Last night, my dear friend Kelly and I met up for dinner. Being the wine snobs that we are decided we weren't ready to go home yet after paying our dinner bill, so we headed to a restaurant with a quiet little bar to have a couple glasses of wine and catch up.
About 30 minutes in, we started talking to a nice man by the name of Jeffery. He was a frequent patron of this restaurant (everyone knew him by his name and what he liked to eat/drink). We started talking about football...and then he told us about how he had plans to travel next year to Paris for his 50th Birthday. I gave him some tips on what he needed to pack because he'll be going in April which is the same time I went in 2008. Then we started sharing the places we wanted to go, etc etc. We all had a really nice conversation with Mr. Jeffery. And plan to find him again...
I told Mr. Jeffery that he needed to start a "bucket list"...he didn't know what that was so I said the places you want to see or things you want to do before you die.
My dad started this not too long ago. I don't think he has it written down except mentally, a list of places on his "bucket list."
My parents got divorced when I was 11, and ever since that time I have never lived in the same town as my dad and for a few years we didn't even live in the same state. Because of that, I've never spent a Christmas with him since I was 10years old. Granted, we do have our special time together before the holiday, but I've never spent the actual day with him. So he started taking solitary trips to far away lands for Christmas. He traveled a LOT for his job and has been all over the globe, but never got to actually spend much leisurely time in those cities. So every Christmas he picks a place and travels there. He's been to Ireland, Rome, Guatemala...the list goes on.
Okay...back on track...I simply asked him in 2007 as we were making our way to our Annual Atlanta Christmas Shopping Weekend why I couldn't go with him on these trips. He said "I didn't think you would want to...where would you want to go?" My first answer..."Italy." They got knocked out because he had already been there. My second answer..."Paris." He had never been there and soon we started planning. We left for Paris, France in April 2008 and stayed for 5 days and 4 nights. Since then, he's taken me to many places as part of his own "bucket list."
Part of my own bucket list was Las Vegas...my dad understandably did not want to go on this trip but kindly paid for my portion as a 25th birthday present. I took 3 friends and we had a blast. Wait...that's an understatement. But I can't go into any more details because "What Happens in Vegas...Stays in Vegas."
When my dad said he wanted to go to Boston I was all for it. It had never been a part of my list, but I love going to new places. I said I would go on one condition...if I could bring a friend. He obliged and I immediately knew just the friend or as my dad calls them "buds." Miss Mandy Mac is her name. My dad is a big Mandy fan (as am I). Next spring, us three we'll be going to Chicago.
Some of them are places I may not choose...but it's always a treat to atleast say I've been to the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore, and seen the Red Sox play at Fenway Park. And I must mention that after my sophomore year in college, my dad offered to take me to NYC (with a "bud" in tow) if I made the Dean's List. Well, per the usual (j/k) I did make the Dean's List both semesters my sophomore year and got my trip to NYC and the bud I took was...Sandi. And when I was 12 we went on a trip to LA. I do not have a picture scanned from that trip either, but just imagine a skinny ginger tween with high waisted purple umbros, umbro tee, tevas w/ white tube socks looking out over the San Fernando Valley.
Here is my Bucket List: Places...
Greece
Fiji
Australia
Seattle
San Francisco
San Diego - August 2011?
Nashville - October 2010?
Memphis
Chicago - April 2011
Los Angeles - again...
Las Vegas - again...
NYC - again...again...again infinity.
Have any of you ever been to these places? What places do YOU want to see before you die?
loves,
sweetbef
9 comments:
Yes, I've been to a few of those places. NY, San Fran (*sigh*), Memphis, Nashville, and Chi-Town.
My bucket list includes Bora Bora. I am also planning on running a marathon next summer. Yep, on the list, too.
Have a great weekend.
P.S.
I commented on your BB post.
great great post! we'll have to compare travel notes one day...you should go to nashville, i lived there for a few months and loved it (it was just too far from home), i'm guessing you want to go for the usc/vandy game? we wanted to go to that, but have a wedding, bummer...but you should go!!!!! have a great weekend :)
Great bucket! I'd love to go to California one day... Oh!!! and Paris :)
i want to go to nashville, too! Why wait? Let's drive up soon!
I live in Memnphis so I've obviously been there. I heart Chicago. I went in 2007. I can't wait to visit again.
I forgot to list the places I want to visit... Egypt, Las Vegas, NYC, Lake Tahoe, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, France, and England.
What an awesome idea!!! I love your list. I live in Chicago, and have been to Paris, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, and NYC. Sigh. I would move to NYC in a heartbeat!
On my list: Greece, Australia, Ireland, England, Spain, Seattle, Portland and Savannah.
Great pics and a great list of places to visit - I agree with all of them!
I want to see a lot of Europe! I've been to Spain but I need MORE!!!
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