I think there are plenty of people out there who would love to visit other countries. I have met a few people who have no interest in visiting… well… anywhere. I find that strange. I have always wanted to travel. There are so many things out there to experience. I want to go to Australia and swim over the Great Barrier Reef. I want to go to Japan to see the ancient temples. I would love to see the Great Wall of China, and the Eifel Tower. If I had the money, I would love to take one of those low orbit flights and experience what it feels like to be weightless.

For those of you who want to travel all over the world, lets figure out your top five countries to visit.

1. Think about all the places you would like to see in person. Think about buildings like castles and cathedrals. Think about large stone formations, natural and man made. Think about the largest things in the world like the great wall and the longest bridge. List them all. Don’t stop with five.
2. Take the time to do your research on each of these. Figure out where they are and what it would take for you and your family to go visit it. Write this information down.
3. Put them in order of which ones you would most like to go see. If you have a tie or can figure out which ones you would like to go see the most, take the time to search your desires. Write down the pros and cons of each and make that decision.
4. Save enough money to make visiting these destinations a reality. You will have to be creative in your saving techniques. You can figure spending at least $2,000 on each of these trips. You might be able to travel for les, but you will have to cut the extravagances of your hotel and food. Stay in Hostels or sleep in your rental car. Just remember the dangers of these type of things.
5. Make your dreams of traveling to other countries come true.

Here are 100 more things you should do before you die.

I remember as a kid, we would go the Smoky Mountains to visit my Grandparents. On several occasions we would go find the scenic parks and other tourist attractions and go hiking up the mountain. Grant it these mountains did not take any kind of special climbing equipment. We would take a heart pumping stroll on a trail weaving its way through the woods and up the side of a mountain.

When we got to the top, we would spend time sitting on the summit looking out at the horizon. We would pick out several outcroppings of homes and towns we thought were attractive. We would wonder at the amount of construction it took to build the six lane highway that stretched from one side of the plane to the other or wrapped around several mountains. We felt strong, powerful and above the rest of the world.

Today we live about 2 hours from the mountains and we have yet to take the time to climb to the top of a mountain. Life has become so busy and full of other things. I think one day soon, I would like to slow down and take a nice, relaxing stroll up the side of a mountain. I can picture myself as this wondering hermit sitting on a rock overlooking all the land, controlling my breathing and becoming once with my surroundings.

I am sure I will be able to do this again. I look forward to it. I want my kids to experience some of the same pleasures I have experienced in the course of my lifetime…. Man I sound old.

Here are 100 more things you should do before you die.

A few years ago I signed up with an organization called World Vision who helped children in third world countries get the food, water, medicine and the education they need to live long and healthy lives. It felt good to spend that $30 a month to help someone else.

I have since had to cancel that payment due to my own hard times. I hate to have done that, and I hope I will one day to be in the position to help those children again.

One of the opportunities World Vision offers to their contributors is a chance to visit the village they are helping and to visit the child they are sponsoring. I always thought that was an amazing opportunity.

I pictured arriving in the village and being overwhelmed by the people who live in the village. I would help World Vision build homes, dig wells and take care of the people of the village. I would spend time with the child that I was sponsoring. Sure I wouldn’t be able to understand them, but that is why they have translators, right?

I do have one fear. I fear I could be exploited by the people who live there; by the people who are only interested in their own personal gain. They would most likely show me how unfortunate their lives are. There are these types of people in every culture, even here at home. You see them on the off ramps of the highways holding up signs asking for money, food or even asking for a job (I realy respect this last one. Means they are trying). I think most of them are legitimate. They have fallen on hard times and need the help of others, but I have more respect for those who look for other ways to help themselves; ways other than looking for handouts.

The nice thing about World Vision, though, is they go into the communities they feel need the most assistance. They offer that assistance and if the community agrees, they provide their help. They provide clean water, food, clothes, vaccines, medical help, education, livestock and so many other things. If I were a multi Millionaire, this is the type of organization I would create. I would create a charity whose main drive was to help those who need the help. I would spend time in those communities in my own ragged clothes, working hard to build shelters, dig wells and planting crops.

I think this is one of the major meanings of life. This is one of the things God put us here to do. He wants us to help each other. He wants us to help those who have less than ourselves. He wants us to Serve.

Here are 100 more things you should do before you die.