Reflections on 2020 – What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
As we approach the end of 2020, the old quote by German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” makes us reflect on a year of extraordinary events.
This old quote has been used so many times since it first appeared in his book of aphorisms in 1888. Ever since then it has been used as a self-affirming idea during difficult times. We are often eager to rationalize pain and suffering with the belief that it is during hardships and struggles that we can gain strength. Although it is more likely that if we are stronger and wiser after hardship it is despite, not because of, the hardship.
Taking this quote into the context of what is happening now, we can certainly take comfort in the fact that in spite of the whole world going through some of the most challenging times since World War II, there is a real sense that together we can overcome this, gaining strength not just from the collective hardship, but from collective thinking, caring, engaging, connecting and sharing of information.
The coronavirus outbreak has been a great leveller, affecting not just the poor or people of a certain religion, ethnicity, colour, background, sexual preference, status, but absolutely everyone in the world have been affected in one way or another. It is humbling to think we are all going through the same thing together.
This year more than ever we have come to realise that there are certain things that are completely outside of our control. We can plan ahead, we can forecast for unexpected circumstances, but this year has been beyond what almost anyone could have predicted. A year ago today the idea of a fast-spreading virus taking on the whole world would have been ludicrous to most of us. But yet, here we are learning to adapt to the “new normal”. I look back at some of these world events, but focus mostly on what 2020 has been like for us personally.
Looking back on 2020
Every year has its own defining moments, but this year has been particularly remarkable, with so many world-changing and crucial events that have brought a lot of pain and suffering as well as many countries economies’ around the world to their knees.
January
It was in early January when we all started hearing about a certain virus that was causing trouble in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Brian and I had just started out 10 weeks backpacking trip exploring Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and not really paying much attention to what was happening in neighbouring China.
At the end of January, we celebrated Chinese New Year in the pretty town of Vang Vieng in central Laos still blissfully unaware of the drama that would soon be unfolding.
Also on the news in January were the headlines about Brexit with the UK officially out of the European Union and starting on a period of transition culminating in cutting itself loose from the most powerful Single Market in the world by the end of 2020.
The British Royal family were also making the headlines with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quitting the Royal Family.
In the US, President Donald Trump was fighting impeachment.
We spent the 31st of January 2020 on a not so VIP (hellish) bus journey from the Capital city of Laos, Vientiane towards Tha Khaek in central Laos.
Awful bus journey with the bus corridor full of bin bags ( a local family was apparently moving home and had all their belongings on those bags.)
The old bus was full to the brim with bin bags full of people’s personal belongings piling up in the corridor. Some people don’t get seats and have to lie on top of these black bin bags. The driver races along the potholed roads like a maniac and many people get motion sickness. Five long hours later we get to our destination feeling queazy and exhausted. Travelling is not always glamorous, but it is all part of the adventure and we would not have it any other way.
February
After another not so VIP bus journey all the way to the South of Laos, we entered the month feeling a lot more relaxed and enjoying the slow pace of the Mekong River Four Thousand Islands/Si Phan Don, paradise islands in Southern Laos and then a few days later we crossed into Cambodia, a country that we had never visited before.
Sightseeing around the island with our new friend Mandy, who was an amazing fun girl, and she gave us some great tips for our travels in Cambodia.
Around the world, the coronavirus infection was fast spreading to new levels and starting to became more of worldwide concern. We noticed a massive decline in tourist numbers, particularly the Chinese and Koreans who were no longer travelling by the time we reached Siem Reap in Cambodia.
We experienced a surprisingly quiet Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
We experienced a surprisingly quiet Angkor Wat since tourist numbers were greatly reduced. This usually popular and busy Temple was surprisingly very calm and we were able to explore without the tourist crowds.
The World Health Organization officially named the coronavirus disease COVID-19 on February the 11th.
On the 20th of February, we crossed into Vietnam by bus from the Cambodian Capital of Phnom Penh into Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to start our 3 weeks itinerary through Vietnam. We spent the rest of February exploring Saigon and then the gorgeous town of Hoi An.
