Bucket lists and beyond: adventures for the young at heart
The idea of a bucket list – a list of achievements, adventures, journeys and experiences you want to complete before you “kick the bucket” – isn’t new. However, it soared in popularity after the Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman film of the same name was released in 2007. With the creation of a list of experiences to tick off at retirement now a cultural phenomenon, it’s now the norm for most people to work through their own bucket list.
Tick the box travel
Why are bucket lists so popular? They’re all about possibility, and the only limit is your imagination. Many bucket lists do, however, have a common theme. For many retirees, travel is at the top of the page. Perhaps they might fancy a polar plunge into icy waters in Antarctica? Or maybe just a glimpse of the Northern Lights?
In Australia, the lure of a big lap around the country, wild camping under the stars and travelling clockwise with the seasons, has achieved legendary status amongst many retirees. Towing a campervan, caravanning across the Nullarbor, and spending the inheritance has never been more fun once you’ve retired (just make sure you’ve got the right travel insurance for seniors arranged).
However, others might crave a different kind of adventure on the road: learning a new language like Italian in rural Tuscany, cooking under the tutelage of a Contessa in Cumbria, or doing a safari in the Serengeti.
Learn a new skill
Of course, some of retirement's greater pleasures can be found closer to home. Picking up an instrument you’ve always loved but never had a chance to play might be your jam; joining a classics cover band, or even joining a social pub choir to belt out a few tunes might be more your scene. For many, it’s gathering the courage to perform in front of others for the first time.
Other bucket lists might be something extreme. Skydiving is a great one-off thrill to tick off your bucket list, but you can also modify any activity you’d like to try. If you’re curious about skydiving but have no desire to jump from a mechanically sound plane, perhaps try indoor skydiving, which gives you the experience without having to face a fear of heights. Likewise, if you’re keen to try a polar plunge but don’t fancy going all the way to Antarctica, try an ice bath instead.
Of course, not all goals have to be shiny. The joy of growing vegetables in your garden, cooking them for dinner or preserving and pickling them for the winter might be your groove – it’s all about finding what makes you happy.
Giving back
Some goals, of course, can be more altruistic – taking the whole extended family on a cruise, helping out your kids with child minding, volunteering for a local not-for-profit, or simply enjoying more quality time with your loved ones and friends.
Read more:
Not an Apia customer and want to find out more?
Subscribe to our FREE Apia Good Life quarterly newsletter for information on our latest offers, stories and inspiration to keep living life at its best.
Australian Pensioners Insurance Agency Pty Ltd (Apia) ABN 14 099 650 996 AR 239591 is an authorised representative of AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 AFSL 230859 (AAI), the issuer of Home, Landlord, Car, Caravan, Motorhome, Boat, Travel & Compulsory Third Party Personal Injury (CTP) Insurance.
The information is intended to be of general nature only. We do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss incurred as a result of reliance upon it – please make your own enquiries.
Share this:
Topics
