My Bucket List – the first 15

February 23, 2017
log cabin, cabin, cottage, snow, winter

autumn, leaves, trees, autumn leaves, lake, creek, river, photographer, nature, nature photographer

Recently I was over at my sister’s place when I received a Facebook message from a friend.   I told them that I was at my sister’s place.  “What are you doing after that?” they asked.  “Going home to do some domestic chores I guess”, I replied.  “What would you be doing if you could do anything you wanted?” they asked.  You know what, I really had to think!

I’ve become a creature of habit.  Each day runs much the same.  The same routine.  Certain things happen on certain days.  Different tasks to be done at different times of day.  Spontaneity is rare – more a thing from my free, youthful days.  Thinking big is a little scary after many, many years of scrimping and saving to put the kids through good schools and pay off the mortgage and accepting that I could not have things I wanted.

So when asked what would I be doing if I could do anything, I was taken a little off guard.  My first thoughts were kind of small.  “I would like a weekend away in a nice cottage in the mountains.  I’d take my camera of course.” I said.  Then I thought a little bigger.  “I’d like to travel.” 

Since that conversation, I’ve thought more about it.  I’m more than half way through my life so I really should be trying to tick off some kind of bucket list of things I really want to do before I um … kick the bucket!  So what do I want to do?  I love nature, mountains, rainforests, beaches, quaint little cottages and wandering around in all of this taking photographs.  That is true, but can I not think more deeply and widely about what I’d like to do?  I know that I’ve got this thing where I want to go to at least one place each year that I’ve never been before.  In 2015 I went to Tasmania.  In 2016 I went to Vanuatu (here and here) and New Caledonia on my very first cruise.  I’m not sure where I might go this year, but I’d also like to do things I’ve never done before too.  Things that I’d really like to do of course.  So at the time of typing this post, I am going to strain my brain and think deep and wide and come up with 15 things for my bucket list.  You’ll see that I have a fascination for snow.  I’ve seen it only once and that was on a day trip at Thredbo (from Jindabyne) when I was in my early 40’s.  The kids were all much younger then and we went tobogganing and made a snowWOman and snow-angels and had an absolute blast.

log cabin, cabin, cottage, snow, winter

orphanage, orangutan orphanage, orangutan, orangutans, babies

Horse riding, horses, horse, beach, sunset,

Min’s Bucket List – the first 15

  1. Stay in a quaint little cottage nestled in a forest surrounded in winter snow
  2. Experience a white Christmas
  3. Swim with dolphins
  4. Flying Fox in the tree tops
  5. Travel to the UK and Europe
  6. Travel to Canada – must include a train trip around the rocky mountains
  7. Travel to some parts of the USA
  8. Volunteer in an orangutan orphanage in Borneo
  9. African ‘photography’ safari
  10. See more of Australia: never been to WA, SA, NT.
  11. Indoor Skydive
  12. Ride an elephant
  13. Ride a horse along a beach
  14. Write a book
  15. Go glamping

There you go – the first 15 that came to mind.  Stay tuned, this list will need to be added to.

mountains, rocky mountains, canada, train, lake, snow, mountaineer

glamping, camping, the great outdoors, nature, bucket list

swimming with dolphins, swimming, water, dolphins, bucket list

So here’s two questions for you.  I’d love to hear your responses in the comments!

What would you be doing now if you could do anything you wanted?

Do you have a bucket list?

Ciao for now,

Link up here at WOTM or with another of us in the Lovin’ Life Linky team:
Leanne of Deep Fried Fruit, Johanna of Lifestyle Fifty, Lyndall of Seize the Day Project,
Kathy of 50 Shades of Age, and Deb of Debbish
It doesn’t matter where you link up as it will magically appear on all six blogs.

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26 Comments

  • Reply Kathy Marris February 23, 2017 at 7:42 am

    I sure do Min! My bucket list stands at around 25 travel destinations and I keep adding to it all the time. I haven’t seen much of the UK or Europe so I’m remedying that this year by going on a Mediterranean Cruise and holiday to Italy. I’m also going back to Vietnam later on this year and including a few days in Laos (which was on my bucket list). So I’m slowly ticking the items off. The Borneo Orangutan experience would be fascinating.

    • Reply Min February 23, 2017 at 6:05 pm

      You’re doing a great job of ticking off your bucket list Kathy! I am so jealous of your Mediterranean Cruise and holiday to Italy – how exciting! Vietnam would be great too. Wow! Yes the Borneo Orangutan experience would be amazing. I am crazy about Orangutans. 🙂

  • Reply Deborah February 23, 2017 at 7:43 am

    I know what you mean about not exactly knowing what you want. I feel a bit like that in terms of my day to day life. I think that’s why I’m looking at shelving blogging for a while…. so I have the headspace to think about other stuff.

    • Reply Min February 23, 2017 at 6:07 pm

      I’m a bit like that in my day to day life too Deb. I understand your decision to shelve blogging for a while to give you space to think. I think you’ll miss it though and the blogosphere will miss you! Good plan though to take a break to reassess things.

  • Reply Ingrid @ Fabulous and Fun Life February 23, 2017 at 8:38 am

    I don’t have an official bucket list but you’ve inspired me to start one! I’m more likely to tick things off if it’s written down after all not just loosely stored in my head.

    Swimming with wild dolphins is something I have done after longing to do it for years. I did it in Kaikoura New Zealand and it was an absolutely amazing experience!

    • Reply Min February 23, 2017 at 6:08 pm

      I’m much better at getting things done too if I have things written down. Your swimming with wild dolphins experience sounds fabulous! I’ll have to think up some more bucket list items to add to my list. 15 is far too short yet!

