My Bucket List Challenge, So close yet so far!

Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay

I love to watch travel and nature programs, especially those about animals and people living in far away places. I was recently thinking of the places I have been and those I would still like to visit. I guess it could be called my bucket list. Thanks to Ryan Justin and his challenge to share our dreams or our own bucket lists I am now able to put my experiences and dreams of the future into words.

Now I reminisce about my travels and experiences.

When I was younger I often thought of the many far away places I would like to visit and the many things I would love to do. I never compiled a list and I never heard of a bucket list until I was much older. Now I reminisce about my travels and experiences, both good and bad, and feel happy that I had the chance to do them. I also think about the things I didn’t do or haven’t done yet. I admire Ryan for formulating a list of lively and enthusiastic adventures and implore him to do his best to make them all happen.

Don’t ask me why, but I did it.

I have experienced living on a tropical island in Malaysia for 7 years, a dream many people have shared. It was an unforgettable experience, for the food, the weather, the people and culture, but most importantly, that’s where I met my husband. I have held a tiger cub in my arms and fed a baby panda bear an apple while holding him in my lap. I sat on the ground and played with a baby elephant, one of my most cherished accomplishments. I’ve had scorpions crawl all over my shirt while in Thailand. Don’t ask me why, but I did it. I’ve chased a huge monitor lizard and almost caught it while in the countryside of Thailand. I have hiked in the rain forests of Malaysia and loved it, even though I had trouble breathing in the thick humidity.

I spent a good deal of time eating my favorite type of food, in the country of its origin, Thailand.

I’ve traveled throughout Switzerland, Austria, France and Italy while experiencing my dream of getting to know Europe and drinking beer in the Alps. I toured China and sampled the hot spicy food of Sichuan province while visiting the panda reserve there. I spent a good deal of time eating my favorite type of food, in the country of its origin, Thailand. I taught cytology in a rural jungle hospital in Vietnam, using a microscope powered by a mirror and the sun.

These are money, time and health.

So I guess I’ve done a lot, but there is still much more that I would love to do. In my opinion, in order for anyone to accomplish the items on their bucket list you need 3 very important things. These are money, time and health. For most young people time and health are usually on their side, but money isn’t. When I was younger I did what I could on my income and as my income grew my ability to travel and do more also grew. I am retired now and I have both the time and money to cross off the remaining items on my list, but the one thing I can’t buy is starting to fail me, my health.

I don’t feel sad about it and I don’t have any regrets

I’ve always wanted to go to Machu Picchu in Peru, but I don’t think I’ll make it. Other adventures I have waiting include climbing the Great Wall of China, living in the Alps of Switzerland and trekking through the Amazon rain forest. Unfortunately I have asthma, COPD and arthritis, which precludes my participation in any activities involving high altitudes and extreme humidity. I don’t feel sad about it and I don’t have any regrets about missing out in not experiencing those adventures. I can still partake in the adventures on National Geographic.

If I could do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I feel extremely lucky that I have done what I have done, especially when I find out that people I grew up with or went to school with never left the community where the were born and grew up. I am happy to have had the opportunities to expand my horizons as much as I have. If I could do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat.

You won’t regret it.

My advice to Ryan and the younger people reading this is to start checking off the items on your bucket list now, while you’re young and healthy. Take advantage of any opportunity you have to travel and experience life, before life and old age robs you of your health and motivation. You won’t regret it.

Originally published in Medium.com