It’s that time of the week again: Travel Bucket List Wednesday, aka #TravelBL! Inspiring each other to discover new destinations, events, and all things TRAVEL. I’m happy to announce that I received (and found!) some travel bucket list posts around Twitter and the web, so today we’ll read about the travel dreams of others besides yours truly 😉 Hope you enjoy them!

My favorite image off Raul's visual travel bucket list - Portugal is on my list now!

Raul’s travel bucket list

Raul (@ilivetotravel) sent me his travel bucket list via Twitter. What I love most is how he has listed his items on his blog (link above), but he also has a visual travel bucket list! Raul “pinned” the destinations he still wishes to cross off on Pinterest. His image compilation actually inspired me to add some countries and regions to my own list, such as Portugal, Spain’s Basque country, Mali, and a Hill of Crosses in Lithuania.

Tuvalu, 350.org campaign (Photo: Nacanieli Speigth, Flikr)

On Kel’s travel bucket list: Tuvalu

While Aussie Kel (@kelaussie29) didn’t share her full list with us, she did introduce us to an unknown country (to me anyway) until today. Her tweet was a response to a post about “15 least visited countries that tourists need to visit more often,” saying Tuvalu is not “too far away.” Would be exciting to know if she means that she will visit this year, as we will want to hear all about it! This little dot on the map is located in the South Pacific and, presumably, would be one of the very first places to be submerged (aka disappear) if sea levels keep rising due to climate change. I would love to experience that culture before it’s too late! You can reach Tuvalu via Fiji, by the way 😉

Photo collage: Karla Aguilar (travellersoul76.wordpress.com)

Karla’s travel bucket list – just updated!

Just updated, Karla’s list (@Travellersoul76) has many of the usual suspects: Visit Thailand, Bali, the Taj Mahal, and Petra. My favorite item off her list, though, is to publish a photo on National Geographic For some reason, that line made me reflect and think how relatively easy it is for freelancers today to reach such high-end publications. Social media, contests, and partnerships between travel agencies and publications are some things that have made all this possible. It also reminded me that one should reach for the sky, work hard, and always put yourself out there. With the Internet, you never know who’s watching! 😉 (aaand I’m sorry I just went on a small tangent haha).

I'm sure Michael missed this beauty! (Socotra Island, photo by Soqotra2007, Flikr)

Michael’s (sort of) reflective travel bucket list

Tweeted as “A bucket (list) for Monsieur” by @traveldudes, Michael wrote a post about his favorite, and least favorite, destinations and experiences whilst traveling. I must admit, it kind of irked me when I read that his least favorite is the Middle East, “whose desert landscape is rather monotonous.” Unfortunately, it seems like Michael has only visited the “most common” places in the region and has not seen other hidden beauties. Socotra Island, Egypt’s oases, and Haifa (Israel) are perfect examples. Highly doubt he would have published that statement after visiting those! But to each their own though, right? 😉 On the bright side, his post was still entertaining and rather informative. I didn’t know a disposable travel toilet existed?! Yikes! I want one now 😀

What’s on your travel bucket list? Any of these items made the cut?

Due to the extreme popularity of part one of my R-rated travel bucket list, I have decided to sprinkle even more spice. Indeed, I will continue the publication of my extensive X-rated travel bucket list. Wait–X-rated!? Oh yah, because this sequel is a tad bit…raunchier…!

X-rated travel bucket list item #1: Inside the Colosseum at night

The Colosseum at night…soo tempting…

Granted, it would be way too difficult to get down with a lover inside the Colosseum among the troves of tourist that visit during its opening hours. So the only way to cross this off an X-rated travel bucket list? To break in at night. You would probably need to befriend a guard (and got some fat wallets) to achieve this, but hey…maybe the guard can be your lover. Wink wink? A girl can dream…

X-rated travel bucket list item #2: In a van under the northern lights

make love under the northern lights? Romantic dream of mine! (Photo: Nick Russill)

Having sex inside a car with a big sunroof under the northern lights in the middle of some remote Arctic countryside…everything about that is plain epic. If I weren’t from the tropics, I would probably just do it outside and suck it up (errm, the cold). We all know it gets too hot in the end, right? But this hypothermia-prone Latina prefers it inside a warm vehicle. By the way: Which car/van out there has the biggest sunroof to date? Anyone? Because that’s what I’m renting to cross this item off my travel bucket list in 2013, when the northern lights will be the most fired up (baha).

