Travel Time!

There are so many places I want to see and visit before I die.  And while I feel fortunate that I’ve already been to a number of them (Angkor Wat, Acropolis, and Westminster, to name a few) I haven’t even got close to all of the places I want to see.

Perhaps this urge to suddenly travel and explore is just an inner desire to escape from finals (Ugh!), but whether its from that or just another case of wanderlust setting in, I thought I’d share a few of my destinations with you.

Machu Picchu is an ancient royal estate high in the Andes of Peru.  The construction consists of megaliths that sit almost on top of a mountain.  Because it sits so high, the surrounding view consists of mountain peaks, green foliage, and steep cliffs.  Or at least that’s what the pictures look like and the stories say.  Either way, it’s truly a city set in the clouds.

I guess it’s not so much a destination as an adventure, but I want to go on an African Safari.  I love wildlife and it would be so fun to see some of nature’s most amazing animals in their natural habitat.  Just think of trying to sleep out on the savanna, under the clear sky and sparkling stars as the lion roars and the elephants bellow.

There’s not a lot of history with this next destination, which is usually something I look for in the places I travel.  I do love history and historical architect, but this place just offers, sand, sun and swimming. Ao Phra Nang Beach in Thailand would be the ideal place to relax, soak up the sun, read, snorkel and scuba dive.  I especially love the last two things.  Being underwater is like being in another world.  Take a look and tell me you wouldn’t want to spend some days just lying around out there.

I think Turkey offers the world traveler a number of options.  You have historical landmarks like, Hagia Sophia, amazing beaches that can be experienced on the blue cruise, shopping at the Grand Bazaar and natural landscapes that are diverse and beautiful.  Turkey truly has it all.  My only regret is that it’s so large that it would take a great deal of time and money, and since time is money, I think it would be really hard to see and do it all.  But a man can dream….

Where and what do you dream of seeing?

What Would You Wish For?

“What would you wish for?”  This was the topic of conversation as a group of us sat around getting to know one-another.

I wasn’t shocked or surprised to hear the traditional answers: “World peace.” “No more world hunger,” and “A cure for all the diseases in the world.”  I applauded and appreciate people who posses such compassion that if they had one wish, they would do something for the betterment of mankind.  At the same time, if we wish for such things, would we, as intelligent beings, really obtain our full potential?  Would we learn, without the struggles, to become better if we could simply wish a problem away?  I don’ think we could, but it would be nice to just get rid of our problems, or the world’s.  But that’s the very reason I think wishing for something so grand as “World Peace” is a waste of time.  Why waste a wish for something that we as individuals or society can achieve together?

I’m not saying it would be easy, or that we could even accomplish it in our lifetime, or many lifetimes, but if we really want such changes bad enough, can we not work towards them and make them realities?

Me? I want to wish for the impossible.  It might be selfish, and I’m certainly not doing anything for the betterment of the world, but there are things I could never do or achieve through any amount of effort.

When I was younger, I often wonder what I would wish for… invisibility… the ability to fly… to pull whatever amount of money I wanted out of my pocket, whenever I wanted (still kind of like that one).  But in the end, I’ve settled on the ability to travel in time.  How fun would that be?

As someone who loves historical events and architectural works, and romanticizes about far of lands in bygone eras, I think the ability to travel in time would be perfect for me.

I want to see how people lived.  I want to know how they built things.  I want to see what they did for fun, for work, how they slept, and what they ate.  I want to see history as it happened and know how it really unfolded.

There are a few caveats about my wish.

–       I can chose any place, in any time, to appear

–       I can always take a guest (what fun would it be if you couldn’t share the experience with someone?)

–       When I/we appear (where and whenever) I’m/we’re wearing attire that is suitable to the environment.

–       I/we can communicate in the language (both the written and spoken word) of the era I/we have traveled to

–       I/we get to take any small items (think camera, chap stick) I/we desire

So I’m curious to know, what would you wish for and why?  Be honest.  If making the world a better place is your wish, tell me why.  If its fortune and fame, tell me why you want it and what you would do with it.

The only rules to your one wish are the traditional ones.  If you don’t know what those are, you can find them here.

Start rubbing that lamp….