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Start planning a bucket list Christmas

Emma De Fry | July 1, 2015 | 12:15 pm | Comment

It’s almost July and here in Melbourne winter has well and truly set in, the days are short and chilly, people are scurrying from one warm place to another, and smoke is curling out of chimneys (I love that smell). It’s a time for red wine, comfort food, scarves and… Christmas in July.

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It’s a bit of a tradition among my friends. Each year we get together at one of our houses and pretend we are having a cold, white Christmas. The exact opposite of what we actually get each year. There is mulled wine, turkey, Christmas crackers. The works.

What it also does is make me start thinking about what I am going to be doing for the real Christmas this year. Do I really want to be doing the ‘same old’?

bucket list christmas turkey
The same old?

Sure, a backyard barbeque is always fun. Grandad wears his paper crown and sweat makes the dye run down his face. We all tell the bad jokes and try to stop the smaller kids swallowing the bon bon toys. And then bam… It’s all over for another year.

But perhaps, I should be combining my bucket list with my Christmas list.

I could be dreaming of a bucket list Christmas.

bucket list christmas market

Just a note, this post has been sponsored by G Adventures, but all of the opinions and words of the author are 100% authentic

 The options are many. Europe is always a magnet for me at that time of year. The Christmas Markets… oh the Christmas Markets!

bucket list christmas markets
Oh the Christmas markets!

If you haven’t been, imagine little clusters of wooden stalls in village squares, with decorated gingerbread hanging from the roof, glühwein steaming from a vat and hot ‘würst’ on the grill. Trinkets, baubles, wooden toys, gifts galore, the smell of pine needles and the soft feel of snowflakes on your face as they fall around you… It’s like a picture storybook.

bucket list christmas antarctica
Christmas adventure in Antarctica?

But maybe my bucket list Christmas should be all about adventure? I can just see myself at the end of the world, gazing at icebergs all around me as I celebrate the whitest of Christmases in Antarctica. Hopping ashore on the Antarctic Peninsula to encounter an enormous rookery of penguins. And celebrating Christmas day on board an ice expedition ship, surrounded by some of the most incredible scenery on the planet….

bucket list christmas lapland
Christmas with real reindeer in Lapland

Of course though, the ultimate in white Christmases would have to be at the other end of the world, in the Arctic Circle. The ‘home’ of the great man himself, Santa Claus (and of course the reindeer). Visiting Lapland, dog sledding, showshoeing and travelling on an epic train journey past picturesque Scandanavian villages. I could spot the Northern Lights while I’m there and all my Christmases will have come at once.

bucket list christmas northern lights
An incredible Christmas gift, the Northern Lights

For something completely opposite, whilst there are only a small percentage of Christians in India, the population of over a billion means there are still more than 25 million people who celebrate Christmas! They sing carols, burn oil lamps and for a twist, decorate banana and mango trees! And I can just imagine tucking into a delicious Christmas curry… that’s a Christmas I couldn’t forget.

bucket list christmas  india
An Indian Christmas in Rajasthan?

India is right at the top of my bucket list, and I can’t wait to see the colours of Rajasthan, wander off the beaten path in little rural villages and of course, marvel at the Taj Mahal.

bucket list christmas tanzania
A safari Christmas – join the herd!

But for the most epic of bucket list Christmas adventures, could anything top an African safari in Tanzania? Floating in a hot air balloon silently over the Serengeti, the plains below you dotted with unbelievable wildlife. Spotting the Big 5 in the Ngorongoro Crater, and being at one with nature in stylish safari tents. This would be a Christmas gift that kept giving. Even long after I returned home…

The options for a bucket list Christmas seem endless. But if Santa Claus can make it around the world in a night, why shouldn’t we?

About Emma De Fry

Emma has been exploring the ends of the earth since she was a teenager, notching up adventures in more than 60 countries and living in 5. Now, with a 5-year-old daughter and baby son, Emma is passionate about family adventures. As producer of Places We Go, Emma helps dream up where we go next, and loves to share our adventures through our stories.

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MUNGO NATIONAL PARK IN FOCUS WHERE IS IT? South-w MUNGO NATIONAL PARK IN FOCUS

WHERE IS IT?
South-western NSW

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?
Drive, if you can! Approximately 11 hours from Sydney, 6 hours from Melbourne and 7 hours from Adelaide, or alternatively fly into Mildura and drive the two hour journey from there!

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY?
Ideally 2-4 days, although you can do a day trip if time is an issue. 

WHAT DO WE LOVE ABOUT IT?
Despite being one of the country's most remarkable natural wonders, it remains relatively unknown. 

