The world presents a myriad of choices.
As of 2023, there are:
🌸 195 countries (including Palestine and the Holy See and excluding dependencies)
🌸 512 cities with at least 1 million people, including 31 megacities with 10 million or more
🌸 6555 national parks (63 in the US)
🌸 1157 World Heritage Sites (in 167 countries, of which 900 are cultural, 218 are natural and 39 are mixed properties)
🌸 100’s (probably 1000’s) of amusement parks (with attendance totally over half a billion people annually)
🌸 Approximately 55,000 museums in 202 countries
𝙎𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚?
I’ve found that my choice of where to travel tends to be driven by several factors, which are influenced by the “why” and “how” I want to travel:
My current bucket list travel locations include Iceland and the Scottish Highlands (never visited, cool climate & nature calls) and Spain (language and my sister lives there). And, of course, our upcoming spring trip to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
What I call "slow travel," where you take the time to step through the door and connect with locals instead of just peering through the window is, I believe, one access to recognizing our common humanity. That's the very first step to solving the global existential challenges facing the world today.
HoonArts exists because I believe that art is a wonderful "hook" that requires no common language or culture to begin with. It's a way to start a conversation, begin a relationship--a first step on the bridge to common understanding. And from that initial connection, the world behind can open up if we choose to go further.
What about you? What’s on your bucket list, and why? Is there a trip that opened new worlds for you in a meaningful way?
I'd love to hear from you!
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