You gotta "bucket list?"
I do. Many friends do. I'd guess millions of us in this world have a "bucket list." Either written down or carried in our consciousness.
Written down is best. That way you can't forget the items. Don't worry if you want to change the order of things. Bucket lists should be flexible. Fluid. Just because it's written doesn't mean you can't change your mind - or priorities - as new experiences come along.
Barb and I recently checked off a BIG one! We went cruising.
We talked about it for years. We knew we wanted to go. But, where? Europe. South America. Africa. The Far East.
Having a travel agent for a neighbor helped us narrow down the list.
We decided to go down the West coast of Mexico. Three opportunities to get off the ship during the week: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallerta. Since we have friends in Mazatlan, the choice was made for us. Mazatlan it would be.
Cruising is considered expensive by many. While the up-front cost was a big consideration, you've got to remember three meals a day, a cabin the size of a hotel room for seven days and the free activities available which cruising. Many activities. And, for those of us who like to sip something smooth while we cruise, there's no charge.
You figure on a driving vacation, you're going to spend dollars for gas, motel-hotel rooms, meals and incidentals. Not to mention wear and tear on our car. So, from a budgeting standpoint, the totals are pretty similar.
Our ship had 20 decks. 20! The crew numbered about 1,700. Other guests totaled some 4,500.
Sounds like quite a crowd, right?
Well, as I said, there were 20 decks. The ship was nearly 1,200 feet long. With multiple swimming pools on multiple decks, more than a dozen bars, three main dining rooms and many quiet places where you could "sit-and-sip," those other 4,500 cruisers really didn't get in the way. Nothing seemed crowded and there were very few lines at dining rooms or the theater.
There were some very talented young people performing in that theater. Accompanied by a sizeable orchestra. The show was excellent.
As Barb and I have talked about the cruising experience in the last week, we've decided we might like to do another one. Most likely, North to Alaska and the inland waterway off the coast of Canada. We'll see.
Cruising can be an expensive experience. People can spend thousands for all sorts of things. You can really run up a sizeable tab if that's your style.
But, as we found, it doesn't have to be costly. You can be very comfortable - have many new experiences - meet people from everywhere - enjoy excellent dining and be entertained. On a budget. We've done it and we'll likely do it again.
Another benefit of our outing was to really review our "bucket list." Some things that seemed important when we were younger don't seem as necessary now. And, with this cruising experience as a foundation for further adventure, we've got some new topics for consideration.
Reflecting on the whole experience, the only negative we've come up with is - we wish we'd gone several years ago.
The "bucket list" has been updated.