Our Wish List: 10 Countries We Would Visit If We Won The Lottery

Do You Have a Wish List?

Let’s be honest, we know we are fortunate. Today people take for granted the fact that they were born into a world where flights are not just cheaper but also more accessible than ever before.  I remember a time when there were just a few flights a week heading out to places like Mexico but now, pick a date regardless of the day and there is bound to be a company out there that can get you from London to the sandy Caribbean stretch of beach in record time.

Travel has become something that everyone desires.  We all long for those few blissful weeks each year where we can forget about the stresses of work and the pressures coming down from above.  I know we all dream of lying on glorious, white sand beaches where the soothing crystal clear warm waters are gently sending you off to sleep whilst swinging in a hammock with a cocktail in hand.Trust us; even we imagine trips like this.  I know we are privileged to be able to travel the world as we do: to see new places, experience new cultures and try new foods.  I also know that we have the perfect jobs, a travel writer and photographer duo we get to explore the world and tell others about it, but trust us, even we have a wish list of places we are desperate to visit.

Money, however, is a constraint.  I am not going to lie; it is the one thing that holds many of us back when we think about our next trip.  I am sure we would all love to jump on a plane tomorrow heading for Bora Bora or the Maldives, but realistically many of us know that our little piggy banks just don’t hold enough to get us there.

Let’s therefore, just pretend for one minute that money was not a problem; perhaps you have just won the lottery, had a big windfall or inherited a large sum of money you previously knew nothing about – where would you head? Which country is calling out to you more than any other?

I don’t know about you but choosing just one place to visit, if I knew I had a bank account full of means to travel indefinitely, it would be a struggle.  Even narrowing down to say 10 countries is a bit of a mission but we have brainstormed and have finally agreed that there are 10 places dotted around the world that we would love to visit more than anywhere else; but where are they?

Our Choice of 10 Countries to Visit if We Won the Lottery

#1 Philippines

Up until a few years ago, I will be honest, the Philippines had never crossed my mind as a destination for us to travel to.  However, the beaches alone have grabbed our attention and with over 7000 islands to choose from that is a lot of beach time to clock up.  Add to that the wonderful scenery, the wildlife, and the festivals and it becomes increasingly more difficult to understand why we have not yet visited this idyllic looking country

#2 Antarctica

OK, so cold countries don’t normally appeal to me which is perhaps why, after all these years, Paul is still trying to convince me that I at least need to attempt skiing at some point in my life.  However, Antarctica is definitely somewhere that I would concede to the cold for.

To get the opportunity to say that we were one of the few that get to visit this still relatively untouched continent would be truly amazing.  I could literally spend hours watching Emperor penguins in their natural habitat whilst floating around icebergs.

#3 Canada

Canada is another country I would venture out into the cold to explore.  After seeing a TV documentary years ago, I have always been fascinated with Churchill and would love to visit during the Polar Bear season.  Whereas I know Paul would love to spend time around the national parks hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights that he is still chasing.

#4 Peru

Of course, as hikers, Machu Picchu is calling us, but as one of the most visited attractions in all of South America, it is not as appealing as perhaps it once was.  However, couple this with a trip to Lima to see the Huaca Pucllana ruins plus a few days hiking the lesser-known trails leading to the ruins of Kuelap and Chavin de Huantar and we both agree it could be one of the most memorable trips ever.

#5 Myanmar

After travelling to Thailand last year for the first time, it is fair to say that we have caught the South-East Asian bug and would love to return someday soon.  When we do, however, Myanmar is the country at the top of our list.  We want to experience the sunset over the temples at Bagan before heading off to climb into Buddhist caves, spend a night or two in one of the world’s lesser-known wineries before heading to relax on the stunning beaches of the Myeik  Archipelago.

#6 Hong Kong

It’s a mixture of skyscrapers and nature calling us to visit Hong Kong.  I get the impression that it is a place like no other and we will probably come away with mixed feelings but Hong Kong is a city that will knock your senses into overdrive and for those of us that love frantic city life it probably doesn’t get much more frenetic than this.

#7 New Zealand

Even before Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings hit New Zealand this was a country we both desperately wanted to explore.  From the mountains to the glaciers and the beaches, it really is a country that has everything we could ever ask for and now that Hobbiton exists the reasons to go have amplified considerably. 

#8 Scandinavia

This collective group of countries intrigues me.  I have an image in my head of large fir-forests, stunning fjords and beautiful albeit expensive cities all needing to be explored.  Being a book junkie though, I also need to add to this the fact that I can wander around chasing the footsteps of some of the now very famous Nordic noir writers that have, in recent years, taken over the crime writing world.

#9 The Galapagos Islands

If Charles Darwin felt a need to visit, then I feel like I should be visiting too.  Where else in the world are you going to get to see so much wildlife in its natural habitat?  I love the idea of being David Attenborough for a day and getting up close and personal to nature in a place where the human footprint is still limited.

#10 Take a Cruise

More controversial than agreed upon, a cruise is one of those types of holidays that we can’t quite decide on.  I have no doubt that we would love the idea of visiting numerous countries in order to sample the surroundings, perhaps before agreeing that we would like to return to spend longer but each one of us has a different idea about what sort of cruise we would like to try.  For me, I prefer the idea of cruising along a river, exploring new cities whilst benefitting from an ever-present vista whilst Paul would prefer to hit the open waters and head off to somewhere more exotic like the Caribbean.  One thing, however, is guaranteed.  If we ever did win the lottery I am pretty sure we would try both out just to see which type of cruise we would prefer.

So there you have it, our wish list of travel destinations.  Some tropical, somewhere I am more likely to contract frostbite but all equally as appealing to us.  What would be on your wish list though?  Perhaps we have already been to a country you are eager to visit and therefore could offer up some useful travel tips or maybe you have been to one of our chosen wish list locations and could offer us some guidance.

We would love to hear about your sought after travel destinations and how, if you have thought about it, you intend to turn it into a reality.  What is on your wish list?