Top 10 Travel Bucket-List

Dear Readers,

If you follow me on Instagram you will know that last week I was down lecturing at Acadia University in Wolfville Nova Scotia, and later spent the night in Halifax with one of my favourite people, Chloe, from Quarter Life Chloe. If you have been following my blog for at least the last year you probably have noticed Chloe’s name come up a few times (she even did a guest post about Self Care). I was so lucky to meet Chloe while I was studying in Glasgow, and since we have visited a few countries together! 

While we were catching up last week we started talking about all the places in the world we would both like to travel to, so we have decided to each write a Bucket-list of Top Ten Places we would each like to go. Here is a link to her travel Bucket-list.

I have been so fortunate to have already traveled a fair bit and have lived in two other countries! However, despite currently living back in the Maritimes, I still have the desire to continue travelling. Going through my list of places I would still like to travel to, I laugh at myself as so many of them has important historic significance for me, as many are places that I have studied in school or university.

1. Jerusalem, Israel. After taking a few religion courses in university I have become quite intrigued with travelling to Jerusalem. I think for most of us, Jerusalem is one of the first foreign cities we heard about as children, following biblical stories. Jerusalem is FILLED with history, but history that is very different from the western world and I would love to experience it first hand. Architecturally the Dome of the Rock is very high on my list of places to see having studied it in my art histories classes, as it is such an incredible Islamic Shrine.
2. Japan. Out of all the Asian countries, Japan has always been the one that has intrigued me most. First of all I LOVE sushi, and secondly again in my religion classes we studied Shintoism which really fascinated me. “Shinto is polytheistic and revolves around the kami, supernatural entities believed to inhabit the landscape.” I would really love to experience a Shinto retreat, in particular one at Fushimi Inari-taisha, one of the oldest shrines in Japan.
3. Austria. Having already traveled through a bit of Europe there are still places I am dying to see. One very high on my list would be Austria. From falling in love with the Sound of Music to other World War II inspired stories, like The Woman in Gold, again I would love to visit Austria for it’s historical significance. It is also a buck-list item for me to go an opera in one of the Opera Houses in Vienna, like the State Opera building.
4. Australia. Well I have to travel at least once to the “land down under.” I have met various Australians while studying abroad and they are always so much fun! My friend Erika was also an au-pair there for a year and was always telling us stories about Australia. I would love to do a road trip around Australia and explore the entire country since it is SO different from Canada!
5. Banff, Alberta. I have never actually traveled past Ontario in Canada, and I would love to see some of the west coast, in particular Banff as I would love to see the mountains. So often while living abroad people would ask what the mountains were like, and I always had to explain how BIG Canada is and how the whole country is different depending on where you live!
6. Chicago, Illinois. Out of all the places in the United States to visit Chicago is the highest on my list. Mainly because of all the art gallery and museums Chicago has. In my studies artifacts and paintings are often linked to the Art Institute of Chicago. Plus the woman I am currently writing my thesis on lived in Chicago for her husband’s entire career as a doctor before the couple retired to New Brunswick.
7. Ireland. If I was to head to the air port right now and hop on a plane this would most likely be my next destination. I actually had applied to a job in Dublin before moving back to Canada, as I thought it would be a great new adventure. Of course I got asked to interview for the job as soon as I accepted by current position at the New Brunswick Museum. Plus, Guinness is my favourite beer so I would naturally fit in!
8. Greece. Again, a lot of historical significance here plus MAMMA MIA! I am ready to rent an Air B&B on a little Greek island and be a Dancing Queen! Greece looks like absolute paradise to me, the perfect place for a relaxing holiday.
9. Egypt. Now what young historian didn’t have an “Egyptian” phase as I child! Egypt was one of my first historical fascinations following ready the Magic Tree House book Mummies in the Morning. The history and cultural of Ancient Egypt is just so fascinating. Plus a friend of mine is currently living there so I would LOVE to go and visit her!
   
10. Bangkok, Thailand. I definitely not as knowledgeable up Asian countries but I would still love to travel to them. Besides my interest in Japan, I think Bangkok would be another item I would like to hit (maybe even in the same trip). I think Thai culture would be so fascinating to experience (THINK OF HOW GOOD THAI FOOD IS) plus I would love to visit the Wat Uran Buddhist temple. I am not an overly religious person myself but I think studying different religions is absolutely fascinating.

I have found that each time I travel I am left wanting to see more, 2019 I didn’t get to travel as much as I had in the previous years, but I did get to see more of Canada travelling throughout the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario and even down to Maine!

What are some of the locations on your travel bucket-lists?!