9 Once in a Lifetime Travel Experiences
Travel. The excitement of booking a trip to somewhere I’ve dreamt about, the thrill of getting on a plane or train to destinations new, the smell of a brand new place. So, I thought I’d reminisce about 9 once in a lifetime travel experiences that gave me shivers.
To be fair, my personality is always split, and I’m also relishing ridiculously leisurely Sundays (re-)reading my book(s), but those journeys by page are making me dream about some of the places we’ve been so lucky to explore. I do have to note that it feels weird to be clustering once-in-a-lifetime experiences – by their nature they are incredibly unique.
SEEING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
Gathered afterwards around a Norwegian campfire, 350km into the Arctic Circle, huddled from head to toe in exploration overalls and snow boots we had experienced one of those life-affirming moments. A once in a lifetime experience when you really feel alive…
AFTERNOON TEA AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE
I still can’t believe it. Even walking through the aptly named Grand Entrance of Buckingham Palace, dressed to the nines and suitably hatted, the lovely Miss R and I turned to one another and squealed with shocked delight. We were walked through probably the most famous gates in the world as invited guests for an afternoon of tea, promenading and beautiful hats.
SUNSET OVER MOUNT FUJI, JAPAN
A cool wind whistled over the hilltop. Sunlight glinted the surface of Lake Hakone on one side and dappled the surface of the Pacific Ocean beyond the grey stone building nestled at the peak of the (terrifying) cable car wires. In front of us cloaked in Winter splendour, Mount Fuji. Her peak mostly bare of clouds we took several long moments to simply breathe in the auspicious and rare sight.
SLEEPING IN A BONA-FIDE CASTLE
Many moons ago, in the distant realm of Devon, a shire far far away from the steel and glass towers of Londinium (about 2.5 hours by iron horse) a gallant Fresh Prince was fearlessly escorted by 3 Princesses (take THAT mansplaining!) to a beautiful stone castle snug in the wild valleys of Dartmoor…
VISITING BRAN CASTLE, TRANSYLVANIA – HOME OF DRACULA
HOT AIR BALLOONING IN CAPPADOCIA
Our 100-foot tall hot air balloon floated above the ancient Turkish valleys filled with prehistoric stone edifices – and we just gazed in sheer wonder, 1,000 or so feet up in the sky. What I felt as we silently drifted above the pastel horizon while the sun slowly broke, is actually rather hard to express. Hot Air Balloon Cappadocia. Part of me thought that those images of hundreds of balloons drifting in the pre-dawn light were fake once in a lifetime experiences but I was so wrong…
SIPPING BEERS & LISTENING TO SOCA IN GRENADA
In Grenada, between lazing on one of the 45+ beaches and slipping to the nearest bar to try their unique rum punch, we were lucky enough to be adopted for an evening chilling out with a group of locals. It’s a magical island, one full of exotic aroma, filled with laughter and the perfect place to adventure. One of those magical, once in a lifetime travel experiences.
A WHISTLER SPA EXPERIENCE WITH LADY GAGA
So, there I was. Hanging out in my swimsuit, hair drawn back, just minding my own business and relaxing in the delicious, luxurious Scandinave Spa, a stone’s throw from Whistler town centre. The husband and I had split up for the afternoon – he had decided to traverse the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb on the peak2peak gondola, and I’d chosen a slightly less terrifying mountain vista to enjoy.
SLEEPING IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN DESERT
Nestled on a cocoon of cushions, one hand tucked under my head, the other idly running cool sand through my fingers, the camp settled down. Lights blinked off one by one, leaving only the soft crackle of the fire. Our hosts for the night quietly left the Bedouin camp, one or two slipping into in a nearby tent for company, leaving us to the silence of the desert. The quiet deepened* as our camp mates drifted off to sleep and the stars began to shimmer…
Just so lucky. And I’ve got more amazing experiences; taking freshly baked pastries back to our [rented] Parisien apartment, listening to live Jazz in New Orleans, drinking Champagne in it’s birthplace, staying on a working Texan ranch, seeing Big Ben, being sent to a Caribbean island, visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand or visiting Warner Brothers in Los Angeles. Oh, travel. How I miss thee.
