10.) Mongolia
Lets start 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
9.) Yellowstone National Park
I only have two domestic places on the list, and one of them is about as far as you can go while still being "domestic". Yellowstone isn't so remote. Thousands if not millions visit each year. I'm not trying to cross off all the parks in short order, but doing maybe America's most reknowned, most idyllic, most special park is definitely a goal of mine. Yellowstone is not too far from my current primary project in Utah, which gives a decent chance I could check this one off this summer. The hiking, the animals and just the ability to say I've been in Wyoming and seen some of the most special natural beauty this beautiful country has to offer.
8.) Bali
A new one, and if I liked more the idea of just chilling on the beach or in tropical areas, this is probably higher up. I've now had my parents go to Bali, a good ten years after my sister and her now husband went. Both groups loved it. It looks beautiful, it looks serene. The resorts are amazing, and I certainly have enough points to do it easily. As I grow older, maybe this goes higher up the list, when I more look at being in comfort and serenity than anything else. Lost in all of this is me probably wildly underrating the food on offer.
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.) Proper Safari
Another holdover from my initial list, the safari would be higher up if I could easily afford one, and if I didn't do a one-day safari in Chobe National Park. Certainly a proper, multi-day, rise at 5am type is better, but that one day sated me for now. 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.) 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.
4.) 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.
3.) Iran
Look, let's go crazy (if anything the next one maybe even crazier). I know it isn't all that easy to get to Iran, and there's of course significant danger concerns at this very moment. But also it is an untouched, beautiful country. THe food, the culture, the history. Sure, there is the matter of safety, but let's not make a mistake that Iran is say Syria - the Iranian government seems to still care about its milennia of history and preserving it. My parent's have had multiple friends go in recent years and enjoy every bit about it. As I run out of countries in "modernity", these overall "off the beaten path" countries will become more and more a requirement for me to keep climbing up the ranks with new countries.
2.) Russia
Truly, I think a lot of my yearning to go to Russia comes from not being able to go in 2007 with my school's Orchestra (went with my family to Turkey instead). We can have our issues with Russia the country as a political entity, but as the World Cup two years ago showed, Russia the people and the country is a beautiful, fascinating place. Food is probably better than people think. The drink and nightlife looks great. The sites are many and varied, from world-class museums and history, to beautiful scenery and nature. All of it seems so appealing. Openly, this is my other preferred option for after my sister's wedding. If only there was any security in planning an international trip in July 2021, but alas these are times for dreaming, not planning.
1.) New Zealand
New Zealand still appeals to me as maybe the best combination of natural beauty and cuisine that I can think of. From the food perspective, I know there is amazing seafood, lamb and local produce. From the natural beauty - well come on. From the coastline, the caves, the mountains, the fields. New Zealand looks to be one of the great treasures in our world. Hopefully one day I can experience it so. The toughness is the specific time of year you reasonably have to go doesn't really line up to where I can easily take two weeks off. Now, I guess going over Christmas Break is an option at some point, and probably one I will take on, but for now it remains elusive. The scenery, the mysticism, the remoteness, the lambs - I want all of it some day.
