A retrospective 40 before 40
It seems to be somewhat of a tradition to write a 40 before 40 list. As I’m approaching my 40th year (I’ll be 39 in a few months), I started thinking about what I’d put on my list. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that there’s not much I want to do that I haven’t already done.
I’m at a stage in my life where a lot of exciting adventures are on hold. The children aren’t old enough to join in and I don’t want to leave them for that long. But for the first 18 years of my own life, I didn’t do much either. So, 40 isn’t a significant number for me. I still have a few things I want to do which I’ll list at the end of the post, but there’s no rush. I’ve lived life to the full so far, and I don’t intend to stop now.
40 things I’ve done
- Skydive
- Flying lessons
- Indoor skydive
- Hot air balloon ride (with random strangers I came across in a field)
- Sleep in a hammock in the rainforest
- Visit an unusual destination (Venezuela)
- See the area my ancestors came from (Black Forest in Germany)
- Run a marathon
- Run an ultra marathon
- Do a triathlon
- Swim 10km
- Swim across the Solent
- Swim in a river with piranhas
- Swim in a British river in Winter
- See monkeys and sloths in the wild
- Travel on my own
- Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef
- Cage dive with great white sharks
- See Angel Falls
- Go up Table Mountain
- Swim with wild dolphins
- Watch an event at the Olympics
- Go to the Rugby World Cup
- Gallop a horse along a beach
- Eat at a 3 Michelin star restaurant
- Whale watching
- See kiwis in the wild
- Become a mum
- Watch a basketball match in New York
- White water rafting
- Sail around the Whitsundays
- Live abroad
- Go to Disneyland
- Visit Rome
- Drive off road
- Learn to ride a motorbike
- Fly in a helicopter
- Learn to Stand up Paddle board (SUP)
- See the Hollywood sign
- Visit Tokyo
What’s next?
I’m not pressuring myself into doing anything else before I’m 40. Everything will happen when its supposed to. Take it from someone who once started the day digging a vegetable patch in a field and ended up in a hot air balloon. But there are a few more experiences I’m keen to add to my list.
- Swim with whale sharks
- See the aurora
- Do an Ironman triathlon
- Swim the channel
- Cycle Land’s End to John O’Groats
- Go on a cruise
- Explore Canada and America off the beaten track
- Go skiing and snowboarding
- Go hang gliding
- Take several months out to travel around Europe
What was the most amazing experience of your life so far? I’d love to add a few more ideas to my to-do list.
Oh wow! You have done some amazing things! That is so so cool. It’s inspired me to think about the amazing things I’ve done. I have snorkelled with whale sharks and that was an insanely amazing experience. They really are enormous.
Ahh I’m so jealous that you’ve been so close to whale sharks, that’s probably top of my list of things I want to do. It’s also very definitely on hold until the children get a bit older, not least because Libby is insisting that she’s doing it with me and I don’t want her doing it until she’s a bit bigger!
Nat.x
Wow! You have done a lot and had some amazing adventures. What you have done is a bucket list for most people. x
Thank you, I’ve been very lucky.
Nat.x
Wow, you have done a lot with your life! Of those, I’ve become a mum, visited Rome and watched an event at the Olympics. And I’ve been to Disney, but only in Paris! If you manage to do it, swimming the Channel will surely be your most amazing achievement. And if anyone can do it, you can!
Ahh thank you. I’m sure you’ve done lots of things that I haven’t done as well. I’m not sure I’ll ever do the channel. Ironically not because I couldn’t swim it, I’m certain I could. But it’s actually so expensive that I can only dream of being able to afford it!
Nat.x
Wow you’ve done so many amazing things already! I think my best experience was climbing Sydney bridge, that was amazing x
Oh, that must be incredible! I have been there but didn’t do the climb, I bet it is a fantastic experience.
Nat.x
I love this so much Natalie – you have lead such a full life already. It made me laugh that ‘go on a cruise’ is on your list still to do – it’s positively boring compared to the rest! x
Ahh thanks! Oh no, are cruises boring? That’s really disappointing, they sound like loads of fun!
Nat.x
Wow how amazing – you have done so many wonderful things. Indoor skydiving wasn’t for me but at least I tried it (for 20 seconds).
My boys have not long learned to ski – maybe I should get them snowboarding lessons next!
Ahh thank you. Snowboard lessons are a great idea, it’s definitely good to get them snowboarding while they’re young.
Nat.x