How do YOU define “bucket list destination”

[Turtles06]

18 hours ago, mom says said:

But as is often the case, I think the term has become overused, especially by marketers. I don't need to see a travel company's top 10 or 20 bucket list places to visit. It's only a bucket list item for me if I say it is.

 

I was just reading this thread for the first time, and as I was doing so, a marketing email popped into my in box from Celebrity urging me to "Start dreaming about your 2023 vacation on a 7-night Southern Caribbean bucket-list adventure. Set sail aboard the revolutionized Celebrity Millennium® and island-hop to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao . ."    

 

What timing!  The ABC islands may be quite beautiful, but I would never put them on a "bucket list." 

 

I agree that the term has become absolutely overused.  In fact, I really hate the term and never use it myself, perhaps because so many people seem to use it as a mere checklist, a list of things to see and then tick off just for the sake of ticking them off, not because they are personally meaningful or special.   

 

I have been very fortunate in having been able to do an expedition cruise to Antarctica.  I am sure this would be a "bucket list" item for many people.  For me, Antarctica was someplace I'd wanted to travel to for decades -- not to tick it off a list, but because I wanted to see it for myself, to be up close and personal with the ice, with penguins and other wildlife, and to have what I was certain would be one of the most amazing experiences I would ever have.  (It was.)  I guess that's how I look at "bucket list" items  -- experiences I want to have because I think they would be meaningful to me, places I'd like to see because I think I would enjoy seeing them, etc.   But I don't call it a "bucket list."

[Turtles06]

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

And then there are the "why was that on my bucket list items?". We were in Copenhagen after a cruise, and I felt I had to see the Little Mermaid. What a disappointment that was. I had read that Rick Steves had said that it was the most disappointing tourist attraction in the world; I should have believed him before we put in the effort to see it.

 

10 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

Before today I never had a desire to go see it. But if it’s THE most disappointing attraction in the entire world, that’s something I gotta put on my bucket list 🙂

 

@zekekelso  that's hysterical!

 

I'd also read disparaging things about the Little Mermaid before our visit to Copenhagen, so we did not go out of our way to see it.  But when you take a canal boat tour in Copenhagen (which I would say IS a must), you sail by the Little Mermaid.   Look at these people!

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[slidergirl]

I've been fortunate to have experienced quite a lot on what I'd call my bucket list.  Some are places and some are experiences.   I have some minor ones left, but my big one is to see Andrea Bocelli at Teatro del Silenzio in Tuscany.  I really want to try to get it together for next year if it is scheduled (I don't see it yet).  I have seen the Maestro once at the Hollywood Bowl and will see him again this fall where I live.  But, so see him in an amazing setting in Italy is just an aspirational trip.  I know he is going to be performing next year in Rome at the Terme di Caracalla, but I just have this thing about the Teatro del Silenzio.  I may have to adjust my expectations...

[ontheweb]

54 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

Before today I never had a desire to go see it. But if it’s THE most disappointing attraction in the entire world, that’s something I gotta put on my bucket list 🙂

Well, you won't be disappointed as it will either be better than you expected or live up to the reputation of the most disappointing tourist attraction in the world.😃

[bonsai3s]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

I agree with the definition of a list of things you want to do/see before you die. Having it be one unobtainable goal wouldn't push me to strive for it. It has to be things I can reasonably do with proper planning and saving.

 

My main bucket list goals were 

1. African Safari (did in 2017)

2. Galapagos and Machu picchu (doing in September)

3. South east Asia

4. See the pyramids

5. Antarctica

6. Stay in an over the water bungalow at an exotic location

 

So nothing that I CAN'T do. But certainly more meaningful to me than a simple "check it off the list" location.

 

Love your list...similar to ours.

 

Haven't been to Antartica...closest was our stop in Ushuaia.

 

Visited Machu Picchu almost 40 years ago. During my visit, I also river rafted down the Urubamba River.  Fast forward to 2018 and my wife wanted to see Machu Picchu so we went.  Never thought I'd go back again.

 

One night in Cuzco, we had dinner with new friends.  Wanted to share this picture of Fried Guinea Pig, served complete with a hat...I couldn't get myself to eat it...our friends did and said: "Taste just like chicken."

 

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, evandbob said:

Nah, I can just do the same old vacations after completing my list...or even some unspectacular new destinations - or just enjoy my remaining time with family and friends.

And there is always more to see in those special places. If you go back to Rome, there will always be things you missed previously. I don't think you could see everything in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg no matter how much time you spent there. Etc.

[dolittle]

1 hour ago, bonsai3s said:

 

Love your list...similar to ours.

 

Haven't been to Antartica...closest was our stop in Ushuaia.

