What’s on your bucket list? Help me develop my bucket list in progress by suggesting new and exciting things you’ve accomplished or plan to accomplish! What’s top on your 2016 list? Check out the countries I’ve visited, my completed bucket list, around the world bucket list, and northern living bucket list to get a sense of what I’ve accomplished so that you can suggest something NEW! See my dilemma? I’m drawing a blank. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Adventure Travel
Northern Living Bucket List
2015-2016
I had the incredible opportunity of living in Northern Ontario when my husband was -based in Timmins, Ontario when he worked for Thunder Airlines as a King Air 100 pilot. I made a commitment to myself that during my time in Northeastern Ontario, I would do as much as I could do and see as much as I could see. Since I knew living in the north wouldn’t be forever, I wanted to make the best of my experience and have as many adventures as possible. I immediately immersed myself in the community and found myself a job teaching at the local college half the time, while teaching vinyasa yoga at a local holistic spa, practicing yoga, traveling, and writing for Northeastern Ontario Tourism during the other half of the time. It wasn’t long before I was checking things off my northern bucket list. From snow tubing, winter fireworks, making s’mores over an open winter bush campfire, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, hosting yoga workshops, to dogsledding, I pretty much did it all. During my time in the northern regions of Ontario, I visited as many northern communities that I could reach–even as far north as Peawanuck on Hudson’s Bay, which is the second most northern community in Ontario only accessible by plane or winter ice roads (as shown on Ice Road Truckers). Although the arctic temperatures last 8-9 months of the year, I was able to create the life I wanted to live and live my life to the fullest–even if it meant I lived it in alpaca fleece and thermal wool winter wear. It’s an adventure I will never forget.
Here are the experiences I completed during my 8 months of living in Northern Ontario and my multiple trips and visits to the north. Continue reading
Get Wild this Spring with Wild Exodus
Are you ready to get out into the wild this spring to experience some BIG adventure, BIG lakes, BIG rivers, BIG falls, and the BIG outdoors? Now that blue skies, sunny days, and warm weather have finally arrived, it is time to get wild this season with Wild Exodus. Wild Exodus provides premier adventure travel recreational services to outdoor enthusiasts who are ready to take part in diverse wilderness expeditions to “experience nature as it is meant to be”. Whether you are interested in boating on Lake Kenogamissi, hiking to High Falls, feasting on handcrafted wild delicacies, visiting a trapper’s cabin with the trapper himself in the Boreal Forest, touring the northern bush trails on an ATV, camping at Wawaitin Holiday Park, glamping in style, or all-inclusive family holidays, this Canadian outfitter delivers a truly authentic journey. Let Wild Exodus put together the best of what they have to offer in a jam-packed outing in Northeastern Ontario’s natural environment! Continue reading
Spring Bucket List Items to do in Northeastern Ontario
I am in a mad rush to finish all of my winter bucket list items before spring comes. I’m hoping I am not the only one in this position. With the first day of spring right around the corner, it’s time to finish one bucket list and to start planning for my spring bucket list items. What’s on your spring bucket list? It is hard to believe that my time in Northeastern Ontario is coming to an end very shortly with my husband getting a job with Porter (how exciting!). As much as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time traveling around Northern Ontario, it’s unlikely that I will be back to this area after we depart anytime in the near future as this is my fourth visit to Ontario’s northern region. This last visit has based me here for 8 months of explorations in the area. Northeastern Ontario has welcome me with open arms as if it has been my home. What a blessing it has been to be able to travel to different regions within my home country–Ontario is no exception. Continue reading
7 Interesting Facts about Australia
Check out the article I wrote for Kaleidoskope Magazine: 7 Interesting Facts about Australia based on what I learned during my 3 month adventure throughout Australia during my around-the-world travels. Australia is a place where I lost and found myself. I’m so thankful for my time in Australia and Aussie will forever be near and dear to my heart. Do you know the feeling? Continue reading
Best Things to do in Ohau, Hawaii
Check out the article I wrote for Kaleidoskope Magazine: Best Things to do in Ohau, Hawaii about my previous trip to Ohau, Hawaii–my first dream turquoise bucket list destination during my around-the-world-travels. This post brought up so many fond memories of my solo backpacking adventure to 22 incredible countries. Hawaii is just one of them, but it’s amongst my top favourites. I bet you’ll soon see why! Continue reading
