I have a journal. I’ve always kept a journal. Yes, I was (am?) one of those nerdy kids that always kept some sort of journal and you know what? I’m so glad I did. It’s so interesting looking back and reading old passages to see what and how I was thinking at certain moments in time. I feel as if this blog has replaced that journal for me in a way as I’m writing regularly. All of this to say, each journal I’ve had has always had some sort of bucket list in it. Obviously these lists change and grow over the years. I think my most recent one is over 100 items long. Which is crazy but I’m a pretty ambitious person.
I think it’s important to have goals and items that you want to achieve in life. Some can be as easy as, eating in a restaurant alone or as difficult as, a roadtrip around Iceland. While I never really have New Years resolutions, I always promise myself and try to make sure I tick off some of these items.
In fact, I started off the New Year with a tick. I didn’t go out for New Years this year (I will explain this another time) but by not going out like most to get really drunk and starting the year hungover, I woke up earlier than normal. Yes, I woke up at 8am on New Years day. Why? To tick off a bucket list item and start the year off right. Ben and I walked over to the nearest bike rental shop in Amsterdam, rented a bike and off we went. It may still be early in the year, but it’s been the highlight so far. The streets were emptier which made a nervous rider like me feel safer on the streets. Plus, it allowed us plenty of opportunities for incredible pictures with no one in the way.
There’s no better feeling than getting to say, I did that. I completed something I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time. I got to ride a bike in Amsterdam. This may sound so normal for some people but I don’t care, it was an item on my list and I did it.
Two weekends ago I ticked another item off my list – I ate deep dish pizza in Chicago. Admittedly I wasn’t as big of a fan as I thought I would (it’s hard to mess with a classic, especially when you’ve had the real deal in Italy). I still did it though!
Some items aren’t as glamorous as others but if they matter to you, they will matter.
I’m feeling a bit nostalgic today so I’ve listed below the bucket items I’ve been able to tick off in my short life. A lot of them in the past three or four years as well (I’ve been a busy girl). They are in no particular order because all of them are important to me in their own ways;
Ride a bike in Amsterdam
Do a yoga class in Bali
Eat a Belgium waffle
Smoke weed in Amsterdam (sorry JH!)
Travel alone
Drive along pacific highway one
Watch the changing of the guard in London
Visit the English countryside
Take a picture at the bean in Chicago
Eat pizza in Italy
Have a romantic dinner in Paris
Start a blog
Walk along the walls of Dubrovnik
Participate in a proper wine tour
Be debt free
Obviously I’ve had many more wonderful experiences but that’s all my little brain can think of right now. Even reflecting on all of these things I realize how truly lucky I am to have done them. Of course my real bucket list is incredibly long, but I’ll save that for a post another time!
What bucket list items have you completed so far? What were your favourites?
I would absolutely love to do a proper wine tour someday. I have many items on my lists, one was to see six continents before I was 30 which I was able to tick off this year. Once I didn’t go out on NYE either so that I could wake up and snowboard the next day without a hangover, totally worth it! Great post 🙂
I really like your list – there’s a good mix of adventurous stuff in there and some more simple things like ‘eat pizza in Italy’. It’s a nice reminder that your bucket list doesn’t need to be full of impossible dreams.
Travelling alone is something I’ve never hugely enjoyed but I’m taking another stab at it next month – let’ see how I feel after 🙂
Thanks John! I agree I didn’t particularly enjoy travelling alone either – although I do know quite a number of people who do. To each their own I guess!
Wow that’s amazing Natasha good for you! Thanks for stopping by – love your blog 🙂
Wow that’s amazing Natasha good for you! Sometimes I really think NYE is totally overrated 🙂 – ps love your blog!
So appreciate having a bucket list and the clarity about what you want to accomplish. There are so many places that I’d like to visit but have learned to enjoy each destination as the opportunity comes. There’s a world to discover and no way to see it all in one lifetime.
My sister always tells me if I write things down I’ll do them and it’s neat to see your bucket list and how you’re realizing these goals. I’ve always wanted to eat pizza in Chicago too!
I find that’s the best way as well. I can’t even tell you how many bucket lists I have! I find them all over the place.
Great list and great photos! I particularly love the photo of you on the bike in Amsterdam. You’ve seen and done a lot!
I haven’t been to Bali yet but It’s definitely on my list. I recently checked off the Great Wall of China. The Mutianyu section was amazing and there weren’t that many fellow tourists there. It exceeded my expectations!
Happy travels as you check off more items! 🙂
Thanks so much Alex! It’s true I sometimes forget how many cool things I’ve done in such a short span of time! Lucky you to have checked off the Great Wall of China! That’s definitely up there on the list for me as well 🙂
One of my bucket list items was falling in love. Another was creating a web app, which ended up becoming Do It! Prove It! (http://doitproveit.com) It’s a community for sharing and tracking accomplishments. (ie. bucketlist)