Dear Santa. We have been very good this year so we thought we should write to let you know our travel dream wish list. In the spirit of not being overly greedy, we are limiting our requests to three gifts. We have each selected one tool, one training, and one trip. We are providing links, where possible, to assist the elves.
Note: We may earn a small commission from the affiliate links below.
Amanda’s Travel Dream Wish List
Amanda’s Tool
I am a terrible photographer, Santa! Unsure if I should blame my level of skill or lack of equipment, I would love to own a GoPro MAX 360 Action Camera Deluxe Bundle. With its ability to can capture everything that happens in a 360° view I should be able to magically create eye-catching photos.
The MAX supports multiple modes for creative video and photos. There are four lens sizes to choose from for just the right angle: Narrow, Linear, Wide, and Max Super View for those extremely wide shots. With 6 microphones, I could even record sounds from all directions.
This bundle even comes with every accessory known to man. Granted, I don’t really know what they do but I am sure they are useful. Surely, I could capture better photos (and perhaps make some nice videos for our readers) if I had this fancy schmancy camera. Right?
Amanda’s Training
Whether I receive the GoPro MAX 360 Action Camera or not, I still need to up my photography game. So, I am asking for a photography class to help me gain the skills I need to better capture those magic moments. This Ultimate Guide to the Gopro Max and 360 Video Course will be great if you were to bring the camera. If not, then this How to Take Incredible iPhone Photos Course looks like a good option.
Honestly, I could buy myself the camera and the training. But any money spent on this is money I don’t have to actually travel. And since I don’t need the camera if I don’t travel then I am requesting your assistance with this wish list item.
Amanda’s Trip
I have been fortunate to enjoy travel to all 50 states and 37 countries. Granted, I have not traveled internationally as much as Deidra, but I don’t enjoy free travel through work (or the luxury of traveling while on the clock). Now I am retired from my full-time gig, and while I still don’t have free trips, I do have the luxury of time that I have never had before.
A journey to Israel and Jordan has topped my bucket list for over a decade. Of course, I don’t want just any trip. My dream vacation is (at least) a month-long journey. I want to take in all the sites and experience all the things about these countries that have intrigued me for so long.
Jerusalem is, of course, the highlight of Israel. I want to spend time there exploring the many sites, but also taking time to absorb the culture and witness daily life in each of the 4 quarters. From there, I want to explore the Galilean Valley and perhaps check out a kibbutz (a collective farm).
I want to venture on to Bethlehem and other places of interest at a slower pace. I also want to I want to marvel at the ancient wonders of Petra, sleep under the stars like a Bedouin in Wadi Rum, relax on the beaches of the Red Sea, and float in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea.
Deidra’s Travel Dream Wish List
Deidra’s Tool
I have a weakness for bags of all types, and luggage is no exception. But I don’t spend a lot of money on luggage. In fact, the last piece of luggage I bought was for my trip to Copenhagen. This trip was during the summer of lost luggage, so I wanted to carry on my luggage. I needed a new carry-on, so I searched the internet for the cheapest one I could find ($54). It’s perfectly adequate.
But since I’ve been so good this year, I would like Santa to bring my dream luggage: Away Bigger- Carry-On and the Away Medium suitcases. Avid travelers rave about this luggage. It is built to last, comes with a lifetime guarantee, and was thoughtfully designed to hold everything you need. And I’ll have 100 days after Christmas to try it out – if I decide I don’t like it, I can get a full refund!
Deidra’s Training
I have enjoyed my travel hacking journey this year, but I feel that my strategy is haphazard. Travel hacking is a complex hobby, and I want to dive deeper into knowing how best to use the points and miles I keep racking up. So, I’m adding the Geobreeze Travel All-Access Patreon group to my wish list
This group hosts master classes with other people in the travel hacking community. Membership also provides access to recordings of past master classes. Plus, I can virtually hang out with a lot of people who share an interest in this hobby. New friends!
In all honestly, I can afford to join this group myself. What I really need, Santa, is a few more hours every week to dive into it! Can you pack that on your sleigh?
Deidra’s Trip
I’ve been blessed with a life of travel and have visited 50 countries so far. But so much of my travel has been for work and is to places that I never thought about visiting such as Moldova and Rwanda! Yet there are many places that “normal” travelers go to all the time that I have not experienced fully.
One example of this is Italy. My only experience in Italy was during a 24-hour layover resulting from a missed flight. I got to spend the night in Rome and we saw as much as we could in those 24 hours. I checked the Italy box, but I really want to go back and see everything I missed!
This time, however, I want to travel slowly throughout the entire country. Perhaps I could take this two-week private tour itinerary and spread it out over a month, or even two! I definitely want plenty of time to discover Rome, Venice and Florence. Pompeii is also a must, and I’ve heard the Amalfi Coast is gorgeous.
But as I check off all of the activities in these places, I want time to simply settle in. In between doing “all the things,” I’ll enjoy lingering meals in sidewalk cafes, people watching, and browsing through shops. Of course, I’ll also eat too much pasta, pizza, and gelato. So please, Santa – use your Christmas magic to make the calories not count during this dream trip!
What is on your Dream Travel Wish List This Year?
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