Ah the bucket list; a manifest of things we wish to do before we die. I’ve never created one because I am still so young with so much time left, why should I be thinking about the end?
Machu Picchu is no stranger to the bucket list. It’s no stranger to any lists. It’s one of the worlds top tourist destinations and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
It’s quite an unexpected surprise to cross off such a big item like Machu Picchu, a place I never thought I would end up visiting. There are just so many things in this world I thought I would see first, like Europe. Ever since I was a little girl I have been fascinated by my family’s history and my nationality. I am half Slovakian half Slovenian and I actually have a dual citizenship with Slovakia. Yet I have never been to Europe or seen the country I have citizenship from.
The problem is that when I have a list I feel like those are the things that I must visit first. I prioritize these experiences because they are on my list and I feel disappointed if I do not achieve them. Alternatively, if I don’t have a bucket list, I can treat every trip and experience as a surprise. Add them to the only list that does count: the list of things I have done.
Day 4- Contiki South America: Machu Picchu
httpvh://youtu.be/gLbcw4YIOGI
I know way too much about Machu Picchu. I’ve watched countless specials on it, seen hundreds of photos and yet it still took my breath away. Nothing can prepare you for what you will see, the grandeur of it all.
Today was a day I will never forget. The clean crisp air, the mist winding around the peaks of the mountains giving us small glimpses of what to expect. Machu Picchu is a magical place. The Inca’s knew this, our guides tell us this, and if you get up early enough, you can experience it.
The crowds are a bit of a hassle, I hate complaining about tourists because I am one of them. However, something about the endless snake of visitors winding through the ruins takes just a bit of the serenity away from it all. The sun does so as well. Sometimes mountains are better kept in the clouds.
Regardless of everything, we had a perfect day, a magical day and a bucket list check off day. I know that these photos do not do any justice to this site so hopefully you’ll just take my word for it. Machu Picchu is undeniably the most amazing thing I have ever seen.
Ah! Machu Picchu is certainly an amazing place! And even though you feel you have to get things done with a list, isn’t that a pretty good motivator? I mean, I’ve made my own bucket list on http://www.wanderable.com/ and it’s been pretty good. I can share things easily with my friends, write comments, and mark things as done when I actually do them. And if I’m ever out of ideas, I look at what other people have put on their lists and if I really want to, I add it to mine. It’s pretty fun!
I have an absolutely HUGE bucket list, but Machu Picchu isn’t on it. Though, after reading about your experience that’s gonna have to change!
Two things I love is traveling and postcards.I would love to be able to be one of the people who wins one of the postcards.Please pick me.
Awesome blog as always Nadine. I would love to get to see Machu Picchu someday, but I have a lot of places I want to visit in this world so who knows when it will get done. I plan on hitting up Europe in the next year or so. I would love it if you managed to get to do a travel vlog/blog for one of the places I was going so I would know where all the good stuff is! 😛 If I manage to beat you there though I’ll be sure to tell you how it is over there, especially Slovakia. Thanks for the awesome read Nadine, and if you want to give me a postcard that would be awesome. If not I’ll still be your fan!
Hey! maybe in the fall? Well see!
That first picture is so so so wonderful!
it looks so amazing that it looks fake
I love south America. The people and the history is amazing. Crazy that this is at time was one of the greatest civilization
Nadine, Don’t you wonder what if was like for the people there that actually built this place. Ok–this may be a bit deep, but did they have a bucket list–yea I know they didn’t have the means to travel vast distance but I’m sure they would look into the distance and say ” I wonder what is over there”