My 2014 Bucket List will be Completely, Unbelievably Insane

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Hawaii - The Big Island

Some people create a list because they are dying, I created one because I want to live! I want every day to be better than the last and every day to be the best day of my life. Is that completely insane? Ridiculous? Good! Last year’s bucket list included unrealistic dreams like visiting 10 new countries, reaching 20 million blog views, attending NBA All-Star weekend, and night snorkeling with manta rays in Hawaii. But I want this year to be even more outside of the box. I’d like your suggestions. I currently have 25 items so I need 25 more. I don’t have endless funding or access to private jets or yachts, but I do have an incurable drive to make all of my dreams a reality. What’s an extreme adventure that I’m missing? Where is the best, family-friendly, travel destination?  What’s something so bizarre that I just might want to give it a try? Help bring my 2014 list to new heights.

Here are my current items:

1. Visit Cayman Islands
2. Swim at Stingray City, Grand Cayman
3. Drive a stock car (Canceled twice this year because of weather. 3rd time’s a charm)
4. Try scuba diving
5. Visit Puerto Rico
6. Wander Around Old San Juan
7. Experience a Bio Bay
8. Hike a Tropical Rain Forest
9. Stay at Atlantis, Bahamas
10. Move back to California
11. Visit Six Flags, California
12. See at least 2 ballets
13. See at least 2 musicals/theater productions
14. Visit Washington state
15. Visit Israel
16. Try bobsledding
17. Drive an Indy Car
18. Take Athena camping over night
19. Sky dive (again; it makes every list)
20. An African Safari
21. Reach 100,000 blog subscribers
22. Go in a submarine
23. See The Sound of Music performed in Salzburg, Austria
24. Try an underwater glass helmet
25. Visit Austria

167 thoughts on “My 2014 Bucket List will be Completely, Unbelievably Insane”

  1. When you drive an Indy car, be sure to stay for the Indy 500! (Advice from a native Hoosier. 🙂 ) And if you haven’t visited St. George Island, FL, be sure to book a stay at the Plantation. It’s beautiful and quiet and very family-friendly. Love your list!

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    • I heard of St. George Island, but I haven’t been. I will have to look into it more and think about adding it to the list for either this year or next. 🙂

      Indy 500 might be a great addition as well, even though I was thinking about driving an Indy car somewhere else.

      Where are you living now? Where in Canada are you from?

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  2. For number 18 where will you take her camping? I bet she’d have fun camping “out on the Mira” 😉 from one fellow Caper to another!!

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    • Blogging is a full time job already and I have a toddler that I enjoy chasing after as well so a book on top of that is outside of my time constraints for this year.

      I try to include items that are crazy but doable and I don’t think that fits the bill.

      Great suggestion though; keep them coming 🙂

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  4. Pingback: My 2014 Bucket List will be Completely, Unbelievably Insane | Nutrientscure's Blog

    • I was scheduled to visit Alberta just a couple weeks ago, but plans needed to be changed last minute. I don’t think it will make it back on this year’s list. Some times are meant to be put on hold I guess 🙂

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  8. FIrst, “follow your bliss.”

    Second, put scuba diving at the top of the list, with Bonaire as your destination to learn how to scuba dive.The conditions are perfect — clear, pleasantly warm and very clear water with little current. Don’t stop with a PADI open water certification. Get at least an advanced certification to learn how go down to 100 feet, safely. It’s well worth it.

    Jeanie (my wife) and I got our divemaster certifications there and it was lots of work but well worth the effort. We did that at no cost by becoming “slaves” to an excellent instructor. Since we lived on our sailboat, Namaste, moored ($5.00 per day) within about five minutes of the dive school and had our own equipment, the only cost for non-instructional dives was the cost of a tank fill, then $3.00.

    Enjoy!

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    • I’ve been to Aruba and Curacao but never Bonaire. I’d like to add it to the list when I’m more experienced with scuba diving so my husband and I can truly enjoy all that it has to offer. I hear that they have some of the best diving in the world and the airline even lets you take your dive gear for free. 🙂

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  11. Happy New Year, Lesley! This is a pretty amazing list! I’m with you on the ballet and musicals/theatre productions. I can’t wait to See the Lion King in a couple of months! Keep living it up.:) – Donna

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  12. If you do NASCAR and Mike or Chris Green is driving, try to talk to them and tell them Angie said “hello”. They are my cousins, and I know Chris still drives. Not sure about Mike these days, but both got their start at KY Speedway, outside Owensboro, KY, where I live. Guess it’s in the blood, because I used to drag race when they were little kids. Fun to do. Love the speed. And Austria is a beautiful place to visit. Take the Sound of Music Tour while you are there.

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  13. hike Kilimanjaro while you’re in Africa for your safari, See Victoria falls there too.
    Hike the Inca trail to Macchu Picchu, take a cruise down the Amazon.
    Tango classes in Buenos Aires. Iguazu Falls, Act like a gaucho at an estancia in the Argenitine countryside. Head south to Ushuaia and ski or take a dog sled ride(in August). Take the train at the end of the world there too.
    Visit NASA in Houston. Houston Rodeo, Calgary Stampede. Banderas Texas cowboy capital. Palo Duro Canyon. Austin Texas 6th street music. South by Southwest.
    Hope thats a good selection for you to choose from 🙂

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  15. You’ve a visit to Washington state on your list, how about touring Portland Oregon by cargo bikes (with your lovely daughter) while you’re in the neighborhood. I’d be happy to provide you with a bike and give you a personal tour of the town by bike – food carts, coffee roasters, distilleries, bookstores and much more to see.

