What countries do you want to visit?

Peru, Canada, South Africa, Bhutan, Slovenia, Japan…

In my previous post, I have shared the most favorite thing about myself and that that is my knack for adventure. Here’s how I developed that adventurous personality.

As a child, I instantly fell in love with this pretty old world history-geography book my grandmother owns. She was a teacher. I discovered this book while going through my father’s book collections (mostly Hardy Boys). I started skimming thru its pages and for some unexplainable reasons, I felt happy learning about  countries and their culture. Tgat book became a bedside reading material as I grow up… That old book became an inspiration to me that some day, I will go out there and see for myself those places that  book described.

As I grow older, that thought of exploring places was put at bay as I was focused with my studies. After getting a degree and a license, the thought of being an adventure/travel junkie was reignited because of that very first climb to Mount Pulag. (look for my Mount Pulag Climb  for a complete account as to how that experience rekindled something in me).

In short, after that Mount Pulag climb, it took me back to the times I was imagining all those places I have come to know in my grandmother’s old history-geography book. One climb/ travel led to another. I found myself listing more places  I wanted to see and more things I want do in my journal. Later on I learned this to be the concept of a bucket list.

And so my list and my desire grew. This bucket list helped me focus on the things I wanted to do; those things that I feel would give me a bolt of excitement and push me to dig deep and go further. After a while, just having a list made me feel “meh” so I thought it shouldn’t end with just having a an enumerated list of places I want to see. There should be more to my bucket list. And so I added  the “why” to this list. In Filipino language, we use the term “bakit” as the counterpart for the word “why”. Hence the title, “Bucket List, ‘Bakit’ List”.

Knowing the “why” I wanted  to see or do made my bucket list more meaningful abd aspirational. to live a life with hopes and aspirations. It made me reflect on my values and goals, and made me further identify important milestones and experiences that I want to have in my lifetime.

After having been to 76 of the 82 provinces in my country, The Philippines, and having travelled to 53 countries – the always exciting and magical question is “where to next”? So here is the current remainder of places I want to see and the why I want to see them in my bucket list.

1. Peru – I have always wanted to see and experience Machu Pichu and the Rainbow Mountain.

2. Canada – Primarily because majority of my best friends are now living in Canada. Their photos of Banff, Niagara and more natural parks are just so mesmerizing!

3. South Africa – Table Mountain has been lingering on my mind! Plus an African safari experience of course!

4. Bhutan – the most vivid memories of reading my lola’s geography book was that of the information I have cone to learn about this ti y, peaceful country.

5. Slovenia – one of the few European countries I haven’t set foot on. I want to see Lake Bled and the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital just because it’s the setting of Paulo Coelho’s book, “veronika decides to die”

6. Japan – because I want to personally buy some kokeshi dolls and experience my favorite food and drinks – ramen and matcha anywhere in Japan!

7. Sulu – Not a country, but one of the last 6 provinces I haven’t been from among the 82 provinces of my country, the Philippines. I’ve heard from friends that Sulu has some of the most pristine beaches in our country.