So Much to See...

I have travelled more during recent years than ever before, yet my wish-list of places to see just keeps getting longer!

I have a vacation coming up in Switzerland and London during August. Before that I will make yet another business trip to the US that will take me to Orlando, Washington DC, San Francisco and Santa Monica. I also expect to be in Lonavala with friends and family during the coming weekend (that should be fun!). And during the Diwali holidays, I expect to visit my in-laws in Bareilly. That is a lot of travel during the next few months, but I am hungry for more!

The three places on top of my wish list right now are:

Africa: I love the jungles and so does my wife; we spent our honeymoon in the wilderness of the Himalayan valleys close to the Jim Corbett National Park. We have been discussing Africa for a very long time but haven't gotten around to making it real yet. I haven't figured out if I should organize my own 'African Safari' in Kenya (Masai Mara), South Africa (Kruger National Park), Zambia (Zambian side of the Victorian Falls), or from other less popular destinations within Namibia or Botswana.

An Alaskan Cruise: I have to do this one! I love the stark beauty of icy landscapes. Also, I want to spend some time in Canada when I do this; from the pictures and videos I have seen so far, it's one of the prettiest places on earth. I recently bought the DVD set of Planet Earth by David Attenborough; I have always enjoyed his excellent documentaries. The first episode begins with breathtaking panoramic footage of northern Canada that you have to see to believe! I strongly recommend this DVD set to anyone who loves nature; the series has been shot on hi-def video and the results are unbelievable!

Bhutan: A beautiful, small country nestled in the Himalayas between India and China; a land of splendid mountain views, Buddhist monasteries, colorful festivals. Friends who have visited have been here had wonderful stories to tell about the land and its people. This is the closest you can get to one of those isolated, charming, old-world kingdoms you only see in fantasy movies, where time seems to have passed much slower than the rest of the world.

A friend recently gifted me 1000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Shultz. I have only read parts of it, but I think she's tried to cover too many places in a single book. I am sure there will be other places in the world that catch my fancy as I go through this book.