I don’t usually have a bucket list, but more like a wish list.
Though now, I do have a bucket list (though admittedly some of the stuff in the list is unattainable).
But here goes:-
- To visit Netherlands’ fields of tulips
- To embark on a solo trip overseas (anywhere)
- To view and experience Northern Lights
- To spend Christmas AND New Year in a winter country with snow. Lots of snow.
- Visit Japan, namely Tokyo (for cherry blossoms, Disneyland, Disney Sea, Ghibli Museum, Kiyosumi Garden, Akihabara, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku), Osaka (for Universal Studios, and maybe a side trip to Kyoto), Hokkaido (for Sapporo Snow Festival, and maybe a hot spring resort stay at Noboribetsu).
- Visit Maldives before they disappear under the rising sea levels
- Do a free & easy multi-city Europe trip just to take in the main sights – at mainly these destinations: Paris (France), Lucerne (Switzerland), Vienna (Austria), Venice (Italy), Santorini (Greece), Tromso (Norway), Prague (Czech Rep), Reykjavik (Iceland)
- Go onboard a journey on Orient Express.
Now let’s see which one is attainable, and which isn’t.
To visit Netherlands’ fields of tulips – Can be arranged rather easily, actually. Just that apart from the tulips, I’m not really interested in anything else, although I could combine a tulip field trip in Amsterdam with other Europe cities.
To embark on a solo trip overseas – I almost nearly do it for this year end, but I guess I should spend the money on a new rig instead… I can easily do this for either Hong Kong or Taipei at some point.
To view and experience Northern Lights – OK this is somewhat on the mid-difficulty level. Northern Lights are elusive; it doesn’t mean that you go to the right place and you can see them. You need to be there at the right time too, and hopefully the skies are clear for you to view them, without any light pollution from the city. And the places where there’s a high chance for tourists to view the Northern Lights are far away from tourist cities – you’ll need car transport or you need to sign up with Northern Lights tours, which can cost quite a bit. Tromso (in Norway) is a good place to view it, as it is up north in Norway, but it has become a tourist spot just because of that. Food and accommodation are way overpriced… So unless I have a lot of money to burn, the best bet to strike this off the bucket list is to visit Saariselka (at least I’m slightly more familiar with this place) and hope for the best.
To spend Christmas AND New Year in a winter country with snow – Well this is already on my list of to-dos. Just that I ain’t sure when exactly can I embark on that trip. I have year-end closing to worry about, and that my mom still refused to let me travel by myself. I’m pretty sure I’ll get it done eventually. Just not sure when.
Visit Japan – This isn’t that hard, but looking at the sheer amount of places I wanna go… I may have to split this into two trips. One week trip just for Tokyo and Osaka, and another week’s trip for Hokkaido.
Visit Maldives before they disappear under the rising sea levels – Not too sure about this too. Yeah Maldives is a place I’ve always wanted to go – but I don’t want to settle for a cheap accommodation just to get my arse there. I want that perfect Maldives holiday – house on stilts over the water with glass floors, where manta rays and small sharks greet you every morning beneath your feet. So getting there isn’t an issue – but the cost of staying there is. Will I ever live my dream vacation in Maldives? Not sure… maybe. At least it doesn’t cost as much as the next two items on the list…
Do a free & easy multi-city Europe trip just to take in the main sights – Now this. I’ll probably need one or two months away from work just to do this at one go. Okay, I could break it up to several trips, but at the end of the day, each trip will take at least two weeks.
Go onboard a journey on Orient Express – This one – I’d say it’s just unattainable and leave it at that, lol. Just a 2 day 1 night train trip from London to Venice cost USD3,230 per person. Yup, just for a 2d1n train trip, and it’s not even a round trip. Just one way. Okay if Europe 2d1n trip is too much, how about Singapore to Bangkok then? But even so, just a one way trip (2 nights) cost USD2,690 per pax. Yup. And Scoot cost just SGD$39 during sale period, and it takes only 2 hrs 55min. I mean, yeah sure, all meals onboard are included, you are travelling on a luxury train, where breakfast is served to you in cabin at your preferred timing, where you get to sip classy tea with sandwiches and cakes in an afternoon tea setting in your own cabin too… but holy cow, that’s a lot of money. Maybe when I win Toto first prize some day. Maybe. Which is actually not possible since I don’t buy Toto. =_=
Sigh. So much for a relatively unattainable bucket list.
