Have you ever been in a situation where the holidays are approaching but you are unable to decide where to go? Eventually, you end up with lot of compromises-in terms of location as well as cost. And you resolve not to let this happen again. But the story plays out again the next time?
If you are like me who would rather spend money travelling first to places you want to actually see, then preparing a bucket list is a must.
Identify why do you wish to travel
The first step is to identify why you wish to travel -do you have any specific interests? Do you love the beaches? Or the mountains? Or cities? Crowds? Historical monuments? Natural wonders? Adventure sports? Do you like to experience how locals live, eat and celebrate?
Or are you like me who has no specific preferences and would like to have varied experiences? If I were to prioritise, I am bit more inclined towards natural phenomena and wonders, followed by man made structures. I am not really that inclined towards local experiences, as of now.
Make a long list and then a shortlist of places to visit
For this, you will have to depend on your inherent knowledge first. I loved geography while at school and some of the places I studied about then somehow stuck with me. Plus the daily reading I do throws up quite a few places. But even if you draw a blank, there’s always Google! Search for ‘top things to see’ on the internet……..say top 20 places to visit before you die, top 10 beaches, top 15 ………and so on. Study the world map as well carefully – that sometimes will rekindle hidden travel desires.
Once you have a long list(say about 25-30 places), do some basic research on each of the identified places. Remember the caveat though – on the internet, every location will look like a must see location. Exercise judgment, check reviews. Maybe eliminate those locations that are very far. For example, instead of Bora Bora, opt for Maldives first. Instead of the valcanos in Guatemala, opt for Indonesia or Japan. Prune the list to about 15 locations.
Prepare a similar list for domestic destinations as well. India too is full of wonderful attractions.
By all means, take the help of a travel agent. But make sure the final list reflects what you wish to see or experience, and is not what your agent is selling.
The list need not be static
The list need not be a static one, it can be dynamic and get updated as and when needed, say when you become aware of a new fantastic destination. But surely not every month-that can only mean you don’t know what you want to see! But don’t get rigid- the list should not prevent you from taking advantage of tempting impromptu holiday offers-could be hotels, could be airlines. For example, I have seen very attractive offers from Bengaluru to Phuket. And since there is visa on arrival for Indians, I would not mind going to only Phuket for 3 days.
Create categories by number of days and tourist season
Once the list is ready, I suggest you create categories on the basis of number of days required. Say 5-8 days, 9-12 days, 13-18 days and so on. For each category, identify say 3 Indian and 3 International destinations. Once you have the approximate number of days for your holiday, you know the choices you have.
Travel duration is very important. For most of us, 2 to 3 week vacation once or twice a year is the most we can manage. Plus couple of more shorter ones. But you need to decide how many days you can take off. And plan accordingly. No point looking for an Antarctica cruise if you cannot take off for a minimum of 12 days during December/January.
Beyond this, one additional aspect that is very useful is to understand the tourist season for each location. I normally prefer to avoid travelling during peak tourist season.
What else? Yes, the most important aspect of all – budget. Your travel bucket list has to reflect the money you are willing to spend. But remember, there will always be options. There is nothing like adequate money when it comes to travel.
My Bucket List
Here is my current bucket list of must see places or experiences, in alphabetical order, obviously excluding those I have already visited.
International
| Argentina and Antartica cruise | No place on earth can be compared to the snow covered wilderness that is Antartica. Quite a few cruises ships ply to Antarctica from Ushiaia. When going so far, makes sense to spend some time in Argentina . My pick- Buenos Aires, Iguazu falls, Glaciers National Park, Ushiaia | 2 5 days |
| Australia | Home to many natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef which is the world’s largest coral reef drive on the very scenic Ocean road. | 14 Days |
| Caribbean cruise | From Florida, US to the fantastic islands in the caribbean like Bahamas, Jamaica | 10 Days |
| Cambodia | Angor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world | 5 days |
| Finland | Kakslauttanen resort. Glass domed igloos that enable viewing northern lights lying in the bed | 5 days |
| France | the French Riviera is the dreamy coastal region that is a must visit holiday destination | 7 days |
| Germany | Octoberfest and Berlin. Octoberfest is the largest ‘people’s festival’ . And Beer happens to be my favourite drink. Berlin is among the historic cities that shaped the world’s history . | 10 days |
| Iceland | Amazing natural landscape and driving around the country on the ring road. | 10 days |
| Italy | the Amalfi coast is among the most beautiful places in the world | 7 days |
| Kailash Mansarovar | A journey of faith | 15 days |
| Greece | With the historic city of Athens and with Santorini among the most beautiful islands in the world, Greece is one destination you cannot avoid. There is also the precariously perched monasteries at Meteora. | 14 days |
| Mauritius | Among the very beautiful islands and close to India. Not to miss the seven coloured earth and Ile Aux Cerfs | 7 Days |
| Sporting events | Attend a day or two to get a feel for what the die hard fans experience. Could be F1 race, Tennis grand slam, Football world cup, Cricket world cup, Olympics | 7 Days |
| Victoria falls | The world’s largest waterfall. Combine with few days at one of the national parks. | 8 days |
| Volcanoes | These are volcanoes where one can hike to the edge of the crater. Mount Bromo, Indonesia/or Mount Fuji, Japan/Or Mount Etna-Mount Vesuvius, Italy | 7 days |
India
| Arunachal Pradesh | The beautiful north easternmost state. I spent the first 3 years of my life near Tezu. Apart from Tezu, would like to see Ziro valley, Tawang and Bomdila. | 10 days |
| Auli or Gulmarg | Best places in India to enjoy winter sports | 7 days |
| Darjeeling | One of the top hill stations in India. Possibility of viewing Mt Everest or Mt Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill | 7 days |
| Madhya Pradesh | Key attractions are the temples of Khajuraho, the ruins of Orchcha, Sanchi Stupa, and Kanha national park | 12 days |
| Manali- Leh | One of the best journeys by road. | 7 days |
| Nagaland | Another beautiful north eastern state. Visit Dzukou valley and the capital city of Kohima | 7 days |
| Odisha | Famous for Jagannath Temple in Puri, Sun Temple in Konark, Chilka Lake, and the Olive Ridley turtles on Gahirmatha beach | 9 days |
| Rajasthan | This desert state packs quite a punch. Forts, monuments, step wells, Tiger reserves and desert camping/safaris. Visit Jaipur, Chand Baori, Ranathambore, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer. | 14 days |
| Rann of Kutch | One of the largest salt deserts in the world. Travel during the Rann Utsav. | 5 days |
| Travel by Luxury train | Best way to experience royalty. Palace on Wheels or Golden Chariot or the like. | 8 days |
| Wynaad | Experience living in a Tree house | 4 days |
| Uttarakhand | The valley of flowers is among the most beautiful places in the world when in full bloom. Combine with spiritual trip to Badrinath and Joshimath. | 8 days |
| Varanasi | Where life meets death everyday. Supposedly very intense, this city is not for everyone. | 5 days |
Apart from the above, I am quite keen on volunteer travel. That may require commitment ranging from a month to a year. Lets see how the future unfolds.
