The Bucket List

This Bucket List was compiled in 2013 & published on my previous blog. Since then, I have edited it so many times, I lost count. I will now track this list from this post, (X) means ACHIEVED ;)

"The inspiration to pen down (or type out) this list came from the places that I have been to, the people that I have met and the books/blogs that I have read. I immediately noticed a change in how I view the world around me when I started this list – there are so many things to do and places to see. I was 25 (in 2013) when I started this – my Bucket List. Trust me, this is not the final draft." - previous blog, Pixels of Imperfection.

This is the current list, in no particular order:
(X) Live abroad for at least a year – Manchester, 2013-2014

Manchester Town Hall

(X) Graduate with MSc – University of Manchester, 2014
( ) Teach for a living
( ) Work part-time in a book store/library/book cafe
( ) Build a huge smiling snowman and make snow angels
(X) Bungee jump - Auckland Bridge, Oct 2016
(X) Sky dive - NZONE Queenstown, Oct 2016
( ) Disneyland
( ) Legoland
( ) Stand under cherry blossom trees
( ) La Tomatina in Bunol
(X) Drink coffee and send postcards on Eiffel Tower – Dec 2013 & Sept 2014

View of Seine from Eiffel Tower

(X) Rent a Gondola in Venice – Our gondolier was the charming Ricardo with the killer smile, Apr 2014

Gondola ride in Venice

(X) Ride a hot air balloon – Cappadocia, first honeymoon, Mar 2015

Sunrise hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia

Balloons went up to 1000 meters high

( ) Climb Mt. Kinabalu to the top
(X) See the Mona Lisa in Louvre Museum – Apr 2014 & Sept 2014

Louvre Museum

The famous Mona Lisa

( ) Climb Great Wall of China
(X) Stay in a water villa in Maldives – 1 year wedding anniversary celebration, Apr 2016
( ) Sponsor the ultimate family holiday

(X) Join international running event – Bupa Great Manchester Run 10k, May 2014 & Great Edinburgh 10 Miles Run Apr 2014

Great Manchester 10k Run

Great Edinburgh 10 Miles Run

(X) Take a picture in front of Big Ben & cross the Tower Bridge – Dec 2013 & Apr 2014

Walking across London Tower Bridge

(X) Survive London Boxing Day – Dec 2013

London Boxing Day - crowded Oxford Street

(X) Visit Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque – first honeymoon, Mar 2015

Inside Hagia Sofia

(X) New Year’s Eve in a foreign country – at Manchester home, watching the fireworks on tv, Jan 2014
(X) Roman Colosseum (self guided) Tour – and said yes to the wedding proposal, Apr 2014

Inside Rome Colosseum

(X) NZ road trip - North & South Island, Oct 2016
( ) Iceland road trip
( ) Go on a real safari
(X) Eat gelato under Italian sunbeams – Twice in front of Trevi Fountain, Apr 2014
(X) Take photos in front of I AMsterdam sign – Sept 2014

I AMsterdam Sign

(X) Visit Van Gogh Museum – Sept 2014

Van Gogh Museum

(X) Stare at the Burj Khalifa – and we had 360 degress view from the 124th floor of Burj Khalifa too!, Mar 2015

View from the 124th floor of Burj Khalifa

(X) Parasailing in Sabah – lifted off from a speedboat!, May 2015
( ) Invent something useful
( ) Imitate pose while standing in front of Statue of Liberty
( ) Catch a concert in a foreign country
( ) Witness the beauty of Taj Mahal
(X) Sleep overnight on a train – From Berlin to Prague, 5 hours by train, Apr 2014
(X) See Stonehenge – July 2014

Stonehenge Rocks up close

(X) Travel as a volunteer – traveled to Wigan by mini bus to volunteer at Rugby League World Cup Quarter Finals, Nov 2013
( ) Paint a room in own house – soon insyaAllah!
( ) Pilot a small aircraft
( ) Kickboxing class
( ) Ride a camel
( ) See a Broadway show
( ) White water rafting
( ) Cave exploring
(X) Throw a coin into Trevi Fountain – Threw in RM0.60 with Fareed, Apr 2014
( ) Rent an ATV and explore Santorini
( ) Hike uphill to see full view of Cinque Terre
(X) See La Sagrada Familia and other Gaudi’s masterpieces – Park Guell, Casa Battlo & Casa Milla, Dec 2013 & Sept 2014

Casa Battlo

Casa Milla

( ) Learn to sew wearable clothing
( ) Have a walk in library at home
(X) Visit Edinburgh castle – only from outside haha, Jan & Apr 2014

Edinburgh Castle on a hill

(X) Win a speech contest – under Toastmasters club
(X) Live (and work) in another state for at least a year – now living & working in Kedah
(X) Run 21km/10km in local running events – Penang Bridge/Esplanade/Putrajaya/KL
(X) Touch a koala & feed kangaroos – Aug 2012

(X) Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge – Aug 2012
(X) Stare at Sydney Opera House with tears in eyes – Aug 2012

Closer look at Sydney Opera House

(X) Get lost in Angkor Wat & watch the sunrise – Apr 2013

Top of Angkor Wat

(X) Travel between countries by land – Cambodia/Thailand Apr 2013 & Germany/Czech Republic Apr 2014

Train ticket from Cambodian border to Bangkok

(X) Teach math/english as a volunteer – 2013
(X) Shopped until I literally dropped in Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok – Apr 2013
(X) Visit Universal Studios – Singapore June 2013 & Osaka Oct 2015
(X) Witness live Kecak Dance performance in Bali – Oct 2011

(X) Attend an outdoor music festival – Sunburst, Jun 2009
(X) Stay in a backpackers’ hostel alone – Ryokan Chic Hostel in Georgetown, Penang
(X) Visit Hobbiton/Mata mata & glow worms cave in NZ – Oct 2016
(X) Intercity train ride by a bullet train in Japan – Tokyo to Kyoto, Nozomi Shinkansen, Oct 2015
(X) Take photos with interesting people in costumes in Harujuku – not Harajuku, but Universal Studios Osaka Halloween Party, Oct 2015
( ) Visit Plitsvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
( ) Sunrise over Mt Bromo & Borobudur
( ) Kayaking in Halong Bay
( ) Witness Aurora Borealis in Iceland or other Scandinavian countries
( ) Take the £12 zipline from Spain to Portugal

( ) Canyoneering in Cebu

( ) Road trip to see Horse Shoe Bend & Grand Canyon, Arizona

( ) Maid of the Mist boat ride, Niagara Falls

( ) Mini Balkan trip, preferably by land to see Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro & other neighboring countries

(X) Travel on a scenic train in Switzerland – Bern/Interlaken/Mt. Jungfraujoch, June 2014

Swiss Scenic Train

(X) Find local food at Thailand's floating markets – Khlong Hae, Hat Yai, Jan 2015 & Pattaya Mar 2016

(X) Hike to Tiu Kelep waterfall & pose for sunset photo on the submerged swings of Gili Trawangan – Jan 2016

(X) Laser tag – First Avenue Penang, Nov 2015

( ) Snowboarding

( ) Sandboarding
( ) Swim with whale sharks
( ) Stay in a glass igloo & watch the snowfall
( ) Walk among the trees in Singapore's Garden by the Bay
( ) Stay in a capsule hotel
( ) Trek to Machu Pichu