Travel Goals
In the winter of 2004 I wrote down a list of 101 goals involving every aspect of my life. The goals covered where I wanted to go, what I wanted to have, what I wanted to do, how I wanted to spend my time, what I wanted to become, how much I wanted to earn, what I wanted to learn, etc… After my year and a half of travels were over in 2008 I went back to this list and was surprised to see that I had accomplished nearly 25 major life goals within that 4 year time frame–many are in bold in the list below. Ironically, one of the goals was to have my own web page. Another goal was to live in New York City where I currently reside.
I wanted to share my future travel goals with my friends, family, and anyone else that might be interested. I am not the first guy out there to put together a lengthy list of goals. John Goddard put together of list of 127 life goals a long time ago and has completed nearly all of them. I figure what the hell? I love to travel.
Dave Ford’s Travel Goals (Completed tasks are in bold)
- The 7 Wonders of the World
- Great Wall of China
- Christ the Redeemer Statue — Brazil (March 2007)
- Petra — Jordan
- Machu Picchu — Peru (April 2007) PICTURED
- Chichen Itza — Mexico
- Taj Mahal –India
- Colosseum — Rome
- The Great Pyramid — Egypt
- Special Destinations
- The North Pole
- Antarctica (2/2007) PICTURED
- Easter Island
- Tahiti
- Cuba (7/2007)
- Space (Technology permitting)
- Places to Live
- New York City (2008-????) PICTURED
- California
- Australia
- Europe
- South America
- The 7 Summits– Climb the highest mountain on each continent
- North America- Denali (Mt. McKinley)–Alaska, USA
- South America- Aconcagua–Argentina
- Africa– Mt. Kilmanjaro–Tanzania (March 7, 2008) PICTURED
- Europe– Mt. Elbrus–Russia
- Austronesia–Pucak Jaya– New Guinea
- Asia– Mt. Everest–Nepal
- Antarctica–Mt. Vincent
- Events and Festivals
- Octoberfest
- Burning Man (8/2008) (9/2009) PICTURED
- New Orleans Jazzfest (5/2005)
- Running of the Bulls
- Chinese New Years (In China)
- Carnival
- Bonnaroo–in Tennessee (2003) (2004)
- Backpacking and Trekking
- The Appalachian Trail, US (Shenandoah National Park 7/2005)
- The Continental Divide, US
- The Pacific Crest Trail
- Torres del Paine, Chile (2/2007) PICTURED
- The Inca Trail, Peru (4/2007)
- Bryce and Zion, Utah, USA
- The Lost City Trek, Colombia (8/2007)
- The Snowman Trek, Bhutan
- The Grand Canyon (11/2007) (3/2008)
- Everest Base Camp, Nepal
- Spiritual Destinations and Events
- Jerusalem
- Stonehenge
- Tibet
- Varnasi, India
- Ankgor Watt, Cambodia
- Dharamsala, India
- Amazonian Ayahuasca Ceremony (4x in Bolivia 4/2007-6/2007) PICTURED
- Crazy Shit
- Skydiving (8/2001)
- Hangliding (3/2007) PICTURED IN RIO DE JANEIRO
- Bungee Jumping
- Skiing
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- The Alps
- New Zealand
- Japan
- The Andes in Argentina and Chile
- Utah
- Canada (Fernie 12/2007) (Banff 12/2007)
- Colorado (Vail 12/2003) (Steamboat 2/2005)
- Wildlife Excursions
- Safari in the Serengeti Plains (3/2008)
- Galapagos Islands (6/2007)
- Ngorogoro Crater (3/2008)
- Gabon (Western Africa)
- Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, or Congo
- Indian Safari
- Orangutans in Borneo
- The Northern Territory, Australia
- Okavango Delta, Botswana
- Antarctica (2/2007) PICTURED
- Amazonian Wildlife Tour (Bolivian Pampas 4/2007)
- Golf Courses
- Pebble Beach (USA)
- Pine Valley (USA)
- The Old Course at St. Andrews (Scotland)
- Ballybunion (Ireland)
- Augusta National (USA)
- Rafting and River Trips
- Raft the Colorado River
- Raft the Zambezi River
- The Nile
- The Amazon
- Diving
- With Whale Sharks–either Broom, Australia or Honduras
- Galapagos Islands- Hammerhead dive
- The Great Barrier Reef
- Indonesia
- Fiji
- The Red Sea
- Extended Overland Travel
I will travel overland through _____________.
- The United States– Cross Country Road Trip (MD, WVA, TENN, MISS, LA, TX, NM, CO, UT, AZ, NV, CA—11/2007) NOTE: I still need to do the north
- Western Europe
- Eastern Europe
- South East Asia
- China
- Moscow to Beijing via the Trans-Siberian Railroad
- Australia –Completing the Coastal Loop
- South America ( ARGENTINA, CHILE, BRAZIL, PERU, BOLIVIA, ECUADOR, COLOMBIA—1/9/2007 - 8/15/2007)
- India
- The Middle East
- Mexico and Central America
- Eastern Africa
- Southern Africa
- Western Africa









I have something that I would personally replace with Chichen Itza. My opinion is that Chichen Itza is just a bus trip from Cancun. So you get the Cancun tourist. I would recommend replacing this with Tikal in Guatemala. Much more difficult to get to but well worth it.
Cross Chichen Itza off your list when you go to Cancun on your honeymoon ;)
I have a great deal of good things about Tikal in Guatemala. I would love to visit all of the Mayan sites. They both were extremely important.
[...] few weeks ago, my friend Dave Ford wrote a blog post titled, Life Long Travel Goals. I decided to take a run at it [...]
Hi Dave Ford!!!
I googled travel goals and found your site. I just visited the pyramids in Egypt and as New Year’s is approaching have started to think perhaps I need to make a list or something. Thanks for the great ideas and good luck on your goals! Should you add Kuwait to your list let me know as that is where I am currently living!
Cheers!
Christine
http://www.travelwithoastler.com
U should do Mountain Gorillas in Uganda . Rwanda and Congo are infested with poisenes bugs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I too googled travel goals and found your site. I absolutely love your list!!!
Looking at your list and John Goddard’s motivated me to better organize my own travel goals. Thanks! I’m still composing my list and will definitely share when I complete it (a lot of trips this year and goals need to be in order). Please visit the the Alhambra in Granada, Spain if you get a moment. It is beautiful!! SUCH intricate details!
When are you going to update your list?
Thanks again, and enjoy your travels :)
Somehow the Google gods have smiled on me and I pop in the top three for search for Travel Goals.
This, is pretty cool. Please keep the comments coming and I urge you to create your own list. You’ll be surprised how quickly you start checking things off : )
Dave
[...] Travel Goals [...]
Hi Dave!
Thats awesome that you were able to travel so much! how did you afford to travel for so long?? any suggestions??