Bucket List in Progress
My in progress bucket list will probably never be as adventurous or extensive as my around-the-world bucket list, completed bucket list, or my northern living bucket list. It’s hard to top the year I traveled to 22 countries, while checking endless items off of my bucket list from skydiving, hang gliding, sand boarding, body boarding, SUP, kite surfing, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, and beyond. Not only that, it’s hard to beat my 2015-2016 adventures of living in the north, while experiencing the best adventure travel tours anyone could hope for from snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, yoga in the snow, snow tubing, seeing polar bears, wildlife tours, hiking, winter bush fires, to dog sledding. How can I compete? I can’t! I just keep on living. Even though I’m not traveling full time anymore, I’m still traveling locally, within Canada, and sometimes abroad, but now just half the time. I’ll never stop trying new things, visiting new places, and adding items to my ‘loving-life-list’. With each item I check off my bucket list, I find another thing to add to it. Here’s to living life to the fullest, dreaming a new dream, and enjoying this beautiful life we have been given.
My mantra is to live, dream, travel, and do yoga. I’m doing just that.
C.S. Lewis says it best: “you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
Here is my in progress Bucket List:
1. Get engaged (sneak peak, engagement photos)
2. Wedding Expo
3. Plan a turquoise inspired wedding (wedding shower & bridal shower)
4. Find my dream dress (wedding dress shopping)
5. Tasting tour in Maine, US
6. Makeup lesson with a Professional Makeup Artist
7. Complete my Yoga Teacher Training
8. Dominican Republic wedding ceremony on the beach
9. Marry the man of my dreams
10. Trash the dress
11. Start my 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training
12. Teach yoga
13. Adventurous honeymoon in Mexico
14. Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun
15. Best kept secret: my husband is now a Porter Pilot
16. Be flown by my husband on a major airline17.
Move somewhere new (again)18.
Get a new job
19. Teach kids yoga
20. Ottawa, Fury FC Game21.
Boston
22. Thunder Bay
23. Kingston
24. Be a bridesmaid
25. Attend a national yoga conference
26. Host a yoga & wellness weekend retreat
27. Complete a yoga teacher training abroad
28. Teach yoga abroad29. Attend a yoga retreat
30. Buy a paddle board
31. Buy a home on the water
32. Buy a body board
33. Visit every winery in Nova Scotia
34. Surf the tidal boar
35. Visit Chicago
***As always, travel somewhere new!
Any suggestions of what I should add to my list? Check out my other bucket lists to see what I’ve done and recommend something NEW: countries I’ve visited, completed bucket list, & around-the-world bucket list
*I’ll be adding items to my in-progress-bucket-list as I think of new and exciting things I want to try and unique places I want to visit. I may adjust/change experiences as I travel to new destinations.
Jessica,
Turquoise Compass is on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
Countries Visited
Countries visited:
- Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia)
- United States (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Washington DC, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, California, Nevada, Michigan, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii )
- Bahamas
- Cuba
- Jamaica
- Dominican Republic
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Mexico
- Belize
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Guyana
- Brazil
- Puerto Rico
- Australia
- New Zealand
- France
- Monaco
- Switzerland
- Italy
- Vatican City
- Greece
- Albania
- Croatia
- Montenegro
- Germany
- Czech Republic
- Slovenia
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- England
Check out my other bucket lists: completed bucket list & around-the-world bucket list
Turquoise Compass is on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
Jessica,
Completed Bucket List
I started completing items on my “bucket-list” when I was in high school. Even though I have no intention of kicking the bucket anytime soon, I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of having a rolling adventure to-do-list. Each year, I add new items to my list and try to accomplish them before the year is done. Often times, I find myself experiencing an activity I didn’t even know existed! I get anxious with excitement just thinking about the next journey I will take or new thing I will try. Until I can’t think of another place to visit or another activity to do, I will continue to live my life to the fullest by checking off items on my ‘loving-life-list’. There is still so much more for me to see and do.