X-rated travel bucket list item #3: On an open vineyard, Tuscany & Napa

Vineyard in Tuscany…calling my body… (Photo: Addictive Picasso, Creative Commons)

There’s no doubt: Tuscany is in virtually every single romantic travel bucket list worldwide. Thus, it is only natural it made it to my X-rated list in the form of making beautiful love out in one of its open vineyards. Ahhh, becoming one with your loved one in an open field, surrounded by hundreds of grapevines: Risky, romantic, sensual — so many adjectives to describe such magic! And Napa? You know, because I want to be able to say I pulled this off on both sides of the world. I’m just kind of a princess like that 😉

X-rated travel bucket list item #4: Inside a natural pool in Pamukkale

I have previously shared with you a dream 40-day Turkish Delights itinerary that is part of my “regular” travel bucket list. What I have not mentioned, however, is how I secretly want to get busy inside one of those gorgeous natural pools. They are so inviting, aren’t they!? And given to the fact I already did it in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon…I feel, somehow, this feat is doable (quite literally). Fear not, my friends — I do not plan for him or me to finish there, it’ll be more like a tease in order to say “done! Crossed off!” just like the Blue Lagoon act. I know, still too naughty…but…but…

Blue Lagoon: Where things really went down…

Always in small doses when it comes to my X-rated travel bucket list items! 😉 I will thrive to share more of my raunchy list with you on a monthly basis. I know you will either blush, laugh, and/or be inspired. Or be grossed out. Either way, I’m gettin’ it on! Bahaha *evil grin*

watch out! ‘Cause I’m coming…          to a city near you! 😉

What’s on your X-rated travel bucket list?

Travel bucket list Wednesdays are back! Get your wanderfix by the weird, amazing travel bucket list items fellow tweeps and I add every week. Very fortunately, this week I got some submissions of your travel bucket lists, so we get to explore what’s on those wandering minds. Additionally, I found some unusual restaurants, unique tree hotels and other interesting items that landed on my own travel bucket list. 

(C) Marcy! (tootimidandsqueamish.com)

Marcy’s travel bucket list 

Great inspiration for any adventurer: From a safari in Africa to six different places to ride in a submarine. My favorite item on her list, though? The Guinness’ “Perfect Pint” certificate – indeed, she poured a perfect pint and has a certificate to prove it. Adding that one to my list for sure.

Great Lakes Circle Tour – on Aaron’s travel bucket list (Photo: Great-lakes.net)

Aaron’s travel bucket list

My partner in crime in several sessions of the #TravelBL chat, Aaron (@elatlboy) has the ability to inspire any type of wanderer. His list has a great mix of romance, nature, foodie adventures, and even sporting events.

Redwoods Treehouse Restaurant, New Zealand (Photo:RunawayJane.com)

10 unusual restaurants around the world

I love how varied RunawayJane’s restaurant travel bucket list is. From romantic to downright weird, some items on this list I happened to have on my list already (i.e. Zanzibar’s Rock Restaurant). However, some new additions are New Zealand’s Redwoods Treehouse Restaurant (pictured above) and Dans Le Noir (England), where you dine in the dark. Adventurous much? Always on me!

Cool tree house in Laos (Photo: Christian Haugen, Flikr)

The coolest tree houses in the world

Speaking of tree houses, this list is…self explanatory? Sort of. While I have stumbled upon many of these lists, I am very happy to say that I had never seen any of the tree houses mentioned on Matador’s list above. Ahh, eleven new additions to my travel bucket list – nothing like fresh meat!

the Paparazzi Proposal package, offered by Tides Rivera Maya, has a photographer secretly stalk you, from the start of your vacay all the way to proposal, in order to perfectly document every moment. Me want! (Photo: Tripadvisor)

Hotel engagement concierges – the ultimate dream!

Like many girls around the world, I was dreaming about my future Prince Charming & his proposal by the time I hit preschool (thank you, Disney). Thus, I literally squealed when I saw this – now a few select hotels (listed in the link above) have an engagement concierge who specializes on helping my man to create the most memorable proposal ever?! And let’s be honest here: I am sure our Princes are very glad that some weight will be taken off their shoulders. Double winning!

