Seven Wonders. Eight Years.
A goal that took me around the world.
I’ve always needed a goal. Something to work toward, a little structure, a reason to start planning what comes next.
In 2015, I visited the Colosseum. The following year, I saw Chichén Itzá and the Great Wall of China. Somewhere after that third wonder, an idea formed: if I’d already seen three, could I see the other four?
That question became a goal. It took me to India, Peru, Jordan, and finally Brazil, where I completed the list in 2023. Seven wonders, eight years, and plenty of life happening in between.
During this journey, I experienced a lot of firsts. Hopefully, one day I’ll find the courage to share some of them. For now, here’s what it was like to visit each wonder.
The Journey
01 · The Colosseum
Italy · 2015
The moment
I first saw the Colosseum at night. It was enormous, ancient, and hard to take in. I kept thinking that I was looking at the same structure Romans had seen so many years before me.
I was going through personal struggles on that trip, standing at a crossroads in my own life. Next to that incredible architecture, I felt small.
My verdict
Worth seeing twice: illuminated at night, then during a daytime tour when you can explore and understand more of it.
My tip
Do both. But skip the restaurants around it.
02 · Chichén Itzá
Mexico · 2016
The moment
In photographs, Chichén Itzá was my least favorite. Visiting it completely changed my perspective.
The clapping acoustics, the precision of the construction, and the explanations of how the architecture relates to the sun and moon were nothing short of amazing. The photographs showed me a building. The visit helped me understand why it was a wonder.
My verdict
Far more impressive in person, especially when you understand the history behind what you’re seeing.
My tip
Take a guided tour. If you want to understand the Maya people who built this place and what makes it extraordinary, the explanations make all the difference.
03 · The Great Wall of China
China · 2016, revisited in 2019
The moment
I remember thinking we would get there and walk the Wall from end to end. That plan did not survive seeing it.
The scale leaves you wondering how humans could accomplish such a feat. China also gave me that unmistakable feeling of being far from home, with culture shock around every corner. It made me fall in love with Asia.
My verdict
One visit wasn’t enough. I’ve been twice, and it still makes me wonder how they did it.
My tip
Take the lift if you aren’t up for the climb. There are no brownie points for taking the stairs.
04 · The Taj Mahal
India · 2018
The moment
The Taj Mahal is my definition of majestic. Nothing I had seen in the Americas prepared me for it.
Understanding why it was built made the experience emotional. At the time, I was caught in a gut-wrenching love story that wouldn’t move forward but wouldn’t quite end either. Standing before this monument to love touched something personal.
My verdict
You have to see it with your own eyes. Photographs cannot fully explain what it feels like to stand there.
My tip
I didn’t feel a guide was necessary to appreciate it. A good camera, however, is worth bringing for all those details.
05 · Machu Picchu
Peru · 2019
The moment
Peru was my first solo trip, and it made me fall in love with traveling on my own terms.
Then there was Machu Picchu, sitting on a mountain and making me briefly reconsider the possibility of aliens. How did the Incas build this up here?
I took the train, and the journey itself was amazing. Add Peruvian food, still number one in my book, and this trip had plenty going for it.
My verdict
An extraordinary place on a trip that changed how I wanted to travel.
My tip
Book your entry tickets ahead. I didn’t hike, but everyone I met who had done it spoke highly of the experience. The train was a wonderful option for me.
06 · Petra
Jordan · 2022
The moment
Jordan was my first group travel experience. Petra surprised me because it is so much more than the famous façade everyone photographs. Petra is an entire city.
Once you walk through the canyon, there is so much to explore, with buildings and viewpoints that keep changing your perspective. I also climbed to the Monastery. Those stairs are no joke, but reaching it was absolutely worth the effort.
My verdict
The Treasury is only the beginning. Exploring beyond it was what made Petra so impressive.
My tip
Be prepared for a demanding climb if you want to reach the Monastery. I chose not to ride the donkeys because I didn’t like how I saw them being treated.
07 · Christ the Redeemer
Brazil · 2023
The moment
Christ the Redeemer was a beautiful final stop, although it was the least impressive of the seven for me. It didn’t give me the same sense of history or significance that I felt at the others.
My visit was quick and crowded. The viewing platform is close to the statue, which also made getting the photographs I wanted difficult. Beautiful nonetheless, and Brazil is a very fun country.
My verdict
A gorgeous statue, even if it wasn’t my favorite wonder. It was also where I finished the goal.
My tip
Expect crowds and tricky photo angles. Give yourself time to enjoy Brazil beyond this one stop.
Seven out of seven.
Google says fewer than 0.001% of people have visited all seven. I don’t know how accurate that estimate is, but finishing the list felt surreal.
I had experienced every one while young and healthy, and I felt proud and incredibly fortunate to have turned that little “could I?” into something I actually did.
Eight years earlier, I had stood beside the Colosseum at a crossroads. Now I was in Brazil, with all seven behind me and a whole world still ahead.
If you’re wondering what happened to that relationship, it ended. Thankfully.
And I grew up. Every country got a different version of me. Between the first wonder and the last, I took my first solo trip, joined my first group tour, and fell in love with traveling on my own terms.
Naturally, finishing one goal meant I needed another. As I approach 40, I’m working toward visiting 40 countries. Apparently, I still need structure. My goals just keep requiring plane tickets.