As I write this, I am five days away from leaving for Malibu with friends. Three days after I return home from that, I leave for San Francisco with my family. Another four days after that, and it’s off to Miami. I guess once the travel bug bites, that’s it. There’s no going back. So for all my fellow world travelers and adventurers, here’s seven more places you need to add to your bucket list ASAP if you haven’t already!!
- Iceland- I have to admit, this country wasn’t even on my radar until "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" came out. But now it’s at the top of my list--volcanoes, glaciers, black sand beaches, waterfalls, hot springs. As an adventurer at heart, I can’t wait to climb some volcanoes and walk along some black sand beaches. And maybe see the northern lights while I’m at it.
- New Zealand- I’m a bit biased about wanting to go here since my aunt and uncle moved here a few years ago. But besides that, "Avatar"and the "Lord of The Rings"movies were filmed there, if you’re at all in to either of those. You can ski and surf in the same day, or share a beach with some penguins if that’s more your pace. You’ll get to learn the difference between an Aussie and Kiwi accent, and from what I hear, it’s one of the quietest and calmest places you can go to. Yes please.
- Bora Bora- Once my friends went here and I saw every photo on Facebook and became jealous, I decided that I had to get there at some point in my life. Located in the isles French Polynesia and being a whopping 11 miles large, this small island is known for its scuba diving, parasailing, and the bungalows over the water. Yep, you can stay in a hut over the ocean. Talking to my friends, they told me how each morning their breakfast was brought to them in their bungalows via kayak. No big deal.
- Dubai- yet another place that wasn’t on my radar. Unlike some of the more rural places on this list such as Iceland or New Zealand, Dubai has one of the most incredible skylines in the world, and also is home to the tallest building in the world. You can go skiing in the desert, see the largest fountain display in the world, visit one of the most impressive man made islands in the world, or go to the largest mall in the world. Basically, it’s a record setting place that I’m dying to visit.
- Prague- for music lovers like myself, this city offers everything from classical to rock; there’s even a building with each floor dedicated to a different genre of music! The Vltava River is located here as well, which you can either cruise down, or walk across on one of the many bridges (maybe the Charles Bridge- a 1,700 foot long bridge from medieval times!) The cobble stone square of Old Town offers pub crawls, restaurants, and churches. There’s something for everyone here. And it’s stunning.
- Budapest- a historical country that also happens to be a food capital, where you can visit a 100-year-old market. Or else you can explore ruins, some of which have been turned into bars or restaurants. Or go visit the real Grand Budapest Hotel.
- Santorini- again, I have friends who have traveled here, as well as tons of other places throughout the world, and they say that this is their favorite place so far. Tour the colorful village, hang out on some of the most unique beaches in the world, watch one of the famed Santorini sunsets, or do all of the above. And if you’re into gyros, I hear they’re pretty amazing here.
There’s a ton of other places on my bucket list, and it just keeps growing. But these are a few of my top. Because as Michael Palin says, “Once the travel bug bites, there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”