We fell in love with Hoi An and it’s lantern-lit streets, the lovely beaches and delicious food.
Pretty Hoi An, Vietnam. All lit up at night.
This town had been on our travel wish list for years, we were worried that it would be disappointing since many people told us that Hoi An had become a bit too popular and crowded. We shouldn’t have worried, since this quaint town exceeded our expectations. It was also wonderful to meet up with fellow travel bloggers Ben and Peta, who have been living here for some time.
Delicious street food tour with Ben and Peta.
Ben and Peta treated us to the most amazing and delicious street food tour. An experience that has become the highlight of our travels through Vietnam.
March
We entered the month of March in the city of Hue in central Vietnam, where we stayed for 3 nights.
Our next stop was the amazing Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, surrounded by mountains this region is best known for its ancient limestone karsts and vast network of caves. In spite of frequent rain downpours, we absolutely loved this area staying here for 5 days, before boarding Vietnam’s Reunification Express Train to Tam Coc for a stay at one of our favourite homestays of our whole trip. Here we visited some of the most incredible caves we have ever seen in our lives.
Tam Coc
We arrived in Tam Coc in the evening of 08th of March 2020 among rumours of a COVID-19 outbreak in town and some hotel/homestay closures. The following morning when we started our explorings we experienced tourist attractions closures for the first time and the only few attractions that were open safety rules started being implemented, such as the use of face masks being obligatory, the regular use of hand-sanitiser and body temperatures checked before entering an attraction.
Often it is the people you meet on the road that make your stay in a place very special and this was certainly the case here in Tam Coc, where we met the lovely Dutch couple Sanilda and Andreas. We dinned with them every night, they were also staying at our homestay and the food there was so good that we just decided to eat there every night.
Dinner at our homestay every night was accompanied by these two lovely people, Sanilda and Andreas.
As of the morning of 12 March, as we prepare to leave our homestay in Tam Coc heading North to Hanoi, there have been more than 20 000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Europe with almost 1000 deaths, the virus was now fast spreading worldwide and therefore the World Health Organization (WHO) had yesterday declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The first-ever pandemic caused by a coronavirus.
By the time we reached Hanoi in Northern, Vietnam travelling was getting a lot harder for us and no longer much fun, attractions were closing down, our cruise in Halong Bay got cancelled and we became persona non-grata in Vietnam. We were even refused to be served and asked to leave at a Hanoi restaurant, it became clear to us that the Vietnamese were worried about foreigners being the main culprits for spreading the virus.
Although we loved Hanoi in Northern Vietnam, travelling was getting hard.
Worried about the borders closing, we decide to leave Vietnam on a flight to Bangkok, Thailand on the 15th of March, staying for a few days at the beach in Pattaya (near Bangkok) ready for our flight home on 21st of March.
After a long flight we finally arrived home in the nick of time, just as Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister announced a full countrywide lockdown on the 23rd of March.
From March onwards the virus pandemic took centre stage and it was in all the news channels around the world. Our daily news headlines were dominated by lockdown rules, lack/shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and we also got a day-by-day account of the number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 and the number of deaths in the UK and in the rest of the world. Supermarkets ran low as people began panic-buying, and toilet paper became a rare commodity.
On March 26th COVID-19 strikes the very heart of Westminster with our own Prime Minister, Boris Johnson diagnosed with COVID-19 and a few days later being hospitalized with severe life-threatening symptoms.
The UK starts lockdown measures on March 23rd, 2020.
Around the world, a race for medical breakthroughs of new treatments and in particular a race to find a vaccine was in full swing.
Our National Health Service and all the frontline workers become heroes (if ever there was any doubt that they are absolute heroes). Every Thursday at 8 pm we stepped outside to join our neighbours (from a safe distance) and the rest of the country to “Clap for Carers”.
