Late bucket list? Any unrealized dreams?

So much I would have liked to do but we never went anywhere outside GB. Would love to visit Egypt, Australia, see Northern Lights & much more. Too old & too broke now so if reincarnation does happen & I dont come back as an ant & get stepped on I can maybe do all that then ?

B9exchange I love that your father got his last cruise. It reminds me of my elderly grandparents wanting one last holiday to Malta. My grandfathers health wasn't good and insurance was an issue, but they went anyway and had a lovely time. I saw them not long after in the local supermarket buying a lottery ticket. It was heartwarming that they still hoped for a win, smiling and holding hands.

I wanted to go to New Zealand when I was in my 20s but my father would not allow it even though 2 of my aunts were there with their families. In the 70s my husband went there to work for 6 months. I never got to go and there is no chance now.

I'd like to go on the trans Siberian railway in 1st Class and also down the Mississippi on board one of the luxurious paddle steamers. I can't see it happening so, in the meantime & bring more realistic, I'd settle for a trip over the nearby Welsh border to reach the sea- how I have missed it during lockdown!

I would love to have a holiday in Margate. Spent many happy summer holidays there in my early teens as I had an aunt lived there. Amazing time and I would love to revisit some of my old haunts. Would love to go back to Australia and New Zealand. We have visited Uluru and booked dinner out under the stars. That day the clouds opened and we had torrential rain. Obviously dinner was cancelled. We had dinner inside then found the one bar where alcohol was served . It was full of backpackers and young people. There was a guy on stage with a guitar and we all danced and sang until the early hours. We were actually in Oz touring round following Bruce Springsteen and my bucket list very much includes him! We’ve also done the Orient Express from Venice to London which I had always longed to do. I agree with Grandma11 that reality and expectation dont always match. The cabins are tiny - the seats converting to bunk beds, not ideal at our age ( I understand they have three carriages with double beds now??). The toilet is shared with the whole carriage. Obviously no bathing. We couldnt get into the bar as it was rammed with people. We spent a lot of time sitting in station sidings awaiting our time slots to move on. And I felt travel sick. Never had that before in my life. The food however was exquisite, and in continuous supply. Afternoon tea was a joy. Overall very glad we did it, just wouldnt do it again.

Last year was going to be the one when we made up for several years of other half in and out of surgeries and hospitals following op done by incompetent surgeon. All plans then cancelled, like everyone else's.

Still have one or two places in other parts of the world I would very much like to visit if/when possible - New Zealand; South Africa ? - but, most of all, I now look forward to seeing more of the friends and family at a distance, whose company I have missed over the past year.

And I hope that if my son and his partner are fortunate, one day I will have a second GC (daughter and seriously ill husband unable to have any more) - and live long enough for him/her to remember me and the good times we all had together.

Theres a lot on here for the Borealis and Koalas aren't there??

At the moment, I yearn to stroll round John Lewis, Next or Waterstones, have a coffee and go to the Library.

We’ve been lucky to have done 2 things that were on our bucket list twice over. The first was to see Barbra Streisand in concert which we did in Ireland. It was in the grounds of a large Manor House. It was a fabulous experience and James Garner and her dog Sammie came on at the end, she had a 58 piece orchestra and although it started to rain it was just something else sitting in this marvellous setting watching her show. We then saw her in Canada about 5 years later and did another thing on our bucket list on our way which was to do a transatlantic cruise on the QM2, fabulous. We’ve been fortunate to do that cruise twice too. Second time back to the UK we didn’t enjoy it so much as the Americans don’t seem to get the UK glamour of cruising, some even came down to the shows on formal nights in PJ’s and slippers! The one thing that’s on my list now and covid has really brought home to me how important it is to me to do it if I can is to holiday with my DB and families either on a cruise or hiring a big motor home and have one hell of a time so that his and our adult kids have got some family memories as my DB and myself didn’t speak for many years which we now realise was stupid and a waste of years and he now lives in the USA so we don’t see each other very often

CanadianGran- Quirky Campers do hire out fully equipped/converted camper vans for holidays/trips- you could get in touch with them to see if they have them in other countries too?(you collect them where you need to)?

Yes the Northern Lights have always eluded us too, as soon as we head anywhere near, the weather turns warm and cloudy! Anyone taken up the Hurtigruten promise of another cruise if you don't spot them?

Cycling john of groatss to lands end with just a Barclaycard nd minimal luggage taking pot luck where to stay every night. A pipe dream..

I just want to live by the sea

I would like to see the Northern Lights, Russia, all of Scandinavia and New Zealand.