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  16. Visit Belize. Visit Alaska. Go scuba diving in Cozumel, Roatan, the Caribbean. Swim in the Arctic Ocean and join the official Polar Bear Blue Nose club. (You have to go completely under you can’t just walk in and walk out). Run a marathon. Do the Tough Mudder. Visit the entire coast of the Mediterranean. Read the book 1000 places to see before you die and pick some. put a list of places you would REALLY want to visit on a pinwheel, and spin it.. then go to that place. How’s that for a start?

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    • oh I think Australia will be on this year’s list. I forgot to add it. I just don’t want to have too many countries. I’m capable of a lot but more than 10 isn’t necessarily reasonable, especially with a family and a move coming up.

      What is your favorite country that you’ve visited?

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      • Hi Lesley, hmm favourite country is hard as it changes every time I have travel- the top 3 at the moment would have to be:
        Myanmar (Burma)
        Italy
        Cambodia

        Favourite cities to hang out:
        Paris
        Buenos Aires
        Rio

        Well hope to see you in Australia in 2015 then? – 🙂

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  19. Awesome list! You totally MUST come to Alaska and run/power hike one of the mountain races. The views are to die for, plus they’re challenging, too. But the best race is Mount Marathon in Seward, AK. It’s a brutal 3,062 feet in just over a mile, with up to 60% grades, and after you struggle to the top, you have to hurl yourself back down again. Racers often finish bloody (I do, almost every year) and it’s the most wonderful high in the world to run down the last half mile, which is over the street and lined with cheering spectators. The race is through a lottery for first-times, but if you contacted the Seward Chamber of Commerce they might be able to up your odds in exchange for the publicity. Racing Mt. Marathon is the most exhilarating of things. Truly! Would love to see you there.

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  22. If you are going to Austria you might see the Lipizzaner (dancing) Stallions in Vienna. Innsbruck Austria has a cable car up the mountainside. http://www.nordkette.com/en/the-mountain-in-summer.html . Many people ride up and hike down (a bit of a trek). I hiked up and rode down. I must have read the directions wrong. You might also stop in London and see the English Royal Ballet, http://www.roh.org.uk/news/201314-ballet-and-dance-season-announced , and at LEAST 2 musicals.

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  24. You haven’t been in a submarine? even one of those little tourist-y ones…anyway you inspired me sort of – I made a list of singer songwriters that I want to see live before they, or I, die. First concert is in May this year. Cheers.

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  26. Lesley you are going to have a fabulous year…and a busy one! How about build 52 sandcastles with Athena and take a photo of each to make a collage in her room. ( you may not be able to do one a week due to location but it could be fun to try). Also as per my Facebook suggestion walk/run 5km and if possible have Athena in the stroller.

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  27. When you go to Israel, you must let me know… it would be fun to visit my daughter! She is passionate about Israel and would really show you around. And, perhaps her mother would join her. 😉 Add India. Varanasi. It’s a must. You should go off the beaten trail (I prefer backpack and free falling); this one is not for Athena. Sailing vacation… Greek Isles seems perfect (we’re doing Belize in March). Climb a real mountain? My husband could take you up Mt Baker, in WA… but you need to be in good shape. It’s very doable, with little prep. An easier one. But how about try a mountaineering course. Meet a few bloggers in person. Put my name on that list… and I will make it happen. 🙂 Can’t wait to watch you in action, for another year!

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  28. Try and visit all the districts of Botswana, in Africa. Trust me, it will be awesome. Get to know the people and cultures. And the different types of land. 🙂 I grew up there.

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  30. How wonderful. All the best crossing these off your list! I have no doubt you will have an absolutely amazing year, and I look forward to living it up vicariously through you 🙂 Also, Happy New Year 🙂

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  43. Hike up a series of waterfalls in Costa Rica. My boys and I did this last year and it was incredible. Take in an opera at the Sydney Opera House. Preferably with Renee Fleming.

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  44. Lists are neither ridiculous nor insane! Lists are meant to be followed. Following them means accomplishing exactly what you want in life, which is (normally) good! Great list and I wish all your dreams come true this year 🙂

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  47. An awesome list, you created. I have one more for you to try. What about ice scating with Athena, either indoor or outdoor? Kids learns so fast and it is funny too. Looking forward to follow your bucket list at your blog.
    Irene

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  48. Visited Washington, lived there for a year, loved seeing Mt. St. Helens’ s but I have not been in a long time. I hear there are vineyards though more in state than coastal. Worth a look? Seattle was fun, the fish market of course.
    Austria is great! I hope you go and get the Sound of Music tour. It was a lot of goofy fun, the trick I heard is to go when the salt mines are open as they are neat as well and they do it as a kind of combo. We went in March so the mines were closed 😦 but we did get to see a concert in the castle on the plus side. Wish I remembered the tour’s company as there are several.
    Have a blast with this year!

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  49. 5-8 can all be knocked out in a visit to Puerto Rico- we went last summer and absolutely loved it! We even got a really reasonable airfare from CA. Add ride a paso fino horse on the island of Vieques (Puerto Rico) and that will take care of another spot. Hmm, maybe salmon fishing in Alaska?

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    • Did you do any extreme adventure type things in Puerto Rico? I’m trying to decide on the best of the best. They offer hang gliding, the bio bay, the longest zipline in the world, waterfall rappelling…. and I only have two full days to do activities. I don’t know how to decide.

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      • We spent the majority of our time on Vieques, which supposedly has the best bio-bay but I’m sure the ones on mainland PR are great, too and it’s something very unique so I would recommend doing that (hope you are going around a new moon). Ziplines sounded fun and cave-tubing did as well- there’s a place where you can do both but times six people was too pricy for us- didn’t know the longest one in the world is there- that sounds like a must do! Some of those sound like they can be done on the same day as well and there are tour operators out of SJ that offer combo packages of zip lines, kayaking, caving, snorkeling, etc. We loved OSJ- loved the European feel of it in a tropical background.

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