Travel bucket list

There are five places that have long held a spell over me. I recall the moment the enchantments were cast. Rather than wane over time, the magic that binds me to these places has only waxed stronger. Now, I share with you the hopes of an uncaged bird to fly to these places in the next ten years.

1) New Zealand: I fell in love with this country in high school. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a huge factor. It is not in my nature to simply watch a movie without reading the book. Upon reading the book, I couldn't help but become obsessed with the movie magic. I quickly realized the setting for the movie was as integral to the storytelling as the actors who played a significant role in it. Among my many quirks (in particular during the Wildcat years), I would regularly read the New Zealand Herald. Why? I don't have a good answer for that question. I think I just wanted to be prepared. Ha ha. Whenever I needed a break from studying and other mundane things, I would plan out my trip to New Zealand because there is so much to do!

Image from New Zealand Adventure

2) Vietnam on a motor bike! I fell in love with this idea when I watched an episode of Top Gear (UK) in which the trio [Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammon, and James May] rode motor bikes from Ho Chi Minh City in the south to Ha Long in the north. They were supposed to cover ~1000 miles in eight days, which they did, but not all of it was done on their scooters. The video footage of the places they stopped were breathtaking.

Vietnam is truly stunning.

3) Antarctica: This is probably my most recent fascination. I love cosmology and astronomy. More than a year ago, I was reading some science article about premiere research taking place in the South Pole. Turns out, Antarctica is the ideal place to look at the heavens. It is high in altitude, dark through out the winter, and the air is dry. All of these reduce atmospheric interference, allowing a clearer view of the night sky. This place is definitely a bucket list place to travel.

Photo credit: Daniel Luong-Van/Antarctic Photo Library

4) Ireland: I love the name of the country. I love their culture. They herd sheep and eat mutton, just like Navajos! I love the color green and whenever I have seen photos of this country, green floods the picture. (Like Kermit the frog, I am fond of green.) I think my interest in this country preceded my interest in New Zealand. When I was a little girl, my sister wanted to visit the traditional European countries: Italy, France, England. I was more interested in Africa, China, and India. If prodded to consider European countries, Ireland was my first answer. As a big girl, I now have interest in many European countries because of their contributions to art and literature. Yet my heart still longs to visit Ireland first. I feel like it would be a fun place to run a marathon. Ha.

This makes me happy. (Image from United Kingdom and Ireland Tours)

5) Kenya: Little Xazmin wanted to visit Africa, which is silly because it is so LARGE! When I went to college, I made many friends from various countries in Africa. I loved their sense of  humor, their perspective on life, and their genuine friendliness. As a graduate student, I met the dearest of Kenyans. I made quite the impression on them and their families back home. I resolved a few years ago that I would one day visit them and enjoy the beauty of their home. I look forward to there amazing sunsets with the silhouettes of my power animal, the elephant, along with giraffes and other animals.

Google image