09Oct 2024 by Dave Macleod 1 Comment
Revamping Some Old Ambitions

Revamping Some Old Ambitions

GENERAL
On my recent holiday to Fiji, to cross off #88 Swim with Sharks, I began to read through my list again. It had been a while, at least four years, from around the time that Covid started. I shifted my focus away from the bucket list during this period, for obvious reasons. I knew travel wasn’t going to be possible for a while, so I dove into other activities in New Zealand. Also, these past four years have been extremely busy for me at work and with my studies. I helped my bosses to expand and establish their company in the Central North region of New Zealand and managed to leverage that to complete a Master of Applied Management. Booking the trip to Fiji was designed to help reinvigorate my…
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25Sep 2024 by Dave Macleod No Comments
#88 Swim With Sharks

#88 Swim With Sharks

BUCKET LIST
This bucket list item was completed on 26th August 2024 in Shark Reef, Pacific Harbour, Fiji. Between 2010 and 2020, I managed to complete at least one item from my bucket list each year, but often many. Then someone ate some medium-rare bat meat and the whole world shut down, and so did my bucket listing. The last item I completed in 2020 was #98 Go BASE Jumping. Little did I know that this was going to spark a passion like I have never had for another activity. So, while the world was shut down, I chose more adventures within New Zealand and prioritised BASE jumping as much as I could. Also, in the years between 2020-2024 I found myself on a couple big, multi-year projects, which kept me busy.…
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15Jul 2020 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#65 Lesson] Variety in Adventure

[#65 Lesson] Variety in Adventure

BUCKET LIST, LESSON
This life lesson relates to my previous blog post #65 Go Whitewater Rafting. When I crossed #65 off my list, it was the first time I had ever been whitewater rafting. The only other time was last year, with my mum, along the Grand Canyon. Both were whitewater rafting tours, but they were vastly different. The Kaituna River experience was short, only 50 minutes long, but it was packed with Grade 5 rapids and a huge 7 metre waterfall. The Grand Canyon was a 4‑day adventure with up to 8 hours on the river each day. We only tackled Grade 3 & 4 rapids on this trip and the scenery was the total opposite of the New Zealand bush along the Kaituna. Kaituna River The thing is, both were amazing…
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11Mar 2020 by Dave Macleod No Comments
The Adventure Gene

The Adventure Gene

GENERAL, INFORMATION
Have you heard of DRD4-7R? Probably not. It is better known as the adventure gene or the wanderlust gene. DRD4 is a receptor that controls the dopamine levels in our brain. Dopamine is a chemical that is released when we experience something that we enjoy, which is what gives us the feeling of reward or pleasure. For some people, dopamine can be released from something as easy as enjoying their favourite food or just enjoying a sunny day. However, some people have lower sensitivities to dopamine, which means it takes more for them to feel reward or pleasure. Extreme sports athletes come to mind when I think of lower sensitivity to dopamine levels. These are the athletes who are chasing 100-foot waves, skiing down near-vertical rock faces and flying their…
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23Oct 2019 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#89 Lesson] Seek Out Odd Adventures

[#89 Lesson] Seek Out Odd Adventures

INFORMATION, LESSON, TRAVEL
This life lesson relates to my previous blog #89 Go Zorbing. Not many people know about “zorbing” outside of New Zealand. Most people have the same response when they see that item on my list. “Zorbing? What’s zorbing?” I usually say “Have you ever seen videos of people jumping inside of a giant beach ball and rolling down a hill?” They always respond with “Ohhhhh yes of course, that looks so fun!” People don’t know the term, but they know the activity. Zorbing Ever since I was a kid I have always kept an eye out for odd and crazy adventures, and zorbing is a prime example of that. The classic bucket list adventures like walking on the Great Wall of China and seeing the Pyramids of Giza are great…
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21Nov 2018 by Dave Macleod No Comments
[#38 Lesson] Cherish Adventures with Your Close Friends

[#38 Lesson] Cherish Adventures with Your Close Friends

BUCKET LIST, LESSON, TRAVEL
This life lesson relates to my previous blog #38 Eat at a White Castle Restaurant. During this adventure I flew to Florida with two of my closest friends, Dave and Branden. The purpose of the trip was to buy a BMW and drive it back to Canada. On paper, the task sounded easy but we had to overcome multiple challenges and worked together to make it happen. A combination of time pressure and a Category 3 hurricane made our trip even more exciting. I have known Dave and Branden since I was five years old and grew up on the same street as them. We have always been close friends but it seems like every time we go on an adventure, we become closer. This was not our first adventure…
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24Oct 2018 by Dave Macleod No Comments
#38 Eat at a White Castle Restaurant

#38 Eat at a White Castle Restaurant

BUCKET LIST, TRAVEL
This bucket list item was completed on 26th August 2011 in Green Brook Township, New Jersey, USA. The idea for this bucket list item came directly from the 2004 movie, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. For those of you who are not familiar with this movie, I will elaborate. The movie follows the epic journey of two party animals who spend their night in search of their next fix, White Castle hamburgers. White Castle is known for being open late and their $1 sliders. The movie is filled with humour and life lessons and has become a bit of a cult classic for my generation. When I added this item to the list I thought it would be a funny achievement to eat at a White Castle restaurant…
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