Untouched, starkly beautiful and unlike anywhere else - the park's landscape is one of dry lake basins and sand formations, spanning some 278 square kilometres. 

The region holds great spiritual importance for local indigenous communities who have inhabited the land for thousands of years, and is famously known as the burial site of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man - the most important human remains ever found in Australia - dating back some 42,000 years. We're talking some of the earliest anatomically modern human remains discovered anywhere in the world.

Globally significant, Mungo NP is rich in beauty, culture and history, and is an absolute must-see! 

X 

📷 Tourism Australia #MungoNationalPark #AustralianWonders #NaturalBeauty #CulturalHeritage #AncientCivilizations #GeologicalMarvels #IndigenousCulture #WallsOfChina #SandDunes #ClayFormations #ExploreNSW #NaturePhotography #LandscapesOfAustralia #WildernessWanderlust #HistoryUnearthed #SpiritualSignificance #AustralianOutback #BucketListDestination #DiscoverAustralia #OutdoorAdventures #TravelInspiration
Have you heard of the world heritage listed Bungle Have you heard of the world heritage listed Bungle Bungle Range in Purnulu National Park in WA's Kimberley region? 

Well if you haven't, let us introduce you! 

The first of the two photos are the banded domes synonymous with the region, made of sandstone deposited some 360 million years ago. Which is mind boggling when you think about it. Over time the sandstone was eroded by creeks and rivers that carved out these signature domes, along with gorges and chasms. It's seriously gorgeous.

The second photo is of Cathedral Gorge, which is a fairly spectacular natural amphitheatre located in the heart of the park. 

We would love to hear from you, have you been? Do you want to go? Message us in the comments below x

📷 Tourism Australia 
#BungleBungles #PurnululuNationalPark #OutbackAdventures #NaturalWonders #ExploreAustralia #HikingTrail #WildernessEscape #RockFormations #AncientLandscapes #photography #UnescoWorldHeritage #WesternAustralia #RedRockCountry #LandOfContrasts #BucketListDestination #CampingLife #RemoteExploration #OffTheBeatenPath #IndigenousCulture #SunsetViews
We think you'll find this interesting (we certainl We think you'll find this interesting (we certainly did) but did you know the first public zoo opened in New South Wales in 1884 on a site known as Billy Goat Swamp in Moore Park, Sydney?

After visiting Germany in 1908 the zoo's secretary, Albert Sherbourne Le Souef, returned with a new vision. He wanted to create a new zoo that had bar-less exhibits like what he had seen at Hamburg Zoo. The site at Moore Park had become too small, so to realise this vision he had to go in search of a new location.

Then in 1912 the NSW Government granted an allotment of land to a trust that later became the Taronga Zoological Park Trust.

In total 228 mammals, 552 birds and 64 reptiles were moved from Moore Park to Taronga, with many crossing the harbour on a barge! 

Taronga Zoo Sydney was officially opened on October 7, 1916 and has become a top bucket list item for travellers from all around the world!

Would love to know if you've been to @tarongazoo or whether it's on your list of places to visit? 

ABL x

📷 Tourism Australia #TarongaZoo
#ZooAdventures #WildlifeWonderland #giraffe
#AnimalLoversParadise #ZooLife #ExploreTaronga #ZooVibes #ZooEscape #NatureEncounter #WildlifeConservation #FamilyFunAtTaronga #ZooKeeperForADay
#AnimalEncounters #ConservationEducation
#ZooExplorer #TarongaWild
#RoarWithExcitement #WildlifeSafari
#ZooPhotography #UnforgettableTaronga
EXPERIENCE IN FOCUS. @awmemorial #Canberra This EXPERIENCE IN FOCUS. 

@awmemorial #Canberra

This revered institution holds a significant place in the nation's identity and pays homage to the brave men and women who served in the defence of their country. 

As you step through its grand entrance, the stories of heroism and resilience are highlighted through exhibits, memorials, and interactive displays. It's a moving experience, and one that is enhanced by beautifully considered architecture. 

The Roll of Honour, littered in vibrant red poppies, will evoke a profound sense of reverence, while the Anzac Hall displays artifacts, from military vehicles and weaponry to personal letters and momentos. 

A cause for reflection, the Australian War Memorial is a must-see if you're ever in our nation's capital. 

If you've ticked this #bucketlist experience off your #abl we would love to hear from you in the comments below! X 

📷 Tourism Australia #canberra #australianwarmemorial #warmemorial #bucketlist #australianbucketlist #travel #experiences #bucketlistexperiences #travelphotography #traveler #explore #canberraphotographer

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