9.) Hawaii
Like, i could do this tomorrow (assuming I get the leave and what not). I have the miles (flex here, I have the miles for all of these...). It's in our country for goodness sakes. Don't even need to pack a passport. Anyway, Hawaii seems amazing, one of America's truly last untouched gems. Of course, for all the obvious reasons, may as well save this for a honeymoon or couples trip spot. But the volcanoes, the lifestyle, the incredible scenery. It all looks so amazing.
8.) Namibia
I've had a few cousins go to Namibia and swear by it, both loving the extreme mix of dessert, grasslands, and everythign else in between. There are always struggles with traveling in Africa, and Windhoek is certainly not easy to get to, but the scenery again looks so amazing. After years and years of shuttling through museum and church in Western Europe, I've slowly grown to shift my travel love to the natural world. and places like Namibia are perfect to dive into that world. Namibia is also a relatively untouched pearl of Africa, somethign not destined to last long given its relative stability and breadth of sights and beauty.
7.) Brazil
This is one of my few hold-overs from the initial time I wrote this list back in the July of 2016. Since then, I have crossed off Peru, Chile, Egypt, Israel and Croatia from the original. The other five places still remain - you can't get everything in life. Anyway, Brazil remains, but in reality my desire to visit only drops. It's weird in a sense because having been to Peru, Chile and a few days in Argentina, South America may well be my favorite continent at this point. Brazil I'm sure will be fun, but I think there is a bit to much industrialness about the place.
6.) Safari Trip (Tanzania, Kenya, etc.)
Another holdover from my initial list, the safari would be higher up if I could easily afford one. From everything I've seen, these are damn expensive luxury trips, even if 'luxury' means sleeping in some godforesaken tent in the Serengeti. Of course, I would still love to do it one day. It's just more practical dream trips have overtaken it because at the end of the day, we still ahve zoos in this world, or even mini-safaris like Johannesburg's Lion Park.
5.) New Zealand
My parents went to New Zealand earlier this year. They've actually been to six of the trips I've listed (though I've been to at least two that are probably on their list of ten). They loved it. I know I would love it, be it the incredible natural beauty, the endless amount of cuddly sheep, and the probably great lamb dishes made out of those same cuddly animals. Still, I want to say, this is another place best done in a group if not a couple, as driving around long distanes in their narrow islands is such a crucial element. Also, did I mention sheep?
4.) Mongolia
Now we're starting to get weird. Mongolia is a new entrant, and I really know very little about the country other than it being a fairly barren, almost narnia-like place of strange. Who wouldn't want to sleep in yurts or whatever. In reality, the country is alluring because it is so unknown - similar to Laos where I plan to visit this October. Mongolia has a couple large cities but is mostly pure, unworked terrain, and I can't wait to one day see it fully.
3.) China
Obviously, China has been on my list this whole time, but I really have not come close to going there. I still would like to, obviously, and I'm sure at one point I will, but China seems so formidable a vacation spot, so large that it almost necessitates two weeks to do it any justice. There's clearly a ton to see, and all I've heard is the food is a lot better in China than we would think given the profligacy of stunningly average Chinese food in teh US. I want to experience that China, along with the pandas and the Yangtze River and Terracotta soldiers and what-not.
2.) The Baltics
The Baltics were on my initial list, ranked right aside the Balkans. I crossed the Balkans off my list two years ago. Hopefully the Baltics will follow, especially since they will probably be where the Balkans are now in terms of tourism interest soon. Once again, my parents have already gone, and they loved it. The countries have underrated historical tourism along with nice natural beauty, coastline, interesting food, tons of beer and merriment. Basically, tehy are quite perfect, and relatively cheap considering their geographic location tucked next to some of the most expensive places for a tourist (the Nordics, Netherlands, etc.).
1.) Russia
Every few months, I mentally slap myself in the face that I didn't go to Russia for the 2018 World Cup. I had a near miss in going to Russia eleven years earlier also - as my school's Orchestra did a tour of Russia in 2007, but as my family had already booked a trip to Turkey that Spring Break I had to miss it. Russia the country is amazing. Russia the geopolitical force is scary and annoying. The country has amazing history and culture, better food than people think, incredible scenery (you know, if one was able to go into the Siberian wilderness). Russia is, in a literal sense, the largest hole left on my travel resume, and I truly hope to cross that off sometime soon.
