Smithsonian.com

My dream destination has always been Egypt. I want to see the pyramids, the sphinx, Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el Bahri, the Tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the Karnak and Luxor temples, Ramesses II temple at Abu Simbel, cruise the Nile river and see the treasures in the Cairo museum. But also want to see all the buildings and temples that have been built and survived from all the different time periods and experience the sights and the sounds of modern Egypt

My dream is to one day visit Italy & Paris with my husband. We have been talking about it for years but never got around to it for one reason or an other but before we become to old or to sick we would love to visit these beautiful countries.

My husband would like to see the rest of North America from Nebraska North, South, and East. Especially Washington D.C. and that area in the East. We think the history and pictures we take representing our new beginning as a free country is vital to pass on to our great grandchildren.

I too would love to visit Egypt and see all the ancient sites but would also like to see Greece & the Greek Isles.
Pat

My dream travel destination would be Europe to explore the locations that my ancestors lived in. I am an avid history buff and would love to photo document my ancestry as I learn of the culture, foods and innate beauty that each location has along the way.

It would be so hard to pick just one place! But I suppose if I had to, I'd choose Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.

I would like to return back to Mainland China (homeland of my parents) and travel from old Canton to Beijing. My parents had to leave China in the 1940's due to the political/cultural revolution...it would be wonderful to go back to see where they grew up especially after hearing their stories.

There are so many places on this earth that I want to visit. My own country, India, offers enough to last a lifetime - forests, religious places, mountains, 100s of beaches, historical places - its endless. But then I also want to visit the game sanctuaries of Africa,Masai Mara, Serengeti etc. Egypt definitely as also Morocco. There are so many countries in Europe that I am yet to experience especially Eastern Europe, not to forget Turkey. Alaska. Other than Argentina, the rest of South America is unexplored, especially the Amazon. Mexico definitely. Australia and New Zealand.

I was a ten year old still playing in a playhouse in the back woods of Mississippi. He was a brave, young, twenty year old leaving the green state of Alabama, heading across the world to places like Germany, Austria, and France.

We have been married for 29 years and this has always been my dream: to travel across the world to Europe and see the places he talks about from his Army days. To see the great art museums and architecture of Vienna...to spend the night under layers of soft goose down in a cozy room in Insbruck, and to explore the cobblestone streets feasting on beer, sausages,and pastries in Berlin.

I've experienced these places over and over again, but only in my dreams. To travel in person, with my husband before we get too old, would be truly a DREAM come true!

I would sail from one Pacific island to another, especially those less tourist oriented. I'd start in Alaska, heading south along the coast of Washington, then zigzagging from east to west through the Pacific, hopping from island to island starting with Hawaii, then the Marshall Islands, Pohnpei, Palau, Chuk, Fiji, Guam, through the Phillipines, along the asian coast to Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, down to Australia, back to New Zealand, then slowly home, heading east, visiting Easter Island, the Galapogos, then through the Panama Canal, and finally home.

Florence, Italy is my dream destination and always has been. I am a creative person, have studied art,love museums, and would love to see The David as well as all the other works of art in Florence. I am now studying to become a photographer and would love to take photos in Florence, the art center of the world.

My dream trip has always been to take a cruise the length of the Nile, to see Cairo, Luxor, Abu Simbal, the Aswan Dam. I would then like to fly to Kenya and stay at Tree Tops that overlooks the watering holes for elephants and other critters.

I very much want to see Lake Baikal before I die because it is the largest and oldest body of freshwater on the planet. I would like to see it in winter when it can be walked across, and I would like to see it in summer when it's life forms are awake. But since I can't even afford the fee for a passport, I don't suppose I every will.

Ever since I was a child, and during my 40 year career as a educator, I have been fascinated with Egypt's history and the many mysteries of that culture. I always inspired my students to be curious about their world and humanity's many civilizations. Egypt, of course, is one of the "cradles of civilization", and while I tried to encourage curiousity, ironically I have never been there other than through magazines, travel shows and the descriptive talks of speakers. As a retiree, I still long to see the wonders that inspired me as a child. I now have the time, desire and readiness to realize this dream and hope that it will "come true".

I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED TO TRAVEL. my first trip came in late 1989 when I was 59 I had my first trip overseas to England and Scotland and boy was I hooked. In the next few years I went back to england and scotland, to Europe to see Germany, switzlerland, austria, and italy. After that to Ireland, wales and england. Lastly, to france and italy. But, now I would like to go further - to Atyrau, Kazakhstan. And then to Turkey. Or to turkey first and then Kazakhstan. I have two grandchildren who are American-Kazaks who live and go to scho0l there and they want Grandma to visit them to see how they llive over there. I can't go now because I am caring for my husband who has alshimers (sp) Maybe some day!

