Bucket List

Yesterday I talked about following through on my Bucket List.  I had to re-vamp it a bit since the list I made in High School was a bit outdated and I cheated by putting "meet so-and-so" for about 60 of the 100.  Here is my Top 25 Bucket List (although they are numbered it's not listed in priority)

Bucket List:

1. Visit Machu Picchu:
   This has been a dream of mine since Grade 7 when we learned about the Mayans.  Recently a friend of mine went and I was so jealous.  It's something I would love to do with my kids, but I think I want to be selfish and go without them the first time. 
2. See the Pyramids: I think this is on most people's Bucket Lists.  I find it fascinating the Egyptians were able to build such amazing structures without today's technology. 
3. Learn to Surf: I mentioned this is yesterday's post as something I was going to do in my 23rd year of life.  Instead my then-boyfried-now-husband and I decided to have a baby, so it got put on the back burner.  Look for me to learn to surf before the end of 2012!
4. Learn to Scuba Dive: Ok, so  this is a cheater list item, but when my husband and I were talking about my Bucket List he said "Scuba Diving better be on there", so it's on here.  My husband officially got a job as a diving instructor yesterday (I say "officially" because he worked for them the day before), so he plans on teaching me to dive.  I think it's going to be a very cool experience and I truly hope I enjoy it (for many reasons).  I say I hope I enjoy it because I don't swim in places I cannot see the bottom of; I don't know what I'm afraid of but I can't do it.  My grandparents took my sister and I houseboating many many years ago and each day they'd stop in the middle of Shuswap Lake so the kids could go swimming.  I tried once, freaked out and didn't do it again.  So, scuba diving could be an interesting thing.  Thankfully, my husband knows about this and has agreed to wait until the ocean gets warmer and the visibility is better (according to him on Sunday it was about 4ft of visability).  Look for me to check this one off my list by the end of this summer!
   Check it out here
5. Go to Rome: This is another one that came from my Grade 7 class.  To see the Collesium, Pompeii (I know it's not in Rome), The Forum, and The Parthenon would be something else.
6. See the art in the Louvre: I am not an art enthusiast, but I have talked to many people who have been to the Louvre and they have all said there is something about the art that moves you.  I had a co-worker of mine tell me that she was actually quite bored walking around but came across a famous painting (I wish I could remember which one) and she found herself crying because of the beauty of it. 
7. Walk on the Great Wall of China: To walk on the structure that can be seen from space would be cool.
8. Take my kids to Disney Land: We went to Disney Land when I was 10, my sister was 8, and it truly is a magical place.  I tried to convince my husband to go a few years ago but he didn't think he would enjoy it without kids, little does he know that when you go you become a kid again.  I want to take our kids so they can experience that kind of magic that I did when I was a kid. 
9. Go to the Canucks Stanley Cup Parade: This may happen sooner rather than later.  *keep my fingers and toes crossed*
10. Meet Trevor Linden: I have been a fan of Trevor Linden's since I was 4.  I even named my son Lynden.  2 years ago he was doing a signing at the Future Shop in White Rock when we happened to be down here.  My husband agreed to delay our trip home by a few hours so we could stay in a Massive line-up to try to meet him (and get our son's jersey signed).  We stood in line for 4+ hours and didn't make it in.  Although, I did see the back of his head :-)
11. See the Northern Lights: When I was 10 I visited my grandma who lived in Terrace.  One night she asked me if I wanted to see the Northern Lights, which I did.  She said she had seen them the night before around 11pm and I could stay up to see them if I wanted.  I stayed up until just after 10, as long as my eyelids could stay open, but I did not see them.  She told me the next morning she didn't see them that night, but she would wake me next time she saw them so I could.  They didn't happen again that summer I was there.  To this day I have not seen them. 
12. Do a Road Trip across Canada: This is something I think everyone should do.  I have been to Manitoba when I was about 2, spent 4 hours in Jasper when I was 10 (a stop on the train ride to Terrace that summer) and went to Toronto for a few days 3 years ago (my husband and I went to the Winter Classic in Buffalo in 2008).  That's all I have travelled out into this fantastic country of ours in my 26 years.  I would love to make a summer of it with our kids and see our lovely country. 
13. Read all 100 books from the BBC list:
    This has recently been a Facebook favourite, but I saw this list a few years ago and thought it would be nice to be able to say I've read all of them.  In case you haven't seen the list BBC Top 100 Books  Now, some of them I have already read.
    Jayne Eyre - Grade 9 reading
    To Kill A Mockingbird - Grade 10 reading
