The Bucket List

For the moment, this is a bucket list for my future travels, as I have already ticked off a number of my must-do items on various travels. For example:

  • see the Northern Lights
  • visit Petra
  • float in the Dead Sea
  • go to Disneyland (only Tokyo so far)
  • climb a mountain (Mount Snowdon counts, okay?!)
  • skydive (twice now)
  • go on safari 

But from here on out, these are just some of the experiences I’m striving for…

In general:

  • move to South America for at least a year
  • become fluent in Spanish
  • WOOF my way across Australia
  • drive a campervan coast to coast across the States (ie pass my driving test first)
  • take part in La Tomatina festival
  • become a tour guide somewhere other than London
  • go to Rio Carnival
  • take the plunge to cut off all my hair
  • alternatively, finally get dreadlocks
  • trek the Inca Trail
  • do a homestay/volunteer in a village somewhere that nobody speaks any English
  • pose for life drawing classes
  • climb Mount Kili and/or reach Everest Base Camp
  • spend the night in a haunted house
  • go skinny dipping
  • work in a hostel
  • skydive for the third time (#1 in Mombasa, Kenya; #2 in Norwich, UK)
  • work on a rice farm in Thailand
  • teach TEFL in Russia & experience a true Russian winter
  • go to Burning Man in Nevada
  • move back to San Francisco for a while
  • join the Adventurist’s Rickshaw Run
  • go on a writing retreat in Tuscany
  • live in a lighthouse and/or a windmill
  • learn how to sail and work on a boat
  • see my work published in Lonely Planet (I can dream!)
  • take part in the Mongol Rally
  • go couchsurfing/host couchsurfers
  • ride horses through the untouched valleys of Mongolia
  • learn Mandarin (apparently I’ve got the tones down perfectly)
  • hang out with a celebrity (sorry to boast, I just had to)

In Nepal & India:

In South America:

40 Comments

  • Reply
    Alice Rose BL
    March 1, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    Flora, I am absolutely loving your blog and your writing. Also, am going to steal the bucket list idea for when I got to South America (I’ll footnote you in there, since UEA taught us so much about plagiarism!) Hope you are having a blast and enjoying Asia. PLEASE keep writing!! Love ABL xxx P.S. hope your stomach is now sufficiently bug-free – I got very ill on my second day in Guatemala and it was a hideous few days but the upside was I was pretty much immune to illness for the rest of Central America and could even drink the tap water, so swings and roundabouts I suppose! Have fun!!!

  • Reply
    Ceri
    March 2, 2012 at 3:45 am

    Very cool bucket list. 😀

    • Reply
      florabaker
      May 17, 2012 at 4:17 pm

      So is yours! I’d love to visit Chris McCandless’ van too 🙂

  • Reply
    wanderfool
    March 19, 2012 at 7:22 am

    haha, too exciting a bucket-list! will probably adopt the idea myself 🙂

    • Reply
      florabaker
      May 17, 2012 at 4:18 pm

      You should! Even if you never tick them all off, it’s a really fun way to get your travel juices flowing :p

  • Reply
    Anthony
    May 8, 2012 at 3:31 pm

    Love your style. You popped up on my linkedin and having seen your face around UEA I thought I would have a nosey! I hope it all goes well for you Flora, think what you’re doing is great. Best of luck!

    • Reply
      florabaker
      May 17, 2012 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks Anthony, I really appreciate it! Did we ever meet at UEA..? Hope everything is going well for you post-Norwich!

  • Reply
    Arvind
    May 12, 2012 at 3:51 am

    just read about you in the tribune today. loved your bucket list and you bet gonna steal some items!!! by the way i am from a place near dharamshala.. so any pointers u need while visiting this place dont hesitate to ask… Best of luck n have a blast.

    • Reply
      florabaker
      May 17, 2012 at 4:19 pm

      Thanks Arvind, and yes please take inspiration from this list! I’ll be heading to Dharamshala in mid-June so I’ll be sure to keep you in mind if I need any tips 🙂

  • Reply
    Alice Rose (@AliceRoseBL)
    May 18, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    You can definitely cross ‘talk to someone new everyday’ off!!

    • Reply
      florabaker
      May 18, 2012 at 4:07 pm

      I kinda thought I’d hold out till the end of the trip..! It’s more of an incentive pusher I think. And it definitely seems to be working!

  • Reply
    Renourish (@renourishblog)
    July 25, 2012 at 7:36 am

    Fair play for wanting to spend a winter in Russia…burr.. that’s brave!!!

