Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels
Slide Nr 1Once global travel resumes, we’ll never take it for granted again (we promise!). We ask travel bloggers and Essentials editors to share what they’ll do and where they’ll go first, when the world really is their oyster once more.
0/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 2When it’s safe to travel again, I’m going to New Zealand! I booked a trip to go there earlier this year, but international travel came to a halt a week before I was due to leave. I was disappointed, but I understand that this is what we need to do to all stay safe. Also, I look forward to revisiting some of my favourite places. I can’t wait to go back to Japan and Taiwan and see some of my favourite spots and discover new places! – Queenie Mak of Ms Travel Solo [Photo: Ms Travel Solo]
1/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 3I love prepping and packing for a trip probably as much as taking the trip itself, so I’m mostly looking forward to that feeling of excitement when a flight reservation has been confirmed or when a hotel room has been booked. One other thing I’m looking forward to is getting on a plane just in time to watch the sun rise or set from miles high in the sky. It’s a truly magical view I never tire of. While watching that view and being completely disconnected, I like to take that time to reflect on and quietly enjoy what this big world has to offer. – María Elisa Gomez Sosa, Amex Essentials Spanish Editor
2/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 4As a family, we have been lucky to travel on many modes of transport. Our three-year-old is so used to airports and airplane travel, often looking up in the sky when we see a plane to ask ‘can we go on it’. We’re looking forward to travelling to Dubai when it’s possible. Jumping into an Uber Tesla from the airport to our hotel, passing the beautifully manicured lush garden landscapes and coloured water fountain displays against a backdrop of the Burj Khalifa. – Amanda and Michael of That Travelling Family [Photo: That Travelling Family]
3/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 5I was supposed to be spending 12 months travelling around Latin America this year, so I’m looking forward to starting that trip of a lifetime when it’s safe to do so. I’m desperate to again experience that blissful feeling of freedom that travel provides. Waking up each morning with endless possibilities for the day, knowing anything I decide to do will be an adventure. And I cannot wait to get out there again and explore the natural wonders of our world: tropical islands, mountain ranges, lush rainforest, vast deserts. The world is an incredible planet, and I’m so excited to see more of it! – Sally Rodrick of Sally Sees [Photo: Sally Sees]
4/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 6After the pandemic hit in March, I had to cancel my dream trip to India, carefully planned not only to attend the wedding of my friends in Ludhiana, but also to see the natural and architectural wonders of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan. I can’t wait to finally visit the stunning blue room of Jaipur’s City Palace, to graze all day on street food snacks in Delhi while melting into the crowd and seizing all its smells and sounds, and to bask in adoration of the Taj Mahal. And though I missed my friends’ wedding, I’m still hoping I can manage to crash the celebration of my friends’ friends, and witness the kaleidoscopic colours, dances and rituals of an Indian wedding. – Giorgia Capozzi, Amex Essentials Social Media Editor
5/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 7The beach awaits! I’m looking forward to being in Punta Cana: the turquoise water, the hot sun, a margarita in hand while walking by the sea, getting a nice tan. Could there be anything more relaxing? I’ve spent enough time surrounded by concrete, traffic and rainy days. By next summer, I hope I’ll be spending long nights at the beach, knocking back a shot of the famous Mama Juana and feeling some Latino swing. – Kevin Blanco Borja, Amex Essentials LatAm Community Manager
6/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 8When we can travel internationally again, the first thing I want to do is book a summer trip to Montenegro, my former home. It will be great to see my friends, and Montenegro is crazy fun in the summer. There are a million things to do and never a dull moment, whether you’re in the mountains or on the seaside. Also, I live in LA now, and Mexico has been calling. I want to check out Mexico City, some ancient sites and the white sandy beaches of places like Tulum. I’ve also never been to the South of France – that could be a lovely experience. – Chanoa Tarle, Contributing Editor [Photo: Chanoa Tarle]
7/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 9I look forward to making more discoveries in Japan: tiny villages, inaccessible temples, dishes I cannot even imagine (such as fig tempura), fruits and vegetables I still don’t know. Every corner is picture-worthy, every onsen is different, and in my time there, I didn’t even scratch the surface of its complex cuisine, customs and traditions. – Livia Formisani, Amex Essentials Contributing Editor [Photo: Livia Formisani]
