2020-A Year in Review

I’ve never written “A Year in Review” blog in the past, but then again there’s never been a year quite like this one. What started off as a promising year of travel, turned into a year of staycations, road trips, and self-isolation. Those trips in the first few months of 2020 became memories to hold on to and look fondly back on. I was able to squeeze in a trip to Portugal in the last two weeks of February and it was an amazing vacation. With stays in Porto, the Algarve, Evora, and Lisbon, we made the best of every moment! My itinerary can be found here.

We arrived back on March 2nd and just over two weeks later we, like the rest of the world, began what would become a new way of life for the foreseeable future. Luckily for us we were able to still get in some local hikes and visits to parks in our area. We ticked off Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Hike on the north shore of Vancouver, as well as the Burnaby Mountain hike.

I also got to wander through VanDusen Botanical Garden and walk the trails at the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary.

Like many people we packed up our vehicle and headed out for a road trip. Camping was popular this year and tents and sleeping bags were in high demand…not to mention those elusive camping spots! We made our way to the Canadian Rockies and enjoyed a week away spending time in Yoho National Park, Banff National Park (for a quick day trip) and Kootenay National Park. Breathing that fresh mountain air and walking those scenic trails was just what we needed.

We spent a lot of time reading, baking, going for walks, completing puzzles and “zooming”. Then…all too soon…the season of fall was upon us. Schools reopened after the summer and restaurants began to find ways to accommodate outdoor seating during the long winter months ahead. We started to look forward to the new year and hopefully an end to what has been a year of uncertainty, and perhaps for many, a year of reflection…knowing that when we can travel and visit one another again it will be with a renewed appreciation of both! All the best of health and happiness in 2021!