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Belle
    September 3, 2012 at 8:19 am

    Awesome Awesome Awesome bucket list! I’m about to head over to India, Nepal & Sri Lanka in 8 weeks time and cant wait! Your blog rocks! Belle

    • Reply
      florabaker
      September 3, 2012 at 11:01 am

      Thanks Belle! How long will you be travelling for? I bet you’ll have an incredible time 🙂

  • Reply
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    […] The Bucket List […]

  • Reply
    tripwolf Blogger of the Month: Flora the Explorer - tripwolf travel blog - your travel guide
    February 1, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    […] Allow me to introduce to you  Flora The Explorer ~ a blogger that recently came on our radar, recommended by trusted and well-read travel blogger friends.  After spending 6 months in India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, Flora is headed to South America to teach English, and check more than a few experiences off her long bucket list. […]

  • Reply
    Julie Brown
    August 8, 2013 at 8:35 am

    This is amazing! One of my favorite bucket lists I have read in a really long time. I am thinking about researching in India for a year and I loved reading your thoughts about female solo travel in India. Hope all is well with you 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      August 18, 2013 at 5:05 am

      Woah, a year of research in India would be incredible – you should definitely go for it! What would you be researching? Let me know if you need any tips!

  • Reply
    エイプ tシャツ
    September 12, 2013 at 1:44 am

    エイプショップ

  • Reply
    Nitin Rai Chaudhary
    September 13, 2013 at 11:27 am

    Hi,

    Flora hope u remember me. we met in Chandigarh, India. It is just so inspiring to see you rocking every day, I So damn in Love with your Style of doing things, Every day you are touching something which has been a real Goal to achieve.

    Great Going!!

    Let me know wen you again come to India, I might get a chance to Travel with you for a while!!

    wish you all the Best!

    May You do Well and achieve every single task of ”THE BUCKET LIST”.

    Stay blessed!!
    you can find me @ http://www.facebook.com/nrcclicks

    • Reply
      Flora
      September 13, 2013 at 2:48 pm

      Hi Nitin, of course I remember you! Thanks so much for reading about my travels, I’m glad you’re enjoying them 🙂 I’ll be sure to get in touch whenever I come back to India – I would really love to visit again!

  • Reply
    the roaming coconuts
    November 11, 2013 at 11:15 am

    What a list, and you’re doing so well with it! Definitely inspired me to write out my dreams on paper. Your blog is really beautiful, excited to have stumbled across it!

    • Reply
      Flora
      November 19, 2013 at 2:38 pm

      Thank you so much – it’s an incredible thing to hear that I’ve inspired you to write 🙂 Long may it continue!

  • Reply
    DA Travelography
    December 28, 2013 at 8:40 am

    Flora, what an amazing bucket list. There are many more things to be explored in India and it’s diverse culture! Visit India again and hope to catch you on the tracks somewhere.. 🙂 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      January 1, 2014 at 4:13 pm

      It’s so true – there are simply too many things to see and do in just one India trip! Hopefully I’ll make it back again in the near future..

  • Reply
    Amber
    January 5, 2014 at 6:45 am

    You’ve inspired me. Several years ago, and 50+ countries ago, I created a travel to do list. I know it is still on my computer somewhere. I am curious to see where I am with my list. Seems like you have made a nice dent in yours!

    • Reply
      Flora
      January 18, 2014 at 11:38 pm

      Wonderful to hear I’ve been a source of inspiration, Amber 🙂

  • Reply
    Katherine
    March 31, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    Hey Flora!
    Just wanted to drop a line and say that you are one of my new-found role models! I absolutely love your bucket list and taste for adventure, I have no doubts you’ll be published in Lonely Planet one day! Just keep it up!
    Love from Canada!

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 3, 2014 at 5:06 pm

      Aww Katherine, thank you so much for this! Such a lovely comment to read while I’m suffering the effects of a horrible head cold and attempting to write a Masters application 🙂

  • Reply
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    May 22, 2014 at 4:49 am

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  • Reply
    Ashwin
    July 24, 2014 at 11:23 am

    A very nice blog. A good bucket list too 🙂
    Adding to my RSS reader. Continue your good job.

  • Reply
    Majerus
    August 27, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    Tremendous things here. I am very happy to look your article. Thank you so much and I am taking a look forward to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?

  • Reply
    Steff Worden
    January 3, 2015 at 11:43 pm

    Your blog is great!!! Really enjoy it.

    • Reply
      Flora
      January 6, 2015 at 1:43 pm

      Thanks so much Steff!

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    meladela
    August 14, 2015 at 10:55 pm

    Great and aspiring Bucket list!

  • Reply
    Tom
    September 10, 2015 at 5:23 pm

    Found your site while researching a Bolivia trip (each winter I get out of the Maine winter and go somewhere warm…last year Columbia…year before Nicaragua…looking for a place for this winter…Bolivia/Paraguay/Uruguay being the leaders…) anyway…many of your bucketlist items could be found here in Maine..and could use as a starting off point for your trek across the US in a camper. Main(e)ly: learning how to sail/build a sailboat-a traditional craft here; live in a lighthouse. Sleeping in a haunted house and skinny dipping in our amazingly clear lakes; posing for an art class and learning Mandarin from people here at the local college; and skydiving- to se either the mountains or the beautiful coastline.

    Just some ideas.. and thanks for all the great Bolivian advice here on your site..
    T

    • Reply
      Flora
      October 5, 2015 at 10:43 pm

      Looks like Maine is somewhere I need to get travelling to rather quickly! Thanks for the insights, Tom 🙂

  • Reply
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