Ten Places I Want to Go but Haven't Been to - 2006 Year-End Version

中文版(Chinese Version)

posted on 1/2007

Just thought about it this week: By the end of 2006: I have traveled to more than 20 new countries , a new personal record for myself.

Because I have some fascination with numbers, lists, and charts. I have a lot of "Top 10" or even "Top 40" list for various things. And of course, there is a "Top 10 Places I want to visit but haven't been to." Contracting to that same "Top 10 list" at the end of 2005, I am glad that I have traveled to five places in that list so far just in the past 8 months. So, what destinations are in my updated Top 10 at this moment? Which new five places now has entered my Top 10?

So here, after more than one month I ended my Second Eastern Europe trip, I arranged the following list. Yes, some of them are quite obscure and may not even be suitable for tourism at this point. But since I haven't been there, I do hold some fascination about them...

10. Easter Island, Chile: Even though I traveled to Chile earlier this year, I visited only Chile's central valley and Lake District. Not only I did not get to the northern desert and southern fjord region, I also did not get to one of the most remote and isolated places in the world � Easter Island. It is so far and expensive to travel there, even from Santiago (Chilean capital). I always hold great fascination about an isolated, faraway, and mysterious place and Easter Island has all the qualities. And, don急 you think those huge stone heads (Moai) are sort of cute? I would like to be in the same pictures with them...

9. Namibia: A country bigger than France but has only 1.8 million people. I heard it has the most beautiful sand dunes and desolate coast in the world. Just steps away from very touristy South Africa, maybe it's time for me to visit the Dark Continent again?

8. The Caucasus: Definitely not the most stable region to visit in the world. Though there are officially only three main countries in the region (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan), there are several other "breakaway republics" and disputed territories (ever heard of "Nagorno-Karabakh"?). I have only seen this region from high above (a day-flight from Bangkok to Munich), but isn't the Caucasus mountains beautiful? Just wondering when Intrepid will start offering tours to this region...

7. Central Asia: Mainly Uzbekistan to visit some ancient silk road cities, but also the magnificent Tian-Shan (Sky Mountain) in Kyrgystan. Some other countries in this region may be interesting but not very stable at this moment, such as Tajikistan, and yes, Afghanistan...

6. The Rest of Ukraine: Wait贬ave I just visited Ukraine earlier this year? Yes, but only to the western city of L'viv. The L'viv experience, though frustrating, actually increase my interest in seeing more of this former Soviet country. I would like to go to Kiev, Odessa, and the beautiful Crimean Peninsula next time. Maybe also go to see the ruin of Chernobyl Nuclear Planet (Assuming it is safe from radiation of course).

5. Alaskan Cruise: Possibly the only place in the U.S. I haven't been to and actually want to go (I haven't been to Oklahoma and Arkansas either...but who wants to go there anyway?). But for this specific destination, I actually prefer to see it by taking a luxurious cruise (instead of backpack traveling in its hinterland and have some terrifying encounter with grizzly bears....). Hopefully it will be a great family vacation on either Celebrity or Holland American cruiselines. Since my mother旧 career is so successful at this moment (compared to mine, which remains in toilet), I don't think our family can find an available time slot for a while....

4. Venezuela: Well...now this country becomes so famous by its president's very vocal anti-American stance. However, I don't think that actually reduces my interest for visiting that country (Just like many Bush haters still willing travel to the US, don't you?). I want to visit there for its beautiful Gran Sabana area (also called "Lost World" and the highest waterfall in the world - the Angel Fall. As long as things remain peaceful there, Venezuela should remain high on my future travel list.

3. Ethiopia: Wow, it was barely in my Top 10 list last year but now it is in Top 3. It has a lot of great historic sites and also has famous Nile River. One of the oldest civilizations (and one of oldest Christian countries) in the world, it remains off the tourism radar for most of the past few decades due to war and internal disturbance (Do you remember the horrible famine back in the 1980's and the song "We Are the World"?). Now peace has come to Ethiopia for more than 5 years and hopefully things continue to improve there. By the way, have I mentioned I like Ethiopian food?

2. The Antarctica and Southern Patagonia: Now the Antarctica is the only continent I haven急 been to and the easiest place to get there is from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego in Southern Patagonia. It would be an ultimate dreamtrip to combine a journey to both Antarctica and Patagonia. Okay, I was also in Patagonia earlier this year. But I was only in the Northern part of it (Lake District and Valdez Peninsula). There are still many places left unseen, especially the spectacular Torre del Paine National Park in Chile and Moreno Glacier in Argentina. I definitely cannot wait for another return visit to Argentina.

And guess which place is my Number 1?

1. Rajasthan, India: No, I haven't been to India. After U.S. Canada, and Australia, after China and Russia, and even after Brazil and Argentina, I haven't had a chance to visit this second most populous and 7th biggest country in the world. Another ancient civilization with a lot great cultural heritage sites, it is now the country I want to visit most. Among all of India, the area I would like to see most is the northwestern region of Rajasthan, an area with a lot temples and palaces. Jaipur, Udaipur, Jopdpur, Bikaner, and Jaiselmer...each of the names holds its intrigue for me. While Agra, where Taj Mahal is located, is not in Rajasthan Province, it is also very near this region. It would be another ultimate dreamtrip to visit these places. Anyone wanna come along?