My top 10 adventure destinations after 13 years of travel, 90 countries and 7 continents

Not true, Bora Bora was by far my least favorite island in French Polynesia :))

For as long as I can remember I've dreamt about the most impossible adventures in some of earth's remotest locations. Unbelievably (by today's standards) the reason for this was not getting that perfect shot in front of God knows what "instagramable" attraction (there was no Instagram back then or, if there was, I was probably the last person to find out), nor doing the silliest, most unnatural looking poses in my shiny new curtain-like dress, not even taking a selfie in front of that attraction after spending an hour or so in a never-ending queue of equally "travel-loving" adventurers, for whom "picture or it didn't happen" is probably the only thinkable life motto (until recently I did not even have a proper camera, so most of my travel pictures from earlier years are blurry or unworthy of attention). I have to mention it would have been difficult to be a part of all this anyway, as most destinations on my "bucket list" were largely unheard of and by no means as popular as social media and travelers' cliches have made some of them today. It's hard to believe, but sadly oh so true how much harm 10 or more years gone by can bestow upon previously pristine and rarely (if ever) visited destinations and I would not have believed it myself had I not seen it happening with my own eyes.

Sadness aside, I've had my share of fabulous adventures, and most of them I know will linger with me my whole life, for luckily they have transcended the border between obsession and reality. Funny thing is - as most of you might have discovered yourselves by now - the "bucket list" never gets any shorter, it is as if for every checked-off item there are at least 3-4 others just waiting to take its place. Anyway, until my next (right now only imagined) 212347435854645 adventures will see the light of day, here's my "top 10 destinations" for you all adventure-loving people out there, actually for those select few of you who know what it means to dream about a place - one that you've only read about, but read so much it feels you've already been there - your whole life until one blessed day it finally unfolds before your very eyes!

For obvious reasons (these sorts of tops tend to change all the time, if not in terms of content itself at least in terms of positions occupied by the items they are made up of) I have chosen to list the proposed destinations in alphabetical order. 

ANTARCTICA

Romantic polar plunge :)

Highlight of the trip: the polar plunge.


ARGENTINA

Kissing sea lions showing off

Highlight of the trip: kayaking with sea lions in Patagonia.


AUSTRALIA

Little did I know I would soon swim with them in Moorea

Highlight(s) of the trip(s): holding a koala, watching my first humpbacks breach, taking a selfie with world's happiest animal, the quokka, as well as with countless kangaroos.


CANADA

What were the odds of having these two awesome creatures in the same pic?

This has to be my favorite animal in the whole wide world (for now)

Highlight of the trips: seeing polar bears in the wild and falling head over heels in love with arctic foxes.


FAROE ISLANDS

Still pretty wild when we were there (not so much nowadays)

I bow before you, Your Fluffy Puffin-ness! :D

Highlight of the trip: tracking puffins on Mykines island.



FRENCH POLYNESIA

On the lookout for stingrays and eagle rays in Bora Bora 

A humpback whale and its beautiful calf (on their way to Antarctica)

Highlight of the trip: swimming with humpback whales in Moorea as well as with stingrays, eagle and manta rays in Bora Bora.


GREENLAND

Helicopter flight over glaciers

Airplane safari 

Highlight of the trip: flying over the icecap and glaciers.


MAURITIUS

No comment (none needed)

Highlight of the trips: swimming with dolphins and turtles.


SRI LANKA

Not the emptiest beaches, but some of the finest in terms of waves and scenery

Bigger than the boat: a blue whale :)

Highlight of the trip: (blue) whale watching.


UGANDA

The crested crane - Uganda's national emblem

Nothing like a silverback staring at you :)

Highlight(s) of the trip: rhino walking safari, Nile river safari, tracking chimps and mountain gorillas in Uganda's impenetrable forests.

For more pictures check out the Romanian version of this article here.