We all have some sort of list of things we would like to do before we die, either you have them written down somewhere or kept in your mental notes. Things like traveling around the world, visiting the Seven Wonders, learning a new language, skydiving, etc. We all have that list and that list we commonly call our “bucket list”. Where did the term bucket come from anyway?
My personal theory was you would write your aspirations and dreams on a piece of paper and place them in a bucket… But not even close, the theories out there are actually pretty… dark. One theory refers to an old Catholic religious practice where a bucket of holy water was placed at the foot of the deceased, where family and friends would sprinkle holy water on the body and pray. Another one dates back in the Middle Ages, — or I might as well say Dark Ages as it was quite dark — where a person was executed by being tied to a noose while standing on a flipped bucket. When the bucket was kicked, that person was hanged.
I would tell you a few more theories, but it’s all a bit morbid and basically all the theories refer the bucket to dying. I guess it is when people are standing on that bucket, that they really get that sense of urgency and think about all the things they wish they could have done. Then eventually, the term “bucket list” came to define a list of things you want to do before you die.
Creating that bucket list is an important first step in accomplishing your goals and
living a more fulfilling life. With everything in one place, you can get a better sense of where you are currently and maybe a timeline of when to pursue them. Mine have been all over the place, but I’m finally compiling mine right here, including ones I have already crossed off too, to show I am actually working towards them. I’ll try to keep this list as updated as possible! 🙂
Start your bucket list! Or reorganize it, and see which ones you’d like to check off first!
My Bucket List
WANDER
ASIA
Cambodia: Siem Reap
China: Great Wall of China*
India: Jaipur, New Delhi, Taj Mahal*
Indonesia: Bali
Japan: Hokkaido | ✓ Kyoto | Okinawa | ✓ Osaka | ✓ Tokyo, cherry blossoms
Jordan: Petra*
Maldives
Nepal: Kathmandu
Philippines: ✓ Cebu | ✓ Coron | El Nido | Siargao | Vigan
Singapore: Singapore
South Korea: Busan | ✓ Seoul
Thailand: Bangkok | Chiang Mai | Phuket
United Arab Emirates: Dubai
Vietnam: Hanoi
AUSTRALIA & OTHER ISLANDS
Australia: Sydney
French Polynesia: Bora Bora, Tahiti
New Zealand
CENTRAL AMERICA
Carribean: Jamaica | Saint Lucia
Costa Rica
Mexico: Chichen Itza* | Mexico City | Playa del Carmen
Panama
EUROPE
Austria: Salzburg | ✓ Vienna
Czech Republic: ✓ Prague
England: ✓ London | Manchester | Liverpool | Oxford | Bristol | Stonehenge
France: Paris | Versailles | Strasbourg
Germany: Berlin | Munich
Greece: Crete, Santorini
Iceland
Italy: ✓ Amalfi Coast | ✓ Florence | ✓ Modena | Milan | Naples | Pisa | ✓
Rome, ✓ Colosseum* | ✓ Venice | Verona |
Morocco: Marrakesh
Netherlands: Amsterdam
Portugal: Lisbon
Spain: Barcelona | Madrid
Turkey: Istanbul
NORTH AMERICA
Alaska: Anchorage
Arizona: ✓ Sedona
California: ✓ Los Angeles | ✓ Monterey | ✓ San Diego | ✓ San Francisco
Colorado: Denver
District of Columbia: ✓ Washington DC
Florida: Orlando, Disney World | Miami
Hawaii: Big Island | ✓ Maui | ✓ Oahu
Illinois: Chicago
Louisiana: New Orleans
Massachusetts: ✓ Boston
New York: ✓ New York City, On New Year’s Eve!
Ohio: Sandusky, Cedar Point
Oregon: ✓ Portland
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
Texas: Austin | ✓ San Antonio
Washington: ✓ Seattle
National Parks: ✓ Bryce Canyon | Grand Canyon | ✓ Haleakala |
Yellowstone | ✓ Yosemite | ✓ Zion
Canada: Toronto | Vancouver
SOUTH AFRICA
Egypt: Giza, Great Pyramid*
SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina: Buenos Aires | Patagonia
Brazil: Christ the Redeemer* | Rio de Janeiro
Peru: Cusco, Machu Picchu*
*Seven Wonders of the World
THINGS
Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
Bury time capsule
Cartwheel
Design my dream house
Draw a self-portrait
Flyboard
Guitar basics
Handstand
Horseback riding
✓ Hot air balloon ride
✓ Lantern festival
✓ Paddle boarding
✓ Paragliding
Skiing
Skydive
✓ Snowboarding
Strawberry picking
EVER WNDER 