Wednesday, July 02, 2008

The Top Ten Places I Would Visit If Money Was Not An Option

Of course I don't have that much money, especially not at the moment, and all the money I do have will be going towards my next Thailand trip. But we can but dream...

So in no particular order....

1. Białowieża Forest, Poland. I did not enjoy Poland and really do not feel much inclined to visit the place again. However... This forest is the last remaining part of the forests that once spread across Europe, including Great Britain, before we cut them all down to make way for "progress". I may not be pagan any more but I have no doubt this is one place where it would be hard not to worship nature.

The World Without Us (the book that drew my attention to this amazing place) says this place is evocative of the Brothers Grimm. Count me in!

2. Angkor Wat. Hardly original but it does look truly amazing. How could I not wish to visit this amazing temple complex?

3. The Amazon Rainforest. My Mum has always said there would be nothing that would make me happier than to bob along the Amazon river in a dinghy cataloging the wildlife. This shows just how well she knows me. Nothing would make me happier. I wish to see this place so much but know that i) it'll probably be gone by the time I make it there and ii) it won't live up to my expectations as I'll probably be surrounded by stupid tourists who wouldn't even begin to comprehend the true majesty of that place. I know that sounds pompous but you know what I mean! We've all met those tourists... Jim and I like to take pictures and videos of them now, for later amusement.

4. Darwin, Australia. Weird one this. I just want to go here, no real reason. Oh, who am I kidding... I WANT TO SEE SALTWATER CROCODILES!!! Plus there's some amazing natural parks around it. And then I can jet over to the Great Barrier Reef and go "oooo...."

5. Kenya. I've never been to Africa and I think Kenya would be a great first (only) visit. It has plenty of big game (imagine me with a big rifle and a hunting cap. Then imagine me hunting big game... hunters. Nothing would make me happier than to have some stuffed rich, old white man's head on my wall), and plenty of history.

Mmm... Jim, me and the open plains of the Savanna... and a jeep... and a ranger (preferably big, tall and handsome)... bliss.

6. Maine, USA. So you might accuse me of being too big a Stephen King fan. BUT... I have wanted to visit Maine for a long time. Eat some good lobster, drive around the beautiful countryside... oh and hang around outside Stephen King's house and scream like a little girl.

7. Costa Rica. Did I read "Jurassic Park" too many times as a youth? Of course! Costa Rica is a rare thing... a stable democracy in South America, which also happens to be one of the most spectacularly beautiful places on Earth. 5% of the worlds biodiversity is squeezed into 0.1% of the world's surface. Amazing.

8. Pitcairn Islands. One of the last bastions of the British Empire, in the middle of the Pacific... full of history (the few inhabitants are descendants of the HMS Bounty mutineers!) and just plain interesting. Let's go now!

9. The middle of nowhere. I imagine it is somewhere in some North American forest. No one for miles. Just me. I couldn't live there forever, but just a couple of days with no distractions. Bliss. Also: grizzly bears, bigfoot and moose would be encouraged to make an appearance (Grizzlies at a distant and bigfoot in the day time please...)

10. Charles Dera's bedroom.

What are your top 10 choices?

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