A Travel Bucket List — 8 Signs You’re Better Off Without It!

It starts off with inspirational posts on the Internet. You see a gobsmackingly beautiful photo of a country in Asia and bookmark it. Fast forward to an article you stumble on which talks about how you can budget-travel in Europe. You bookmark that too. Then comes the conversations with your besties. You’re all dreaming of the day you get to travel together, and it just so happens you have the same places in mind. On and on this cycle spins, until as if in a blink of an eye, you have finally produced a lengthy travel bucket list. 

The question is, how serious are you in pursuing it? I ask this because I also recognise that not all people find bucket lists helpful. There are even travel buddies who are not as equally ambitious in crossing out places on their list. Some want it more, while others just go where the wind blows. That said, there’s no harm for wanderers to forgo this traditional traveller must-have. It’s just a matter of preference, after all. Maybe it’s time to heed these signs that making a travel bucket list is not for you!

1. You can’t relate when your friends say “Bucket list na ‘yan!”

I mean sure, the place looks promising, but at the same time, you’re thinking why you need to put it on a travel bucket list. It sounds too ambitious for you and looking at a list of all your must-go-to destinations almost feels as if your wallet’s being prematurely emptied. You’re the kind of person who just likes to take things one step at a time without a list to pressure you, and that perfectly works for your travel goals!

Also read: 12 Things You Should NOT Do When Travelling With A Friend

2. Technically, you don’t have a list — just a few places you’re eyeing

Speaking of being pressured, just because your friends have a travel bucket list, doesn’t mean you should too. You don’t have to pretend you have one, not when there are only a few target destinations on your mind. Plus, there’s no use trying to make a longer list if your heart’s not really in it. Having three or even one dream destination is enough. You can consider the rest of the places you’re lucky to travel to a blessing and a bonus!

3. You’re a spontaneous traveller

Shout out to the travellers who constantly stand by for cheap airfares and flight deals! You live in the moment and take any travel opportunity that’s easily available to you. You’re the kind that doesn’t strictly abide by an itinerary, schedule, and most especially — a travel bucket list. Who needs a strict bucket list when you can’t even predict where you’re travelling next? It all depends on your mood, travel buddies, and awesome flight promos! If you’re this type of traveller who likes to live on the edge, make sure to check out our regular promo announcements at Flight Deals — Philippines. 

4. You don’t like prioritising one destination over the other

To have a travel bucket list means that you rank your dream destinations according to priority. 

You don’t like that. 

For you, all destinations could be your next, depending on several different factors. All of them are equally exciting and have their fair share of thrilling attractions. Or even when one destination looks more interesting than another, you don’t force yourself to travel to the more interesting one if other places currently offer cheaper airfares or hotel promos that better fit your budget. Leaving possibilities open just makes things easier!

5. Sometimes you actually forget that a certain place is on your “list”

In the same degree that you prefer not to prioritise one destination over the other, you hardly keep track of the places you want to go to. That said, there are probably days when you still get carried away in conversation and convince, not only yourself but also your friends, that places like Bali, Istanbul, or Siem Reap are at the top of your list. 

But those days are few and far between because when it’s just you without the influence of your buddies, you’re not the type to take a travel bucket list seriously. Hence, you forget that certain places are actually on your so-called list. In the end, you’re just thankful you have the opportunity to travel, wherever it may be! 

6. You’ve never written down your travel bucket list

You’ve never put pen to paper when it comes to your bucket list. You have not even typed it down on your laptop. In other words, your list doesn’t exist, at least not literally. And anyone who’s serious about a bucket list would have a copy of it, not just in their head, in case they need to rearrange priorities, replace destinations, and satisfyingly cross them out. 

7. You tend to “cross out” destinations as you go

When in some miracle, a travel bucket list pops out of nowhere just because you want to cross out a destination, it only tells you how inconsistent you are when pursuing that list. Some people even force their list so much so that they only create it as they go, or when they’re already at a particular place. Well, it’s never too late to start your list, but that’s not how bucket lists work. You should already have the list before visiting your dream destinations. That’s the whole point of it!

8. You don’t like getting your hopes up

In a way, a travel bucket list acts like a to-do list and a wish list. It constantly reminds you that your travel goals are waiting to be fulfilled, with particular destinations next in line. So you end up conditioning your mind that your next collection of savings is going to be spent on crossing out yet another dream vacation. But we all know that this scenario is too good to be true. Life happens and you end up spending on other distractions before your trip. Travel isn’t your only guilty pleasure, after all. 

It only breaks your heart when you watch your savings dwindle right before your eyes. You have no one to blame but yourself and you know it. You end up asking yourself “When am I going to stop getting my hopes up?” I’ll tell you when — once you stop sticking to a bucket list and go with the flow. 

Also read: I Can’t Do It: 10 Signs You’re Not A Camper!

We’re all for travellers who make it their ambition to pursue travel bucket lists. These travellers are truly an inspiration and are at a level that we all aspire to reach one day. But we just want to lift the pressure off travellers who may not be meant for bucket lists too. We all fulfil our travel goals through different approaches. If you think you don’t need a travel bucket list, then scrap it. The world is your oyster!