GUEST POST by NISHA

The blogathon recommended a guest post for the 16th day .... The guest post for today comes from Nisha of Le Monde-A Poetic Travail  

I cannot begin to tell you how much I admire Nisha.  She is one of my favorite travel blog writers- not just because her blog is so interesting and informative. She stands out because she really loves traveling- not just talking about it.  Also, she doesn't let anything stand in her way. Nisha is willing to overcome things which would make most individuals give up before they even start. Did I say I'm impressed!??!  It is with great honor I present to you this guest post by Nisha...sit back, read and enjoy!!

5 countries from my bucket list

I am a traveler and I have no shame in saying that I am greedy too. I want more & more. Really ! I love traveling so much that if I do not travel for a month, I become restless as if something is missing from my life. It has always been a fulfilling experience whether it is hiking in forests, or admiring historical architecture of a place, or relishing a new local cuisine, or learning something new from local people.

I have been to a few countries. But it is never enough. The list of places to visit grows everyday. Here I am sharing 5 from my bucket list in no particular order.

Greece-

I have been to many European countries but this little country with its myriad islands successfully eluded me. Never had time or money to visit its serene waters with white beaches.

Oh! How can I forget about archeological findings of Athens including The Temple of Olympian Zeus ? Or city of Rhodes close to the coast of Turkey?

So many Bollywood movies are shot in Santorini and silently I’ve wished to visit this ‘white’ city. It is the kind of place you could die happy at. The crisp, white-painted buildings with blue tops matching with the stunning blue waves of the Aegean all add up to make this a remarkable place to visit, And what about Kos island? Can I afford to miss it ? Absolutely not!

Turkey-

Well, when I can visit Greece, why not Turkey then? What offence has it done to be omitted from my list ?

What do I like about Turkey? The Arabian music, the belly dance, dervish dance by sufis, the exotic food and the culture which in many ways is similar to other Asian countries. Sometimes you should visit a place similar to yours to see how different they still are !

The bizarrely shaped mounds of volcanic rock formations at Cappadocia attract me as much as Pamukkale white hot springs.

Spain-

What is not to like about Spain?? Once again, I would remind myself the famous Tomato festival, La Tomatina which I am eyeing on for last 2 years ! Laze around the famous beaches of balearic islands.

Visit the Rock of Gibraltor, at the confluence of Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean sea, which the Greeks thought to be edge of the world.

In the end round it up with a show of Bulllfighting in Seville.

Oh, I realized this bucket list is limited to only Europe ! How can it be when I am a world citizen ?  So here is one from other side of the world. :)

Peru-

Peru offers such a wide range of experiences that it can be difficult to choose between them. Hiking to Machu Picchu is my dream. I am told it is a strenuous hike and one should have strong knees. But I have seen enough photos of this place that these statements can’t deter me. Ancient ruins divulge prehistoric secrets. There are museums to visit, lakes to sit by, waves to watch and labyrinthine cities to get lost into.

China-

Last year I was actually contemplating a solo backpacking trip to China…. Overlanding along with Malaysia & Thailand but it could not materialize as I had to return back to base. The only man made thing visible from the moon is part of this large country. I am hoping to walk on that ‘Great wall of China’ in next 2-3 years.

Hopefully !! Fingers crossed. 

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I'm sure you enjoyed Nisha's guest post- if you want to experience more of her travel blog please visit Le Monde- A Poetic Travail

Blogathon Guest Post- Joy

Today's Blogathon Guest post is by Joy who hosts her blog "One Year. 156 Fears. Life Changing" 

Joy's Bio:

Joy is a thirty-something year-old mama living in the Green Mountain State and trying 156 things this year that will get her out of her shell. As an introvert and a psychology-nut- turned-freelance writer who likes to analyze everything to death, this challenge will either make her stronger or kill her, she is not entirely sure which! 

(Now sit back and enjoy her post!)

When I first decided to take on this year-long experiment, I nearly had a panic attack. "What, what, WHAT was I thinking?" I thought on Day Two. "I can't do this! I don't want to do this. Why did I ever think that this was a good idea?" 

Fast forward three months and I can honestly say that this project has brought me more happiness and more blessings than I could have imagined. I've met some wonderful, kind, and creative people (my favorite kind!). I've taken on some challenges that have made me shake in my shoes and some that made me nearly cry with relief after completing. Most of all though, this whole experiment has been a reminder that so much of the fear I feel is self-imposed. I allow fear to control my mind at times and when that happens my world gets very, very small. Happily, I've also found the that reverse is true: The more I push myself to try new things, go new places, and give up control, the bigger and more open my life becomes. 

That's not to say that I look forward to every challenge with open arms. I felt literally sick to my stomach when I decided that I needed to hand out flowers to strangers on the street. I'm an introvert and avoid strangers most of the time, I don't hand them flowers! But it was one of the most fun challenges I've done. I never would have tried it if it weren't for this project. There are other challenges that stick out in my mind too, but you'll have to read about them on my blog! 

I feel really grateful, mostly, for all the support, inspiration, and motivation that I've found out here on the blogosphere. And I feel excited for the rest of the challenges that the next several months hold. Now I realize how true the quote by Rose Tremain is, "Life is not a dress rehearsal." Amen to that. 

If you want to read more of Joy's posts, please click here