If money was no object of course! 🙂
The other day, I got an exciting email – it was an email from UK’s official lottery saying a ticket I’d played had just won. I kid you not, I immediately started day-dreaming about all the amazing “If money was no object” type holidays that I could have. I swear, I even bought a limitless ice-cream machine and an instant cake-making machine too (why someone hasn’t invent these two things I have no idea). I tried logging in to check my winnings but the site doesn’t work when you’re out of the UK so I couldn’t and so my day-dreaming carried on for much longer than it should have. 🙂 When I finally logged in to check my winnings, I saw I’d won the whopping prize of £3! My emotions following this are hard to describe but it’s safe to guess I was not overly pleased. Hehehe! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Fast forward a few days later, I got an email about a lottery company launching in the UK – Lottoland. They asked a very simple question – if you won the lottery right now, where would you travel to on holidays. Little did they know, I’ d already done my ground work with my “Spare no expenses holiday plans“. Lottoland is one of those lottery places, I keep reading about on BBC news when you hear about how some jammy bugger(s) just won a gazillion $$$s on the lottery. Best part is – you can play it from anywhere in the world which a) Works fine for me if I’m feeling lucky when travelling and b) means I don’t have to wait ridiculously long to find out if I won something thanks to international restrictions. 🙂 All the details are on their website if like me, the idea of becoming a millionaire overnight seriously appeals to you. 😉
Anyway, back to the juicy stuff – the 11 idyllically perfect travel experiences you need to have all across the world… especially so if money was no object!
1.) Stay in a luxury suite in the Maldives. The Maldives is always an easy win for traveller all over the world. It’s clear blue water, beautiful beaches and stunning sunsets are famous the world over and I know without a doubt that this would be the very first place I would book to visit instantly if I won the lottery right now.
2.) Take an expedition to Antarctica. I’ve looked into doing this so many times and even called up the companies that organise it. It’s by no means a luxury holiday but it is one of those experiences that you won’t forget in a hurry. You get to see wildlife you’d never see anywhere else and one of the most impressive landscapes in the world. It also comes with a hefty price tag though hence the need for that lottery win. Last time I checked, the prices were in the £11,000 mark (per person!!!).
3.) Go on a desert oasis adventure. On the flip-side of the freezing cold adventure to the Antarctica is the blistering heat of deserts. The Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) is famous for it’s deserts – and consequently, desert adventures and although several places in the part of the world is fraught with problems, hence making it harder to visit that other places in the world, there are also places in MENA which are geared for tourists and perfect to experience that desert oasis adventure.
4.) Indulge in some down time in Bora Bora. This island in French Polynesia is, like the Maldives, synonymous with idyllic natural beauty. This would definitely be one for downtime and relaxation and pretty much eating as much seafood as I can get my hands on. It’s a lot further to visit from the UK (hence the price limits) but is definitely one place I’d love to indulge in.
5.) Explore Alaska. Once in summer. Then again in Winter. The contrast between the seasons here would be unbelievably spectacular. Then there’s also the wildlife on offer here (albeit from a safe distance for quite a few of them). Again, this holiday is not about luxury or even really about adventures (though perhaps it is closer to the latter). A trip to Alaska is one that I’ve been interested in for a while now and while I can’t put my finger on exactly why I want to visit (though the Northern Lights at winter is a big draw), visiting Alaska is definitely an experience that would appeal to any inquisitive traveller.
6.) Stay on Necker Island. This is Richard Branson’s private island. For the uninitiated, Richard Branson is the man behind the Virgin brand (for the initiated, I apologise for stating the obvious) and this island is one of the most exclusive addresses in the world that you can call home (albeit for just a few days). It comes with the requisite prohibitive price tag of course so a lottery win would see this experience fit perfectly into my travel itinerary.
7.) Go on a luxury safari in Africa. I’ve been having a lot at some of them lately and they’re quite pricey. I’ve always wanted to go on safari (we’re planning on going as a group soon) and that extra bit of luxury for the downtime in between trying to spot and photography amazing African wildlife would just make the safari experience just that extra bit special.
8.) Spend a month in the South of France. Complete with a sprawling country cottage, a pool and perhaps even a vineyard to pop into for a tipple or two. And hopefully one close enough to a beach. This is definitely one for summer…
9.) Experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Cuba. Everyone I know who’s been to Cuba raves about it. The thing that strikes me the most (and I’m aware that it could be something that’s just specific to the people I’ve spoken) is the authenticity of their experience in Cuba. They’ve eaten in the restaurants that pop up in people’s homes, hung out with the locals over drinks and dances the night away with their new Cuban friends. Cuba strikes me as one of those h0liday destination that doesn’t pander to tourists and I’m aware that this could just be me looking at it through rose-tinted glasses but the idea of immersing yourself in a culture as vibrant as Cuba’s really appeals.
10.) Rent a villa in Tuscany. Ever since my first trip to Florence and Pisa, I’ve been in love with Tuscany. It helps that the sun has been shining and the the trips were filled with copious amount of the tastiest, freshly made pizza and oodles of refreshing gelato but I genuinely have a thing for Tuscany. I would love to rent a village somewhere in the countryside and explore other parts of Tuscan life that one would probably miss out on from staying in the cities. I want to explore a more rustic side to Tuscany and immerse myself in amazing Italian culture.
11.) Rent a penthouse in New York. I have what I would describe as a torrid love affair with New York. Every time I visit, I always feel like I’ve never spent enough time in the the city and so I would love to rent out a place here and stay here for quite a while. Of course, there’s nothing quite like that that penthouse lifestyle in New York so for a truly indulgent (and decadent stay), armed with lots of my lottery winnings, I would love to rent out a penthouse in Manhattan and experience firsthand what life is like in New York City!
12.) Take the train travelling across Japan. Japan is famous the world over for it’s super-fast trains. It’s also famous for it’s beautiful landscapes. There are other things of course that Japan and the Japanese are famous for but the these two things combined make me want to spend a considerable amount of time, hopping from one city/town/village to the other all across Japan and seeing the entire country via train.
And there you have it. The 12 top travel experiences to have if money was no object. 🙂 Is there anything else you’d add to this list if you suddenly found out you’d just won the lottery.
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