What’s Left On My 2014 Bucket List?

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Looking at a huge list of items to accomplish can be overwhelming, but by the end of August, I will have completed all 50 items on my 2014 bucket list. What has this taught me? Creating a completely unrealistic list of items you want to accomplish is a fantastic idea and the best way to make your dreams a reality. If you can dream it and write it down, it becomes tangible even if it is utterly insane. Here’s an update on this year’s list. The blue items are clickable and already complete.
Bucket List Experiences

Here’s my 2014 bucket list:

1. An African Safari

2. A couples massage

3. Visit Riga, Latvia (The 2014 European Capital of Culture)

4. Cave snorkeling

5. Try bobsledding

6. See the Panama Canal for its 100 year celebration

7. Kayak a bio bay

8. Hike a tropical rain forest

9. Stay at Atlantis, Bahamas

10. Go on a vacation with just Darren

11. Ride The Current with my sister at Atlantis

12. Take Athena to San Diego Zoo

13. See a Musical

14. Take Athena on a trip (Just the two of us)

15.  Visit Etosha National Park

16. Visit Innsbruck

17. Take Athena to Legoland

18. Join a gym

19. Visit Cabo, Mexico

20. Visit Cayman Islands

21. Try flyboarding

22. Take Athena on a Duffy Boat Tour in Newport Beach

23. Do the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, Austria

24. Try an underwater glass helmet

25. Visit Austria

26. Visit Bonaire

27. Visit Namibia

28. Visit Vienna

29. Try SNUBA

30. Explore Washington Slagbaai National Park, Bonaire

31. Move back to California

32. Try kiteboarding

33. Visit Panama

34. Visit the Baltic Sea

35. Take Athena to a castle

36. Visit Lake Arrowhead, California

37. Visit Puerto Rico

38. Go to Disneyland

39. Visit the US Virgin Islands

40. Swim with sharks

41. Visit Universal Studios Hollywood

42. Swim with Sea Turtles

43. Stay at another Hard Rock Hotel

44. Help a reader fulfill a bucket list goal

45. Meet a traditional tribe in Africa

46. Stay at a beach resort in San Diego

47. Windsurfing lessons

48. Visit Germany

49. Go on a trip with my mother

50. Do the best adventure suggested by the readers of Bucket List Publications! (I can’t wait to read your suggestions)

Should I add more items or allow spontaneity to take over?  I think it’s time for a little surprise in my life. 

64 thoughts on “What’s Left On My 2014 Bucket List?”

      • We’re still very spontaneous now and some of these experiences were last minute or unplanned even though they were on my list.

        There are so many things I’d like to do in life that creating a yearly list gives us a direction but is never the be-all-end-all to our year.

        Balance is difficult in anyone’s life and maintaining that should be an item in itself. 😉

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        • Agreed on the difficulty of balance.
          Something interesting about spontaneity is that it can make all sorts of trivial things into satisfying experiences, once it takes hold. It can be about doing crazy things, but it can also be about a sense of agency, about awareness, about living in the moment. It’s as much about stepping on that crunchy-looking leaf as it is about spending two hours chatting with a perfect stranger in need of companionship.

          None of this is to diminish the value of your accomplishments, of course. It’s just food for thought. On feeling the sense of accomplishment whether or not actions look like accomplishments.

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    • Thank you, and I agree. We try to include experiences for the entire family. Even though Athena is only 2 years old, she has a bucket list. She has tons of things she wants to do. It’s awesome to get her thinking about it already. 🙂

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    • That’s one of the reasons I include vague things on the list as well as detailed things. Going on a trip with Athena, for example, is vague but allows for the freedom to choose what we’d like to do rather than being tied to a place.

      I’ve been thinking about the spontaneity side today though and might just do something crazy this week. Life is worth living 😉

      What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

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  12. Huge congratulations! Your bucket list completion is truly inspirational and shows that if you want it bad enough, you can achieve it! You must have had THE most amazing year… and there’s still 5 months to go! I look forward to seeing what else you can cram into 2014 😀

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    • I’m looking in the calendar and it’s starting to get filled. We’re planning on Belize, Hawaii, Panama, Germany, Mexico, and maybe even Poland. Who knows? We’ll see what happens 🙂

      Do you have a list?

