What’s your ‘bucket list’ destination… and how old are you?

[Jessforless]

I’ve always wanted to go to Japan and finally I am going! (Can’t believe it actually, tears were shed)

Joked to my DH I could ‘die happy’ after and he said I’ll just have to pick a new place. (I have a few in mind!)

Asked my mum what her bucket list place was and she said Paris, seems like one of the most achievable destinations from the UK (and I’m definitely going to book this a surprise for her after hearing this!)

Made me wonder about others and if this is an age thing - I guess people travel more now and distances are more achievable.

Where’s your bucket list destination?

Oh I've done Morocco too! Please try to go, it's lovely. The mountains - it's worth hiring a local to bring you up to the waterfalls - they're mountain hiking skills are incredible

I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world - and lived in a fair few countries too. But the one place I have always had an absolute fascination with is Everest. Even just base camp would have been good enough (I’m not a complete idiot 😁). But now it’s such an over exposed place (and let’s face it, shit tip) because of humans behaving in an appalling way, I think I might have to forego it as I feel I would be very disappointed. My fascination with Everest (and Nepal) started when I was at primary school (I’m 53 now) and my favourite ever teacher spent months showing us her pictures of her travels all over the world. She was such a lovely hippy type and she’d been lucky enough to see so many places that back then were relaxed and safe and pretty unspoilt compared to now. I think that’s the Everest I really dream of, and it probably doesn’t exist anymore.

@Charlie2121 yes, we fly into Santiago before heading to Punta Arenas to board the ship. We'll be away for almost four weeks. I'm 60 in November so that's the excuse!

I'd like to go somewhere I don't know in Italy or Spain and have a week of absolute luxury. Buy some new clothes and accessories for the trip.
Taxi from home to airport. Airport lounge for quiet and comfort. Don't need a first class flight but no Ryanair chicken coop. Taxi or private transfer from airport to hôtel or hire à car but without faff (get concierge service to help this run smoothly, ditto hôtel check-in).
Really lovely sizeable room, totally soundproofed, seaview and balcony with hot tub, fridge big enough for full bottles of Champagne, coffee machine. Swimming pool at the hotel and easy quick access to à not overly crowded beach where we can swim.
Valet parking at hôtel.
Visit lots of interesting, beautiful places without having to worry about cost e.g. transport/ parking and food and drink. Get guided tours for some things to enhance the experience.
Spa day with loads of massaging and facials.

@RaraRachael

I flew alone to Sydney last summer (was meeting my DD there, she was travelling).

I broke the journey in Singapore for 4nights, as we had met DD there in March for my 60th, so it was familiar. I can highly recommend it as somewhere to stop off, it’s safe and has a great MRT system.

I had never flown alone so far, and was very nervous (had a few “I can’t do that” moments beforehand) but I flew Heathrow to Singapore overnight and amazingly slept most of it, so had very little time being bored once I woke up. The onward flight was about 8hrs, daytime, but that was ok, I just watched films and things on iPad.

We came back together via Doha which made the long initial segment bearable.

Whereabouts in Aus does she live?

I’d like to go back to NZ, we were there in our early 30s before we got married, also do more of Aus.

I’ve done quite a bit of US and Canada, but like to would go back to the latter, do the east and maybe a cruise up the west coast.

Norway, Iceland, maybe Costa Rica and the cruise around S America looks fab, an ex colleague did it for his 60th and posted fab photos on FB.

I am very lucky and have been to a lot of the places mentioned but I really want to drive Route 66, and I wan to go to Nainital in India where my dad was born.

Machu Picchu. I'm in my early 60s so if I'm going to go I should probably get on with it!

God mine changes every time I visit the place that is top! It's currently Ushuaia.

My favourite place in the world is Norway. Been many times and never gets boring.

I'm 40.

I have so many....

polar expedition/cruise
Iceland/greenland
alaska to see bears
the amazon
Mongolia to see the Eagle hunting competition
Australia- especially the jungles in the North and diving in the great barrier reef
swimming with blue whales (I can't swim.... so have to learn first)
safari in Kenya
meet gorillas in rwanda
Madagascar

problem is I have a strong aversion to anything other than European standard accommodation, especially bathrooms. so a lot of these will remain dreams lol

Austria, stay long enough to learn German and study the Austro Hungarian Empire. I read a lot of it in English already.
When we retire. . . . .

