Megan Sullivan had wanted to see the New Seven Wonders of the World for years. After a difficult period in 2014, she and Chris McNamara turned the idea into an unusually concentrated journey: seven famous places in 13 days.
The story became widely known in 2015. Its appeal is understandable—a long-held wish finally became a real trip—but the most useful inspiration is the act of choosing something meaningful, rather than the speed at which every stop was completed.
The events behind Sullivan’s decision
In a June 2015 interview with ABC News, Sullivan described a climbing fall, a road accident and a skin-cancer diagnosis in November 2014. The report states that the cancer was treated with minor surgery. The journey began in late December.
Her experience is a personal account. It does not mean that travel treats cancer or that somebody facing illness should respond with an ambitious itinerary. Different people need different things, including treatment, rest, support or simply time at home.
The New Seven Wonders on the itinerary
The trip followed the modern New Seven Wonders selection: Chichén Itzá, Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, the Colosseum, Petra, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China. This is distinct from the ancient Seven Wonders list.
Each place represents far more than a photograph. Archaeology, architecture, religious meaning and the surrounding communities all deserve attention, and no single checklist can capture everything that makes them interesting.
What the thirteen-day challenge involved
Sullivan’s journey was built around the challenge of fitting the places into the time available. That makes for a compelling story, but it also creates dependencies between flights, transfers and admission arrangements.
For your own trip, ask whether completing a list is really the experience you want. If your favourite part is exploring slowly, a smaller selection may deliver much more enjoyment. You can admire somebody else’s challenge without adopting it as your standard.
Choosing the place that matters most to you
Choose the place that interests you most and write down why. Is it the history, the architecture, the landscape or a personal connection? Let that answer guide the time you give it.
Start with a practical guide, such as Machu Picchu or Chichén Itzá, then work outward to transport, a suitable base and the days around the visit. Check current access and bookings rather than borrowing an itinerary from 2014.
Time between the landmarks
The moment of deciding can be energising, but the holiday happens in the ordinary hours between landmarks too. Allow for meals, rest, conversation and the chance to notice something you did not put on the list.
Our guide to enjoying trip preparation can help turn a distant idea into something you look forward to. The meaningful step is making a plan that fits your life, at a pace you can actually enjoy.
A personal journey and a pace of your own
The photographs connect seven very different places through Sullivan’s presence, which gives the journey a personal thread. They also compress the less visible hours: getting between airports and accommodation, waiting, resting and arranging the next entry. The thirteen-day total describes the challenge she chose, while a picture at one monument records only a small part of that day. Both can be true without making the pace a model for every visitor.
A useful way to borrow the idea is to make a short list of places that matter to you, then write one question beside each. What would you want to understand there, beyond obtaining a photograph? The answer may suggest a guided visit, time with a site’s interpretation or an extra day in the surrounding town. Sullivan and Chris McNamara’s concentrated journey is one approach to a long-held wish. Your version can keep the purpose while allowing a very different timetable.
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