Thanks for checking out another of my Top 10 stories during lockdown! I am naturally itching to take another trip that I can write about however, sadly for obvious reasons that will not be happening soon. So in lieu of new adventures I thought I would share with you my top 10 adventures I would like to take, otherwise known as my top 10 bucket list. Obviously, I have not been to these places so I would like to say first off that the pictures I have used are certainly not my own, which I have also stated below each, and I can’t tell you much about the places other than the reasons why I want to go and some generalist information about each destination. That being said, I hope one day you will pop onto this website to read about my experiences when I finally do visit these places and we can together look back at this post and see if I was right about them or not! Enjoy.
10: Route 66
When I was younger I always wanted a motorbike and at the age of 16 I took my first steps by getting my CBT licence leading me to getting my first mode of transport, Bumblebee, my bright yellow 50cc moped. Oh yeah, I was cool! Along with this love of motorbikes came a desire to go on great trips and adventures and of course the first one that sprung to mind is Route 66 in the states. The idea of travelling the whole route on a Harley or Triumph became a bit of a dream of mine, one that I still have. 2,400 miles of road from Chicago to Santa Monica Route 66 takes a traveller through eight states across America ending at the coast of the Pacific ocean. Countless films have used the route in different scenes as the hero or occasionally the villain ride or drive off into the sunset. Lets be honest, it’s just down right cool and would be epic to do.
9: The Trans-Siberian Railway
Now if 2,400 miles on a motorbike doesn’t float your boat maybe 5,772 miles on a train from Moscow to Vladivostok will. Travelling across Russia the Trans-Siberian railway is the 3rd longest rail route in the world. It would be amazing to take a trip across the largest country in the world via train; I don’t particularly have a fascination with trains themselves but what better a way to see a whole country than to slowly chug along watching the world pass you by.
8: Svalbard
I have wanted to see the Northern Lights for many years and tried to when I was in Norway but sadly was unable to do so. Therefore, number eight on the list is not necessarily Svalbard but the Northern Lights, though where better in the world to see them than on an island to the north of Norway in the Arctic Circle! During the summer months Svalbard is subject to the Midnight Sun and experiences 24 hours of sunlight. During winter it is arguable the best place to see the Norther Lights and, if one is lucky, a few polar bears.
7: Kilimanjaro
My cousin inspired a love of travel in me more than she probably knows. She was the reason behind my Norway trip when I was 18, to go on an adventure and have many stories to share when returning. Ironic then that Norway should find itself on the list of Top 10 trips I can’t remember! However, I was extremely jealous of one trip in particular that she made and that was climbing Kilimanjaro. The mountain itself, found in Tanzania, is a dormant volcano and is the highest in Africa. Standing at 5,895m it would be a great test and no doubt would deliver phenomenal views of the surrounding area.
6: New Zealand
Tolkien and Lord of the Rings, need I say more? I mean, I will of course after all it is a travel writing blog I am doing here, but let’s be honest I could happily leave it at that! Anyone who knows me will know that I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Tolkien and his Middle Earth. With that said the opportunity to see where this world took life on the big screen, and soon with Amazon’s TV series of the second age, on the small screen, it would be an absolute treat to visit such places as Hobbiton, Lothlorien and other great Middle Earth sites.
5: Machu Picchu
I think the reason Machu Picchu finds itself on this list is rather inexpiable but at the same time, doesn’t really need justifying. It is interesting and perhaps to somewhat surprising to note that Machu Picchu is in fact younger than Oxford University. However, the site itself situated in the Andes Mountains in Peru is simply fascinating and earns a well-deserved fifth on my list for that very reason.
4: The Ho Chi Minh Trail
Long before Top Gear thought it would be a good idea to ride motorbikes along the Ho Chi Minh Trail I also had the same ambition – honestly, they stole the idea from me, I swear! Many years before those three impostors stole my idea I formulated a plan to ride a motorbike from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi, a route known and the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Once again as with Route 66 this began from my want to ride motorbikes on epic and long journeys but also an opportunity for me to see a country I had always wanted to visit in the best way possible. Sadly the wife didn’t think riding a motorbike during the honeymoon was the best of ideas, especially when there 45 million other motorbikes on the road!
3: Japan
I have always been fascinated with Japanese history, the Samurai, Buddhism and Bushido working in tandem, in fact I wrote a paper about it at university. To be able to visit and see theses sites is an opportunity I would not pass up. Be it a visit to Yoshino for the blossom season (sakura), the endless amounts of Buddhist temples or the hustle and bustle of the largest city in the world, Tokyo. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to visit such a magnificent place where the ancient meets the modern and together they live in harmony.
2: Tibet
Until the recent past, I have not really known or been that interested in Tibet. However, I began to read the exploits of Henrich Harrer just over a year ago and fell in love with not only his writing style, which is very easy to follow, but also his epic adventures and tales. The one he is most famous for is without a doubt 7 Years in Tibet. The way he describes the country and its religious background (which naturally appeals to me as a theologian) and the culture of Tibet has intrigued me so much so that Tibet has earned its place as second on my list.
1: Everest Base Camp
I’ve not always been a big climber. I remember when the family and I went to Scotland and I got halfway up Ben Nevis and decided that was enough for me. Or the time when I vaguely remember as a kid getting pretty much to the top of Snowdon and thinking ‘Ah I’m basically there, I’ll stop now’. However, this all changed when I trained in the Army and ended up climbing a mountain in Snowdonia which I believe was called Drum. The name is not really important, what is important was the feeling I got when the ascent had come to an end and I had gotten to the top. The overwhelming joy and the stunning views made me fall in love with mountaineering. I had always thought it would be cool to climb Everest but never had true ambitions to get to the top. I still don’t, but getting to base camp, now that is something I can get on board with. After all base camp stands at 5,364m, Ben Nevis is only a mere 1,345m.
195wanderer.com 