Recently, I watched A Walk in the Woods, a movie about a couple of old buddies walking the Appalachian Trail. Watching the movie brought back memories of my trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro a couple of years back. One of the things they don’t tell you in the brochures with the beautiful photos is that you will be going without a shower for seven days! Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, with an elevation of 19,341 feet. It took us seven days to climb. Five days up, then two days down. About 30,000 people climb Kilimanjaro each year and about three-quarters of those reach the summit. It is a relatively safe climb, and most climbers who fail to summit experience altitude-related issues or harsh weather near the peak. Temperatures at the peak can be around zero degrees, and if the wind is blowing, the wind chills reach dangerous levels. Three things I don’t like are being cold, sleeping in a tent and not showering for a week. I got to experience all three every day on this trip. But still, some people consider that climb to be a “bucket list” item that they should do in their lifetime.
I’m sure after seeing A Walk in the Woods, there will be many people adding the Appalachian Trail to their bucket list of things to do. Since I don’t have a bucket list and I already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, I thought maybe I could use this space to start one. Well, that and the fact I couldn’t come up with ANYTHING to write about, so…
Everyone and their dog seem to have a bucket list these days. I went online to get some bucket list ideas of my own. As it turns out, besides climbing Kilimanjaro, I have done a few others -- like gamble in Vegas, live in NYC for a year, watch turtles hatch and run for the ocean, visit Paris, and be on a game show.
Offhand, I can only think of three things that I’d put on my bucket list: learn a new language, swim with dolphins, and everyone’s bucket list favorite: skydive!
Of course, when considering bucket list items, it’s important to spare no expense. I hear there are two things you should never want: discount lasik surgery and discount skydiving lessons!