8/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 10A lot of people hate airports, but I love them – and I can’t wait to see them bustling again with people from all walks of life and every corner of the earth. That will be especially beautiful. In terms of destinations, I’ve had my eye on a few places for a while – Vietnam, Madagascar, Croatia, the Azores – and was in the process of convincing my husband we should pick one and book a trip when the pandemic hit. Honestly though, the first place I’ll probably go is ‘home’: I live abroad and haven’t been back to South Carolina in over 3 years. Sweet tea and Carolina beach music are calling. – Jessica Keller, Amex Essentials Managing Editor
9/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 11When travel is possible again, we look forward to being able to plan a whole trip without all the uncertainty. We look forward to not having to worry about the trip being cancelled or that we will suddenly have to get the first flight back home. We cannot wait to travel somewhere warm, where we can enjoy the sun, beaches and waterfalls and be in contact with nature. The first destination we want to explore whenever possible is, without a doubt, Southeast Asia. – Laura and Marine of Our Colourful Journey [Photo: Our Colourful Journey]
10/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 12Swimming in crystal clear turquoise waters, feeling the sun on my skin and fine sand between my toes. Camping! I’m good with a tent, sleeping mattress and sleeping bag – don’t need fancy glamping attire. Just being outdoors all day is luxurious enough. Technically, I could camp in my home country of the Netherlands, but I’m only a happy camper with a fine weather guarantee, and so I would have to travel south. I’ve been moderating online wine tasting sessions with winemakers from all over Europe, and even from South Africa. I can’t wait to get a chance to meet them in person once we’re allowed to. – Irene de Vette, Amex Essentials Editor-at-Large
11/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 14I look forward to having culturally immersive experiences, where I’m pulled out of my comfort zone to experience culture so rich and so full. I’m also determined to tick two things off my bucket list: (1) skydiving, and (2) reaching my goal of travelling to every European country. I just have Russia and Belarus to go! – Pelumi Nubi of Black Kintsugi [Photo: Black Kintsugi ]
13/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 15Maybe it’s the weariness of lockdown talking, but I’ve been dreaming of a long and intense, back-to-basics, Oriental foot reflexology session in LV Spa, an unassuming but intimate space in Kuta, Bali, where – eyes closed – I can surrender myself to a skilled therapist who’ll knead the life back into my feet and send me spinning into absolute bliss. All that followed by a 90-minute deep-tissue massage at the Marriott Bali Nusa Dua Resort. The deep state of relaxation you’ll attain afterwards is close to what you’ll likely feel after several hours of restful sleep. – Purnima Shrinivas, Amex Essentials Contributing Editor
14/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 16I’d love to visit more off-the-beaten-path places and more unusual destinations that the average traveller has not commonly visited due to the challenges and difficulty of planning such trips and their cost. For example, I’d love to visit all of the Pacific islands and other remote destinations in Africa. Once cruises are deemed safe for travel, I’d love to visit Antarctica and camp there for a night. This is the only continent I haven’t visited, so I’m looking forward to tackling it. Lastly, I’d love to do a road trip across the US. Even though I’ve been to 138 countries, I’ve yet to visit most of the states. – Norbert Figueroa of Globotreks
15/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 17I look forward to the freedom of spontaneity and the feeling that anything is possible, even last minute. I can’t wait to get on the phone with a friend and browse flights together from opposite ends of earth, and then click “book now” at the same time. For someone who loves to travel, I despise packing. Nowadays I cannot wait to start folding and rolling my clothes into the deepest crevasses of a trolley bag. I’ve hosted Thanksgiving in Europe, in either Italy or Germany, for the past 6 years. I’m looking forward to planning that again, this time with a giant turkey to make up for 2020, and hopefully double the guests! – Annie B. Shapero, Amex Essentials Contributing Editor [Photo: Annie B. Shapero]
16/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 18For the future, our plan is for “functional travel”. We already have dreams of two extended trips to places where we can lose ourselves: (1) Iceland for a dedicated writing retreat to work on a couple of novels we just can’t seem to finish. Finding a cosy red cabin and curling up to type, type, type. (2) A good friend we met in India has re-settled in Sweden and founded a meditation retreat. It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, as mindfulness is another skill that can be improved for a happier life. In both retreats, we won’t be sightseeing or adventuring. Instead, we want to force ourselves to focus and just be, to let the beautiful, traumatic outside world take care of itself for a little while. – Elizabeth & Vientiene Ta’eed of Travelling for Tea [Photo: Travelling for Tea]
17/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 19Once travel is possible again, we look forward to – first and foremost – cashing in all of our airline vouchers from our cancelled 2020 trips! We can’t wait to wake up in a new, beachy locale with that sense of adventure and excitement that comes from getting to experience a new place for the first time. Our ‘first morning’ ritual usually consists of waking up early (Christmas morning energy) and strolling down to a local breakfast joint for some grub and some coffee so we can plan out exactly how we’ll fill our days to the brim while our heads are full of possibilities and our bodies full of caffeine! This year has truly renewed our sense of gratitude and privilege for our ability to travel, and we can’t wait to get out there again soon! – Tasha Courtney and Dave Neal of We Are Tada Travels [Photo: We Are Tada Travels]
