My bucket list and achievement book

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A bucket list is a list you create of all the things you want to do before you ‘kick the bucket’.

When I was 18 I made a bucket list one night with my friends.

We brain stormed and compiled a list of everything we all wanted to do before die. Yes, before you ask, we had recently watched the Morgan Freeman film called the Bucket list (which I recommend btw-from a thinking about your life sort of way). So we wrote down this list and I kept it, but ignored it until all my friends started turning 21.

Achievement Book

They all started complaining about how little they had done with their lives and I found myself agreeing until I realised how wrong they were! I had done so much with my life, I’d swam with manatees, I’d seen Petra, I’d gone backstage at a West End Show! I’d done so much in my short 21 years that up until that point I hadn’t even realised. I decided to make a book and print out some photos (something that does not get done enough anymore!) to commemorate this. So I thought I’d share some photos of my book and my bucket list with you.

Perhaps I’ll pass the positive feelings on.

I’m such a collector it wasn’t hard to find to find bits to stick into my book, and looking through old photo albums (both physical and digital) really helped. It also gave me a great opportunity to talk to family and friends about what they remember us doing over the years (which is worthwhile in itself). There’s probably more I could add but this was all I could remember. It’s my book filled with things which matter to me. The major and small milestones but everyone would view achievements differently.

What I included in my book

My achievements currently include

• a list of countries I’ve been to (and ones I want to go to!)
• a list of cities in the UK I’ve been to (and ones I want to go to)
• My CV, the jobs I’ve had and training I have done.
• places I’ve been, zoos I’ve visited
• fears I’ve faced
• oceans I’ve swam in
• musicals I’ve seen

Then more specific things like

• meeting the cast of Cats The Musical on the West End after winning a competition
• seeing Petra and endless Roman ruins in Jordan
• seeing a solar eclipse
• swimming with manatees in the wild, seeing alligators and holding a baby alligator. I’ve also seen massive crocodiles in Costa Rica
• trips to Disney parks
• riding horses
• different modes of transport-boats, planes, motorbikes, helicopters
• animals I’ve seen and animals I’ve worked with
• my loving family and the doggies I’ve raised

The list just goes on and on! Even the smallest things can have a big impact and impression on a life! I would highly recommend you make your own book. It is such a good thing to look through when you’re feeling down or nostalgic! And it can be as simple or as creative as you like.

My Bucket List

This is my original bucket list as compiled with friends-so not all items are my idea!

Life experiences

1. To make a scrapbook of everything I have achieved 
2. Appear in a tv audience–I have watched Qi being filmed!
3. Be a tv extra
4. Buy a house 
5. Pass driving test
6. buy really expensive designer shoes
7. Buy a designer handbag–not really the most important thing in the world to me however I got a beautiful Valentino bag in Tenerife!
8. Do some charity work–I’ve volunteered for various charities in various positions
9. Meet someone famous–a few including Sacha Baron Cohen and Bill Oddie (who I spent a day with)
10. Go to a festival–Shambala Festival 2012
11. Go to a big sell out concert
12. Learn to surf
13. Try cocktails–I was just 18 when we wrote this!
14. Have puppies
15. Cook and try lots of different food-I cook all the time and always like to try new things!
16. Take part in adventure sports–I went on a trip to Costa Rica where I repelled, Shplunked, ziplined and more.
17. Face my fears I completed a challenge for charity where I worked through all sorts of different fears
18. Learn how to take a compliment well–This is a permanent work in progress but I thank my fiance for helping me with this!
19. Learn how to appreciate the world around me
20. Get better at photography

Travel experiences

1. Visit countries on the list-still lots to go to!
2. Visit a live volcano–New Zealand and Costa Rica-no molten lava (un)fortunately! 
3. Walk the Inca trail in Peru-not one of mine, but wouldn’t be so bad!
4. Go to a spa
5. Stay in a 5 star hotel
6. Go on safari
7. See the northern lights
8. To visit all 6 Disney parks!-4 down, 2 to go!!
9. Visit the Disney resort in Hawaii 

Animal experiences

1. See orangutans in the wild
2. Ride an elephant-I’m not so sure about this one anymore...
3. Ride a camel-or this
4. See dolphins–I’ve seen dolphins, but was being (sea) sick on the other side of the boat! I wouldn’t swim with captive dolphins for ethical reasons.
5. Whale watch-Seen Pilot Whales (which are actually Dolphins) and Bottlenoses on two Occasions but no whales yet!
6. See penguins in Africa 
7. See giant pandas I visited the Giant Pandas in Edinburgh Zoo, October 2023
8. See a moose–I don’t know why I just love moose!

A Disney Bucket List

As we all know there is so much that can be seen and done on this planet and everyone’s interests and desires are personal and unique. For me there are so many places I want to travel to and so many things I want to experience.

A few of these are Disney based so as well as my bucket list  I’ve created a Disney bucket list- a list of all the Disney things I really want to do and what I really recommend! 

My Disney Bucket List

Here is what I have come up with so far!

• To visit each park-Anaheim, Orlando, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris and Shanghai
• To visit Aulani in Hawaii 
• To become a member of D23 for a year and attend a conference
• Visit the Walt Disney Family Museum
• Stay in a “Disneyland Hotel” (right by the park as opposed to a Walt Disney World Resort)
• Ride the classic rides of each park
• Ride Pirates of the Caribbean in each
• Ride each version of the Haunted Mansion
• Attend a Halloween or Christmas Party
• Attend a dessert party Galatic Dessert Party at WDW

Disneyland Anaheim Bucket list

• Have a Mint julep
• Ride Alice in Wonderland (dark ride)
• Haunted mansion with and without its Jack Skellington Holiday make-over
• Take in the sights of the original attractions such as the Tiki Room and Jungle River Cruise!

Disneyland Paris Bucket list

• Stay in the pink Disneyland Resort Hotel
• See the dragon under the castle

Walt Disney World Bucket list

• Eat a Dole Whip
• Eat a Mickey Ice-cream bar
• Get up for rope drop
• Take a tour
• Sample the drinks at Club Cool
• Play mini golf

Hong Kong Disneyland

• Get some delicious character candy floss
• Ride Mystic Manor
• View the amazing acrobatic parade

Tokyo Disneyland

• Try some of the amazing flavours of popcorn around the park
• Grab some Instagram worthy snacks and drinks
• Check out Disney Sea (which sounds amazing!)

Shanghai Disneyland

• Alice in Wonderland maze
• Stay in one of the Disney hotels
• Visit Lumiere’s kitchen and the Royal Banquet hall
• Try a sweet baked potato… 

What’s on your bucket list? Whether it is for travel, Disney or just general living-What experiences do you long for?  Let me know in the comments below!