# Things to do/see before you die
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [February 20, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954 "2007-02-20T13:12:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Zerc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zerc)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/1 "2007-02-20T13:12:55Z")
Do any other Dopers also have a mental list of things that you would like to do or see before you die? Some of them may be easy to accomplish while others may be more difficult or even just pipe-dreams. Some of mine are things that I have done that at the time did not seem too note-worthy but now I am personally proud to have accomplished them. If you do have such a list please share. As well as being interesting some of your ideas may help me add to my list.
Some of mine are -
Go bungee jumping - done
Go parachuting - plan to do it someday
Travel to all the continents - Busy with it , Antarctica may be a problem.
See the Taj Mahal - plan to do it someday as part of a bigger visit
See the Great Wall of China - plan to do it someday as part of a bigger visit
Complete a Marathon - done
Go Scuba Diving - done and will continue with it.
Climb Mount Kilimanjaro - not yet
Go abseiling - done
See a total solar eclipse - done but I’d love to be able to do that again
Tour some of the world on a motorbike - probably just a dream
Tour Alaska - no definite plans but would like to do it
See the Himalayas - will probably never happen but would nice if it does
See the Northern Lights - no definite plans but hopefully I will be in a position to see them someday.
---
### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/2 "2007-02-20T15:17:37Z")
[QUOTE=Zerc]
See the Northern Lights - no definite plans but hopefully I will be in a position to see them someday.
[/QUOTE]
I’ll have to file this under “so close!” My friends had a prime view of a skyful of these a couple of years ago but did they call me and tell me to come over? Nah. So I slept through it. :smack:
I’d like to see Greece and swim in that blue blue water.
---
### Author:  [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/3 "2007-02-20T16:21:12Z")
There should be more to the human experience than just seeing some pretty sights or doing some extreeme sports.
How about learning about some key human intellectual acheivements?
I think everybody aught to read a book on general relativity and a book on quantum mechanics before they die (written for non-experts or practitioners of the field). Perhaps others will have suggestions for other fields.
---
### Author:  [@Zerc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zerc)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/4 "2007-02-20T17:04:44Z")
[QUOTE=Balduran]
There should be more to the human experience than just seeing some pretty sights or doing some extreeme sports.
How about learning about some key human intellectual acheivements?
I think everybody aught to read a book on general relativity and a book on quantum mechanics before they die (written for non-experts or practitioners of the field). Perhaps others will have suggestions for other fields.
[/QUOTE]
I’ve read a few books on Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, next I want to start learning a bit about genetics.
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### Author:  [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/5 "2007-02-20T20:09:13Z")
I’d like to travel, although I don’t have a written list. I haven’t been able to travel much in my life and there are so many places I want to go before I die.
I’d also like to have a few grandchildren to spoil and a have a book published. The grandchildren one I’m working on (I had several children so at least one ought to comply) the book thing, not so much. 😉
---
### Author:  [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/6 "2007-02-20T21:06:34Z")
I want to see tons of the pretty sights in the world, but on a more personal level, I want to:
Learn to make pie crust like my Mom’s
Learn enough sewing to do minor alterations and repairs on my own clothes
Learn enough about basic plumbing and electrical work to fix stuff around the house
Raise some kids and watch them grow up
Get something published in my field
Own a home
Maintain a pretty garden
Learn a new language (I’m thinking maybe German)
Keep a diary for an extended period (not the two months at a time I’ve been managing)
Read every book on my “must read” list - which keeps getting longer!
Go on at least one long road trip
---
### Author:  [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/7 "2007-02-20T22:14:19Z")
On a lighter note, here are [40 things every drunkard should do before he dies](http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issues/01-04/01-04-40-things.htm). I’ve done 11 of them, myself.
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/8 "2007-02-20T22:19:38Z")
See Naples.
Oh hold on, I’ve SEEN Naples. _keels over_
---
### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/9 "2007-02-20T23:02:33Z")
[QUOTE=mrklutz]
On a lighter note, here are [40 things every drunkard should do before he dies](http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issues/01-04/01-04-40-things.htm). I’ve done 11 of them, myself.
[/QUOTE]
I think I’m up to 13 items from that list. Maybe 14, but I’m not sure that I’ve tried a full hundred different drinks.
I had to raise the number by one, forgot that I have both opened and closed a bar. It’s not quite as bad as it sounds, since the place didn’t open till 5pm and closed at 230am.
---
### Author:  [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/10 "2007-02-20T23:48:16Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01]
I think I’m up to 13 items from that list. Maybe 14, but I’m not sure that I’ve tried a full hundred different drinks.
[/QUOTE]
I’m up to 12 or so, but I’m not sure about the 100 different drinks. I guess that would depend on how you define the drinks. I’m thinking I may or may not have opened and closed a bar and drank until sunrise (does this mean you have to watch the sunrise? If not, I have done this for sure.).
I’ve done my share of traveling, but I’d still like to see the Taj Mahal, go trekking in Nepal, go to the Hermitage, and go to Antarctica (the only continent I haven’t made it to). Obviously, there’s a ton of other traveling that I need to do, but I suppose those are among the top ten.
I still need to get a patent, get a book published and seduce someone way out of my league.
---
### Author:  [@nongoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nongoog)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/11 "2007-02-20T23:56:36Z")
Before I die, I’d like to see all my enemies die first! One by one.
Seeing as how I’m relatively young, this should be a hum-zinger-hoo.
---
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/12 "2007-02-21T00:05:15Z")
[QUOTE=Zerc]
Do any other Dopers also have a mental list of things that you would like to do or see before you die? Some of them may be easy to accomplish while others may be more difficult or even just pipe-dreams. Some of mine are things that I have done that at the time did not seem too note-worthy but now I am personally proud to have accomplished them. If you do have such a list please share. As well as being interesting some of your ideas may help me add to my list.
