Photographic Travel Review of 2020

2020 has been a year like no other. The Covid19 pandemic has affected all of our lives in so many ways. Non-essential travel has come to a standstill to curve the spread of the virus. But, it didn’t completely stop my search for adventure. I was fortunate enough to get one international trip in before the world was locked down. I also did the best I could to quench my hunger for adventure with local hikes and a long road trip through the American Southwest.

.

COSTA RICA

During the first week of February, Covid19 was just slowly making its way out of China as I made my way to Costa Rica. This was my 2nd trip to Costa Rica and I decided to visit the Caribbean side of the country. It’s less visited by tourist and the little towns and beautiful beaches have a more intimate feel to them. I also spent some time in the city of San Jose and explored the rainforest around the city.

.

.

LOCAL HIKES

Covid19 forced all the countries in the world to close in the Spring of 2020 and I had to cancel all my travel plans. I was down but I wasn’t out as I hiked some local trails to occupy my time. It was not as picturesque as some parts of the country but I made the most of it. I even got this great sunset photo on a trail just a two minute drive away from my home. And, the high temperatures of the Southern California summer made for a perfect excuse to hike at the beach that the area is known for.  

.

.

UTAH ROAD TRIP

As the end of summer neared, the pandemic was slowing down so I made plans to take a road trip to Utah’s Mighty 5. The states famed five national parks. The first week of October, I was on my way through America’s beautiful Southwest. I took several precautions, mentioned on my previous post, as I traveled and I still had an amazing time. I also squeezed in a visit to St. George and the town of Escalante.  This adventurous jaunt definitely lived up to my pre-pandemic travels as I saw some amazing landscapes. During the trip, I pushed myself on some amazing hikes as well.

.

.

The virus would surge again through the country and travel came to a standstill again after my road trip. In retrospect, I didn’t put in as many air miles as my normal year but I still had some great experiences and even more amazing photos. I don’t know how long this pandemic will last. I do know that I will continue to adapt and seek adventure. If it persists, I’ll look to explore more of  this wonderful country by road and visit its many beautiful national parks. Who knows, maybe I’ll run into you on the road.

Be safe everyone!

.

.

.