Bucket Lists

OK, everyone is talking about their bucket list. Is it just me, or does anyone else think that is a bit grim. I visualize hoards of people clutching copies of "One Thousand Places to See Before You Die", frantically checking off suggested sites, snapping a quick picture with the digital camera and quickly moving on to the next item. I love that book, and I admit I have checked off quite a few pages. But are we missing something? I used to tell my clients to carefully read escorted tour itineraries and keep their eyes open for two critical words: "see" and "visit". And there is a HUGE difference. You can see a lot of places and things as you drive by, but a visit is another thing entirely. Slow down and visit. You will experience more with the slow approach. Travel should not be approached like a scavenger hunt, because all you do is collect bits and pieces. Travel for the experience that stays with you forever. To put it another way, if you have only changed planes in Atlanta, you haven't been to Atlanta.