Bucket lists are amazing things. They help you plan out ideas and goals for just about anything and everything, and they’re great for scratch notes and idea generation for things you need to do, places you want to visit, or even things you think are worth remembering.
Over the years, I’ve had a number of bucket lists on various topics. This hasn’t really changed today, the amount of lists I have has simply grown as I’ve discovered new places, new things, and new ideas. I keep a bullet journal on me at all times for quick jotting and reference when I need it.
One of my most precious bucket lists is for travel destinations. I keep this one extremely close to my heart, and it’s served me well over the years. I’d like to take a moment to share my top travel destinations with you.
Japan
The first place on my list is Japan. I’ve been obsessed with Japan since I was a small child. Sure, it was originally Japanese Animation (anime) that gave me my first taste of Japanese culture, but there’s so much more to Japan than just anime. Japan was an isolationist country for quite some time. They closed their borders and put into effect strict laws around the 1600’s, and reopened their borders in 1853. This resulted in Japan developing a culture unlike any other society on the planet. I won’t go into details as to why the isolation happened, or why it ended, but if you’d like to read up on that, you can check out this article on the history of Japan from Brittanica.com. If articles aren’t quite your thing, there’s a Youtube video that’s been kicking around for a few years, and it’s extremely well known to those of us involved in pop-culture circles.
Japan represents peace and harmony for me. It represents the mysterious, and the absolute epitome of aesthetically pleasing. In modern day, Japan seems to take pride in most things they do, but again, there’s much more to it than just this, and to go into detail and explain everything to you would mean you’d very possibly be sitting here reading my blog posts for years to come. There’s just so much.
There is, however, a very good chance that i will touch on Japan as a topic for other blog posts in the future. When I inevitably write them, I’ll try to make a note to come back and edit this post so it links to those future posts.
Germany
I want to start of by acknowledging that yes, Germany has a troubled past. They’ve come a long way, and they’ve taken definitive steps to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself. Once again, Germany represents an intellectual curiousity for me. There are so many things to see in Germany from a historical and anthropological perpective: Vorbunker, Dachau Memorial and Museum, Nuremburg Rallying Grounds, Holocaust Memorial, St Nicholas’ Church, Eagle’s Nest, Colditz Castle, Mittelbau-Dora Memorial, Soviet War Memorial, and Besseringen B-Werk just to name a few.
Other things I hope to see in Germany are Oktoberfest, Cologne Cathedral, Altstadt, Aachen Cathedral, Queen Mary’s Bridge, and much, much more. There’s also the fact that Germany has some amazingly beautiful countryside, and sprawling landscapes, from what I’ve heard. Mostly, I’m intrigued with the old buildings, the history of the country, and the serene, and peaceful-looking landscapes of the country. Let’s not forget sitting down and having an ice-cold beer. I hear Germany’s beer is second-to-none when compared to a lot of others.
Australia
A couple of different things come to mind when you mention Australia to a lot of people: The Australian Outback, and creatures that dream of eating you in your sleep. While these images of Australia might be true (though not to the same degree as we imagine them in the northern hemisphere), Australia has a lot to offer it’s visitors. From stunning beach, and absolutely picturesque natural habitats and national parks, to some of the most delicious (and sometimes weird or uncommon foods), Australia has a vibrant and rich culture. I’d be remiss, however, if I didn’t at least acknowledge the issues that the indigenous cultures in Australia are facing, and have faced since colonization.
Australia is one of those places that has seemed so far removed from where I’ve lived my entire life, that it seems almost fantastic and magical, like a dream.
For me, it’s about being able to see these places in person, being able to say that I’ve been there, and being able to cross one more item off my travel bucket list.
I’ll see you all next week with Part 2 of this mini-series.
