I’m not sure whether being a traveller is a product of genetics or environment but it is a trait that I attribute strongly to my mother. It may be because I lived in four countries before the age of seven and am or have been a citizen of three. It may be because I heard all the exciting stories of exotic places. Or maybe it is just in the blood. Whatever the reason, I am driven to experience as much of the world as I can.
Scratch map of the world – a gift from Darja
I thought I had travelled quite extensively but when I was given a map of the world where you scratch off the places you have been and I marked off my travels, I had hardly made a dent. Even if I did scratch off all of Canada when I’ve only visited the west, and mainland China though I’ve only visited Taiwan and Hong Kong, there are massive areas still to explore.
Initially I travelled to visit family and friends and explored regions near where they were. I’ve been fortunate to have been able to visit some interesting places for work and do some exploring while I was there. If I travel with my mother, the choice is simplified somewhat to somewhere she hasn’t already been.
Each time I visit a new place I expect my list of places I want to go to reduce by one but I always meet people who tell me about more exciting places that I now have to visit. So how on earth will I decide where to go next?
My current strategy is to visit all the Seven Wonders of the World. I have now visited 4 of the 7 and the only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World. Although, for a significant birthday last year I decided to go back to my starting point in South East Asia. Angkor Wat in Cambodia is certainly worthy of being a Wonder of the World!
On the SE Asia trip I met Eke and Brian from Canada who asked if I wanted to join them on their next adventure to India. The trip they had chosen was one of the 6 that I had already been considering, it included a Wonder that I hadn’t visited and the timing incorporated 3 different festivals, and would of course include some lovely travel companions. It was meant to be! I had just enough annual leave and just enough money to do it – I booked the next day!
So my next adventures are likely to include Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Great Wall of China, and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janiero. And then of course there are all the amazing natural wonders of the world that I haven’t yet seen: Mt Everest, Antarctica, Victoria Falls, Grand Canyon …. The list is endless.
If you are interested in travel, please see my posts on Finding the Right Travel Style for You and Comparing Travel Styles, and visit:
Intrepid Travel
(a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)
Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)
Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)
Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites. So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more ☺.
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