I can’t believe it’s less than 5 months until my boyfriend and I pack our fancy new backpacks and leave behind the British winter for a year-long adventure around the world! I’ve been excited about this trip for the last 2 years and since we’ve booked our RTW tickets earlier this year I can hardy sit still anymore.
I love planning holidays, from day trips outside London to weekend getaways, and now this once in a lifetime RTW trip! For me that means, talking to everybody I know about their favourite places they’ve traveled to, reading guide books and novels about the countries we will visit and trying to cook the dishes I am so looking forward to, to eat! And of course, reading travel blogs. Many, many travel blogs.
One thing I keep on stumbling upon is people’s bucket lists (which I love reading) and things they want to experience before they turn 30. Now, what is it about that magical number 30 that makes people so obsessed with it?
Is it the “official” end of one’s youth or maybe just a random number picked by society by what time one should get the fun stuff out of the way, in order to focus on the serious aspects of life, like kids, houses and jobs? The number 30 creeps up everywhere, on student discount cards, Australian working visa applications and flights discounts by STA travel.
Celebrating my 30th birthday with my friends!
As you might’ve expected by now, I have found myself on the older side of this milestone, having turned 30 in December myself. And if you had asked me 10 years ago I would’ve probably not said that I’d still be a student by the time I turn 30, living in university halls (as a warden nonetheless), unmarried, no kids with no job on the horizon and about to embark on a year-long travel adventure with my boyfriend.
But you know what? It’s awesome!
I love the fact that I have no idea what will happen next and where I will find myself in 6 months’ time: Peru, Panama or Bolivia? Who cares, it’ll be amazing! It doesn’t matter that I am about a decade older than your typical gap-year traveller, what matters is that I am going on this trip, better later in life than never, right? And to be honest, thinking back to the kind of holidays I went on aged 17 or 18, I am seriously glad that I waited a while to go on my RTW trip. It will contain much less hungover morrnings in Italian beach towns and more early morning sunrise visits followed by yummy breakfasts which I don’t have to struggle to keep down. That doesn’t mean I won’t party at all (I hope we will) but the focus on the trip will be shifted from parties and drinking to experiencing the countries we visit in a bit more depth and with less hazy eyes.
So for all the 30-pluses out there who are dreaming on going on a backpacking trip but think they might be too old for it, ignore that silly number and start planning!
For some inspiration, here’s my bucket list of things-to-do-AFTER-I-turn 30, enjoy!
(the stuff I did before 30 is at the end):
- Sleep on a houseboat in India
- Visit the Pyramids of Gizeh
- Trek the Inca Trail
- Eat at KFC in Kentucky
- Eat noodle soup for breakfast in Vietnam
- Plant a tree
- Eat at the oldest McDonalds in US (Downey, LA, California)
- Walk over the Golden Gate Bridge
- Stroll along the Walk of Fame
- Eat Fish Taco in California
- Visit the Taj Mahal
- Watch a show in Vegas
- Travel somewhere with my brother
- Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
- Get a massage in Thailand
- Visit Disneyland California
- Gamble in Vegas
- Drink tequila in Mexico
- Learn to surf
- Do yoga in India
- Tour Australia by train
- Visit the Amazon rainforest
- Visit the Pink City (Jaipur)
- Get a tattoo
- Drink a pisco sour
- Take dance lessons
- Cycle trip in Thailand
- Watch Bollywood film in India
- Learn a language
- Volunteer for Greenpeace abroad
- Visit San Francisco and wear flowers in my hair
- Swim with dolphins
- Have a shrimp from the baarbi in Oz
- Visit Petra
- Eat a fish that I caught
- WWOOF
- Ride a tuk tuk
- Eat at McDonalds in every country
- Eat lobster in Maine
- Relax in a hammock under a palm tree with a coconut drink
- Go camping
- Go to the top of stratosphere tower (rollercoaster optional)
- Go running in Malibu Beach
- Sleep in a treehouse/cave/etc
- Smoke a cigar in Cuba
- Drink rum in Jamaica
- Dance the night away in a tropical country
- Learn to cook a dish in Thailand
- Cycle around Angkor Wat
- See the cherry blossoms in Japan
- See the sunrise over the Taj Mahal
- Eat a Tamale in Mexico
- Drive in the US
- Eat Gumbo and visit the Bayou in New Orleans
- See kangaroos in the wild
- Volunteer abroad again
- Eat a mango from the tree
- Sleep under the stars
- Eat some crazy stuff
- Drink coca tea
- Learn Krav Maga
- Eat Singapore noodles in Singapore
- Celebrate Holi in India
Stuff I did before I turned 30
- Take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain
- Eat falafel in Israel
- Climb the Campanile tower in Florence
- Float in the dead sea
- Volunteer abroad
- Visit Disneyland Paris
- Climb a volcano
- Halloween in the US
- Live and work abroad
- Go travelling by myself
- Party in Tel Aviv
- Go wine tasting
- Go on safari in Africa
- Go whale watching
- Meet penguins
- Eat some insects
- Ride an elephant
- See the Sistine chapel in Rome
- Feed an ostrich
- ……
So, what do you think of my list? Am I “too old” for any of these activities? Anything you think I should add?
Hi, my name is Jenny. I'm a scientist, turned world traveller, aspiring digital nomad and noodle soup enthusiast. This is my blog where I share my journey to a location independent lifestyle. Join me!
Excellent Bucket LIst! Enjoy your journey!
Thank you very much! I’m glad you like it. I see you have a bucket list yourself, good luck with that!
Damn, now I’ve got to go add some of these things to my bucket list!!! I’m also planning a rtw trip at the moment! Good luck!!
Haha, i know the feeling! The more bucket lists I read the longer mine gets. When are you off and what’s your route? Good luck with the planning (and I’d be happy to help in case you have any questions)!
Great bucket list, but I don’t know whether to take offense at the under/over 30 narrative, or just laugh and chalk it up to the fact that most articles that deal with the topic are written by those who have some sort of aging angst or a misguided idea of what “old age” will be like.
I’m 43, my husband is 53, and we’re leaving in November for our own year-long RTW. I’ve done this twice before (he hasn’t), once when 19 and once when 31, and I tell you, it’s WAY better the older you get. Why? 1) I have a successful career to go back to and actually want to, 2) I have money, 3) I have a healthy respect for both joy and fear and what both bring, 4) I’m way smarter and wiser in how I interact with the world now, 5) time speeds up the older you get and has a way of slipping away, and 6) you stop caring about bucket lists. 🙂
I enjoy your site and have a great time in the lead-up to your RTW, and PS: The ONLY thing 30 is too old for is a Hello Kitty purse or Justin Bieber concerts 🙂
Hi Tonya,
Thanks for your lovely comment, I’m glad you’re enjoying my Little blog! I agree with you 100%. I think I wanted to emphasize the whole “over 30” thing because so many people have asked me if I don’t think I should start living the “real life” instead of going travelling. I think one can never be too old (as long as you’re healthy, touch wood) to travel and I am actually glad that I am doing this now rather than at age 19 or 20. I think it will be a thoroughly different experience and I am glad I will spend less time partying and more time exploring and eating 🙂
I would love to hear more about your upcoming rtw trip, what is your route? You and your husband must be very excited! Will you be documenting your trip in a blog? I’d really like to read it!
P.s I agree on Justin Bieber, but I will never be too old for Hello Kitty 😉
Thanks Jenny! I am actually just in the process of setting up my blog so I will post it when it’s done. Our first country is Peru, with an expected departure date of November 15!