Having a Look Around

Up till some years ago, I never really felt the desire to travel abroad. Indeed, I even passed up a number of opportunities to do so and when I did go overseas I invariably tended to make a mess of things. Yet perhaps because I am getting older, the urge to travel is getting increasingly stronger which is why I have come up with a list of places that I would like to visit and experiences that I would like to take in.

This list is neither the most exotic nor does it reflect well on my past experience but then again, who would I be kidding if I were to put in places that I didn’t really want to go to or omit others purely from shame?

New Zealand
This being the land of the All Blacks and the setting for the filming of Lord of the Rings might have played a huge influence but this country is simply beautiful.

Barcelona
Had a brief taste of Barcelona during a cruise and fell in love with it. Beautiful architecture, great football, exquisite food, loads to do and the most child friendly place I’ve ever been to: I must go back for a longer stay. Equally enticing, but just losing out from making it into the top ten, is a trip to Seville.

Canada
As with Australia, there isn’t a specific part of this large country that I would like to visit but, quite simply, it is one that I have always had a liking of and would like to explore a bit. In itself, it is a bit of a strange choice given that I’ve never really had (and still don’t have) any inclination to visit it’s much larger neighbour, the USA, but perhaps some things cannot be explained.

Australia
With Bill Bryson being among my favourite authors and Down Under possibly his finest work in my consideration, then there's hardly any surprise in this choice. There isn't a specific city that I'd like to visit but simply take in as much of it as possible.

Alaskan cruise
This choice is actually largely fuelled by the TV show ‘Men in Trees’ and the movie ‘The Proposal’ both of which presented great views of Alaska that make it almost impossible not to want to go there. That said, you have to get your timing right because the weather there can get quite cold and, apart from the breathtaking scenery, I doubt there is much to do. Which is why a cruise would be just about perfect for me.

West End Musical
Again, this is probably revealing how limited my life experiences have been so far but, then again, honesty is the key. I’ve sampled my fair share of musicals and all have been of a good standard but they’ve simply whet my apetite to sample the real deal. I realise that Broadway is probably the mecca as far as musicals are concerned but experiencing one in London’s West End with be just as good for me.

African safari
For the past couple of years, National Geographic Wild has become a staple at our home as our little girl just loves watching it. This has really made me appreciate the beauty of nature and feel the need to experience it myself.

Orient express
A couple of years ago I caught a programme on the BBC with the 100 things you should do before you die and this was the one that stuck. Some breathtaking scenery coupled with silver service and a solid dollop of nostalgia make this the train ride of a lifetime.

Tuscany
For all of the wonders that are spread across the world and the beautiful places that exist in all corners, few can actually beat Italy. Tuscany, in particular, is blessed with extraordinary beauty in scenery, architecture, food and weather.

Music concert
By adding this I’m probably revealing what a bore of a life I’ve had so far but the fact remains that despite my love for music I’ve never really been to see a real concert, one held in some major arena with thousands of fans.