We’re all familiar with the idea of putting together a list of things we’d like to do and/or places we’d like to see before a certain age or, most notably, before our time on Earth comes to an end. Our list items includes: new hobbies, career/financial ambition, fitness achievement, and many other personal and family oriented aspirations. A “bucket list” is what we’ve long called it or, as the Merriam-Webster dictionary puts it, “a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying.” So naturally, a ‘bucket list’ reminds us that life is too short and that we should make the best of it, by making a list and crossing as many items off while we’re still alive.
Lists are great, don’t get me wrong! But has our “checklist” mentality and “do as much as you can, while you can” culture driven us to forget the essence and intent behind doing anything to begin with?
As a travel agency that believes in traveling with a purpose, we also believe your destination list should have purpose. In an effort to get you to consider reevaluating your “bucket list” so that it exudes the joy of “living while alive” instead of “doing something before death,” here are some questions to consider the next time you look at the travel destinations on your list:
WHY DO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL TO_____? (Fill in the blank)
Have you asked yourself why you added this destination to your list of places to visit? Determine which item was derived from seeing an influencer’s Instagram account – because the location looks so beautiful that you’d like to go and share via your socials, too – or if you truly want to experience being there. See the difference? Of course, we see images everywhere that drive us to want to see a destination; but try to connect another element that gives more meaning to the location. If it’s an image of a beach, imagine yourself sitting by the water, breathing in the mist with a new book in hand. If you add simple things that can make that experience your own, that destination will have another meaning for you. So prioritize the places you truly want to experience.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THESE DESTINATIONS?
Is it the beauty? Is it the culture? Is it the history? Is it the food? Is it the weather? You can know why you added a travel destination but if you can’t say what qualities you’d like to engage with, you won’t know how to fully experience it.
WHAT WILL YOU DO THERE?
There’s always so much to do when you travel to new places. It can be rather overwhelming to know where to start your research and how to plan your trip. There’s such an abundance of touristy activities – the common must-do ones and then there are the ones that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Like say, rock climbing or zip lining when you’re not a fan of heights or trying a new dish like feijoada for the first time when you’re a picky eater. Why not, though, also bring your passion to your travels? What is that thing you do in your home city that ignites your soul? Let’s say you’re a surfer in Malibu. Well, why not surf with locals in beautiful Ipanema while in Brazil? Whether you speak Portuguese or not, what an experience that’ll be! Yes, surfing is nothing new for you; but the environment is. Connecting yourself – who you are and what you love – with your travels is what transforms a travel checklist into a unique and impactful experience that you’ll never forget.
WHAT DO YOU PLAN ON BRINGING BACK?
Sure, you’ll be bringing back photos, videos and souvenirs from the places you plan on visiting. But what else will you bring? Some of the best moments we can ever experience in life can’t be captured, right? So when you’re headed somewhere, make it a point to first and foremost, be present so the imprint of what you see and feel can forever be etched in your heart. And when you’re back home and you share those stories? It’ll be like you’re experiencing it all over again in thought – a feeling that will always bring you back. That’s what an impact feels like. That should be the aim with every trip.
So how do you create a travel list, with purpose? (Thought you’d never ask!)
It really comes down to who you are, what you wish to learn and what you want to feel. At Viare Travel, we’re not here to push an idea that you should go to Brazil before you die; we’re rooted in the desire to give you a purposeful, memorable and impactful experience in Brazil while you’re fully alive – an experience that will be designed specifically for you because your itinerary will be built with purpose for you, and the destinations that are welcoming you.