Acqualina Resort, located in Miami FL, also offers special engagement packages (Photo:ACQUALINA RESORT)

Want to be featured next week? Then do this: Post your travel bucket list on your website, copy/paste the permanent post link on a comment below (no bit.ly’s, su.pr, etc), tweet that post with the #TravelBL tag and then cc me (@latinAbroad) on it. LISTO! It’ll be RT’d to the travel twit world + be featured on next week’s Travel Bucket List Wednesday post. If there are no submissions on a given week, I’ll simply stumble the travel nets and repost the best of the best on our travel bucket list. The wanderfix doesn’t end there, though! Join the #TravelBL chat on Twitter, every Wednesday at noon & 6:15 pm EST! Next topic will be Latin America. Oi, you know that’ll be a spicy one indeed, can’t miss it! 😉

What’s on your travel bucket list?

What’s Travel Bucket List Wednesday about? Click here to learn more!

Woot woot it is #TravelBL Wednesday peeps! Yaaaa, the travel bucket list! Week 8 ova here, inspiring each other to see more of the world and simply take in the beauty of this beautiful planet we were blessed to live in for a couple of decades 🙂 To join is simple: Post your travel bucket list on your blog, , comment below with the link, tweet that post with the #TravelBL tag and cc @latinAbroad (moi!) on it. Then voilá! I retweet + I feature on this post. If not? I just go around the Internet trying to find the best of the best for our travel bucket list and introduce it to you! Plus don’t forget about the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)! 😀

"Wanna race?" -Tourist2Townie

* Thrill junkie travel bucket list item…!

So I don’t even know what’s the name of this thing: Downhill sledding? Just sledding? Huh say what? But I do know it is the *perfect* addition to any thrill junkie’s travel bucket list! I found it inside one of Tourist 2 Townie’s Facebook pagealbums and you can do it in Park City at the Park City Mountain Resorts in Utah, USA. Who’s in!?

Bahariya Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt! Visited in 2009 🙂 (Photo: Marine Begault)

* 10 Most Beautiful Oases RTW – Nature lover’s travel bucket list

I have been obsessed with oases ever since I first took a glimpse at one when watching The Mummy Returns as a tween (yes, this movie basically changed my life lol). Then, I had the privilege of seeing the oasis that actually inspired the computerized version of the movie when I lived in Egypt (Western Desert). And then, I stumbled upon this travel bucket list of oases. The amazing photos and locales all over the world simply make you go Ahhhh. Can.Not.Wait!

the EPIC Silk Road - red for overland routes and blue for sea route. AH-MAZING!

* For the epic journeys travel bucket list – Essential backpacker Trails, LP

Mention any ridiculous, seemingly-impossible-by-Western-standards journey to me and it is a guarantee that I’ll add it to my travel bucket list. There is something about that word, that adjective, epic, that I simply can’t resist! I mean seriously: The Banana Pancake Trail? Count me IN!

Giant at Swarovski Crystal World, Austria (Photo: EuropeanTravelista.com)

* Bedazzling travel bucket list – The Bizarre World of Swarovski

Ok I must admit – I actually got MAD when I first read this article because I was in Innsbruck, Austria & all over Europe when I was 17 and somehow missed this!!! I actually visited a Sawvroski store but in a different European country. UGH! So now I have a great excuse to go back to the lovely European Alps not only to learn how to skii and snowboard, but also so I can cross the Swarovski Crystal World off my travel bucket list. I mean seriously – a WATERFALL in the form of a FACE with water flowing out of the mouth AND Swarovsky-bedazzled eyes!? WHO wouldn’t want to see THAT!?

Lord Howe Island, located between Australia and New Zealand on the Tasman Sea

* New on my travel bucket list: Lord Howe Island

Sure, it is Australia. Sure, Lord Howe may seem “just another island” to most. Oh my, but does it call my name. Any island with rugged terrain or oddly-shaped hills and mountains, bathed by lighter-than-the-sky waters, excites me…and arouses my little heart and makes me want to swim right to it. Or arrive on a seaplane. Yes yes…

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

What are you waiting for?! Write down that travel bucket list, publish it on your blog and then come back here to share it with us. Be part of the epic Travel Bucket List Wednesdays! Oh and I beg you, overuse the hashtag #TravelBL. Include it when you tweet about your travel dreams & cc @latinAbroad – I guarantee an RT!