This is what I have been able to complete thus far in no particular order:
Experiences:
- Snorkeling
- Scuba Diving
- Surfing
- Whale Watching
- Swim with Dolphins
- Swim with wild whale Sharks
- Swim with wild sting rays
- Catamaran tour
- Deep Sea Kayaking
- Canoeing
- Wind Surfing
- Water Skiing
- Tarzan Swing
- Canopy Tour/Zip lining
- Rappelling
- Visit an active volcano
- Swim in the only lake in the world with fresh water sharks
- Drive-In Movie
- Christmas & New Year in NYC
- Back Pack throughout Mexico & Central America
- Travel by myself
- Stay in hostels
- Ride on the back of a motochonco
- Hitch Hike
- Downhill Ski & Cross Country Ski
- Snow boarding
- Ice Skating
- Snow Shoeing
- Ice Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Cruise
- Stay at a resort
- Hiking
- Visit the Mayan Ruins
- Swim in a Cenote
- White Water Rafting
- Horse Back Ride in the mountains
- Parasail
- Visit the aquarium at Atlantis
- Camp on the beach
- Boogie Boarding
- Body Boarding
- River Boarding
- Drive on the left side of the road
- Ride in a horse and carriage
- Tent Camping
- Drive a jet ski
- Disney World
- Live in a big city
- Visit Hollywood
- Fishing
- Ottawa for Canada Day
- Watch the Canada Day fireworks from the roof top of the Chateau Laurier
- Helicopter Ride
- Fly an airplane
- Caving
- Sailing
- Driving Range
- Buggy Tour
- Parliament
- White House
- Drive a Mustang
- Hotel Hop
- San Diego Zoo
- Lazy 5 Ranch
Life Moments:
- Start a blog
- Become a teacher
- Book a flight and just leave
- Dye my hair Rihanna red ombre
- Fall in love
- Road trip with friends
- Study Abroad
- Study at a private School
- Meet Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers
- Mom and daughter trip
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Education
- Master’s in Education
- Volunteer
- Meet new friends
- Learn Spanish
- Tutor second language learners
- Try new things on each trip
- Train at a Crossfit box
- Try a new class
- Learn to make my own jewellery
- Buy a house
- Pay off my student loans
- Plan a vacation for someone
- See my favourite band in concert
- Sing in front of thousands of people
- Sing in a band
- Fly first class
- Travel with carry-on luggage only (a big deal for me)
- Visit a new place in my home province
- Remain pen-pals with childhood friend
- Reunite with old friends
- D.C. & L.A. Holocaust Museum
- Fly in Diamond Aircraft across 4 provinces
- Run a 5km marathon
- Play varsity rugby
- Coach high school soccer and rugby
- Principal’s Certificate
- Throw a surprise party for someone
- Fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child
- Go to the movies solo
- Teach at a college
- Move to a new city
- Try different jobs
- Stay in touch with a childhood pen-pal
In every city that I visit, I try to experience as much of the culture as I can by visiting as many of the iconic landmarks, monuments, museums, parks, restaurants, markets, sporting events, and festivals as I can. My fast-track travel style enables me to see much in a short amount of time. Although hyperactive traveling can be exhausting, it is also rewarding. I always make an effort to try something new in each destination that I visit. I would rather have memories of experiences had, rather than souvenirs.
I’ll continue to add to my bucket list in progress by creating yearly goals for myself; there is no better way to look forward to each new year!