A word of warning re Japan. For most people, once you've been once, you will want to go back!

Japan was DS bucket list place and I first took him in 2010. I thought ok we can go and I can tick it off the list. Have been back roughly every 18 months (apart from Covid times) and am going back there again in the Autumn! #

I'm not rich. I stay in cheap places. You can get decent business hotels or studio apartments for around £25 per night. If I want to visit a different part of Japan I just take a cheap internal flight. The rail passes are pricey. So anyone who is planning to go and wants to see Kyoto etc, check how much a flight is from Tokyo to Osaka + any train travel from there (local trains are far cheaper than the Shinkansen). It could work out cheaper than the pass, which I believe has now gone up to £400 p/p!

As for my own bucket list, I still have a yearning to sledge down the Great Wall of China! Which I saw on a video. I've also heard a few people rave about Costa Rica and it looks like somewhere I'd enjoy so would like to go there.

Japan in spring is fantastic. Mid March- mid April is lovely. However I would say October is my favourite time to be in Japan, Halloween and all the sweet potato seasonal snacks are the best. Plus it’s still really quite pleasant weather. (Rain very likely but so is 20 degrees sunny days)

41. I don't have one! We travelled a fair bit pre kids but I get bored sightseeing. I still like to go to places I haven't been, especially skiable mountains, but no 'shortlist'.

I'm in my early 50s and have two big trips in mind- a cruise around the Galapagos and to Antarctica.
Both will be time consuming and expensive, so my plans are to take some money out of my pension at 55 and go to the Galapagos. Then do the same at 60 for Antarctica.

I figure if I get to go to those two I can consider myself one of the luckiest people to have ever lived and will die happy 😎!

Have you thought of looking into the possibility of a trip that includes picking up the litter around base camp and helping clean things up? If they don't exist they should and I would love to join one...I do like a bit of litter picking. And the Himalayas are the most beautiful place I have ever been to.

India was my main one and I got there for my 60th and loved it so much. I cried when I saw the Taj Mahal at sunset.
I might be going to NZ/ Aus next year , NZ is my main desire.
In my late 60’s.

@Vickythevan63 she's in Perth. We'd like to spend some time there then across to Melbourne and Sydney.

Not sure about a stopover in Singapore. Work colleague did and absolutely hated the place. Tbh none of thd stopover places appeal but I guess I'd have to choose one of them!

@RaraRachael

Perth is easier to get to without a stopover though.

Interesting that your colleague hated it, we enjoyed it (hence why I went back) as did a number of relatives who stopped there either enroute to Oz or when doing cruises.

The DD of one of DH relatives lived in Sydney for a number of years, and Singapore was their favourite stopover when visiting.

But each to their own!

For my 40th, we are going to Australia. I’ve travelled a lot in Europe, Asia, and North/Central America, so my bucket list holidays are places where I haven’t spent as much time. I want to do a proper African safari across several countries and also a long trip in South America to see things like Patagonia, Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls, and Rio.

Singapore is fantastic! Not just as a stopover either.

I don't get the Japan appeal either, nobody seems to be able to explain it so far.

Galapagos and Alaska are both on my list

I agree that Singapore is a great destination in its own right. Lots to do for every age, really easy to get around, and the food scene is ace.

I belong to this inter-rail group and despite its name it’s open to everyone. It’s excellent and the posters are very well informed

I don't get the Japan appeal either, nobody seems to be able to explain it so far

I can only speak for myself. But for me it's that it is so different to anywhere else. You may think oh well Tokyo is a city just like London or New York, but it really isn't. Every part has its own thing its famous for. Just taking a wander through kitchen town and seeing all the restaurant display foods is fascinating. There's fabric town, with beautiful Japanese fabrics you can get cheaply. The Edo Tokyo museum is really interesting. Ueno Park. I could go on! I can fill 2 weeks in Tokyo no problem and I live in London and didn't like new York!

There's beautiful nature all around, more culture than one person could ever take in. Seeing the monkeys in the hot springs was amazing. Shopping like you've never seen. So many amazing foods.

The people are so polite and its so safe. People leave their laptops or handbags just sitting on the table outside cafes while they go in to order and no one would steal them! It's so clean. When I come home to London it feels really filthy.

It's a different world.

She found Singapore very expensive and just didn't like the place somehow. She had done a week in Bali beforehand and loved it.
As you say, each to their own 😀