There are many places I'd like to explore, but I'd have to say that my first choice would be New Zealand. I would love to see the highly endangered kakapo bird. My second choice would be to go to the beautiful Frasassi Caves in Italy.

Our dream trip is India, "The Land of the Spirit" which is a land of extreme contracts, the bad as well as the good. We would like to revisit northern India which is like a large open air museum where relics of their golden past have been carefully preserved.And then explore southern India which has a different heritage that is reflected in all aspects of their culture.

I would love a journey that is utterly escapist...to a place that has escaped or is minimally impacted by western pop culture icons and logos. It's not so much about the destination itself, but also the feeling of being transported back in time and being lost in that world. By preserving it's land and culture, Bhutan seems to retain unsurpassed beauty that sends the spirit soaring.

I would like to go to Buenos Aires the home of the Tango.
I would like to take my new wife there to learn to Tango.
We are both senior citizens and she loves to dance and I love adventure and new things.

I would love to go into the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico, where the indigenous people still speak Nahuatal. One of my friends has family still living there, and I promised him one day to meet them.

Thank you very much,
Billie Ruth Hopkins Furuichi

I read the dream assignments with particular interest, especially because like two of your writers, my two last trips have been to Fes, Morocco and Punjab, India. Being a Sikh from the subcontinent, it was my first visit in more than a decade and reading both stories and seeing the photos brought back some shared memories from my own journeys, as I had visited many of the same places, including Anandpur, Amritsar, Wagah, and had first entered the endless Fes medina through the Blue Gate, finding my own truths about these special places.

i WOULD LOVE TO VISIT PATAGONIA...BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION AND BECAUSE IT WOULD BE AN ADVENTURE EVEN TO GET THERE.

I've always wanted to go to Japan, and experience the bright lights, colors, sounds, and bustle of Tokyo. After reading the September issue of Smithsonian and reading Francine Prose's article, I would love to visit Japan's San-in Coast, particularly the city of Matsue, and try to experience some of the old traditions, gardens, inns, and temples. I would especially like to visit in April, for all the festivals and Buddha's birthday.

Romance,history and sunset always facinates me...seeing places in its most romantic time have alwasy been my dream...Paris,France...is where I want to be...before the sun sets I want to savour the beauty of the city...to see the Eiffel Tower with the colourful sunset behind it is a reality yet to be savoured...the love found and lost,the warmth and chills,the fun and madness, the city brings...

I would love to go back to the one place I always dreamed of going to since I was a small child and saw it written in "My Weekly Reader". Easter Island. I went in the late 80s but had broken my foot 6 wks before the trip. I would love to go back, look at those magnificent statues again, go to the school. Walk down the main street and this time stay at the local bed and breakfast rather than the hotel. And, gaze out at the ocean where you can see the curve of the earth at Breakfast.

I have traveled all over the world...one place I would like to go back to and really take pictures; and photograph the people there, faces that seem to be from Polyesia, yet I see Peru and Chile in them. People are what I photograph most often for competition at photo club.

Also, the U.S. National Parks, I just finished a few and want more. Janice

I got a dream that is getting stronger and stronger,I'd like to drive in a car from pole to pole. Starting in Alaska going down all the way to the south of Chili, as much west as possible. I know I can do it but how, I don't know yet. I think I'll just start, buy a car up there and have a housesitter for half a year. Anybody who did this already?? If so, let me know... I'm 65 now and should not wait any longer!

I have always wanted to go to England!

South Korea; in the last decade this country has produced a cultural "wave" that has swept all of Eastern Asia, and continues to set the standard for Westernizing Asian daily life while protecting their Confucian values. Known for their amazing ability to adapt the best of other cultures, while remaining the most homogeneous group of people on the planet; who wouldn't want to visit these folks? Sure I'd like a few guided tours, but a stay of less than 3 months would leave me frustrated-6 months would be better.

I always love to go Japan, especially Kamakura, the very serene and beautiful place. My most impressive memory is about the nice of people as I don't feel like a stranger there. It makes me feel safe and feel like at home though my real home is in Bangkok, Thailand. Japanese people show kindness to stranger like me even I could not speak Japanese. If you never be there please spare some money and time to go.