The end of the year is a time to reflect, not just on the year that past, but also on our whole lives that led us up to this point. I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to travel a lot; I've gone around the world and across the country, and many places have stayed with me. I want to go everywhere, but below are 10 places I would really like to revisit one day.
10. Doha, Qatar. Doha makes it onto this list because it's been nearly five years since I was there, and everything I see suggests that the city looks completely different. So my curiosity gets Doha on this list, to see how it's changed, evolved.
9. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. I have Yellowstone on this list because I want to believe there's more to it than I saw in my drive through a few years back. It was very scenic, we saw Old Faithful, and came close to lots of bison. I would go again for the absolutely stunning scenes, but I also feel like it has more to give.
8. Montevideo, Uruguay. I found Montevideo to be a clean, relatively quiet city, my ideal kind of place. It's a city when you need it, but it didn't feel like an overwhelming place, like a New York. It felt like a good city to go to relax and work on the novel that I, and half the people I know, are apparently working on.
7. Zurich, Switzerland. My Zurich experience was a few hours late at night and sleeping in the airport, so not ideal. But I was stunned by downtown Zurich and would love to see it in daytime and get the full Swiss experience.
6. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. There are few things more majestic than seeing a herd of zebra trotting across the plains. Or a small group of elephants walking in a pack. Or a couple of giraffes eating leaves from the solo tree in a vast expanse of openness. I've seen the animals before, but I wouldn't give up a chance to see some of them again.
5. Ulcinj, Montenegro. I'm not sure it gets better than sipping Italian wine right outside an old stone city perched on the Adriatic Sea. I wouldn't mind doing that again anywhere in the world, and Ulcinj would be a wonderful location to go. Ulcinj, for me, provides the perfect scene for a relaxing vacation.
4. Panama City, Panama. I was in Panama City grudgingly after more hours than I care to remember at the airport because Copa Airlines' system went down, effectively closing 90% of the airport and my flight back to the US from Aruba. The first thing I was struck by in the city was the number of skyscrapers, and how skinny all of them were. I would love to go to Panama City in a better mood and to walk around the city and surrounding sites.
3. Albuquerque, New Mexico. My stopover in Albuquerque was brief, but there was something intoxicating about it that makes me want to return. The blend of cultures was apparent, even in just a few hours, and I would love to go back and explore the city, its history, and its quirks.
2. Durmitor National Park, Montenegro. One of the most breathtaking natural landscapes I have ever seen, Durmitor National Park sits high in the Montenegrin mountains. When I went in April 2011, there were still several feet of snow on some parts of the grounds, making hiking difficult. We made it partway into the park, but I would love to make it further in and see some of its natural wonders, such as its glacial lakes and canyons.
1. Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe. When I went there earlier this year it was high water time. So much water tumbled over the Falls that I was soaked within minutes and could barely see the falls. But I could hear them. And feel them. I would love to go back one day during low water and see the splendor and beauty that is Victoria Falls.
In the next few days I hope to look at the 10 places I still would like to visit. I've drawn up the list, but the motivation to sit down and type it out--along with reasons--is the holdup. So enjoy this list in the meantime, and also this holiday greeting from the Minions...I can't wait for their movie in July!
10. Doha, Qatar. Doha makes it onto this list because it's been nearly five years since I was there, and everything I see suggests that the city looks completely different. So my curiosity gets Doha on this list, to see how it's changed, evolved.
9. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. I have Yellowstone on this list because I want to believe there's more to it than I saw in my drive through a few years back. It was very scenic, we saw Old Faithful, and came close to lots of bison. I would go again for the absolutely stunning scenes, but I also feel like it has more to give.
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| Statue of General Artigas in Montevideo |
7. Zurich, Switzerland. My Zurich experience was a few hours late at night and sleeping in the airport, so not ideal. But I was stunned by downtown Zurich and would love to see it in daytime and get the full Swiss experience.
6. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. There are few things more majestic than seeing a herd of zebra trotting across the plains. Or a small group of elephants walking in a pack. Or a couple of giraffes eating leaves from the solo tree in a vast expanse of openness. I've seen the animals before, but I wouldn't give up a chance to see some of them again.
 |
| Ulcinj, Montenegro |
4. Panama City, Panama. I was in Panama City grudgingly after more hours than I care to remember at the airport because Copa Airlines' system went down, effectively closing 90% of the airport and my flight back to the US from Aruba. The first thing I was struck by in the city was the number of skyscrapers, and how skinny all of them were. I would love to go to Panama City in a better mood and to walk around the city and surrounding sites.
3. Albuquerque, New Mexico. My stopover in Albuquerque was brief, but there was something intoxicating about it that makes me want to return. The blend of cultures was apparent, even in just a few hours, and I would love to go back and explore the city, its history, and its quirks.
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| Durmitor National Park |
1. Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe. When I went there earlier this year it was high water time. So much water tumbled over the Falls that I was soaked within minutes and could barely see the falls. But I could hear them. And feel them. I would love to go back one day during low water and see the splendor and beauty that is Victoria Falls.
 |
| Victoria Falls |
In the next few days I hope to look at the 10 places I still would like to visit. I've drawn up the list, but the motivation to sit down and type it out--along with reasons--is the holdup. So enjoy this list in the meantime, and also this holiday greeting from the Minions...I can't wait for their movie in July!
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