Name for me your Top 5 Must-See-Before-You-Die destinations

[teddyFBI]

Poker has been very good to me this past year and I'm spoiling myself with a trip around the world next summer. I'd like to elicit from you all suggestions on places to hit.

What I've seen: really not much of anything -- basically I just did the 5 weeks of Western Europe thing after I graduated from College.

What I want from you: I don't want the typical general vacation destinations; i.e. 'you've got to go to Australia, Hawaii, Thailand, etc., etc.'. I can go to Barnes+Noble and poke through the "Let's Go" section to find good travel-friendly countries. What I'm looking for is completely unique / once-in-a-lifetime traveling ideas that you think I should hit in my 6 months I'm devoting to nothing but world travel. I want some of the world's truly amazing wonders that 5 years from now, I can look back on and think -- wow, it's damn cool I was able to do that / see that at the age of 26 before I had to settle down and get a real job. Unique doesn't mean it can't be touristy...I just mean a little more specific than "oh, go to XYZ country, it's a blast." Just some examples I've already got from friends of mine that have got my juices flowing:
a) Dive the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
b) Stay at the Ice Hotel in Sweden / Arctic Circle (I'm freakin stoked about this one)
c) safari somewhere in Africa
d) Climb Machu Pichu (sp?) in Peru
e) run with the bulls in Spain
f) Carnival in Brazil

Assume that money is not a limiting factor here.

[Sykes]

Niagra Falls
Egyptian Pyramid
Great wall of china.
Grand Canyon

Uh, Vegas. Duh.

You have to go on a hot air balloon with a llama at one point during this trip.

[edtost]

Everest.

[DrunkIrish05]

If you're with some people, rent an RV and drive up and down New Zealand's South Island

If money isn't a factor spend some time in Japan. After this spend some time in rural India, or something of the likes

[Sykes]

[ QUOTE ]
Everest.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stupid question. Isn't it pointless to go here unless you can actually climb it? Isn't a mountain just a mountain? Regardless of the 8,000 ft difference from 2nd place.

Whatever, as long as you're in China, go visit Everest.

[diebitter]

1. Nicole Kidman's eyes as I get her to her happy ending
2. See 1
3. See 1
4. See 1
5. See 1

And the next night, I'd like to see...

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Everest.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stupid question. Isn't it pointless to go here unless you can actually climb it? Isn't a mountain just a mountain? Regardless of the 8,000 ft difference from 2nd place.

Whatever, as long as you're in China, go visit Everest.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, i was voting for the "climb it" option. sorry that wasn't clear.

[TheWorstPlayer]

On your list, I have dived the GBR and gone on Safari in several different African countries. Both of those are absolutely incredible. For African safari, I would personally suggest the Okavango Delta in Botswana but any of the lodges in the Sabi Sand reserve in South Africa are also incredible. And Masai Mara, Ngoro Ngoro, Chobi, and many other places are also great. But the first ones are my top picks. Yes, I've been on many safaris. Also, scuba diving with sharks (which is available in many places but I have done it in South Africa) is absolutely incredible.

Other things high on my list of things to do include:
1. Pyramids
2. Kilimanjaro
3. Nepal
4. Antarctica
5. Whale migration to Northern Alaska

Also, there are a lot of things to do in Australia/New Zealand which are really awesome other than the GBR. For instance, NZ is one of the world's hot spots for extreme adventures. Things like helirafting are really awesome. You should definitely check that stuff out. I'm so jealous.