Photographic Travel Review of 2022

Travel during 2022 was still full of constraints but it did get a lot easier toward the last half of the year. I was still content to travel within the United States as I did the previous year. There are so many beautiful locations within the US and I had two trips planned within the first half of the year. As the Covid vaccine became more accessible throughout the world, countries relaxed their Covid travel restrictions in the last half of the year. Just in time, as my passport was yearning for another stamp. And, I made the most of it by traveling to one of the most beautiful location in the world, Bora Bora.

Puerto Rico

The year started quickly with a tropical trip to Puerto Rico. It checked all the boxes for me since it was still within the US territory and a sunny adventurous destination. Covid restrictions where still in place but it just took a little effort to overcome. I spent a week in the city of San Juan. A perfect place to soak up the food, culture and sun with its beautiful beaches. Old San Juan is a beautiful place to wander and see the history of Puerto Rico. I also did a day trip to do some canyoneering through Arenales Canyon, hiking and swimming through a pristine canyon. They say the best beaches are on the west coast of Puerto Rico so I also did a day trip to that end of the island. Not only did I experience the beaches of the area, I also saw an amazing sunset.

Red Rock Canyon

The spring brought a quick day visit to California’s Red Rock Canyon. Just about every state in the west has a state park named Red Rock Canyon. This one is less famous but has been more visible and featured in multiple commercials and movies. The canyons in the park are unique to each other and are a magnificent example of the beauty nature can produce.

Southwest Road Trip

May would bring a much anticipated trip through the Florida Keys, something I’d wanted to do since I was young. Unfortunately, I contracted inflamed asthma and I had to postpone my holiday. I had gotten better by the end of the month and decided to do a last minute road trip through the southwest. Something I had done before. I visited the famed Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks. But, my favorite part of the trip was the visit to Monument Valley where I got to see the valley by horseback. The valley has been featured in multiple old west movies that I’ve seen as a child it was great to get out there and relive all those memories.

Grand Canyon

Monument Valley

Zion National Park

Morro Bay

The middle of summer brought a road trip to California’s central coast. I’d been here before with my family so I invited my brother and his family, along with my mother, to Morro Bay. This time, I got to do some more adventurous things such as hiking the amazing Montana de Oro State Park and I kayaked Morro Bay.

Expedition French Polynesia

Summer quickly turned to fall and the world had loosened it’s requirements for travel. By then I was definitely longing for an international destination. And, it doesn’t get much better than French Polynesia and the island of Bora Bora. But, before I visited one of the most desired location on earth, I made my way through Tahiti and Moorea. Both are definitely worth a visit on there own. I even got to swim with hump back whales in Moorea. Then, I spent four mind-blowing days in Bora Bora to cap off the trip.

Tahiti

Moorea

Bora Bora

This year was amazing but slightly unusual for me. I usually plan my trips four to six months in advance. But, because of unseen circumstances and the changing world, I had to adjust and make the best of each situation. Southwest Road trip was planned 10 days before I hit the road. The Morro Bay trip was planned three weeks before departure as my family wanted to do something before the end of summer. French Polynesia was planned less than three months before I set foot in Tahiti.

I hope 2023 will be as fun and fulfilling as 2022. With the world opening up to tourism again, I can now expand my horizons. I have so many left on my list of destinations I can now continue to call on these locations. The year will start quickly as I will be traveling at the end of January.

“Where to?” you ask. I’ll keep that a secret for now.

Safe travels!