When it comes to travel, we believe it’s important to set goals. The first step in achieving any goal is to define it—to get it out of your head and onto a piece of paper. That's where the travel bucket list comes in.
CREATE THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL BUCKET LIST
The following exercises will help you get in touch with what you REALLY want when it comes to travel. You can then use what you have learned to create your ultimate travel bucket list and begin making your travel dreams a reality.
1. Write down your 10 biggest travel dreams. Important: Even if you expect to travel with someone else, keep in mind that these are YOUR dreams. (We’ll talk about how to incorporate another’s dreams a bit later.) And remember, no experience is too silly or too big.
If you get stuck, here are some questions that can help:
Do you want to have amazing animal encounters in far reaches of the globe?
Are you interested in visiting the ruins of the world’s ancient cultures?
Do you have a desire to visit all 190+ countries, or at least all seven continents?
How about the Seven Wonders of the world — new and old?
Do you want to explore your heritage?
2. Think about the types of experiences you want to have. If your 10 biggest travel dreams are simply a list of destinations, then dig a little deeper. For example, if you’ve always dreamed of going to Italy, what draws you there? History? Food? Wine? Romance? Or maybe you have an experience in mind that is not destination-specific, like swimming with wild dolphins — which could happen in many locations, including Hawaii, Central America, Africa and Australia.
3. Rank the experiences based on how physically challenging they are. What level of physical fitness and general mobility are required for you to enjoy your dream experiences? Put the most strenuous/challenging at the top of the list and strive to take those trips first. Don’t worry if you currently have limitations. It’s true that some experiences may not be possible for all people, but there are creative ways to approach any situation, and you might be surprised by the options available to you. Hint: We can help!
4. Determine how much time you have to travel each year. Keep in mind that this number can vary from year to year. Also, think about how much time you are comfortable being away. Would you be happy spending a month or more exploring just one country or one region, or is two weeks away the maximum you can handle?
5. Understand the finances. First, get a clear picture of the true cost of travel. (You would be surprised how many people don’t have a realistic idea of pricing.) Also, think about each trip and the level of comfort you would prefer – from basic to luxury to VIP exclusive. Then, consider how much money you have to spend on travel in the next year or two, and how much you can save for future trips. If you aren’t already setting aside money for the higher-ticket, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, we suggest that you start now!
6. Choose your travel partners wisely. If you’re traveling with another person or people, it’s very likely that you will have different travel styles.
First, figure out your own style. For instance, do you want to see as much as you can every day or do you want to have time to linger at a café just people-watching? Are you an adrenaline junkie or do you prefer to play it safe and slow?
Next, determine the travel style of your companion(s), as well as their expectations for each trip. What are the must-sees for each person? Who is an early-riser and who likes to get a slow start? Even if your styles are on opposite ends of the spectrum, there are ways to accommodate each person’s likes and dislikes. Being honest about these things in advance can help you decide which of your friends or family to take with you on each of your dream trips. You might even decide to take some of these trips alone, and that would be fantastic!
The key is determining ahead of time what is most important to everyone and seeing what fits best.
Congratulations on diving deep and uncovering important information about your travel desires!
Hopefully, you can more clearly see what type of traveler you are and what’s most important to you so you can begin to create a plan.
If you’re not really sure how to complete some of the exercises above, or if this all feels too overwhelming, don’t worry! We’re here to help!
Schedule a time to chat with us and we can support you in whatever way you need.