 

Visited Machu Picchu almost 40 years ago. During my visit, I also river rafted down the Urubamba River.  Fast forward to 2018 and my wife wanted to see Machu Picchu so we went.  Never thought I'd go back again.

 

One night in Cuzco, we had dinner with new friends.  Wanted to share this picture of Fried Guinea Pig, served complete with a hat...I couldn't get myself to eat it...our friends did and said: "Taste just like chicken."

 

 

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

And there is always more to see in those special places. If you go back to Rome, there will always be things you missed previously. I don't think you could see everything in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg no matter how much time you spent there. Etc.

Was enjoying this thread till the guinea pig ,had always hoped they were some hy-bred that did not exist in the real world.  Where  ever they do exist I do not want to go. The only thing worse than a dead one on your plate is a live one anywhere. 

[lobsternight]

16 minutes ago, dolittle said:

 

Was enjoying this thread till the guinea pig ,had always hoped they were some hy-bred that did not exist in the real world.  Where  ever they do exist I do not want to go. The only thing worse than a dead one on your plate is a live one anywhere. 

I'd eat that, well not the head.  Besides its wearing a hat, how could you resist?

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, dolittle said:

 

Was enjoying this thread till the guinea pig ,had always hoped they were some hy-bred that did not exist in the real world.  Where  ever they do exist I do not want to go. The only thing worse than a dead one on your plate is a live one anywhere. 

We managed to miss the guinea pig when we went to Peru including Machu Picchu. As vegetarians, we would not even considered trying it.

[SteveH2508]

Sometimes you do not realise that something is on your bucket list until you actually see it. The Great Wall of China was an obvious one - well worth the visit.

 

When I walked into the first building housing the Terracotta Army excavation, the tingle I felt was like no other sight I have seen - it went straight to number one on the list with a big tick.

[bonsai3s]

3 hours ago, dolittle said:

 

Was enjoying this thread till the guinea pig ,had always hoped they were some hy-bred that did not exist in the real world.  Where  ever they do exist I do not want to go. The only thing worse than a dead one on your plate is a live one anywhere. 

😊 We actually visited a couple of homes in Ollantaytambo, Peru with families breeding hundreds of guinea pigs INSIDE their homes in huge cages...to sell to the public and restaurants.

 

I walked out...reminded me of the movie "Ben". 😇

[AKJonesy]

My bucket list definition:  once in a lifetime, never going to get there again, and usually $$$$.  My last bucket list cruise was to Antarctica.  I still talk about it.  

Edited July 5, 2021 by AKJonesy

[dolittle]

1 hour ago, bonsai3s said:

😊 We actually visited a couple of homes in Ollantaytambo, Peru with families breeding hundreds of guinea pigs INSIDE their homes in huge cages...to sell to the public and restaurants.

 

I walked out...reminded me of the movie "Ben". 😇

I would run back to the ship and kill myself. I am so sorry you told me this I have always wanted to go to Peru. Did they make that awful squinting noise AHHHHHH . Everything about them freaks me out.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, SteveH2508 said:

 The Great Wall of China was an obvious one - well worth the visit.

 

When I walked into the first building housing the Terracotta Army excavation,

 

I concur with your thoughts.  The Great Wall was an obvious one for me.  Visiting Xian, before we went into the buildings housing the excavations, I experienced a 360 degree movie in another building where we learned about what we were about to see.  Having seen that movie made what I saw in the excavations a better understanding and appreciation of what I was seeing.  

[getting older slowly]

Is a bucket list    item       a seeing something   or a doing something    ( or could it be both )

 

Could be something you have done which blew you away.... but was not on a list as such....

 

My thought is an experience... which you will not forget   ( a good one )

 

Don.

[cruisemom42]

On 7/5/2021 at 12:03 AM, neverbeenhere said:

No bucket list.

 

Once you finish your bucket list all you’ve got left is kicking the bucket. 

 

Or you just do as I have done -- each item that I have removed from my bucket list generally gets replaced by 1-2 new items.

[sanger727]

46 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Or you just do as I have done -- each item that I have removed from my bucket list generally gets replaced by 1-2 new items.

 

If you tick an item off and replace it with 2 new items, it will never be done. And to me, that defeats the point. There are always more places I would like to go and more things I would like to do. But I am willing to go pretty much to the ends of the earth and my budget to make those "bucket list" items happen in my lifetime. 

[cruisemom42]

38 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

If you tick an item off and replace it with 2 new items, it will never be done. And to me, that defeats the point. There are always more places I would like to go and more things I would like to do. But I am willing to go pretty much to the ends of the earth and my budget to make those "bucket list" items happen in my lifetime. 

