It’s easy to forget the memorable and magical moments that we experience in life. While traditional bucket list entries motivate us to strive for new experiences, a record of completed endeavors provides the history of our lifetime achievements.
An Evolving Bucket List helps us to appreciate what we have already completed, and bestows upon us the inspiration to develop new goals and ideas for challenges not yet realized.
Some may call it a Reverse Bucket - Already Done It List. Regardless, it's a Memory Stir Stick, evoking fond recollections.
I hope you enjoy my "already done it" list & photography below.
Becoming an author and self publishing my first "travel lifestyle" guide book
Island hopping and flying over Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands in a float plane, Fiji
Wintering for 5.5 months, Cap Estate, Saint Lucia, West Indies
Holidaying and exploring the Island of Antigua, Caribbean
Member at the Saint Lucia Golf and Country Club, Saint Lucia
Visiting the Taj Mahal, Akbar’s Tomb, Agra Fort, Agra, India
10 day vacation at El Dorado Casitas Royale, gourmet inclusive resort, Mayan Riviera
Diving the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), visiting Timna National Park, Eilat, Israel
Riding the bullet trains throughout Japan
Boating the fjords and camping, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada
Exploring the 2 volcanic spires, The Pitons, (UNESCO Heritage Site) St. Lucia, Caribbean
Visiting Ayers Rock (World Heritage Site) the Olgas and Alice Springs, Australia
Touring and snorkeling the islands of Tahiti and Moorea, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean
Climbing the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Visiting The Peace Memorial Park Hiroshima (site of the first atomic bomb blast), Japan
Attending Summer Fest Music Festival, Quebec City, Canada
Enjoying an acrobatic show, Guangqi Park, Longhua Pagota, Shanghai, China
Sightseeing on a private guided tour of the Mayan Ruins, Tulum, Mexico
Touring the Island of Denarau, Viti Levu, Fiji, South Pacific
Flying in a twin otter to Savusavu, Fiji, South Pacific
Being tourists for 4 days viewing Michelangelo's David and other sites, Florence, Italy
White water rafting class III/IV rapids in the Petrohue River, Puerto Montt, Chile
2 hours off-roading to King penguin colony, Volunteer Point, East Falkland Island
Boating seas of Java, Flores, Savu, Timor, Arafura, Coral, Torres Strait and Tasman Sea
Visiting The Rocks, Paddy’s Market, Darling Harbour and Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Snorkeling and exploring Hamilton Island, Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Golfing Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
Flying in a Lake aircraft from Muskoka to Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA
Spending a week traveling Burma (only 1 week Visas were available), Myanmar
22 days trekking the Himalayas, Namche Bazar, Lukla, Lobuche (Mt. Everest Trek), Nepal
Attending a Canada Cup Hockey Game. Canada against Finland, Toronto
Zip lining and exploring the Pacific Coast jungle, Costa Rica
Canal tour, red light district, Cafes of Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Holland
Spending a weekend skiing, Ellicottville, New York, USA
Visiting friends and touring Miami, South Beach, Florida Key’s, U.S.A.
Attending the Fort Lauderdale International boat show, Florida, U.S.A.
Traveling through and sightseeing the Alps, Austria
Swimming with white tip reef sharks off the island of Yanuca, Pacific Harbour, Fiji
Visiting Victoria, Tofino, and Nanaimo Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Touring Ingonish, Cheticamp and area, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
Diving the 12,000 drop off, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean
Drinking Kava Root extract in the mountains, Vita Levu, Fiji
Kayaking and seeing porpoising penguins, crabeater & leopard seals, Cierva Cove, Antarctica
Boating, fishing and water skiing, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Bungee jumping, jet boating, rafting Milford Sound, Queenstown, New Zealand
Crossing the volatile waters of Drake Passage past Cape Horn to the Antarctic Peninsula
Hike to sight Caracara birds, albatross and Magellanic penguins, New Island, Falklands
Touring Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge, Aboriginal Paintings, NT, Australia
Climbing Mt. Kosciuszko (Australia’s highest mountain) and Treadbo, NSW, Australia
Attending the arrival of the Americas Cup Trophy, (Super Bowl of Sailing) Fremantle, Australia
Spectating an Ivan Lendl vs. John McEnroe tennis match, Canberra, Australia
Touring the island of Sri Lanka for 4 weeks, Sri Lanka
Skating the Rideau Canal Skateway at Winterlude, Ottawa, Canada
Flying in the Himalaya Mountains from Lukla to Katmandu in a twin Otter, Nepal
Spectating a live cricket match (India versus Pakistan), Madras, India
Riding an elephant and seeing Rhinos, Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Attending a Philadelphia Flyers-Atlanta Flames hockey game, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Flying over the Tofino area of Vancouver island in a Cessna, British Columbia, Canada
Visiting Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Amber Fort, the Pink City of Jaipur, India
Boating to Peter Island Resort, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
Visiting the Pagodas, Buddhist Stupas, and Temples, Ancient city of Pagan (Bagan), Burma
Touring Calcutta and visiting The Victoria Memorial, Calcutta, Bangladesh
After diving/snorkeling the seas, I finally photographed a Seahorse, Roatan, Honduras
Visiting Cairo, Luxor, Karnak Temple, The Pyramids and The Valley of the Kings, Egypt
Staying at the Club Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, Natadola Bay, Viti Levu, Fiji
Sightseeing icebergs, glaciers while cruising Neko Harbour and Lemaire Channel, Antarctica
Touring The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, The Castle of Sant’Angelo, Pieta, Rome, Italy
Visiting Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Varanasi Ghats on the Ganges River, Varanasi, India
Exploring the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Spotting 3 Dragonface Pipefish, Adibeti Reef, Yasawa-i-Rara Island, Fiji, South Pacific
Snorkeling Green Island and strolling the Esplanade, Cairns, Australia 2014
Touring the Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Australia, Darwin, Australia 2014
Exploring the beach town of Senggigi and the island of Lombok, Indonesia
Sightseeing the areas of Ubud, Kuta, Sanur Beach and the Tanah Lot Temple, Bali
Touring Le Louvre, Chateau de Vincennes, Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, France
Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, Vatican City (smallest country in the world)
Captaining/bare boating a 38 foot power cat for 22 days, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
Zodiac ride to Gentoo Penguin colony, Waterboat Point, Antarctica
Hiking Martial Glacier and cruising through Glacier Alley, Beagle Channel, Ushuaia, Argentina
Drinking beer at the Guinness factory and pub hopping Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland
Visiting Sanssouci Palace, New Palace, the Marble Palace, Potsdam, Berlin, Germany
Driving in a BMW on the Autobahn at 260 km’s per hour, Germany
Visiting the Blue Grotto, Faraglioni and exploring the island of Capri, Italy
Exploring the city of Pokhara and viewing the Annapurna Mountain range, Nepal
Touring the Acropolis, Lyacbettus Hill, Natacail Museum, Plaka, Athens, Greece
10 days on the Veendam Cruise Ship, Millennium 1999/2000, Caribbean
Visiting Chania, Herakloin Museum, other historical sites and beaches, Crete, Greece
Visiting Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Cathedral, and Parc Guell, Barcelona, Spain
Attending a Smokin’ Joe Robinson performance at Baka Blues Café, Pacific Harbour, Fiji
Wintering for 5.5 months in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Traveling the Mediterranean Coast from Malaga to Barcelona, Spain
Visiting the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany
Viewing the Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland
Living, working, playing on Lake Rosseau for the summers since 1999, Muskoka, Canada
Tumbling around in the waves, Bubbly Pool, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
Travelling through the Nation of Andorra (Located between Spain & France), Andorra
Visiting St. Pierre Miquelon, France (located off the coast of Newfoundland)
Attending the Atlantic Folk Festival, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
Flying over the Sinai desert, Suez Canal, Cairo, Alexandria, Pyramids in a Cessna 172, Egypt
Touring Charlottetown, Cavendish Beach, Lobster Festivals, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Pub hopping, Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Visiting the Brindisi Cathedrals and Churches, Brindisi, Italy
Boating to and hiking trail at The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Hiking trails and snorkeling in St. John National Park, USVI
Experiencing the highest tides in the world, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada
Touring the sea cliffs of the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, Canada
Boating and deep sea fishing for Wahoo, Bermuda
Ringing in a new year at the historic, colonial Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva, Fiji
Driving solo through the vast prairies from Alberta to Ontario, Canada
Vacationing at Paradise Cove Resort, Naukacuvu Island, Yasawas, Fiji
Marveling at humpback whales and fur seals, Melchior Island, Antarctica
5 months living in a reclaimed-stone house overlooking the Niccone Valley, Umbria, Italy
Visiting the Royal Palace, cathedrals, temples and public squares, Naples, Italy
Drinking beer at the Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke Island, BVI’s, Caribbean
Skiing Whistler Blackcomb Resort, British Columbia, Canada
Visiting Banff, and skiing Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, Banff, Alberta, Canada
Bone fishing off the island of Eleuthera, Bahamas
Pub hopping with relatives, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Arnham and Nijmegem, Holland
Rabbit and pheasant hunting, Rheinburg, Germany
Best man at a river boat wedding, Jamaica, Caribbean
Spending 2 winters living on the island of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras, Caribbean
Boating and diving the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Baja, Mexico
Sighting numerous whales from a go-fast Zodiac boat, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Visiting Bitter End Yacht Club and The Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI’s, Caribbean
Skiing Stowe and Sugarbush Mountain Resorts, Vermont, USA
Skiing Mt. St. Anne, Quebec, Canada
Visiting Isla Espiritu Santo, (protected under UNESCO biosphere) Sea of Cortez, Mexico
Skiing Waterville Valley Resort, Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, USA
Golfing and lessons as seasonal members, The Black Pearl, Roatan, Honduras
Dining at the top of the CN Tower, Toronto, Canada
Golfing Puerto Los Cabos course Cabo, Mexico
Growing up cottaging, snowmobiling, ice fishing, Temagami, Ontario, Canada
Visiting Pompeii and climbing Mt. Vesuvius, Italy
Exploring the sights and dining on top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore
Living in Savusavu for six weeks on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji
21 days aboard the Seabourn Quest from Santiago to Buenos Aries bonus upgrade to OS 801
Boating the North Channel, Key inlet, Bustard Islands, Little Current, Lake Huron, Canada
Driving the East Cape, Toto Santos, La Paz to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico
Visiting Hope Town, Marsh Harbour, Nippers and Grabbers beach bars, Abacos, Bahamas
Wintering in the Family Islands (2.5 months on Eleuthera, 2 in the Abacos), Bahamas
Spear fishing Lion Fish, (invasive species in the Caribbean) Bahamas
Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, riding cable cars, sightseeing in San Francisco, California
Pub hopping, visiting Cabot Tower & Cape Spear, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Touring New Providence Island, Nassau, Atlantis, The One & Only Ocean Club, Bahamas
Hiking and kayaking in Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland, Canada
Free diving for scallops, Beaver Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada
Snorkeling the reefs around the National Park of Komodo Island, Indonesia
Hiking the trails and viewing Komodo Dragons, Komodo Island, Indonesia
Snorkeling the reefs at Menjangan Island, Celukan Bawang, North Western Bali, Indonesia
Visiting the city of Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Visiting Governor’s Harbour, Rainbow Beach, Alice & Gregory Towns, Eleuthera, Bahamas
Boating the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada
Playing Frisbee golf, Penner Island, British Columbia, Canada
Scuba diving & snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Australia
Boating, beachcombing, snorkeling & visiting the cays of the Sea of Abaco, Abaco, Bahamas
Strolling along the Venice Beach Boardwalk, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Celebrating a friends 50th birthday, Maxwell Beach, Barbados
Attending a fundraiser for potcakes (stray dogs) Turks and Caicos, Caribbean
Visiting friends, Swan Brewery and the area around Perth, Australia
Sailing on an America’s Cup racing boat, Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand
Catamaran amidst a pod of pilot whales, fishing and lovo lunch on Vatu Lailai Island, Fiji
Visiting Sforzesco Castle, Milan Cathedral, Piazza del Duomo, the Peace Arch, Milan, Italy
Touring the cities of Auckland & Wellington, North Island, New Zealand
Visiting the Gold Coast, Hayman Island, Ansett Resort, Great Keppel Island, & Cairns, Australia
Visiting Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Museum, outside Berlin, Germany
Touring Cradle Mt. Hobart, Port Royal and Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Visiting the lobster fishing capital, Spanish Wells, where locals speak Pirate dialect, Bahamas
Circumnavigating Manitoulin Island in a power boat, Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada
Spending 5.5 months on the island of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, Caribbean
Snorkeling with the stingrays & swimming Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Enjoying a wine tour outside Adelaide, Australia
Kayaking, snorkeling, diving the Mesoamerican reef encircling the island of Roatan, Honduras
Exploring the beaches, snorkeling the reefs and visiting the city of Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
Visiting the western cites of Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver & Victoria, Canada
Experiencing a tidal surge of a tsunami (tidal wave) Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Sightseeing the Sydney Opera House, The Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney, Australia
Attending a fundraiser at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo, Bermuda
Touring Sapporo & the Sapporo Beer factory/museum, island of Hokkaido, Japan
Viewing the Imperial Palace, Golden Pavilion, temples and gardens, Kyoto, Japan
Attending the Tsukiji fish market, Tokyo Tower, Asakura Temple, Tokyo, Japan
Enjoying the hot springs, thermal wonderland of Rotorua, New Zealand, twice in 30 years
Marveling at the 12 to 15 foot cathedral ant hills and viewing crocodiles, NT, Australia
Exploring the port city and cruising the fjords, Castro, Chile
Walking the beaches of Tampa, Fort Myers, Naples & Daytona, Florida, USA
Visiting Cape Reinga, (Most northern point of the North Island), New Zealand
Springsteen, Eagles, Rolling Stones, Super Tramp, Styx, Zappa concerts, Toronto, Canada
Touring the Forbidden City, Beihai Park, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China
Sightseeing the botanical gardens, Somerset Bridge and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Bermuda
Holidaying in Montego Bay and watching the famous sunsets from Negril, Jamaica
Exploring and marveling at the Great Wall of China, China
Strolling along the Piha Beach, North Island, New Zealand
Attending the 1st Annual International Resort Wear Fashion Show, Denerau Island, Fiji
Visiting friends and touring the City of Hobart, Australia
Sightseeing The Grand Palace and many other Buddhist temples, Bangkok, Thailand
Scuba diving and snorkeling the reefs of Saint Lucia, Caribbean
Sailing, snorkeling and ATV’ing in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, Caribbean
Touring Singapore and The National Museum, Singapore, South East Asia
Deep sea fishing and catching Mahi Mahi (Dorado), Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Visiting Mandalay Palace, the Buddhist temples and pagodas of Mandalay, Burma
Watching the Super Bowl at the beach, Gansevoort Resort, Turks and Caicos
Lunching at Ladera and Jade Mountain Resorts overlooking the Pitons, Saint Lucia
Snorkeling the reefs near Castaway Island and the Blue Lagoon, Mamanuca and Yasawas, Fiji
Weekend getaway on the beaches of Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
Ringing in 2020 at Ibagari Boutique Hotel & Beach Club, Roatan, Honduras
Spending 6 days sightseeing historical monuments & museums, Santiago, Chile
Soaking up the sun and body surfing the waves at the beaches of Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka
Spending 5 months living in San Jose Del Cabo, Baja Sur, Mexico
Racing/crewing on a 31 foot Trimaran sail boat, Darwin, Australia
Touring an island via helicopter, Saint Lucia, Caribbean
Attending the Day of The Dead celebrations, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico
Visiting the Temple of the Tooth Relic, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Free diving for Abalone, Point Reyes, California, USA
Touring the Egyptian Museum and boating the Nile River, Cairo, Egypt
Experiencing a category 1 hurricane Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, Caribbean
Reef and wreck diving in the Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt
Climbing to the top of Mount Bromo (active volcano), Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia
Sightseeing the Sam Po Kung Temple and Lawang Sewu, Semarang, Indonesia
Touring the 9th Century Borobudur (world’s largest Buddhist) Temple, Java, Indonesia
Touring through Jakarta, West Java Island, Indonesia
Visiting Dunmore Town and the Pink Sand Beaches, Harbour Island, Bahamas
Visiting The Western Wall, Dome of the Rock and The Old City, Jerusalem, Israel
Touring Gangaramaya and Murugan Temples and the National Museum, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Swimming/floating in the Dead Sea, (Earths lowest elevation on land), Israel
Marvelling at the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt
Visiting Christchurch and Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand
Lodging and dining at Oyster Inn & Wine tasting tour, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Touring Auckland Museum and dining at Orbit Sky Tower, Auckland, New Zealand
Hiking at the second tallest manmade waterfall in the world, Cascata delle Marmore, Italy
Walk among Weddell & Fur Seals, Adele, Gentoo & chinstrap penguins, Arktowski Station
Visiting Cane Garden Bay, Foxy’s, snorkeling Great Dog Island and Marina Cay, BVI
Day tripping and lounging at Malamala Island Beach Club x 2, Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Rocking out at a Golden Earring concert, Stokvishal, Arnhem, Holland
Touring the War Memorial, Canberra (Australia’s capitol city), Australia
Circumnavigating St. Thomas and St. John Islands in a 34 ft. Pursuit, USVI, Caribbean
10 days of fun, food and fitness at The Body Holiday, St. Lucia, West Indies
Guided scenic wine tour of Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand
Climbing Mount Fuji, Japans highest mountain/volcano, Japan
Spending a week in the British Territories of Hong Kong and Macau (now China)
Spear fishing with locals, Vita Levu, Fiji, Pacific Ocean
Visiting Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and the beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Traveling through and exploring Malaysia, South East Asia
Visiting The Royal Palace, El Retiro Park and many other cathedrals, Madrid, Spain
Viewing the breathtaking Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Touring and beer sampling at the Heineken Beer Factory, Amsterdam, Holland
Drift scuba diving and snorkeling, Cozumel, Mexico
Wintering away for 3 months, exploring the island of Curacao, Southern Caribbean
Witnessing the enormity of El Brujo Glacier, Patagonia, Chile
Zodiac to Chinstrap colony, Fur seals & spotted Finback Whale, Half Moon Island, Antarctica
Day trips throughout Tuscany, sightseeing medieval towns and wine tasting, Central Italy
Viewing The National Gallery of Victoria and touring the city, Melbourne, Australia
Touring The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees and sightseeing Guangzhou (Canton), China
Visiting the Sri Dharbaranyeswara Swamy Temple, Pondicherry, India
Boating to Cayos Cochinos Islands and lunching at a Garifuna Village, Honduras, Caribbean
Hiking the South West National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Watching the 1st female jockey win the Melbourne Cup, Governors House Museum, Suva, Fiji
Kayaking and snorkeling in the mangroves of Roatan & Turks and Caicos, Caribbean
Experiencing a minor earth quake, Nagano, Japan
Touring Tel Aviv University and the museums, parks and beaches, Tel Aviv, Israel
Hiking in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand
Touring the Shwedagon Temple in Botahtaung Pagota and Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar)
Exploring areas around Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Boom net riding off the coast of Great Keppal Island, Queensland, Australia
Driving down Highway 101 from Seattle to Los Angeles, California, USA
Boating the North Channel of Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada
Scuba diving the Gulf of Aqaba, Elat, Israel
3 months living in Queenstown, exploring the South Island, New Zealand
Fly, tramp, cruise, fly – day trip to Milford Sound, New Zealand
Sightseeing Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, New Zealand
Boating and snorkeling the reefs of Rakiraki, North Coast Viti Levu, Fiji
Sightseeing mausoleums including Sara Braun and Jose Menendez, Punta Arenas, Chile
4 days getting lost in Venezia visiting galleries, museums and riding Gondola’s, Venice, Italy
Seabourn Odyssey 28 day cruise from Singapore to Sydney
I hope you've enjoyed my photographs as much as I've enjoyed taking them. Please note: these pictures are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence and may not be altered in any way or used for commercial purposes without written authorization from the owner.
Jack’s Evolving Bucket List by Jack Janssen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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