Explore The World

I’ve always wanted to buy a really cool map of the world that I could display on my wall and pushpin all the places that I had been to. But I’m pretty picky about what it should look like and if it would go with the rest of my decor.

Well, this one certainly would. Want! Even though the pins are too big and the map is too small to pin every single place I’ve traveled, I’d still adorn my wall with it. (well, I could pin country and state instead of cities)

But if I wanted to keep track of the places visited so far, it would look a little something like this:

And when I look at it on a global scale, I am slightly bummed because there’s so many places I haven’t hit yet! Not that I haven’t not been anywhere, I do know that I’ve travelled more than some, but less than others.

I also make it a habit to try to see and experience as much as I can when I go somewhere, including visiting outlying areas. As my map shows, I’ve travelled fairly extensively throughout California, Netherlands and the UK.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Lots of world left to see.

I used to joke that I would just throw a dart on the wall map and that would determine where my next adventure would be. But considering that the world is two-thirds water, I’d end up in the middle of some ocean. And unfortunately, some places that I would love to go to are not tourist-friendly right now. But that wouldn’t deter me, it would only delay things for a while.

So I’m making a list of when and where I have travelled. (not counting childhood or family trips) this will serve as a motivator for me to a) travel at least once a year if i could and b) travel to a place that I’ve never been to before.

2021
BC: Sunshine Coast

2020
BC: Pender Island

2019
Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara
BC: Victoria

2018
Hawaii: Waikoloa Village, Waimea, Honaunau, Honomou, Hilo, Mauna Kea, Honokaa
BC: Nanaimo, Victoria

2017
Netherlands: Amsterdam,‘s-Hertogenbosch
Germany: Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Bastei, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne
Switzerland: Zurich, Gruyères, Bern, Morges, Tolochenaz, Geneva
Austria: Salzburg, Vienna
Czech Republic: Prague

2016
Illinois: Chicago
England: London
Germany: Berlin
New York: New York City

2015
Washington: Seattle
Iceland: Reykyavik, Golden Circle, Viðey, South Coast, Keflavik
England: London

2014
BC: Whistler
BC: Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Coombs
California: San Francisco, San Leandro, Silicon Valley, San Simeon, Monterey
Washington: Seattle
BC: Victoria

2013
New York: New York City
Washington: Friday Harbor
China: Beijing, Xian, Wuxi, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu

2012
BC: Victoria
Yukon Territories: Whitehorse
BC: Kelowna

2011
BC: Harrison Hot Springs
BC: Kelowna
Washington: Seattle
California: Palm Springs, Joshua Tree

2010
BC: Whistler
California: Los Angeles
Netherlands: Amsterdam, den Bosch, Utrecht, Zaanse Schans
Belgium: Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges

2009
Washington: Snoqualmie Falls

2008
UK: London, Evesham
France: Paris
California: San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Muir Woods
UK: London for Christmas

2007
New York: Brooklyn
UK: Cornwall, Devon, Padstow, Cotswald, Bath, Wells, Glastonbury, Blackheath, Avebury, Stonehenge, Warwick, Stratford upon Avon, London
Ontario: Toronto

2006
North Carolina: Raleigh, Durham
Arizona: Phoenix
Hawaii: Maui

2005
New York: New York City

2002
California: Los Angeles, Alhambra, Irvine, Marina del Ray, Newport Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, San Diego, San Marino, Huntington Beach, Pasadena

2001
Manitoba: Winnipeg
Alberta: Calgary

2000
Nevada: Las Vegas
Washington: Leavenworth, Winthorp

1996
Alberta: Edmonton

1995
Lousiana: New Orleans (Mardi Gras)
New York: New York City

1994
Netherlands: Den Haag, Groesbeek, Apeldoorn, Beekbergen, Haarlem, Amsterdam

1993
Oregon: Portland
Ontario: Toronto

1991
California: San Francisco, Santa Cruz, 17 Mile Drive, Monterey, Carmel by the Sea, San Jose

1990
Hawaii: Honolulu

Where to next?