“So live that your memories will be part of your happiness”
-Unknown

What’s on your travel bucket list?

What’s Travel Bucket List Wednesdays? Click here to learn more

Wepete! This shall be the 6th weekly Travel Bucket list Wednesday! I’ve decided that the weeks I don’t get many submissions from you, I’ll complement the entry with interesting travel bucket lists I find around the web. Remember: If you wish to be featured next week don’t forget to submit your travel bucket list, links of your travel sites and Twitter handle on a comment below. There is no limit: As long as you post new items on your travel bucket list every week, I will feature you every time! So c’mon, get greedy here. And don’t forget to join us on the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)!

One of my favorite things about this travel bucket list is how you can see a bio (and thus later Google stalk) the explorer who gave the Ultimate idea!

* NatGeo’s Ultimate Adventure Bucket List 2012

Quite cocky if you ask me, for NatGeo to use the word ultimate on their 2012 travel bucket list…but they did it because it is. They interviewed 20 of some of the world’s best athletes and explorers and asked them: What travel bucket list items are in your wildest dreams!? Diving frozen waters of Antarctica, kayak circumnavigation of South America and kite skiing in Kamchatka peninsula (northeastern Russia) are some sample items you can find on this extreme travel bucket list. So umm, Ultimate? Absolutely!

me taking a nap as the felucca drifted down the Nile - Egypt, 2009

* Lonely Planet’s travel bucket list – 8 Voyages of a Lifetime

Featured on CNN Travel, these voyages take us through some of the world most legendary waters. I myself have drifted down the Nile and I can tell you that the mix of history and relaxation is an undisputed champion. What I love the most about this travel bucket list though is that they made sure they covered almost every continent – so you should definitely be able to cross one of these items off within the next year (or sooner)!

Vipassana meditation in one of India's most dangerous prisons (Photo from "Doing Time, Doing Vipassana" documentary, found at Roxie.com)

* World skills’ travel bucket list – BootsnAll

While the article is titled 11 Skills to Learn on Your RTW Trip, the first thing that came to mind when I first got a glimpse of it was “11 skills that should be on my travel bucket list.” As I scrolled down, I was happy to notice I got some of those skills already. However, the list did inspire me and aroused my creativity, making me write down places where I would love to sharpen the skills I’ve already acquired, while going into a boot camp abroad for those I haven’t learned. Indeed, a different kind of travel bucket list you should start today!

Plitvice Lakes National Park walking path, Croatia

* Hiking travel bucket list – 8 of the Most Unique Walking Paths RTW

I just kept stumbling upon awesome travel bucket list items on BootsnAll this week. I discovered so many places I had never heard about – or amazing attractions I somehow missed out in countries I had already visited. A perfect example is this list, which informed me of the existence of a surreal walking path in Negev, Israel – a country I visited twice, the last time on a 3-week hitchhiking and couchsurfing feast that (I thought) covered every corner of the Holy Land. There was even another awesome walking path in Iceland! Granted, both were pretty impulsive, plan-as-you-go trips. Still, I was heart broken I missed out! *sigh* these were welcomed reality checks though — and another brilliant excuse to go back to Israel, Iceland and visit the other places listed.

Flying Caceres, Ringling Bros Circus (Photo: Tammy Biondi, former About.com Guide)

* New item on my own travel bucket list: Flying trapeze

I didn’t even know you could do this unless you were some elastic Asian (or Russian or Eastern European) that had been working for a traveling circus since age 5. But apparently, it is possible for us average Joes! (Note: This isn’t a no-fall guarantee, though). Thank you for the inspiration, Ms Tiffany! Oh, I still gotta ask you how I can cross off this new travel bucket list item of mine, since I only saw the awesome photos you posted on #TravelBL chat this week! 😉

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

What are you waiting for?! Go run to your blog, put together that awesome travel bucket list of yours and come back here to share it with us. Be part of the new, exciting #TravelBL Wednesdays! And of course, feel free to use hashtag #TravelBL any other time of the week when tweeting your items – you’ll get a guaranteed RT from me!

“LIFE, if well-lived, is long enough”
-Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

What’s on your travel bucket list?