    1984 - read after high school, what a messed up read. 
    Romeo and Juliet - Grade 9 reading
    The Great Gatsby - Grade 10 reading - Too much symbolism in that book
    Hitchhikers's Guide to the Galaxy - I am currently reading... look for a review when I finish it
    The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - I will be re-reading this one as my dad read it to us when we were little.
    Winnie the Pooh - I'll be re-reading this one as I read it to Lynden
    Da Vinci Code - Great read, although I'm one of those odd balls that liked Angels and Demons better
    One Hundred Years of Solitude - One of my favourite books.  Read in Grade 11 or 12 and fell in love with it.  I re-read it every 3-5 years (I finished it, again, about 2 weeks ago).
    Anne of Green Gables  - read when I was younger
    Handmaid's Tale - Grade 9 reading, not an enjoyable read at the time.
    Life of Pi - read this a few years ago and I always give a book 100 pages before I'll give up on it.  Life of Pi was a hard read for the first 90 or so pages and then it got good.
    The Secret Garden - read when I was little
    Charlotte's Web - great book.  I'll be reading this to Lynden and Alyssa
    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - read when I was in elementary school.  I'll read it to the kids
14. Skydive: I don't know why jumping out of a plane sounds like fun, but to me it does.  On the fip side, bungy jumping?!?  Are you nuts!?! 
15. Visit Prague: I have heard that Prague is an incredibly beautiful place to visit.
16. Learn to Snowboard: I know how to ski, but not snowboard.  I was going to learn when I was 14, but I had back-to-back knee injuries which stopped that.  I still want to learn.
17. See Billy Joel Live in Concert: My very first concert was Elton John, and wow!  What a show.  But I've always enjoyed Billy Joel more and would love to see him live.  About 2 months after my mom and I saw Elton John, she went to the Face to Face tour which was Elton John and Billy Joel playing together.  Billy Joel was in a mood play and the concert ended around 2am, after that he went back to the hotel he was staying at, went down to the lobby and played piano in the lobby for a few more hours.  Can you imI dagine????
18. Get a Tattoo: I don't know what I want to get or where I want to get it, but one day I will.  My most recent thought it getting those Sweatheart Candies you get at Valentines with my kids names on each Sweetheart. 
19. Go to Big Day Out in Australia:
    Big Day Out is a Massive outdoor concert that's held in Australia every year.  There is something about being outside with Thousands of other music lovers enjoying music that send shivers down my spine. 
20. See a Live Panda Bear: My grandma assigned animals to people, and Amanda Panda was mine.  Every birthday and Christmas I received something Panda related from her.  I have managed to shrink my collection over the years to the items that have sentimental value to me.  But, seeing a live Panda would be so neat. 
21. Hold a Spider: Ok... so.... I am TERRIFIED of spiders.  Yes, those small 8 legged creatures that run Stupidly fast!  They give me the hebie-jebies!  I'm shuttering thinking about them.  But!  I am determined to hold one just so I can say I did it.  Having said this, we are going to a Bug Zoo over Easter weekend and there will be spiders there, and I've been told you can hold bugs at the Bug Zoo.  So, if I don't pee myself and can hold it long enough for 1 quick picture (don't be shocked if my eyes are closed) I may be able to cross this one off next weekend. 
    If my sister decides to come with us I'm challenging her to hold one too.  And maybe a ladybug...I did it!  Check it out here
22. Swim with a Dolphin: This would be so cool!  My 2 sister-in-laws swam with dolphins on thier recent trip and it looked like a blast.  This is something that is also on my husband's Bucket List.  Maybe when we take the kids to Disney Land we'll see if we can do this too.
23. Own a TV or Movie Prop: Preferably something recognizable, but since I don't have millions of dollars I may have to settle.  It would be a conversation starter for sure.  On a side note: I am 175% jealous that Lady Gaga got the Original Ruby Red Slippers from The Wizard of Oz as a birthday gift.
24. Go on a Cruise (through the Panama Canal and an Alaskan Cruise): Something about sitting on a relaxing boat is appealing.  I think this will need to be a kid-free event tho'.  I'd be willing to take them on a Disney Cruise AFTER I get one of these cruises done.  The Panama Canal would be so interesting to go through it watching the system they have for boats.
    Check out this site if you don't know: Panama Canal
25. Build my dream house: There are certain things I love about certain houses.  I love a balcony in the front that wraps around the site.  I love the turret corners of a house - I've always imagined having a den or workspace in there.  I love open concept designs.  Along with many other things.  So, one day, I would love to be in a position where I am able to build my dream house with all the features I love (and by build, I mean pay someone else to do it). 

What's on your Bucket List?