‘Bucket List’ has ‘Jumped the Shark’. So, this is a list of ten items, or amazing places, that are formerly known as my Bucket List. These are ten places, or experiences, or places that I want to experience, from around our little globe. They are numbered but are by no means in order of importance. The numbers are just a way to keep track and know when I’ve reached ten.
Summit Pico Duarte in Dominican Republic
At 10,164 feet, Pico Duarte is the highest peak in the Caribbean islands. Not really a great feat, as far as mountain climbing goes, but there’s just something about this tropical conquest that’s had a spot in my heart since first visiting the island.
Although the area is still quite touristy, I’m sure it would be a welcome change from the constant barrage of vendors at the D.R. beach resorts. As an added bonus, there is apparently some world class white water rafting to be had in the same area.
Visit the Aral Sea
It’s a train wreck on a global scale. Like any train wreck, it’s hard to look away. The Aral Sea has been shrinking for decades as water has been diverted to irrigate crops. Now, the rusted hulls of fishing boats sit hundreds of kilometers from the shore. The Sea is still shrinking on a daily basis so this is a something that needs to be visited soon before it’s gone.
As a side note, Georgian Bay (off Lake Huron in the Great Lakes) is now shrinking at a similar rate and for man made reasons. If something isn’t done soon about that, it will also become a monumental environmental disaster.
Drive the James Bay Road in its Entirety
This one is a bit of an oddball that most, even in Canada, have not heard of. Because of wilderness infrastructure built in northern Quebec to accommodate the hydro-electric industry, it is possible to drive your car to the edge of James Bay. For those unfamiliar with Canadian geography, James Bay is a smaller bay located at the southern tip of Hudson Bay.
It’s not so much the distance but the isolation that is appealing about this journey. There is a 381 km stretch of the road that is without any kind of services whatsoever (no gas, restaurants, convenience stores, etc.). This is longest unserviced stretch in Canada and the second longest in North America behind a 394 stretch of the Dalton Highway in Alaska.
Visit Bled, Slovenia
This location is on many a bucket list. There’s something so cool about this crystal clear lake, surrounded by mountains with a castle on an island in the middle. I’ve yet to read a bad review.
Canoe the 99 Mile Wilderness Waterway in the Florida Everglades
We were just driving around the Everglades National Park at the start of February and were intrigued by the Wilderness Waterway. We saw a few examples of what sort of passages would be taken. Tight narrow waterways with Mangrove trees crowding on either side. Large birds and American Alligators in a much, much larger population than humans.
The Wilderness Waterway starts up on northwest corner of the National Park, near Naples, and ends at Flamingo. Even more intriguing is the fact that navigational charts were absolutely necessary in order to not get lost in the maze of waterways over the 99 miles.
Fly a Long Haul Flight as a Passenger on an Airbus A380
I love airplanes. I love to fly on them. I love to watch them. To fly on a double decker Airbus A380 would simply be a giddy experience.
Visit Iguazu Falls
At the border of Argentina and Brazil, the Iguazu River creates one of the most awesome natural spectacles in the world. I get excited over a 15 foot waterfall. Iguazu would simply be overwhelming.
Bike Cuba From End to End
I am a huge fan of Cuba. An improving relationship with the United States is a bit of a catch-22. Sure it will bring prosperity when Cuba opens its borders to American tourists, but for who? My fear is that Cuba will just become another Dominican Republic or Jamaica where the few get rich on the backs of the poor.
Another thing a love affair between Cuba and the U.S.A. will bring is highway traffic. Right now, cycling the 1,250 km long island would be relatively traffic free and a cyclists dream. I would most likely ride from Santiago de Cuba to Havana – not quite coast to coast.
Spend Time at the Earth Lodge in Guatemala
Avocados, Volcanos, Mountains, Ocean. What more could you ask for? Near Antigua, Guatemala, the Earth Lodge is an avocado farm with a view.
Experience a Hurricane First Hand
I’m sure there’s a billion people on this planet that think this idea is incredibly stupid. Still, you can watch all the video coverage in the world, but you’ll never experience nature’s most awesome forces unless you’re trapped in the middle of them.
