Bucket List: Readers’ choice

Since we started our Bucket List column over a year ago, we have covered a vast range of topics. There have been sights to see, books to read, food to eat, and music to hear. We really hope that it had served as some inspiration for you in putting together your own bucket list. Some of you have been working so hard on that bucket list that you, our dear readers, sent us some of your ideas. So this month we are compiling a readers’ choice list based on your submissions.

An artsy holiday

According to Khandiz from London, Mexico should be at the top of everyone’s bucket list. She cites swimming with the dolphins at the wild Puerto Escondido as the highlight of her visit to this Central American paradise, but she also recommends visiting Cabo San Lucas, commonly called Cabo, during your stay there. Her final suggestion is to make a stop at the Frida Kahlo Blue House, which both art geeks and newbies can appreciate.

Something a bit more traditional

While staying in the same area in the world, Nicky from Cape Town, South Africa chose something a little more traditional for the number one spot on her bucket list. Cancun in Mexico, with its white sand beaches and turquoise seas, would find a comfortable fit in almost any bucket list. Tourist-heavy though it may be, it’s beauty is undeniable. It’s really all about sipping cocktails on the beach and working on that fabulous tan.

Not for the faint of heart

Carlos, another London resident, has a bucket list that is just overflowing with ideas for the adrenaline junkie. He includes kayaking with orcas in Canada, dog-sledding in Lapland, where you can see the northern lights, looking at the cherry blossoms in Tokyo in April (his calmest option), seeing the herd migrations on the African plains, and climbing the Eiger, which is a 13,020-foot mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland.

Connecting with your motherland

Although Santhie grew up in London, she comes from a traditional Chinese family, and when she went to Beijing to visit extended family, she found it to be a particularly rewarding experience. Not only was she able to reconnect with her heritage, but there were also a lot of great places to see. The Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square are just a few of the places she visited, enjoyed, and recommended for our readers.

Outside the box

Chris from Maputo had a very unique suggestion – certainly one we’ve never considered before. According to Chris, riding a mule into the Grand Canyon is quite popular. “It is spectacular”, he says. “There’s a spot down there where your voice echoes forever. It’s very Indiana Jones-y.” Of course visiting the Grand Canyon is on a lot of people’s bucket lists, but we think this approach has a unique edge. And who doesn’t want to embrace their inner Indie?

Hitting the outback

One reader named Mungo from Leeds says it is his dream to do a traditional walkabout in the Australian outback. He wants to roam the desert like the Aborigines, looking at nature and admiring the native art. The great thing about taking part in this sort of holiday is that you do it in groups, so it’s an opportunity to meet new people, and, of course, to learn and see new things.