Signs of appreciation for our NHS were everywhere.
One big lesson fo the year has certainly been the greater appreciation for carers and all the people working on the front line. We all know how our health care workers have for a long time been underpaid and undervalued. In 2020 they have proved to be super-heroes, saving so many lives and working harder than ever.
April
Lockdown rules continued in the UK and in the rest of Europe. The new London Nightingale Hospital which has been created in just 9 days opened in London with a capacity for 4000 beds and there were also other field hospitals being created around the UK. Even hotels had been re-invented as hospitals.
Among the dreadful everyday news of increased COVID infections and death, lockdown disruption, grief and pain there were some silver linings. We were able to be spending more time with our families, not only in our own homes but on virtual contacts also via video calls. With so many people working from home, there has been the added benefit of spending less time commuting to work, resulting in more time with family and also more time for ourselves.
With so many people now successfully working from home, corporations started realizing the benefits of working from home, and the ability to do conference calls started to open up new possibilities. For example, this newfound work flexibility could better accommodate child-care arrangements, save employees many hours lost on long work commutes and also make it easier for people with disabilities.
With more time in our hands and more mental headspace to reflect on new ideas and get inspiration, there has been a surprising increase in creativity – the creatives got busy creating better than ever and doing more to entertain us, there has never been a better time to stay home with so much offered online and sharing of ideas on virtual platforms. There has been an explosion of new resources and information on fitness, healthy eating, cooking classes, photography, music, theatre, and culture. We are living through a technological revolution.
On April 16th UK lockdown measures were extended for another 3 weeks. Globally there were now over one million cases of coronavirus.
April 22nd – The world celebrated 50 years since the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. The movement called “Earth Day” celebrated its 50th Aniversary! The fight for a cleaner environment had become even more important now. Interestingly pollution is currently down – our planet says thank you!! It is a shame that it takes a global pandemic to make us realize how much can be done to improve our environment and it will be interesting to see if we will take stock of these benefits and use it as building blocks for a better future or will we go back to our old bad habits?
In the USA the President is on the news again and not for the right reasons. He suggests using disinfectant and irradiating patients bodies with UV light as a treatment for COVID 19, his bizarre idea sent shock waves throughout the scientific world with his remarks considered irresponsible and dangerous.
The month ends with an inspiring story – who would not have heard of the incredible war veteran, Capitan Tom Moore, and his 100th Birthday walk for the NHS? Aided by a zimmer-frame he managed to walk 100 laps of his 25-meter (82ft) garden. He walked in 10-lap chunks and managed to finish his challenge well before his 100th birthday on the 30th of April 2020, raising 32 million pounds for NHS Charities in just a few days. Interestingly his initial aim was to raise one thousand pounds but his efforts have fired the public imagination and he has become the UK poster hero for these extraordinary times.
May
We entered the month of May 2020 with rain and much cooler temperatures here in the South of England. The days just blending together as we continued to adapt to life under lockdown. Brian and I kept to our routine of morning exercise and 30 minutes of running every other day. Video calls provided a lifeline for staying in touch with family and friends.
The UK contact and tracing coronavirus app started being trialled in the Isle of Wight. In England, the new lockdown measures set on May 10th causing much controversy, with people finding the new messages not very clear. Scotland and Wales were keen to continue setting their own lockdown measures.
Dominic Cummings, who played a vital role on Brexit and had been the Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister (PM) was accused of breaking the coronavirus rules during the pandemic lockdown in March (interestingly these are the very rules that he was involved in creating), this news causes a lot of embarrassment to the government, although the PM continued to support him.
May 25th, George Floyd, a 46 year old black man was killed in the US city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, by a white police officer who reportedly knelt on George’s kneck for about nine and a half minutes during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. Floyd’s death triggered worldwide protests against racism and police brutality.
Mass protests were held across the world, with the first solidarity protest in London on the 28th of May. Again on the 31st of May, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Trafalgar Square and outside the US Embassy in London (ignoring the social distance and public gatherings rules of the coronavirus pandemic).