Check out my other bucket lists: countries I’ve visited & around-the-world bucket list
Jessica,
Turquoise Compass is on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
Around the World Bucket List
2013-2014
This is the bucket list I completed during my around the world travels:
Complete my Masters in Education & Principal’s Certificate
Ride in a helicopter
Spend Canada Day in the Capitol
Skydive
Fly first class
Hike in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Take a year off from teaching to travel
North Carolina
Fly a plane
Mom and daughter trip
Go on a trip with a friend
Miramichi River Tubing
Visit a new place in New Brunswick
Visit a new place in Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island in the Summer
Reunite with old high school friends
Segway tour
Cooking class
White water rafting
Camping
Las Vegas
Flight Lining
San Francisco
Indoor rock climbing
Sacramento
Hawaii
Paddle Boarding
Stay in a hostel
Kite Boarding
Learn something new
Swim with Galapagos sharks
Swim with wild dolphins
Ride in a submarine
Cliff jumping
Kayak in Hawaii
Snorkel in Hawaii
Hermosa Beach, Los Angles Area
Freedom Writers Teacher Symposium, Long Beach California
Night cruise on the San Francisco Bay
Yosemite National Park
Bike the Golden Gate Bridge
Montreal, Quebec
Northern Ontario: Timmins
Travel to a new country – Puerto Rico
Christmas in my home town with family
Experience the new year in Atlantic Canada
Eat healthier while traveling
Stay active while traveling
Give Hot Yoga a real shot
Try different types of Hot Yoga classes
Crossfit while traveling
Explore Timmins, Ontario
Visit an alpaca farm
Play in the snow
Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa
Winter Wildlife Tour
See moose
Nordic Baths
Miami Beach
South Beach
North Beach
Master traveling with a carry on
Key West
Everglades
Los Angeles
Sydney, Australia
Coogee Beach, Australia
Bondi Beach, Australia
Manly Beach, Australia
Blue Mountains, Australia
Australia Gold Coast
Surfers Paradise
Byron Bay, Australia
Brisbane, Australia
Drive in a Ferrari
Hang Gliding
Wildlife Sanctuary
Queensland, Australia
Camping in Australia Everglades
Noosa, Australia
Fraser Island, Australia
See wild dingoes
Sand-boarding in Rainbow Beach, Australia
Body Boarding
Whitsunday Island, Australia
Magnetic Island, Australia
Feed wild Rock Wallabies
Sailing
Scuba Diving the Great Barrier Reef
Cairns, Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation
Snorkeling
Perth, Australia
Margaret River, Australia
Spelunking
Western Beaches, Australia
See wild kangaroos
Mountain ranges in Victoria
Melbourne, Australia
Great Ocean Road, Australia
See a Kuala in the wild
Road trip with a friend: Phillip Island
Mornington Peninsula
Surfing Lesson
Meet some travel bloggers
New Zealand
Try something new-Blackwater Rafting
Maori cultural experience
Lord of the Rings tour
Abel Tasman National Park
Franz Josef Glacier
Wanaka
Queenstown
Raglan
Wild West Coast
Auckland, NZ
Blog for one year
Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba- A new turquoise destination
Travel for 4 months straight (or more)
Maritimes
Northern Ontario
Northern Spirit Adventures
Wild Exodus Tour
Timmins
Just Natural Holistic Spa
Cedar Meadows Resort & Spa
Top Deck Tour
Travel Europe
Europe bucket list: Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Venice gondola ride, Swiss Alps, Vatican City, Monaco, swim in the Mediterranean, eat authentic Greek food, swim in the Adriatic sea, travel through eastern Europe, Kings Landing, Spelunking, see a live Oom-pah band, WWII History, Anne Frank Museum, eat Belgium chocolate, London walking tour, Stone Henge, and, Bath
15 countries in Europe
Visit 31 countries by my 31st birthday
Enjoy some Canadian summer
Travel full time for a total of 14 months
Practice Yoga Full Time
Christmas in Montreal
GET ENGAGED!
Check out my other bucket lists: countries I’ve visited & completed bucket list
Jessica,
Turquoise Compass is on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest