December 21, 2012, the date the Mayan predicted would be the end of the world, is fast approaching, and I do NOT have plans. Just as the day of rapture happened last year in May, I was on the river and didn’t even know about this planned rapture. Now, I’m going to be more prepared.
I began thinking, well, if it really was the end of the world, what WOULD I do? How would I spend those last few precious hours? With friends? Hugging family close? Bungee jumping?
And then I simply became overwhelmed. I can’t think of this. It’s too much for me to bear. So thanks to my friends over at Wildland Adventures, they put out this question that is a little easier to stomach:
If the world ends December 21, 2012, what destination would you wish you had traveled to once or one more time?
This question really got me thinking. Would I want to travel to somewhere completely new, where everything is unfamiliar and discoveries are around every corner? Nothing replaces that feeling of arriving at a destination feeling overtaken by the sounds, sights and smells previously unknown to you. I can remember my first trip to India, a country on sensory overload, and almost being knocked down by all the stimuli there in my first day. That is a feeling I cherish and will never forget.
But what about tried and true destinations? My friend Tracy is in a continual love affair with Paris, and I’d be surprised if she didn’t answer this question with her favorite city as a reponse. There’s something to be said about these golden locales, places that make you smile as you day dream in your office-about your honeymoon in Tuscany, your band trip in Spain, your semester abroad in Peru. These are the destinations that left an indelible print on our lives and forever changed us.
So what would be my choice?
The destination that I would choose to return to one more time would be Argentina. I have such found memories of my trip there four years ago, when I hiked to my hearts content down in Patagonia. The country is so incredibly rich in culture and natural beauty, I would love to experience it one more time. Bariloche has to be one of my favorite places in the world-incredible food, wine and outdoor activities are chock full in this town. So this is where I would choose for my last destination, with all of my friends and family to come with me of course. 🙂
What about you?
Where would YOU go again or for the first time before the end of the world?
Bariloche photo courtesy of Mirandas.com.br