After a recent trip to Haida Gwaii, I have been contemplating my travel bucket list, places I long to visit. Haida Gwaii is a dream destination.
This beautiful archipelago off the northwest coast of Canada, a place some would say is the “trip of a lifetime”. It lived up to all my expectations.
Do you have a bucket list of places to travel? Is it written down somewhere or does it occupy a special place in your mind? They say goals are important in business and I believe they are just as important for our recreation and pleasure. To be successful it is well known that having a plan or goal is one of the first steps.
What would it be like for you to write down all the destinations that draw you? Having a visible travel bucket list is the first step towards making these adventures materialize. Speaking of drawing, have a look in the bottom right corner of the graphic above. The bucket collects future adventures for Leah to dream and plan for – there are definitely more places she wants to explore by bike.
Leah and her family had a big desire to cycle for three months in Eastern Europe that began on their bucket list. A major trip like theirs takes significant planning but the rewards are life changing. Encapsulating this 3945km ride into a visual story was a challenge. You can see how we did it in the photo above. For this family they took on the challenge of a self-guided tour. The journey was all about finding their way along country roads where maps were limited and language was a barrier – the unknown dynamic of travel. Read more about cycling as a lifestyle
Whenever I travel it seems the 80/20 rule applies – 80% of the time I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else, I’m so happy and content – and then there is the 20% of time when you’re waiting for something to happen; a plane, train, bed, or you’ve lost something, it’s raining… whatever it is that makes you think “What am I doing here? I could be home on the couch with a good book”. The reality is you can’t have travel without that 20%. You won’t get the 80% bliss without that bit of angst. Don’t let it stop you from going.
Travel changes us. It exposes us to places and people who do things differently, who eat differently and who look at vistas that we sometimes dream about.
There are many ways to see the special places on our beautiful planet, places that might be on your travel bucket list. One way is with a travel tour company like Maple Leaf Adventures. The growth of travel tour companies is an indication of people’s desire to get off the couch and not only watch tv about incredible places but see them, get out and experience them.
Maple Leaf Adventures takes people to the magical places on the west coast of Canada and Alaska. Visual Life Stories is working with Maple Leaf Adventures creating customized travel stories for some of their tours. Giving people a gift from their tour, helping them relive their amazing experience. Can you imagine being in that hot tub looking at the mountain islands of Haida Gwaii?
A number of years ago I cycled down the coast of Oregon and California to San Francisco. This was definitely a bucket list adventure that still get’s talked about whenever Thelma meets up with Louise (inside story). The characters in this book by Wendy MacNaughton are walking the streets of San Francisco. I love the way Wendy captures the essence of this legendary city. Wendy has been involved in a number of very cool projects, check her out.
I hope this inspires you to write down your travel bucket list. Doing so brings you one step closer to making it happen. I would love to hear about your dream destinations. Where are you going? Have you got a list? Hope you’re checking places off as frequently as you add places.
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights, it is a change that goes on deep and permanent in the ideas of living.” Miriam Beard
