25 AT 25: BUCKET LIST ITEMS YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE 25
September is already coming to an end which means I have well and truly entered the final month of being 25. Many people say that 26 is when you start to sound old, you are getting awfully close to 30 and ultimately you should already have your life in order.
Well I say stuff them.
Yes I don't have a house to my name, yes I'm not halfway up the career ladder and yes I don't have everything in my life in order. But do I regret pushing that aside to travel the world? No I do not.
Are there 25 incredible bucket list experiences that I can say I've done which you too can use to push life's responsibilities aside? I certainly can.
1. Volunteer Abroad
When you make the selfless decision to push aside your own needs to sacrifice your time and money to help those in need, you will be a better person for it. Wether you want to save animals you have never heard of before in the jungles of Indonesia or help get Panda's off the endangered list in China, I highly recommend volunteering abroad.
Trying to clean the Marmoset cage.
2. Face your fear of heights
No, we aren't talking about facing your fear of heights through paragliding or parasailing, we are talking about the ultimate goal. Jumping off a bridge or off a plane is the peak of adrenaline junkie activities that should be done before your quarter birthday. I would suggest you start low (with paragliding) but work your way up to skydiving because once you get there it is totally worth it.
SKYDIVING OVER THE PALM
3. Film/Vlog special moments
If you could look back and see your life through video form, would you instantly want to tell your past self to do so? Yes photographs are magical but there is nothing better than a home video of your trip abroad, Christmas with family or even a birthday party. Start now, you will thank me later. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
4. Do a Eurotrip
Growing up in Australia and particularly in an area ripe with Europeans meant that a Eurotrip was always embedded into our minds in High School. You know you want to see the Big Ben, have pizza in Italy and go right to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
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5. Do an American Road Trip
Well I am not blaming this one on our European brethren but instead on Hollywood. With so many movies set in New York, LA or the wild west you just cannot help but want to see these places. Hollywood aside, America is an incredibly diverse and beautiful country that is well worth exploring in your own time and on a road trip.
HORSESHOE BEND ARIZONA
6. Go on a Movie Site Tour
Speaking of Hollywood, you need to arrive at a location to get that deja vu feeling of already being here. I remember walking the halls of an English Cathedral and feeling like I was walking the halls of Hogwarts. It's not cheesy, if it's something you want to do, go for it!
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7. Travel your Own Country
With so many countries to tick off your bucket list I totally understand the need to ignore the big one you have had ticked off your entire life. However, when you are abroad you will run into so many travellers wanting you to share the best places worth exploring back home. Now how can you tell them if all you have only seen a small slice?
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8. Work in another country (For a minimum of 3 months)
This was very high on our initial bucket list, so high that it initiated a full year abroad for us. To be honest we did opt in for a country very similar to Australia (Canada) but we were far enough from friends and family that we had the feeling of living abroad. If you are really game try a polar opposite country. India anyone?
candian rockies
9. Travel Abroad for a Year
This one is certainly the toughest to achieve, not only financially but also emotionally. We were very thankful to be able to be on the road for a few days shy of 365 (it was my moms 60th and we had to return 2 days early). If you can get your finances in order we couldn't recommend this enough.
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10. Try Scuba Diving or Get Your License
Once you have seen the world from above, you need to see it from below. Scuba diving is completely different and a basic snorkel just won't cut it once you are able to sit on the bottom of the ocean and watch Nemo swim by you.
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11. Try Food You Would Never Eat In Your Life
This is one we are still improving on everyday and it can be a bit harder being vegetarian (there are only so many weird fruits and veggies you can try) but we can say we have tried Durian and were not better for it, but at least we tried it. Why not head to Cambodia and try the local snacks of grasshoppers and spiders?
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12. Go on Safari in Africa
If you didn't want to instantly move to Africa when you saw Lion King as a kid, then I don't know what's wrong with you. Waking up at sunrise to drive around in a converted Jeep whilst you look out for lions and elephants is a feeling that's hard to explain. All I can say is, so worth, do it as soon as possible.
Cheetah Ridge Lodge
13. Camp in the Middle of Nowhere
There's a sense of excitement that builds inside of you when you are so far away from reality that your phones signal gave up hours ago and you have enough fuel to get you to the next town. I understand camping isn't for everyone but when you camp somewhere special, you will always remember it. And remember - there is always the option of glamping!
Mile End Glamping
14. See the Northern Lights
Picture this, we are freezing cold in the middle of Alaska with just our tents, a dying fire and the sound of glacier fed river to the right of us. We then hear a fellow camp mate scream out "the Northern Lights!!" before scrambling out of our tents to see the incredible phenomenon in person.
Alaska 3
15. Stay at a Ridiculously Expensive Hotel
Even if it is just once and for one night, we say treat your self and live the high life, aren't you a little bit intrigued? Before starting our blog and being invited to experience luxury hotels we saved up a months worth of wages to stay in an over water bungalow in the Maldives and no regrets were had.
PHOTO DIARY: MALDIVES PHOTOS
16. Do Snow Sports - Ski or Snowboard
A snow holiday is always an expensive holiday so even if you just try it once we are right there with you. We have only gone on three snow holidays and loved all of them. Our only tip is pay the extra to learn to ski, it wasn't until our third time on the slopes that we did it and honestly I wished we did it earlier.
Whistler Blackcomb
17. Go on a Cruise
No they aren't just for old people and families. We have been on a few cruises and enjoyed all of them. 24 hour room service, they are unbelievably good value for money and you get to see a snippet of a lot of places.
Locals Fiji
18. See the Most Colourful Place in the World
Cinque Terre. Also learn how to pronounce the most colourful place in the world because we still can't. The images will do all the talking.
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19. Explore Asia
Though we can't speak for South America as we haven't been but Asia is a continent so different to Africa, Europe and America that you need some time to explore it all. Yes there are differences between Europe and the US but an Asian holiday will feel surreal when compared to both.
Ultimate Cambodia Geckos
20. Climb an Active Volcano
This is one of those 2am treks that you will thank yourself for doing in the future. We climbed Mt Batur in Bali to watch the sunrise and still tell our friends about it years later.
top of mount batur
21. Go To One of those Crazy Festivals
We are talking Burning Man, Holi Festival, La Tomatina or the lantern festival. Check out our list of 30 festivals to experience and let us know which is your favourite.
22. Travel with your Family as an Adult
I understand that we have all been on family trips before as a kid, but a trip with you family in adulthood is one that is unique and different to when they aren't your sole responsibility.
11 REASONS YOU SHOULD TRAVEL WHILE YOU'RE YOUNG PHOTOS
23. Return to University to Give A Speech
If you decided to ignore the grind of working up the corporate ladder and starting a family then I am sure you lecturer would love to hear about it. Shoot them an email, I am sure hearing from you will be a nice surprise.
24. Fly Business/First Class
Okay, I haven't personally done this before but I always feel like this is saved for those older than me and rich people. It's still on my list and I have one month left to tick it off!!
25. Find yourself
Leaving school is a massive change in your life. Responsibility sinks in and your friends from school wear thin. When you realise that quality over quantity is best and you know what you stand for, you are ready to start the next chapter in life.
boy throwing red dirt into air at rainbow valley
READ MORE: 8 THINGS I WOULD TELL MY HIGH SCHOOL SELF