Do you need a travel bucket list?

I love reading posts with peoples dream destinations, bucket lists and travel wish-lists. But do you think it’s important to have one?

I’ve visited China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, US, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, in my adult life. I would say 12 Countries before I’m 24 is pretty good going. But then you need to take a step back. Travelling isn’t about jetting into a country, spending 48 hours there and then jetting out, just so you can tick it off a list. Don’t get me wrong, this gal loves a city break. You normally eat good food, drink nice wine and stay somewhere lovely. If you’re anything like me you try to cram as many tourist spots as you can into your weekend and leave feeling knackered but proud of that exhausting-but-well-worth it weekend.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past few months it’s that for every country you visit and for every person you speak to; you want to visit 10 more places. It becomes a competition in your head. Can I tick off ‘X’ amount of countries by my 30^th birthday? There’s been lots on social media about how a certain travel blogger has recently completed all 196 countries in ‘record breaking’ time. But what on earth is the point of that? Dipping into and out of a country as fast as you can cannot be good for the environment, the people of the country, or your own well-being.

Then comes the poor little places you want to revisit. I would love to go back to Vietnam, I seriously fell in love with the culture, the people and the landscape. There were so many things I didn’t do and see and what a ridiculous concept that we would consider not going back to see more because it would perhaps compromise my chances of not adding another number to my running tally.

But on the other hand, is there anything more satisfying than writing things down and ticking them off. Right now, I may or may not be compiling a list of ‘must see’ cities and praying my bank balance will stretch to them all. I don’t think 2018 is going to cut it but I’m sure as hell going to ensure than 2019 does.

What’s your thoughts? Do you have a travel bucket list?