Oh the Places We Go!

So I have this tradition that I try to have dinner with my grandparents at least once a month while I am home from school. Now I prefer to just have my grandmother cook as anything she makes is fantastic, but I recently went out to eat with them for a change. While the food is wonderful, the part about these meals that I love most are just talking to them about their travels and the crazy stories they can share. Since they are retired, they have a great deal of time to travel. But the traveling bug started when their children were little and really kicked in after their kids were all off at college. In the past 23 years, they have both filled 3 passports full of stamps from other countries. They have been all over this globe and I am amazed at how much they do. So of course every time I eat a meal with them, the topic of travel is guaranteed to come up. I happen to have an inquiring mind on the topic and they love to share stories. For example, I still like hearing the story about how their crystal collection started, what kind of unusual jewelery my grandpa finds for my grandma, and even about the time my grandpa and his friend were robbed at knife point by pirates while on a cruise around Africa. But this meal shifted from stories when I brought up an interesting question. I asked what 10 placed or things I need to see during my own travels. They looked at each other with a puzzled look, then my grandpa said, "That is a fantastic question. Let me think about it for a minute, but I am positive I will have more than 10." While after much discussion, I now have a new list to accomplish. Now presenting the TOP 10 PLACES to VISIT in no particular order.

1. Cape Town, South Africa. I am told this is a must at least once in my life. My grandparents have been I think 4 times at this point and have always loved their visits. And while I'm there, I have to go on a real African safari as well.

2. Paris, France. Yes this is probably cliche, their words not mine, but they had rave reviews for the food and the shopping of course. The Eiffel Tower is on the must see list there, and they know me so well that they said I should plan it around the French Open so I can catch some tennis while I'm there.

3. Norwegian Fjords. Judging from their pictures, it is truly breathtaking scenery.

4. Panama Canal. This is one of those things you do just to say you did. They passed through it while on a cruise around South America. I rather like that option.

5. Egypt. The Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, Camels rides, etc. This is still my grandfather's favorite trip they took. He has many of the pictures in his office and dreams about going back.

6. The Great Wall of China. This is the only item on the list that they haven't visited. My grandpa has wished for years that they would make it there, but sadly with their declines healths, the trip is no longer possible. But this doesn't stop my grandpa from raving about it and telling me all these great stories he knows about it.

7. The Grand Canyon. The one place I will get to in the near future, next year to be exact. Simply beautiful from everyone I know who has been there. Plus I enjoy hiking so it's right up my alley.

8. Peru. Probably more specifically Macchu Picchu. I will probably have to train for this trip as my body is not used to that much altitude, hiking, and camping. But if they can visit, I sure as heck will too.

9. Alaskan Cruise. My grandparents highly recommended this one to me. They said it was one of their all time favorite, and coming from them it says a lot. Waking up early to do some whale watching doesn't sound so bad to me.

10. A very small village in Germany. I always spell it wrong so I won't attempt it here. This place isn't known for anything overly special. There are no great monuments, well-known museums, etc. However it is the village that my great, great, great grandparents came from when they immigrated to the United States in the 1860s. So while others may not find it interesting, it is part of my history and I hope to visit there.

And a few extras to visit if I have the time:
Barcelona, Spain
French Quarter, New Orleans
U.S. Virgin Islands
Seychelles
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Athens, Greece (Jealous my sister is going next summer)
Westminster Abbey (Need I say why ;))
Switzerland
Hershey, PA (Again my chocolate obsession strikes)

So I now have every trip planned I could probably ever take thanks to my grandparents. And our next meal will involve the best restaurants I need to eat at. All I can say is that I am very thankful to have my grandparents and their inspiration to go out and see the world/experience new things. Now if only I had the money I would start tackling this list tomorrow. Until next time, "There is no finish line."

~AJ