If anyone's worried about visiting India - don't worry. We went to Cochin in 2019 and travelled all around the area. We were met with kindness, sincerity, intelligence and generosity. Go for it.

I’m so lucky that I’ve achieved almost all on our bucket list in the past 22 years with my late partner, we’ve been Husky dog sledging and Ice Hotel in Norway, Elephant riding in Chang Mae , hot air balloon flight over Valley of the Kings , rode through the desert to see Abu Simbal , toured southern Iceland for its waterfalls, geysers, glaciers also saw the Northern Lights while there , and many more real lovely experiences . Sadly he’s not here with me anymore , but I have such wonderful memories of our times together and so glad that we’d got to do these things before he passed away , and what now with covid there’s not much chance of being able to do anything much for most probably a very long time to come .

I would love to see the northern lights. Not too keen on cold holidays but would make an exception for this. Probably my most memorable double was visiting Abu Simbel and then flying over it coming back from Kenya a few months later, we flew up the Rift Valley on a crystal clear day, magical. Cuba was always my dream destination and it was brilliant.

I agree TheOddbird- i too have 2 older 'kids' who have fallen out & now wont see/speak to each other.Used to be so close..Now is not the time to ostracize anyone.We should appreciate each other in these times.?

One if the best experiences of my life was going on safari in Kenya. Do try to do it if you can tobyandsocks. It's wonderful.

The Northern Lights are top of the list. Despite several attempts, they've always eluded us.

Last year for our 50th Anniversary we booked a 14 night trip to the Arctic Circle... flew to Norway... got on the boat... had supper... and were then thrown off the boat an hour later as Norway went into Lockdown !

51st Wedding Anniversary tomorrow - still waiting !!

My dream is that my Grandson could visit me for my 80th Birthday, as he lives in Southampton this is not allowed. It’s only a small ask.

I'd like to see the Aurora Borealis too. I'd also like to see a kingfisher flying and witness the flash of colour I'm told he displays. He looks very colourful in pictures.
One ambition used to be seeing foxes in the wild. Have achieved that one many times. Urban foxes abound where my daughter lives. Bold as brass they are, but so lovely and defiant to look at. I'll change to badgers in the wild.
Since watching recent programmes on Cornwall I have a longing to visit again. It brings back such lovely memories of holidays when I was young.
Further afield I would like to visit Australia again and then visit Fiji and New Zealand. All this would have to be done in style and comfort. I can dream!
I certainly don't want to bungee or parachute jump or do anything that threatens life and limb, but admire all who do. You have the courage I lack.

I prefer not to call it a 'bucket list' it implies your imminent demise? my 2 youngest sons & i used to love travelling, not sure if we dare now- but we still wanted to go to see the Northern lights, and i fancied taking them on a (not world) cruise if we saved up..(took youngest on med cruise but he was 18months old so of course doesn't remember) but as cruising was a disaster when covid hit for the cruisers then i definitely doubt we would risk it ?we went New york 4 yrs ago and that was high on our list, so glad we did it then, we did venice, cyprus, corfu, giants causeway, disney paris(twice) and of course uk trips over the years, but my elder son talked of one day driving route 66 with his older siblings, or us going Las Vegas maybe, all things he might not dare do any more after the pandemic, even with vaccines, as he worries that some are NOT having it.Such a shame, when ive brought them up to see wherever they wish, and instil a love of travel. ?

To the ladies who want to visit India but worry you might be too old. Back in the early 80s I was a tour escort, accompanying groups of pensioners to India as well as Thailand and Bali.
They were nearly all ill with tummy bugs due to not listening to advice about no salads, no ice in drinks etc. My most memorable traveller was a lady of 92 travelling with her niece who had a hard boiled egg and a glass of bottled water with lemon every morning and only ate curries. She was never ill and I learned that she’d lived in India as a young woman and knew the rules. So, don’t be put off but do follow advice about eating and drinking and keep washing your hands!
On those trips we did Delhi, Agra and Srinagar in Kashmir, staying in the houseboats on Lake Dal. Truly magical.
Many trips to the Taj Mahal at different times if day, from dawn to nighttime, it looks different each time.
I would still love to go back to Kashmir but don’t think it will be possible in my lifetime.
I’ve been everywhere I’ve wanted to go and am not daring enough to try sky diving or swimming with sharks!

i always wanted to visit the Maldives which i got to do and flew over the islands in a sea plane, only problem was i spent most of the time on my own as my now ex husband decided he was going to spend all the time scuba diving . i still want to go on the trans Siberian express which will never happen unless i win the lottery