Bucket List

The Morning Walk

When Anne and I go out a walk,

We hold each other's hand and talk

Of all the things we mean to do

When Anne and I are forty-two.

And when we've thought about a thing,

Like bowling hoops or bicycling,

Or falling down on Anne's balloon,

We do it in the afternoon.

            ~  A.A. Milne

That has been one of our favourite poems since we were courting. In fact, I think I have a card somewhere in which Steve changed "Ann" to "Nan," one of his pet names for me.

Indeed one of the pleasures of being a couple is the idea that we can make long-term plans together.

As Steve's retirement draws closer (summer of 2014), we've started talking "of all the things we mean to do when Steve and I are fifty-two." Chief among those things is travel (like 99% of the population of retirees). So while we soaked up some sunshine this past weekend we contemplated our "bucket list" of places we want to see.

We do have slightly differing travel styles.

Steve likes a more adventurous excursion. He would gladly backpack across Europe, staying in hostels, and flying stand-by. He will eat from roadside vendors in developing countries. He would enjoy a bicycle-camping tour or a hiking vacation.

I am a more cautious traveler who likes her comforts (and no insects!) and likes to know where her next bed will be. I will happily try new foods, but get rather anxious if I'm not sure the kitchen is clean. I enjoy a little walking, but am not up to a full-day (or full-week) bike or hike trip.

Neither of us particularly wants to go anywhere where there is political unrest.

Wherever we go, we would like to stay for several weeks, since that is the real luxury of retirement.

With those things in mind, here is our [first draft] travel bucket list.

TOP PRIORITY

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Greece
London, Paris, Rome (though not all in one trip)
Scotland: distillery tour, Glasgow, Hawick (pronounced "hiyke," whence the Sibbald clan came)
Ireland and the Hebrides
Florence & Venice
Peru: Machu Picchu  (we want to go there while we are still young and mobile enough to climb those mountains), Amazon, Galapagos

NEXT TIER - in no order

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St Petersburg
Prague & Vienna
Southern France, wine & cheese!
New Zealand
Arctic
New York City
Cape Cod
Egypt: Nile cruise, Valley of the Kings
India
Auschwitz
Ireland, Hebrides
Trans-Australia
Trans-Canada by train
Newfoundland: L’Anse aux Meadows
Hawaii
Kenya
Thailand
Yucatan ruins

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That's the list, so far. What's on your list? Are there places you recommend we go (that we've missed on this list)? Where would you go AGAIN?