THE NEW BUCKET LIST
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO DISCOVER THE NEVER SEEN BEFORE
TEN DESTINATIONS ON THE MUST-SEE, MUST-DO LIST
Novelist Pico Iyer famously said, “the best travels, like the best love affairs, never really end.” You bring back a bag full of memories, adventures, a new bucket list. The ultimate bucket list for travel must include those experiences that have the potential to linger on, spurring memories which translate into stories of places, people, and things to do, see and feel. Drawing up this list wasn’t easy, so I focused on possibility and immediacy. Here are my top 10 picks that I would like to do someday and soon. 1 GO TO BURNING MAN A kaleidoscope of art cars, outlandish costumes and surreal exhibits of music and self-expression, Burning Man brings together artists, thinkers and even celebrities (Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Katy Perry) for a week in the middle of the Nevada desert every year. From exploring the maximum of human creativity in arts and fashion, to fostering a cashless, barter-based economy, Burning Man is the ultimate experience for anyone curious about how a utopian society would function. 2 CRUISE ALONG THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS Charles Darwin’s famous theory of evolution was inspired by his visit to this remote archipelago of multiple islands and their endemic species, where one can encounter
giant turtles, swimming sea lions and penguins, not to mention 27 varieties of birds only to be seen here. Nowhere else in the world will you come face-to-face with more unique species at one place. 3 THE PALACE ON WHEELS India’s most well-known luxury train transports you to the bygone era of Nawabs and Maharajas for seven days of pure indulgence while discovering some of India’s most famous sights along the way, like the Ranthambore National Park and the Golden Triangle. This is a completely a new way of seeing India by land, the way the royals would have intended us to. 4 NORTHERN LIGHTS Imagine the solitude of the Finnish Lapland and the comfort of watching one of nature’s finest spectacles, the Northern Lights, while tucked under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate (and perhaps someone special), looking out into the -30 degree winter wonderland from your glass igloo. Welcome to Kakslauttanen, Finland. Also on offer, reindeer and husky rides, traditional Finnish sauna baths and even a visit to Santa Claus’s home. 5 AMALFI COAST VINTAGE CAR ROAD-TRIP Italy’s Southern Coast, from Positano to Amalfi, boasts of some of the most picturesque costal highways in the world dotted with little towns, olive farms and even wineries on cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Salerno. Top this with a vintage car, such as a red 1973 Alpha Romeo Spider and join the ranks of poets, artists and Hollywood stars who have brought this stretch to life in countless books and films. 6 THE TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY Criss-crossing the vast and diverse land-
scape of Russia, cutting through the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and finally ending up in China, via Manchuria, the world’s longest rail route is also one of the greatest travel adventures of our time. The mélange of cultures, food, drink, history and people, all compressed into a seven-day journey, promises to be intense and overwhelming. 7 ANTARCTIC CRUISE Long considered the final frontier for die-hard explorers, Antarctica, is today, within reach, with multiple cruise liners operating throughout the year. You will do this only once in your lifetime but rest assured your stories of survival and accomplishment, peppered with giant icebergs, penguins, seals and whales, and perhaps a plunge in sub-zero waters, will be legendary. 8 STEP INTO THE A TIME MACHINE IN CUBA The beauty of Cuba lies somewhere between its timeless culture, the classic cars from the 50s cruising through streets filled with the sounds of Salsa music and its complicated and colourful political storyline. And if that isn’t enough, there are gorgeous natural landscapes, the world’s best rum and cigars and the most hospitable people you will ever come across. 9 MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, RWANDA The image of King Kong fighting airlines and causing havoc makes the prospect of coming face-to-face with a mountain gorilla, a slightly daunting one. The most intimate and gentle wildlife experience you can have involves trekking volcano peaks of Uganda to track and observe gorilla families as they go about their natural routines. With only 700 gorillas left in the wild, you have an opportunity to contribute directly to the conservation efforts as well. 10 WINTERS IN BANFF, CANADA Snowy mountains, art and music festivals, luxury chateaus with gigantic fireplaces and mugs of hot chocolate or mulled wine—experiencing Canada’s best national park, draws you to a parallel universe. Go, if you must, with your closest friends and family and surrender yourself to the vast and unforgettable outdoors.