Having the good fortune to travel several times a year as part of my job, my annual list isn't restricted to one getaway but -- surprisingly -- that doesn't make it easier to choose between places I have never been and countries I have visited but would like to explore further.
This year's list is organized by month but it's not really a road map for the year ahead -- more an expression of things that have piqued my interest.
Experience tells me it really is a wish-list: Sometimes I hit many of the countries on the list. Other times I make it to just a few. Often I go places that were never on the list but turned out to be great anyway.
Ultimately the list is a reminder that if you don't plan, you don't go. I have itchy feet for distant shores and lately I've been thinking about ...
January
Florida, here I come. As my next trip is already planned -- a week with the Disney folks -- this one is a no brainer. In January I'll fly to Orlando to spend some time playing at the Magic Kingdom before sailing off to the Caribbean on Disney's new luxury cruise liner -- the Disney Dream. I suspect Mickey, Minnie, Goofy -- and maybe a princess or two -- may be along for the ride. Bon voyage. See disneyworld.disney.go.com and disneycruise.disney.go.com.
February
Baby it's still cold outside so I'll do what millions of Sun readers do and find a sugar-white sand beach in the Caribbean, where I can loll about under a palapa and soak up equal measures of vitamin D and daiquiris. Two of my favourite Caribbean destinations are Barbados and the Bahamas. I could happily live out my days as a barefoot castaway on the Out Islands of the Bahamas but this year I will endeavour to visit Cuba, where I have never been. Perhaps between splashing in the deep blue sea and sipping mojitos, I'll have time for a side trip to Havana. See gocuba.ca.
March
This seems like a good time to visit with the blue-footed boobies, giant sea turtles and swimming iguanas that make their homes on the Galapagos Islands. Some 1,000 km off the coast of South America, this remote Ecuadorian province and its surrounding waters form a national park and marine refuge that has been drawing visitors for hundreds of years. Naturalist Charles Darwin was one of the first to study the volcanic island archipelago that is home to many endangered species not found anywhere else in the world. See ecuadortouristboard.com, igtoa.org, galapagosislands.com and galapagos.org.
April
It would probably take an entire year to tour all of the terrific cities dotted around the United States. This year I'll concentrate on three "Sans" -- San Diego, San Francisco and San Antonio. In San Diego, I'll go whale watching and tour some of the city's 30 museums, including the new Children's Museum and one devoted to surfing. In San Francisco, I'll ride the famous cable car then spend a day at Fisherman's Wharf -- eating, browsing at the Pier 39 market and visiting the Aquarium of the Bay. Later I'll check out the Exploratorium science museum and walk on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. In San Antonio I'll stroll along the leafy River Walk and attend some Fiesta San Antonio events. The annual city-wide celebration of culture takes place April 7-17. See sandiegotourism.org, onlyinsanfrancisco.com and visitsanantonio.com.
May
What better place to break out your Bermuda shorts than in their place of origin. May brings balmy temperatures to the island -- still a British overseas territory -- about 1,030 km off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. While there, I might take a walk along a pink sand beach, swim with dolphins and sample a Dark 'n' Stormy -- the island's unofficial national drink made from Gosling's Black Seal rum and ginger beer, and served over ice. Cheers. See bermudatourism.com.
June
I've been on safari -- a gourmet safari through the wilds of Victoria, B.C., an African Lion Safari near Cambridge and a Rhino Rally off-road jeep tour at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. These were all fun adventures but don't provide the same bragging rights as the real deal. For that, I'll head to a place like South Africa's Kruger National Park for a close up encounter with the Big 5 -- lions, leopards, African elephants, hippos and Cape buffalo. See southafrica.net andsanparks.org/parks/kruger.
July
Sometimes I crave the easy familiarity of travelling in Canada. This year I'll aim for points east -- a return trip to Newfoundland's Random Island and St. John's to reconnect with family roots, a stopover in Halifax, N.S., to pick up the threads of a long-standing friendship, and a drive across the Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island, where I've never been but imagine I'll love every bit as much as the rest of our Atlantic provinces. How could I fail to love a place whose most famous character is a fictional red headed girl. See newfoundlandandlabrador.com, novascotia.com, tourismpei.com and tourismnewbrunswick.ca.
August
The more I learn about Malaysia, the more intriguing it becomes. Comprised of two regions -- Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo -- divided by the South China Sea, common sense would suggest that this multi-ethnic potpourri of cultures shouldn't work. And yet it does, providing visitors with diverse travel experiences from ultra-modern Kuala Lumpur -- home to the 88-storey Petronas Towers -- to the superb beaches of Penang, remote mountains and tropical jungles that date back millions of years. Colleagues who have been tell me not to miss the limestone temple Batu Caves, which feature ornate Hindu shrines and a 43-metre-tall gold-painted statue of a Hindu deity. See tourism.gov.my.
September
Australia is high on most Canadian's "bucket lists" but distance -- and the country's vast size -- mean many people put off a visit until that magical, mythical "someday." If you don't have the time -- or the budget -- for a long stay, my suggestion is to tour in "chunks." Pick one or two spots and concentrate on those. My first trip included six days in Tasmania and five in the Melbourne area. My visit only scratched the surface of Oz, but I did see quite a bit of these two corners. The trip was memorable for its wildlife -- kangaroos, wallabies, paddy melons, wombats, koalas at seemingly every turn in Tasmania and along the Great Ocean Road. This year I'd like to go back to see Sydney, the Gold Coast, the Great Barrier Reef and the Outback. See australia.com.
October
Hawaii has been on my radar for a long time. First it was watching the TV exploits of ex naval officer Magnum P.I., zipping around Honolulu in his boss' Ferrari, solving crimes or hanging out at the seaside mansion called Robin's Nest. Then it was the lost folks from the wildly popular series Lost, shot on location around Oahu. Now it's a remake of Hawaii 5-0 and back-to-back visits in 2008 and 2009 that keep the Islands of Aloha on my mind. I'm overdue for a return visit to Maui and a first-time look at Kauai, Lanai and Molokai. See gohawaii.com.
November
I seldom pass up a chance to travel to Europe. London, Paris, Rome and Venice are high on my list of all-time favourite cities but this year I am going to focus on making a first-time visit to Vienna. In mid-November, Vienna's elegant squares will be transformed into delightful Christmas markets. Browsing outside on cool days will no doubt lead to time spent indoors at the city's famous coffeehouses. In between drinking the house brew, nibbling on pastries and reading international newspapers, I might squeeze in a visit to the Imperial Palace, Apartments and Treasuries. See vienna.info/en.
December
Cold weather is not my cup of tea but I would love to see the icy shores of Antarctica at least once. And, as Canada will soon be in the deep freeze anyway, December seems like a good time for travelling to the world's southernmost continent. December through February is prime time for expedition cruises to Antarctica so journeys to the land of icebergs, penguins, whales, seals and sea birds should be booked in advance. Other than wildlife, Antarctica has no permanent residents or government in Antarctica. Tourism is mainly by cruise ships carrying from 50 to 280 passengers each. See gapadventures.com.
Where are you going?
What destinations are on your wish-list for 2011 and why? E-mail your answers (25 words or less) with your full name and contact information to robin.robinson@sunmedia.ca. A selection of reader responses will be published in the new year.
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