The full list

For those who have been struggled to make sense of 'the list'.  (Admittedly writing the list in alphabetical order, then writing the blog entries in order of achievement, is confusing.)

1.        Appear in a Doctor Who story ü Achieved, with the help of the lovely Julian Glover

2.       Be a TV/film extra

3.       Buy a home (preferably by the sea) ü Achieved, hurray!

4.       Buy a piano/keyboard ü Achieved in my fortieth year, hurray!

5.       Canoe/see penguins in Antarctica

Fair to say the above is one of my more expensive and ambitious goals. Puffins on Craigleith don’t count.

6.       Drive up the coast of Western Australia, snorkel with whale sharks ü Achieved

(I missed the whale sharks by a week but, meh.)

7.       Get a rabbit - I inherited a cat. Does that count? 

8.       Achieve another qualification ü Achieved

I have gained a rather obscure MINST F (dip) which no-one bar the IoF has heard of. But I am studying for an MBA…

9.       Get something published ü Achieved

Originally I had imagined the item 'published' as being a Booker prize winning novel, but will settle for online/print articles and a regular column.

10.   Go to a festival ü Achieved

11.   Have a play performed ü Well, judge for yourselves…

12.   Learn a martial art

13.   Learn a new language ü Achieved

I learned Spanish via audiobooks, although to date it focuses around ordering wine, buying shoes and finding the toilet.

14.   Learn to fly a plane

15.   Learn to rock climb properly ü Achieved

16.   Learn to scuba dive

17.   Learn to surf

18.   Do a Nile cruise and see the pyramids in Egypt

Again, the above is more bucket list than short-term goal, especially on my salary, but it’s good to aim high.

19.   Rafting in New Zealand

20.   Run the Marathon du Medoc in France

This is the only marathon I will consider as it involves wine and nibbles. I’ve done two half marathons so far and drunk a lot of wine. Does that count?

21.   See a live volcano

22.   See an open air opera in Verona

23.   See David Bowie live L

Sadly the above is no longer possible, so I will have to make do with the wonderful V&A exhibition, fantastic album and less wonderful/fantastic tribute artist I saw.

24.   See gorillas in Rwanda

25.   See lemurs in Madagascar

26.   See orang-utans in Borneo

I did book to do the above, but then number 3, ‘buy a home’, took up all my available cash.

27.   Ski in at least 3 more countries/regions ü Achieved

Two new ski areas down plus a day of terrifying myself ski touring. Or, as I like to call it: ‘skiing uphill, followed by a long tumble back down again.’

28.   Start/run a charitable trust

29.   Swim with whales/dolphins

30.   Take part in a science experiment ü Achieved. Yes, the cheese puff experiment DOES count.

31.   Trek to Maccu Piccu

The above and the next couple below are, again, rather reliant on winning the Lottery. And I don’t play the Lottery.

32.   Visit Petra in Jordan

33.   Visit the Galapagos

34.   Walk Hadrian’s Wall

35.   Witness an eclipse ü Achieved in a very British tea-time way.

36.   Work/volunteer abroad ü Achieved

37.   Work/volunteer in an animal rescue centre

I haven’t yet followed up my certificate in advanced ‘bat rescue’.

38.   Write a science fiction novel

39.   Walk up Calton Hill ü I’d be frankly embarrassed if I’d not yet achieved this.

40.   See dolphins in Scotland ü Achieved

(I’m not sure why I didn’t put this one in alphabetical order. Meh. )