 

I guess it is a difference in outlook. I consider myself still fairly young but have had wonderful opportunities to travel so far.  I have already had many "once in a lifetime" experiences. But the more I travel, read, research, and talk to others, the more I learn of new places I want to visit and/or new things I want to try.

 

As an example, for many years now I have had a visit to Libya on my bucket list, in order to see the well-preserved ruins of the Roman city of Leptis Magna. I don't know if I will ever make it there or not. But in traveling to other places where there are out-of-the-way Roman ruins, I also learned about those in Algeria, and have added them to my list.

 

 

Edited to add:  Actually, I would hope that I die before my bucket list is complete. I think having something to look forward to/dream about is important.

Edited July 6, 2021 by cruisemom42

[Caribbean Chris]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

As an example, for many years now I have had a visit to Libya on my bucket list, in order to see the well-preserved ruins of the Roman city of Leptis Magna. I don't know if I will ever make it there or not. But in traveling to other places where there are out-of-the-way Roman ruins, I also learned about those in Algeria, and have added them to my list.

 

 

Have you been to Petra? The ruins there are on my mental list. Friends visited while on an Azamara cruise, and quite a few other lines also call at Aqaba.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

 

Have you been to Petra? The ruins there are on my mental list. Friends visited while on an Azamara cruise, and quite a few other lines also call at Aqaba.

 

Yes, I have been to Petra. That moment where you are able to see the end of the path through the narrow gorge and see the buildings is incredible. 

 

It's unfortunate that Jerash (also in Jordan) isn't really accessible to cruise travelers as it is another wonderful place to visit.

 

 

[sanger727]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Edited to add:  Actually, I would hope that I die before my bucket list is complete. I think having something to look forward to/dream about is important.

 

Ok, then your system makes sense. I think we are looking at a bucket list in different ways. I would very much regret getting to a point of my life where I was less mobile and able to travel long distances and not have finished my bucket list.

[iancal]

Somewhere one of us want to go, or to return to in the next 18-24 months.   The wish list goes further out and is incredibly dynamic.

 

We each have a top list.  We following pricing, currencies, fares, etc and when the stars align we book. Sometimes we knock off two at a time.  We also divide the list between spring/fall or winter (we live in the snow zone).   South Africa/Africa was top of DW's bucket list when we retired.  We delayed a year because the currency was depreciating.  Went down 15-18 percent..then we booked.  Italy and Greece are always on our bucket list.   We often stop on our way to or from other destinations.  In fact, I believe that DW would go just about anywhere as long as it involved a stop in Italy.

 

Today...the bucket list destinations that we are monitoring are Greece/Cyprus return through Paris or London for the fall, Pacific coast of Mexico for Nov/Dec,  Thailand/Vietnam (or Panama/Costa Rica) for next winter, and Morocco/Portugal for next spring.  The soon to be released updated Lonely Planet Morocco is already on order!  That is as far out as our short bucket lists goe.  All up in the air depending on covid/entry requirements etc.  We will only book 1-2 weeks out just in case.

 

Pick up late booking cruises where appropriate/convenient while travelling.

 

If one place on our near term bucket list is not possible for whatever reason, we replace it with another from the wish list.    Sounds complicated but it is not. 

 

Always with the proviso that if some fabulous offer pops up to somewhere on our wish list, it could immediately replace a short term bucket list destination.  OR something interesting in the travel pages or suggestions/insights  from a fellow traveler that we meet along the way.  That is how we ended up in Tasmania a few years ago and same for our first winter visit to Thailand.

Edited July 6, 2021 by iancal

[SteveH2508]

On 7/5/2021 at 5:26 PM, zekekelso said:

Before today I never had a desire to go see it. But if it’s THE most disappointing attraction in the entire world, that’s something I gotta put on my bucket list 🙂

Might I suggest the Mannequin Pis in Brussels as more disappointing. Brussels has a nice area of restaurants, otherwise it is barren.

Edited July 6, 2021 by SteveH2508

[bonsai3s]

39 minutes ago, SteveH2508 said:

Might I suggest the Mannequin Pis in Brussels as more disappointing. Brussels has a nice area of restaurants, otherwise it is barren.

It was memorable for us.

 

Many years ago, we were walking by the little boy statue peeing in the fountain...people were handing out free cups from the statue!  Found out it was beer.  I had a few cups.  

[navybankerteacher]

Each of us (those of us who think) has his own bucket -- and an unlimited bucket is too unweildy, so it is best to not make it too large.  Every now and then you might want to swap something out - because you've already done it - or it is no longer of interest.  But, for some of us, the really special things remain in our buckets - because you can never get enough of them.