Wednesday, August 05, 2009

My ten things to do list!

So this morning there was a list on one of the blogs that I LOVE;
 (it's a great blog, check it out!) and I decided that I should make one too. The idea has been rattling around in my head for a while, but I'd never thought about getting around to it..
 
10 Places I Want To Visit:
 
The huge rock formations in Mali (heck, Mali itself looks incredible! It has Timbuktu!)
 
Madagascar, to see the geckos! And lemurs and chameleons and tree frogs...
 
Tanzania, for the lake and everything else!
 
Malawi - one of the guys I work with comes from there and the stories he's told me about it make me very keen to go and see it for myself! Lake Malawi is a plus as well!
 
Namibia - I love the bits of desert I've been to and I'd love to see real desert, and spend some time going along the skeleton coast. My grandmother grew up in/near Windhoek and I'd love to see her country!
 
South America - I'm not sure where exactly yet. I'd like to do a mega tour and spend a few months there. The rain forest has always fascinated me and I'd love to see it for myself!
 
Mongolia - ever since I watched the Long Way Round I've wanted to go there, it looked incredible!
 
Japan - after all of Sarah's stories as well as the stories from Ms MC's trip earlier this year I have to go and see it!
 
Antarctica (i.e. my obsession since I was about 10)
 
Australia - Great Barrier Reef! Plus I've never seen a kangaroo (not even in a zoo) and I feel that it's unfair that I've fed kangaroo to a cheetah without seeing a live one...
 
10 Random Things I Want To Accomplish
 
Get a PhD (very random, I know!)
 
Run 10 km (I can just about do 3 now!)
 
Do the Freedom Challenge (it's a mountain bike race from The Drakensberg to Cape town, over a maximum of 26 days) besides the obvious training and stuff I'd have to do, my main holdup is that you aren't allowed a GPS and with my sense of direction I'd probably end up cycling to Swaziland by accident...
 
See a cuttlefish in the wild. They're totally my favourite animals!
 
Go abseiling. I tried once but I was WAY too scared of heights. as I'm mostly over it now (thanks lizards!) I'd like to see if I could. Kind of like poking an old bruise to see if it still hurts...
 
Fly in a microlight.
 
Go in a hot air balloon. Or a helicopter. Either really.
 
See real snow (that one whole centimetre we got a few years ago doesn't count! I want to build a snowman and have a snowball fight and drink cocoa while shivering!)
 
Have a photograph published
 
Climb Kilimanjaro (I know I know, it's lame, but I really want to!)
 
10 Things I Want To Try
 
Ice-skate outdoors
 
Dune boarding!
 
Stay here
 
Thai food in Thailand
 
Real sailing, like a long-term mega-trip (so I can get over the pesky seasickness)
 
water-skiing
 
Jump on a  random train in Europe and see where I end up
 
Make meringues without setting the house on fire (true story!)
 
Going to a metal concert in Finland
 
Chocolate in Switzerland
 

11 comments:

Cinema Minima said...

I had kangaroo for dinner, but I am in Australia, and I have seen several thousand live ones too.

Frances said...

that is a really exciting looking list Especially all the african countries. If you need company on any of the things you listed I'm totally interested!

SuvvyGirl said...

I like your list, maybe I'll have to do one of my own...see what I learn about myself. LOL You are always welcome to come try out a Nebraska winter. We get real snow and everything and we're just a hop skip and a jump away from ski resorts too. :) And for the rest of your adventures I'm totally stowing away in your luggage!!

EEbEE said...

OOh there is a place just up the road from Pietermaritzburg that does hot air ballooning. We could organise a trip for when you come down in November (or when we have our big lab reunion at the beach...if that ever takes off)

Helen said...

Man at the Pub: Please don't eat them all! Leave some for me to see! I promsie to sueal at their cuteness!

Frances: yay! You're totally invited!

Suvvygirl: so if I freeze to deat will you drag me inside, chip the ice off and pour coffee down my throat until I revive? for all my wanting to see snow, a chilly breeze sends me scuttling off shivering to find a blanket...

Helen said...

EEbEE: awesome! Don't they also do microlight flights? I'm sure I've seen them around there...

Unknown said...

Awesome lists.

I too want to do Timbuktu (how's that for a tongue twister?). Just tp say I've been ;-)

Skinny Bitches in the Making said...

thanks for the blog love!
I totally want to see real snow too and ice skate outdoor like in movies.
start thinking of new things we can list. it's way more fun than working!

po said...

Cool list! Abseiling should be a cinch for you!

Helen said...

Tamara: It's more than just oging there to say that I have though, besides the fact that it looks really beautiful, the easiest way to fly there is via Brazil! I eman SCORE!

Skinny Bitches: I agree, we need more lists! and coffee!

Po: thanks! Is there a pun hidden in there?

Olga said...

Wow, Helen this is such a great list! Very ambitious and tells quite a story about you as a person ;) I think I can help you with one point there :) If you want to see real snow, come to Poland in winter to visit!! (I'm serious :))