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Sunday 12 April 2015

Travel: Destination Wishlist

One of my goals for this year is to have more experiences. Not necessarily all travel, but I have, previously, been known to spend all of my disposable income on things rather than memories. This year, I have a good stash of concert tickets already and memories are most definitely top of my list of priorities.

I don't have what I would call a bucket list. I don't really like the connotations of a bucket list, as though we're merely on this planet to tick off a shopping list and then pop our clogs, no thanks. Even so, I do have a rather extensive travel wishlist. Some of it really is pie in the sky, but other places I really do hope to see, one day. My wants and desires do change on a regular basis, but as much as there are tropical destinations on that list, I can't deny that nowhere reaches out to me more than a cold destination. So, in the interests of dreaming, and as my entry for the Transun Northern Lights competition, here are my top 3 wishlist destinations.

1. Niagara - Canada

Picture from here

I have this thing about wanting to visit Canada. It's vast wildernesses and cold climate seriously appeal to me. Right up on the top of my list there though is Niagara. I don't really know what prompted my interest in this destination, other than I've wanted to visit Canada for a very long time. I imagine it would be a breathtaking experience, and one I would cherish forever. I love nature, and particularly fierce, dangerous nature. Storms, volcanoes, etc, and I suspect that the power of Niagara would be extremely awe inspiring.

2. Transylvania - Romania
Image used from Huffington Post

Who isn't captivated by the story of Dracula? Despite being such an old tale, it never loses its fascination, being remade over and over again with everyone from Bela Lugosi to Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman. It is not just the Bram Stoker tale though which is particularly fascinating, but what about the basis of this story, Vlad the Impaler. I would love to fly into Bucharest, take one of the many coach tours over the Carpathian mountains and see the spectacle of Bran Castle. Would I be wearing a giant crucifix and eating garlic? Most definitely, but I'm sure it's a trip where I would see and learn so much. It's also meant to be a very beautiful place too.

3. Norway - Lofoten Islands
Image from boredpanda.com


Norway always strikes me as a fascinating country. It seems to have everything, vibrant cities such as Oslo, the Fjords (also high on my wishlist), but the Lofoten Islands high up in the north, I'm not sure there'd be anywhere else like it on Earth. A perfect place to watch the Northern Lights, I've heard from people that they crackle and are quite eerie. What a spectacle to behold. These islands are so picturesque though that they look like a faerie land, even without the glow of the Northern Lights above. I think this would really be a place to go and lose yourself, and quite happily I would.

Where would your top destinations be, and why?

2 comments:

Marianna said...

I love how you've included Transylvania on your destination wish list! My Dad is from Romania and I visit every Summer - it truly is such a beautiful country full of history, amazing views and fabulous people! When I was younger we used to drive to Romania and I remember passing through the mountains and Transylvania - it was so much fun! Hope you manage to visit one day...and if so, drum bun! :)

Louise Mc said...

Wow, I'm so envious. I definitely want to go one day, I love the thought of all that history and those beautiful Gothic landscapes. Just googled your Drum Bun :-) one to remember