Many protests were organized by the BlackLivesMatter and the Stand Up to Racism movements around the UK with the majority of the protests being peaceful.
June
Hundreds of people gathered here in our home town of Bournemouth on the 2nd of June for a peaceful protest. On June 7th, protesters in Bristol tied ropes around the neck of slave trader Edward Colston’s statue in the city centre and pulled it down, later throwing it on the waters of the Bristol Harbour.
With my sister Angelita at a peaceful BlackLivesMatter protest on a raining day in Bournemouth.
In 2020 more than ever before, these protests have led to pledges and discussions on how we can change the narrative about systemic racism and bring about real change moving forward towards a fairer world. I really hope that 2021 will further cement these efforts.
Coronavirus Infection continued to be on the news throughout June, but death from COVID 19 was finally greatly reducing in the UK. Lockdown measures started easing off in England and therefore on June 15th shops were allowed to open and families allowed to form “support bubbles”.
On 16 June, investigators on the covid-19 RECOVERY trial reveal that dexamethasone reduced mortality in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms who require oxygen therapy. Dexamethasone is a steroid drug that is cheap to use and has been available for several decades.
We got great weather in June and I was able to meet up with my sister Angelita, who lives near me a few times to ride our bicycles along the beachfront and local area.
Cycling with my sister was a regular event during the summer.
June ends with warm, sunny weather, and the heatwave resulted in thousands of people flocking to the coast on June 24th. Our local beach became a sea-of-bodies, there was traffic gridlock on roads and people acting very irresponsibly. There was even illegal overnight camping at Bournemouth beach. The local council ended up declaring a “major incident” and having to initiate an emergency response.
When we went for a walk the following morning we could not believe the amount of rubbish and waste that was left along the coastline.
July
We spend the first weekend of July in Brighton visiting our daughter who lives there and our son also joins us. It had been a while since the four of us were allowed to meet together, making it even more special. In spite of the weather not cooperating we did have a lovely time catching up.
The weather did improve in mid-July, just in time for another visit to Brighton, this time I travelled with my sisters and together we spent a girly weekend staying again with Chloe at her home in Brighton. We also visited the gardens of Arundel Castle and the medieval town of Arundel, which is just 30 minutes from Brighton in West Sussex, England.
I visited Arundel Castle with my sisters Angelita and Virginia visiting (the castle itself was closed for visitors, but we spent a few hours visiting the stunning gardens).
Relaxing at the beach with Chloe, who hosted us for a long girly weekend in Brighton.
For a short while, we even forgot that the world was still fighting a pandemic.
From July the 19th to 27th we visited Mum in Edinburgh, Scotland. For a few days beforehand we quarantined at home and then we drove to Scotland to avoid any unnecessary contact with others and ensure that Mum was not put at risk, she will be 90years old at the end of the year. We enjoyed a relaxing time with her and went for a few cool and breezy walks along the often cold North Sea beaches.
On our return from Scotland Brian and I start making new travel plans again and we also decided to acquire a new addition for “Big Bill” our motorhome. We bought a little scooter and name it “Little Bill”, the new addition making it easier for us to explore places whilst our motorhome is stationary.
At the end of July, we spent a few days in North Devon, England with our motorhome and we got a chance to test how well would get on with using Little Bill to explore the area around Ilfracombe. The test was a great success, the scooter happily nipped both of us all around the area, even on the many steep hills.
Spending time with our friends Mark and Marion in North Devon.
Our friends Mark and Marion, also motorhome owners, joined us for the weekend.
August
We returned home from our motorhome travels to North Devon on August 3rd.
The “new normal” and more relaxed coronavirus rules proved to be not too bad during August, in fact, we were able to enjoy meeting up with friends, although maintaining social distance and wearing face coverings. We also had friends and family visiting us at our home.
Our Scottish niece Nicole and our daughter Chloe visited us in August.
