When I was in elementary school I remember a man visiting our school and telling us about about how he had accomplished everything thing on his list of 100 things he wanted to do in his life. I specifically remember him talking about skydiving and visiting Thailand and being in awe of him. I've thought about that list several times since then, but I've never put together my own. I suspect we'll be seeing a lot of these lists this year inspired by the movie Bucket List coming out. I'm still not sure of all the personal achievements that I would put on my list, but I have started thinking about some things that I would love to see on our travels. You may laugh at a few of these, but here's my list so far.
Attend the National Book Festival
Spend Thanksgiving in Plymouth
Visit Holland during tulip season
See Punxatawny Phil on Groundhog’s Day (this year may be our last chance and Larry has to work!)
Visit the Eric Carle Museum
Moonlit tram ride at Sundance
Visit Louisa May Alcott’s home
See The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze in Sleepy Hollow
Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach – Tickets on sale now for August’s event
See a movie at the Sundance film festival
Hermitage Museum in Russia
Watch the Haka while in New Zealand
Ride a gondola in Venice
Thrust my hand in La Bocca della Verità , the mouth of truth, in Rome.
Watch the bats come out while visiting Keri, Mat, & Jack in Austin, TX
Tour the Whitehouse
Attend my own book signing (I guess I would need to write a book first)
Eat a cupcake at the Magnolia Bakery
Spend a day in Central Park
Watch a taping of Martha Stewart
Cruise to Alaska
Attend the Dublin Fringe Festival and see all the plays that we can
Visit the Harry Potter Theme Park after it opens
Get burgers and shakes at Hodad's
Spend time in the Guggenheim
I think that we better get started on some of things things because you never know when thing may chance and you won't have the opportunity anymore. For example, I used to want to visit the fairy homes on Monhegan Island, Maine, but now the fairy homes are discouraged due to ecological concerns.
Larry and I aren't very far along in life, and we've been living on a pretty tight budget during his med school days, but we've had the opportunity to do some really amazing things. So far we've:
Climbed Chichen Itza
Hung out in Las Vegas casinos
Watched a Broadway show in New York
Sprayed by the mist of Niagara Falls
Watched the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace (Steph)
Spelunked in Mammoth Caves
Watched the Eiffel Tower light up (Steph)
Explored the Smithsonian Museums in DC
Looked over Chicago from the top of the Sears Tower
Walked around Disneyland Wearing Mickey Ears
Sat in on a taping of David Letterman
Followed Paul Revere and Benjamin Franklin's footsteps while exploring the Freedom Trail
Toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water
Smiled at the Mona Lisa at the Louvre (Steph)
Looked at art hand in hand at the Getty Museum
Sang Karaoke and ate sushi in Japan (Steph)
Been totally perplexed during a Canadian Football game in Toronto
Looked down from the CN Tower, the world’s highest observation deck
Held crocodiles in Crococun
Cruised the Caribean and spent Christmas in Jamaica
Debated over Pat’s and Gino's the original cheese steaks and looked at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia
Viewed the Christmas lights at Temple Square
Admired the Golden Gate Bridge
Ate a hot Brown in Louisville
Cheered for the National Championship college football team (Go bucks!)
Looked up at Daibustu in Kamakura, Japan (Steph)
Got knocked over by an elephant in Thailand (Larry)
Went on a two year service mission (Larry)
Shopped at Harrod’s (Steph)
Visited Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and the Bronte sister’s homes (steph)
Walked among the graves at Normandy (Steph)
Gorged ourselves on pumpkin food at the Circleville Pumpkin Show
Seen the Christmas displays on Fifth Avenue in NY
Watched the night show at the Polynesian Cultural Center
Watched surfing competitions and ate Mostumotos shaved Ice on the North Shore of Oahu (Steph)
Spent a few days backpacking in Grandstaircase National Monument (Steph)
Watched Old Faithful erupt in Yellowstone
Snorkled in the Grand Turk
Played in the water of Hana, Maui
Rode the crazy roller coasters at Cedar Point
Stayed in an Art deco hotel in Southbeach, Miami
Went fresh-water cave diving in Mexico (Steph)
So what would you put on your list?
The same guy probably came to my junior high. He was very inspirational to me. I made a list of 100 things to do that day. My list from back then is hilarious. It said things like own 100 horses, be a singer in Tennessee, and never weigh more than 115 lbs. I need to make a new list that is more down to earth. I like your list -- fun things.
ReplyDeleteHi. So I found your blog through Candice's, and I think you are cool! One of the things on my list is to kiss the Blarney Stone! I've gotta do that before I die!
ReplyDeleteSteph, I just have to say how much I LOVE your blog. You're the best. They only bad part is that it makes me miss you when I read it!:)
ReplyDeleteLet's see...stuff we want to do.
-Laugh with some hyenas on an African Safari
-Go ice caving in Alaska.
-Zip Lining over gorges in Costa Rica.
-Go bowling. We have tried to go bowling together multiple times, but somehow we haven't made it yet. you think we could get that together after 7 years!
Some Favorite we've done:
-Lobster Hunting while on a drift dive in Florida.
-Running out of air on our Lobster Hunt and sharing Dan's tank.
-Dressing up at the Gettysburg reenactment.
-Climbing waterfalls in Jamaica
-Canyoning (rapelling down a mountain following the waterfalls) in New Zealand. (Dan)
-Climbing Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings (Dan)
-Chewing gum illegally in Singapore (Mandy)
-Buying Calvin and Hobbes shirts from a witch doctor in Bali (Mandy)
-Yodeling in the Alps (Mandy)
-Taking hula lessons in Hawaii
-Traveling through Bosnia three days before civil war broke out (Mandy--I didn't do it on purpose!)
-Finding out exactly what Marijuana was in Amsterdam (didn't try it, though!:))
-Entering the National Shoo Fly Pie Bake-off in Lancaster. Good ol' Central PA fun!
Oh, my goodness, so many more. We love to travel and I'm always looking for some new adventure.
I have a list of places to visit, but not the things I would like to do in life. Such a great thing to think about with this new year. So glad you published your list of things you have accomplished and things you would like to. Y'all have seriously accomplished some cool things. I also love your list of things you still want to do. I'm going to have to think, but one of my things would be to see the horse races in Sienna, Italy. I'm lucky that I worked for Delta so I have been able to fly for fairly free. I also lived in NYC so I have spent many a day in Central Park and think everyone should have that on their list.
ReplyDeleteThanks for getting me thinking!
ps I keep meaning to email you- my daughter LOVES her fairy door. Thanks again!
I love this idea! I just might have a list on our blog and borrow a couple of yours! Do you mind?
ReplyDeleteLove your list! Several of those our right by us, so I think you should probably plan a visit (or two)! :)
ReplyDeleteare not our... must get more sleep.
ReplyDeletePlease do post your own lists! I'd love some more ideas! And thanks Mandy for your ideas!
ReplyDelete