knocked our socks off:
- Karijini National Park, Western Australia
- Boodjamulla National Park, Queensland
- The Town of 1770 and Agnes Waters
- Mudgee wineries, NSW
- Lake Argyle, Western Australia
So you can see your bucket list is a robust, flexible way to plan for your travel dreams to arrive and allow a bit of magic to help make it happen.
Tell us one place that’s on your travel bucket list?
I try to break mine up into short term and longer term buckets which change all the time but now revolve around adventure and photography.
Short term: Great Ocean Road, National PArk Tour of the USA, six month trek of the Appalachian trail.
Long Term: Iceland, Heliboarding in old Soviet era helicopter in Kazakhstan, Antarctica,
Hey Jimmy,
6 month trek of the Appalachian Trail, now that’s some walk. I remember reading Bill Bryson’s book from his attempt, I think it was called “a walk in the woods”, was a good and funny read.
We also have the US National Parks on our list!!
thanks jimmy, you give me an idea. i will put your short term in my bucket list. 😀
I have made a list of all the places I want to visit and so far have made it to about 3 of them. I know I have plenty of time to see the rest of them.
I really like bucket lists too as it keeps me accountable to make everyday count on a trip. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ve wasted a day because you’ve been a little lazy or didn’t have anything planned.
You sound like you did so much in Australia! I’ll be moving to Qld in a week so i’m looking forward to exploring my new local area. We’re also visiting Tasmania over Christmas and as i was ill last time i was there i didn’t get to explore much, so i’m making a big bucket list for this year!
Lizzy from Nomad Notebook
I really liked this list..Thanks for sharing it with us…..itsgoa.com
We made a travel bucket list the first year we were married realizing that we were both wandering souls. It’s been great for planning “the next trip”, but we also discovered another benefit. We can also easily turn down invites from the inlaws to join them on yet another time-share trip and share a bedroom with snoring grandma. “Sorry, not on the bucket list.”
Thanks for this article. My dream was always to travel the world. So far I’ve been to many states and national parks in the US Including Hawaii, Malaysia, Africa, Europe, various Carribean islands and cruises. I love going to a foreign country and get the true feel of where I am (not just the tourist areas) and learn how they live. Not only does it make me grateful for my life, but grateful for having the opportunity to meet such authentic wonderful People. I can’t wait to plan my next trip!
It is hard to restrict this selection of travel bucket list ideas to just 50. Our world is truly magnificent and we each occupy just a tiny fragment of it. Travel is a privilege and one of our greatest treasures, and we all should have a travel bucket list. It broadens our minds and feeds our souls, and who wouldn’t want to experience something wondrous or incredibly beautiful, whether made by man or Mother Nature?
Thanks
http://oxter.in
Bucket list are definitely worth doing. Keeps me motivated and setting goals because there is something to accomplish. Hopefully will make it through my list while I’m still here.
My bucket list keeps me focused and motivated. It’s part of the reason I was able to complete my cross country trip last year. One city that is currently on my list is Rio.
My life bucket list has pretty much always been a travel bucket list! Every time I go somewhere new, I learn about 5 other places I want to see. I like how you keep everything on the list no matter how unrealistic. I do that too – keeps me dreaming!
This has been a truly astonishing read and thnkq very much for the share. It surely serves as an inspiration and would surely travel at the palces. Thank you very much.
At 72, I must admit that in playing with a bucket list, I’m far more unfettered than I was when I was much younger!! I wanted madly to travel but limited my possibilities. Surprises me. But, my “bucket” would include places about which I have read in novels or seen in documentaries or nowadays, met on-line. Madagascar has been on my list forever…Ethiopia since I was in 6th grade and attended a school assembly welcoming Haille Salassi (sp)…Ireland, Hungary, sailing on a private grand old schooner in the Carribean (not just a cruise), and the list goes on! It includes the “magical” parts of Australia…would like to spend a few months in the company of the aboriginals. The Blue Nile is on the list. I won’t go on and on, but I will say that I truly, truly believe that NOTHING is impossible! Travel on…travel joyfully…if you love it, never stop finding a way to continue.
Jellyfish Lake on the island of Palau.
I 100% agree to have a travel bucket list! You feel so rewarding when you get to check something off your list and you constantly have a goal to complete. Your list has help me add some locations and activities to my travel bucket list.