I’ve never been one to have a determined “bucket list” except perhaps for the long list of musicians I’d always wanted to see perform live. I’ve steadily fulfilled most of that list. As far as checking life adventures off of a list, well I’ve always let it happen naturally.

My husband reminded me not long ago that I had always been saving my Delta SkyMiles up for a big trip, Australia. I have my American Express card linked to earn SkyMiles on purchases, and well, over 10 years of loyalty (and shopping for everything with that card) I’ve certainly saved enough for a round-trip to Australia. Except that as life and work would play out, we now live Down Under.

I sometimes have to pinch myself that we now live in this amazing country that I’d been saving up for years just to visit for a couple of weeks!

In our short time here, I’ve already become the travel agent and tour planner for our family. Our first big holiday was at a popular bucket list destination, the Great Barrier Reef. I still marvel at the beauty we soaked in at our stay on Hamilton Island, and the vast and precious marine life of the Reef. Due to the environmental concerns that may obliterate the reef within the next few decades, I highly recommend checking this one of the list sooner than later.

As animal lovers, our family swiftly became Zoos Victoria members and has since visited the member wildlife parks, Healesville Sanctuary and Weribee Zoo. Keeping with this theme, we’ve held a koala at Wild Life Hamilton Island, been to SeaLife in Melbourne, Bundoora Park Farm, and this current school break, we are off to Phillip Island to see penguins, seals, dolphins and go whale watching!! It occurred to me that whale watching would readily be on someone’s bucket list, and here we are fortunate to take a short drive, and a boat out to catch a glimpse of humpback whale migration, as well as the march of the penguins.

Where to next? Uluru, Sydney, Gold Coast?

We don’t know how long we will live here in Australia, but one thing is certain, this country is a bucket list unto itself.

http://www.theurbanlist.com/brisbane/a-list/the-ultimate-australian-bucket-list For inspiration…