Some of mine are -
Go bungee jumping - done
Go parachuting - plan to do it someday
Travel to all the continents - Busy with it , Antarctica may be a problem.
See the Taj Mahal - plan to do it someday as part of a bigger visit
See the Great Wall of China - plan to do it someday as part of a bigger visit
Complete a Marathon - done
Go Scuba Diving - done and will continue with it.
Climb Mount Kilimanjaro - not yet
Go abseiling - done
See a total solar eclipse - done but I’d love to be able to do that again
Tour some of the world on a motorbike - probably just a dream
Tour Alaska - no definite plans but would like to do it
See the Himalayas - will probably never happen but would nice if it does
See the Northern Lights - no definite plans but hopefully I will be in a position to see them someday.
[/QUOTE]
I’ve gone parachuting (static line only, no free-fall), seen the Great Wall, seen a total solar eclipse and seen the Himalayas. The first time I ever saw a list like this, “live in a foreign country” was on it, and I’ve certainly done that.
Here’s a neat little list, the top 1000 Wonders of the World. Try going through that:
[http://www.hillmanwonders.com/top1000/index.htm](http://www.hillmanwonders.com/top1000/index.htm)
On his Top 100 list, I’ve seen 3 of the top 10:
> **[Top 100 Hillman Wonders of the World - Rankings you can trust](http://www.hillmanwonders.com/index.htm#_vtop)**
>
> The top 100 wonders of the world - ranked by Howard Hillman - the world's leading wonder authority
---
### Author:  [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/13 "2007-02-21T01:00:08Z")
See the Golden Gate Bridge, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades
March in protest
Dance in a recital
Deliver a eulogy
Win a trophy
Have your letter to the editor published in the New York Times
Shake hands with a presidential candidate
Travel overseas
Sell a piece of your artwork to a complete stranger
See a favorite band from your youth, performing 20 years later
Teach a class
Be on TV
Forgive a parent in time to start a new relationship
Perform Mozart’s _Requiem_ with a full orchestra and chorus, in a packed cathedral
Help a stranger who’s just been the victim of a terrible mishap
---
### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/14 "2007-02-21T01:04:50Z")
I would like to say something and be completely understood.
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### Author:  [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/15 "2007-02-21T01:10:27Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam]
On his Top 100 list, I’ve seen 3 of the top 10:
> **[Top 100 Hillman Wonders of the World - Rankings you can trust](http://www.hillmanwonders.com/index.htm#_vtop)**
>
> The top 100 wonders of the world - ranked by Howard Hillman - the world's leading wonder authority
[/QUOTE]
That’s a neat list! I can claim 9 of them.
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### Author:  [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/16 "2007-02-21T01:16:16Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal]
I would like to say something and be completely understood.
[/QUOTE]
What do you mean?
😃
---
### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/17 "2007-02-21T04:09:38Z")
Get married.
That’s it. I have no other ambitions. Everything else that I’d like to do, I could either do or not do with equanimity.
Now, where’s that pesky groom?
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### Author:  [@29car](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/29car)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/18 "2007-02-21T04:11:45Z")
Diane Lane.
---
### Author:  [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/19 "2007-02-21T09:03:28Z")
[QUOTE=SiamSam]
> **[Top 100 Hillman Wonders of the World - Rankings you can trust](http://www.hillmanwonders.com/index.htm#_vtop)**
>
> The top 100 wonders of the world - ranked by Howard Hillman - the world's leading wonder authority
[/QUOTE]
I’ve seen 42 of the top 100. I kicked ass at first as I’ve seen 14 of the top 16.
**Fessie** , which one are you missing? I haven’t seen the pyramids nor the Taj Mahal.
Of the OP’s wish list I’ve done bungee jumping, parachuting, Scuba Diving, and seen a total solar eclipse.
And I gotta tell ya, if you ever get a chance to see a total eclipse of the sun, DO IT. I’m supposed to go and see one in North Carolina in 2012. I saw one in 1991, and my friend bought some land where the one in NC is supposed to happen. It’s that spectacular!
---
### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2007, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-see-before-you-die/392954/20 "2007-02-21T09:16:26Z")
[QUOTE=Balduran]
There should be more to the human experience than just seeing some pretty sights or doing some extreeme sports.
How about learning about some key human intellectual acheivements?
I think everybody aught to read a book on general relativity and a book on quantum mechanics before they die (written for non-experts or practitioners of the field). Perhaps others will have suggestions for other fields.
[/QUOTE]
Ah, but I already read Einstein and got the MS in Quantum Chemistry… _gets her (sun)glasses on so she can push them up her nose, all nerdy-like_
Stuff I’d like to do some day:
- parapente (have done parachute)
- get a pilot’s license
- get a diagnosis for some “minor medical problems” I’d had for 23 years
- see more of Italy. Specifically more of the parts that you don’t see from the tourist bus. Like Spain, Italy has so much to see that it simply doesn’t fit into the guidebooks.
- visit Zebiya (called Sevilla by the rest of the world ;)), Toledo, Córdoba and Cádiz.
- visit Cartagena de Indias.
- visit Moscow and StPete.
- visit New Orleans (the only “missing” I’ve got for the USA)
- go back to Puebla, Segovia and Granada.
- go to Olite. Go to Olite again. Go more to Olite. Damnit, why don’t they just sell pieces of the palace, eh? Hey, Navarrese Guvmint, I want a timeshare in Olite!
- buy/redo the flat of my dreams
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