So let’s just say my previous adventures for the year of 2020 like many other peoples did not go quite as planned. Canceling trips to Belize, Peru and Bolivia were hard especially not knowing when the travel world will get back to a somewhat normal. Working as a front line healthcare worker in an emergency room in the United States I understand as much as anyone the dire situation that we are in during this pandemic. While I yearn to get back to a semi-normal life, which includes a significant amount of travel, I appreciate the hardships that many individuals are suffering during these unprecedented times. I am thankful for those trips I have recently gotten to take and the time to better explore my own diverse country.

Uganda, Africa

So it’s nearly here…booked almost a year ago I am starting off my 2020 travels with a bucketlist type of trip for sure. I will be meeting up again with a great volunteer travel group for 2 weeks in the country of Uganda. Not only will I get to stay in the local villages and do some volunteering but they also schedule lots of once in a lifetime opportunities as well. From ziplining through the jungle, white water rafting the Nile River or going on multiple safaris this trip will undoubtedly cross a few more things off my bucket list!

Update, Uganda was absolutely amazing and looking back was definitely what I needed before the pandemic. It is crazy to think how much the world of travel, and the world in general, changed just a couple months after visiting Uganda. I can say meeting and learning about the locals, experiencing the adventures of this country had to offer was definitely one of my top trips and will be remembered for years to come!

United States

While 2020 has definitely made traveling much more difficult, I have found it has pushed me to discover more places that I want to visit here in the United States.

Trying to stay safe during the pandemic I resulted to converting my Volkswagen SUV and starting on my first car camping adventure for three weeks! Driving over 7000 miles, visiting five national parks, and driving through 11 different states I found adventure in the outdoors and solitude. I went to Rapid City South Dakota, Grand Teton national Park, Yellowstone national park, Glacier national Park, Mount Rainier national Park, Olympic national Park, and down the Oregon and Northern California coast and to visit the redwoods. This was a bucket list type of adventure with views and hiking that were out of this world! I camped in Walmart parking lots, national park campgrounds, KOAs and private campgrounds along the way.

I loved this way of travel so much that I am planning my next two weeks car camping adventure here in the next couple months. On my next adventure I plan a lot more outdoors and hiking as well. With a visit to Tucson, Sedona, Valley of fire, Zion, Grand staircase Escalante, Canyonlands and Arches national Park.