18/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 20I look forward to seeing what our world will be like, how places or people change and in what ways they stay the same. I will be interested in how lockdown life differed for different people, and to learn from the resilience of communities and the perspectives for the future shaped by their shared experiences. Most of all, I anticipate the joy of a new-found freedom, shared by all travellers and the locals who host them. – Fiona Brutscher, Amex Essentials Contributing Editor [Photo: Fiona Brutscher]
19/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 21I’ve been wanting to go to Havana for as long as I can remember, so that’s hopefully the first place I’ll visit once it’s safe and possible to do so again. Hell, I’ll go by myself if I have to. I also want to travel Japan, Thailand and Peru – in that order – but those will have to come later, as I will need more time to properly visit them. – Paulina Diazgranados, Amex Essentials Contributing Editor
20/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 22I can’t wait to roam around a food market or flea market, or join a local festival. Just being around people will be amazing after what has been a fairly isolated year for me. Also, chatting with a local, in whatever destination I’m visiting. Right now, I don’t feel comfortable approaching people I don’t know, but talking with the people who live in the destination I visit always adds to the experience. I’m also looking forward to sitting down at a restaurant for a delicious meal and not having to worry about catching the virus. – Dani Heinrich of Globetrotter Girls [Photo: Globetrotter Girls]
21/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 23I will be heading back to the Alps, which has been my second home for nearly two decades. Up until I was 30, I had never been to a ski resort as it had never crossed my mind to head to a colder climate. I always favoured beach destinations in my younger years. Now, after 10 winters living all over the Alps, I can only describe being in the mountains as ‘coming home’. The crisp, fresh alpine air, the majestic scenery and the buzz in the air between fellow skiers. It’s so energising. I feel like a little girl again when it snows. Every cell in my body feels alive when I’m walking in the mountains. Nature is the best therapy. – Lisa Wilson of What She Seeks [Photo: What She Seeks]
22/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 24Being able to interact with locals (or people in general) has to be the thing we’re most looking forward to doing. We love talking to people and learning from them about their own culture, to gain a truer experience. We are also interested to see how the pandemic will affect the travel industry, and how we’re going to adapt to it on our future adventures. Also, we just cannot wait to go abroad and eat real street food from the street vendors. When we travel, all diets are off! – Vicente and Kirsten Sosa of Kasventures [Photo: Kasventures]
23/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 25When travel is possible again I look forward to the freedom and spontaneity of booking trips whenever and wherever I want to go. I can’t wait to board a plane, sit in a window seat, and enjoy the views from up in the clouds. I’m also looking forward to visiting new countries and cities, and making new travel memories with family and friends. – Sara Marano of The Average Tourist [Photo: The Average Tourist ]
24/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 26I can’t wait to explore Eastern Europe and revisit Japan, as Australia feels like it only has two seasons: very hot or annoyingly cold, without much in between! While I adore exploring new places, in contrast to other travellers I also love revisiting the same destination, knowing the journey is going to be different each time, and I’ll learn insightful things about the local culture or history I’ve missed previously. Also, I’m looking forward to interacting with locals on my travels, getting their tips and knowledge – like the time I found out about a rare red sake in Japan. Knowing the future holds exciting, yet-to-be-created memories like these provides me with great comfort, because these are the moments I’ll treasure most someday! – Alyse of The Invisible Tourist [Photo: The Invisible Tourist]
25/26
Travel
The Year Ahead: Our Bucket List For Future Travels.
Slide Nr 27On a purely personal (and possibly quite bizarre) level, I’m most looking forward to that moment of pressing the “Confirm Purchase” button on the next trip I book. This is admittedly usually a mixed blessing, when I consider the costs attached, but now I truly appreciate the inherent ‘value’ of being able to fly to a distant corner of the globe. On a more basic level, I look forward to breathing deeply the fresh air from a terrace high up in the Andes, hearing the noise and general hubbub of my favourite cities, and the thrill of the unknown in eating or drinking a local delicacy that might just turn out to be the taste I’ve been waiting for… I miss all of it and more. – James Lee-Tullis, Amex Essentials Editor-in-Chief
26/26
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