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  13. You need to do a Swamp Walk in Fl, or maybe a 2-3 day kayak trip down the Suwannee River – Would love to have you join us in Oct for that! So glad you get to experience so much!

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  17. It’s amazing that you can accomplish more in 7 months than most can in all their lives! Tell me… are you absolutely exhausted after all that? Or is it just re-energizing fun with each adventure?

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  18. Lesley, for #50, please do yourself the huge favor and get yourself to Thessaloniki, Greece. It changed my life and it made me the person I am today. There are beautiful beaches a short ride away at Xalkidiki, there are gorgeous monasteries to be seen at Meteora and wonders in waterfalls in Edessa. I feel like it is just calling your name. It’s the cultural capital of Greece, and Thessaloniki was named the European Youth Capital of 2014. Take my advice and live your myth in Northern Greece in Thessaloniki. Your soul won’t regret it!! And if you need a travel buddy, you just let me know 😉

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    • I’ve been to Thessaloniki! I have a friend from Thessaloniki who makes sailboats with his father as a career. We sailed together for a few days and it was defiantly life-changing. I’d love to return with my family.

      Are you thinking about going back soon?

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      • Ah the best! What a wonderful experience. I hope to go back again in the spring to visit. I’ll be doing my Master’s in London so it’s only a quick hop for me while I’m back in Europe. I can’t wait to smell that summer heat and sea water again. Best thing in the world.

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  19. Oh and also- if you want a wonderful spot in Germany to visit, one of my favorite places in the world is Rothenburg. It is the most picturesque and special little spot I’ve ever seen. There’s two things to cross off that list!

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  20. Impressive Lesley! I think you’ve found the key to a happy life. Do what you love and it will take care of you. Peggy and I head out tomorrow for our six day kayak trip among the Orcas and then zip back home to head off to Burning Man. Let the adventures continue. –Curt

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    • I like your thinking! While the idea of being spontaneous sounds great, we have so many ideas in motion already, I doubt that I’ll have time to be spontaneous. It’s certainly a great problem to have.

      What’s next for you? Do you have a list item in mind?

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  25. Nice list! I noticed windsurfing on your list. I’d recommend visiting The Gorge for windsurfing (it’s in Hood River, Oregon). One of my favourite spots, it’s very beautiful there! And awesome winds!

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    • I went windsurfing in Bonaire. It’s recognized as one of the best places in the world for it, and it was an amazing experience. I’m starting to get the hang of it and I really enjoy it. I could see it as something I’d like to do more regularly.

      Do you go often?

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      • That’s awesome. Never been to Bonaire, will have to check it out sometimes!

        I’ve been windsurfing for only 3 years, and it was only last year that it became one of my favorite sports out of everything else I do (after windsurfing at The Gorge). It’s a sport that takes a long time to learn to get good at, and I still got a long way to go with it, but it’s definitely worth the effort!

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  31. Holy Crap! All this and you’re a mom too…duuuuuuuuuuude. High five girl! Wish I would have known when you were at Univ Stud Hollywood could have met up with you for a drink or an adventure. But I guess we can save that for when I go skydiving next year, right ha! And Legoland is super amazing especially when your kids are like 4, 5, 6 and up. They totally appreciate it more but as apparent you’re totally exhausted…I recommend the hotel too if you can get a discount on it even better…kind of pricey during certain times of the year. Great list as always.

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  33. Pingback: My Article Read (8-6-2014) | My Daily Musing

  36. hello lesley its dennis the vizsla dog hay wow that is amayzing all that stuf yoo hav ben dooing!!! most of us wood hav spent the entire yeer rekooperayting frum beeing stuk under that jiant bolder in the verry first pikcher!!! ok bye

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  39. Awesome post! Love all the places you’ve traveled. An African safari is one of the next items on my list. I also really want to trek to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda. I need to figure out a way to rope those together.

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