  • Reply Nikki @ Wonderfully Women February 23, 2017 at 9:00 am

    Time to put my dreaming cap on and come up with 15!

    • Reply Min February 23, 2017 at 6:08 pm

      Can’t wait to see them! 🙂

  • Reply Jo February 23, 2017 at 11:12 am

    We do become creatures of habit don’t we. Perhaps we should have one day a week when we do something out of the ordinary and have a kind of mini-bucket list of things to do on that time available. I love your bucket list though! Two things on mine are to visit Antartica and to spend a week on Bora Bora island. #teamlovinlife

    • Reply Min February 23, 2017 at 6:10 pm

      I like your way of thinking Jo! A mini-bucket list for a weekly pick me up and to get us out of our ruts is a great idea! Oh I’d love to cruise to Antartica – that’s one for my bucket list. Don’t know much about Bora Bora but you’ve got my interest now. I’ll have to Google and find out more. 🙂

  • Reply Joanne Tracey February 23, 2017 at 4:28 pm

    Do I have a bucket list? Absaflippinglutely…1 that’s things I want to do & another one for travel. They overlap a tad. I update it regularly- well, at least annually, on the blog. This year I’ll be ticking off Vietnam, pho in Hanoi, Halong Bay cruise & maybe even swimming with turtles somewhere.

    • Reply Min February 23, 2017 at 6:12 pm

      Yay for you! Kathy (Marris) is going to Vietnam this year too. Lucky things! Oh swimming with turtles would be fun! 🙂

  • Reply Lyndall @ SeizeTheDayProject February 23, 2017 at 7:09 pm

    Looks like an awesome bucket list you’ve got going on there Min! I have a bit of a list, but I think it really needs updating. I’m currently planning a trip to England, Ireland and Italy in 2019. It might sound a long way off, but it will pass very quickly. We are excited! 🙂 #TeamLovinLife

    • Reply Min February 24, 2017 at 3:35 pm

      2019 will be here before you know it Lyndall! That sounds like a fun trip you’re planning. I’d be excited too! 🙂

  • Reply Leanne | crestingthehill February 23, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    Great bucket list – I think it’s amazing when people come up with a list that long – I don’t have much on mine at all. I’d love to go back to Europe, I’d love to go to the US and see a humming bird and fireflies, I’d like to see Tasmania and NZ – and I must get to Qld and maybe meet all the blogging girls that seem to live there!

    • Reply Min February 24, 2017 at 3:44 pm

      Thanks Leanne. I hope I can put together a longer list than 15! I’ll work on it. I’ve never been to Europe but would really like to get there one day. Same with the UK. With the US I don’t want to see the places most people want to (no interest in Los Angeles or Las Vagas) – I’d like to see some of the cities like NYC, Chicago, San Francisco but also some of the towns around some of the US mountain ranges. I would also love to see a hummingbird and fireflies like you! I saw Tasmania in 2015 but have yet to visit NZ. There DOES seem to be a lot of us bloggers in Qld doesn’t there? I hope you get here. It’d be great to meet you!

  • Reply JODIE FILOGOMO February 23, 2017 at 11:50 pm

    I’m a creature of habit too—-it’s somehow secure for me!
    But I do like to imagine some fun adventures! We are going to Arizona next month—does that count?
    jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

    • Reply Min February 24, 2017 at 3:45 pm

      I know what you mean by ‘secure’ – I’m the same. There’s comfort in habits and routine. I do think I need to stretch my comfort zone now and then though and do and see new things. It’s kinda exciting and you learn from every new experience. Yes going to Arizona sure does count! 🙂

  • Reply Sydney Shop Girl February 24, 2017 at 7:55 am

    I think I’d still be here doing what I’m doing. I am thinking of putting together a bucket list for later, though. When I’m done with most of my parenting responsibilities!

    BTW – WA is my home state. it’s lovely and peaceful there. Love Margaret River especially,

    SSG xxx

    • Reply Min February 24, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      Must admit that it’s really only now that all my kids are adults that I can think about this stuff!! I would LOVE to see Margaret River. I’ll get to WA one day – don’t you worry! 😉 xo

  • Reply Janet Camilleri aka Middle Aged Mama February 24, 2017 at 9:35 am

    We are hoping to do the cottage in the snow thing next year, for hubster’s 50th. Like you, I’d love to do more travel and visit many of the destinations you have here.

    • Reply Min February 24, 2017 at 3:48 pm

      Oh Janet really?!! How exciting! Where are you planning to go for your cottage in the snow experience? So envious! Really hoping I get to experience this too sometime in my lifetime. Lots of travel and fab experiences ahead for both of us hopefully! 🙂 xo

  • Reply Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit February 25, 2017 at 10:16 am

    There’s a few of those on my list too. I’ve managed to tick off a couple you’ve got there. I think I’d like to do that indoor skydiving ASAP with my kids. I did the real thing 20 years ago. But indoor feels much more age appropriate for me these days …
    #TeamLovinLife

    • Reply Min February 28, 2017 at 2:04 pm

      Oh I could never do the real thing (sky diving) Leanne! I just know I’d freeze in fear and not be able to jump. Good on you for doing it!

  • Reply Kirsty @ My Home Truths February 25, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    I don’t have a bucket list but I would be travelling if I could choose whatever I wanted to do. Seeing snow and experiencing a white Christmas would be high on my list too, as well as seeing the northern lights x

    • Reply Min February 28, 2017 at 2:05 pm

      Oh yes the Northern Lights will have to be added to my bucket list. That would be incredible to see! x

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