Baby Bucket List

Two months down, only 34 more to go… It’s hard to believe how fast the time has flown since my husband and I arrived here in May. Between moving, unpacking, decorating and puppy adopting, we’ve consumed ourselves with getting settled and transforming our house into a home.

However, it seems like whenever we’re out meeting new friends, the question that always arises is, “When do you plan on starting a family?” or “Do you want babies here in Japan?”

Valid question, but quite frankly, none of your business ;) j/k… But I digress. Of course we want babies (lots of them!) but honestly, not here in a foreign country, thousands of miles from family and friends. We JUST got married last year and we still have so much we want to see and experience together before becoming parents.

I mean, if we were stationed in Minot, North Dakota, I may have different sentiments, but we are in Okinawa, JAPAN, and the world is at our fingertips!

With that said, I’ve created a Baby Bucket List—all the things I want to do before becoming a mother (before leaving Japan).

 1)  Jump out of a perfectly good airplane. (terrified of skydiving, but Kevin’s pressuring me to overcome my fear)

2) Scuba dive a large shipwreck. (a REAL one, not manmade)

3) Run a marathon in less than 4 hours.

4) Compete in a triathlon.

5) Kayak the Okinawa coastline.

6) Learn to speak Japanese.

7) Go ocean jet skiing & hang gliding.

8) Master the art of photography.

9) Go skinny dipping in the ocean after midnight.

10) Travel Asia:

In Okinawa:

-Watch the sunrise on the east coast of the island.

-Tour the Nago Pineapple Winery.

-Tour Orion brewery.

-Visit Churaumi Aquarium. (one of the largest aquariums in the world)

-Scuba dive every major site.

-Zip line the forest canopy.

-Walk through the Valley of Gangala.

-Explore Gyokusendo Cave.

-Hike Mount Katsuu & Hiji Falls.

-Visit Neo Park.

-Nakijin Castle ruins

-Hedo Point

-Nakamura House

-Ryukyu Mura Folk Village

-Yomitan Pottery Village

-Ikei Island

-Forest Adventure Park

-Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters

-Peace Memorial Park

-Shuri Castle

-Kinjocho Stone Road

-Komaka Island

-Kerama Island (diving)

http://matadornetwork.com/trips/10-great-outdoor-events-in-okinawa/

http://matadornetwork.com/nights/fire-flowers-and-phalluses-ten-festivals-in-japan/

On Mainland Japan:

-Hike Mt. Fuji.

-Tour Hiroshima.

-Disneyland Tokyo.

-Imperial Palace.

-Sapporo. (snow festival in Hokkaido)

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/things-to-do-in-japan/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/things-to-do

In Thailand:

-Visit Bangkok.

-Ride an elephant.

-Feed the tigers.

In Australia:

-Visit Sydney.

-Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.

In China:

-Visit Shanghai.

-Visit Hong Kong.

-Tour Beijing- Forbidden City.

-See Xian.

-Walk The Great Wall.

Guam

South Korea

Right now, the plan is to tackle Okinawa first, soak up all there is to offer on this island, and then venture off to other countries. If there’s something on my bucket that you also want to accomplish yourself, please let me know! The more, the merrier… After all, experiences are always better shared with a friend. :)

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

— Helen Keller