Walking with our friends of many years Eni and David at Upton Park.
Tea and cakes with friends of over 27 years in Wimbourne; Claire, Annette, and Amanda.
Aiming to support local business, from the 3rd to the 31st of August the British Government announced an “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme giving a 50% discount on eating out at restaurants that took part in the scheme. People could get a discount whenever eating out on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Therefore we all made the most of this great scheme at local cafes, restaurants, and pubs. The scheme was heavily criticized later on for driving up the increased rates of COVID- 19 infection.
September
Covid rates were under control and taking advantage of the relaxed travel rules, on the 1st of September we left the UK by motorhome heading for Italy. We boarded the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, England and crossed into Calais in France heading towards Annecy, where we spent a few days exploring the beautiful small towns around the lake, before moving on to Chamonix.
We start our two months motorhome tour with a stay in gorgeous Annecy, France.
We crossed into Northern Italy, via the Mont Blanc Tunnel on September the 9th and spent the next few weeks enjoying the stunning mountain scenery, countless hairpin bends, historic towns, delicious food, and wine. Visiting the Dolomites region was the highlight of our Northern Italy explorings, taking in the amazing Stelvio Pass along the way. We also loved visiting Otzi, the 5,000-year-old Ice Man at the Archeologic Museum in Bolzano.
The Dolomite mountain range really impressed us. We stayed overnight here in our motorhome.
On September 22nd we arrived in Vicenza, where I got a glimpse into my Italian Ancestry by visiting my paternal, Italian grandmother’s home town in the Veneto region of Italy. I also caught up with an old friend, who now lives near Lake Garda with her Italian husband and son. My friend Luisa was a big part of my life growing up in the South of Brazil. We spent a lovely evening together at her home reminiscing about old times.
Visiting my dear friend Luisa
Back home in England our son James was packing up his house in London to move lock stock and barrel over to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to work as an ex-pat Geologist.
October
We entered the month of October exploring one of the most stunning and dramatic coastal regions of Italy; the Cinque Terre. We spent a few days enjoying the five historic fishing villages, hiking along the cliff paths between the quaint towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, before moving on to our next destination.
Brian overlooking the pretty fishing harbour of Vernazza.
From the Cinque Terre, we continued with our motorhome travels through Tuscany visiting Luca, San Gimignano, Siena, and Montepulciano.
By mid-October, we were ready to park up our home-on-wheels for a while and enjoy a longer stay around Naples and the Amalfi Coast. We stayed for two weeks exploring Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and the Island of Capri. Riding our scooter Little Bill along the incredibly beautiful Amalfi Coast was exhilarating. There was so much to see in this region that we were really glad to have been able to stay longer here. The beauty of motorhome travelling is that you can set your own pace of travelling, and sit out any bad weather when you have to.
Hardly any visitors at Pompeii.
Views over Positano, Amalfi Coast.
Back home in England, the rate of COVID-19 infections was rising rapidly across the UK. Infection rates were rising more rapidly in certain areas than others, so three new COVID Alert Levels were introduced in England and applied to regions based on local severity.
We left the Amalfi Coast on October the 20th and drove East to Puglia and Basilicata, where we managed to explore the Unesco World Heritage cave-houses of Matera and the quaint “Trullo houses” of Alberobello. At this point in our journey we had to make a decision either to head further South towards Sicily, or to begin returning home… and sensitive to news of rising Covid rates we turned and started the long journey Northwards.
Views over the cave-houses of Matera, Italy
New COVID restrictions came into effect in Italy on October 26th, with attraction closures and restaurants closing at 6 pm. Many campsites were also closing down, but we managed to contact a campsite in Rapallo, near Portofino and they agreed to open up for us. We were the only motorhome on site. We stayed there for 3 nights enjoying warm, sunny weather and an almost deserted Portofino. We had planned to spend some time in the Piedmont region, famous for its food and fabulous wines but again started to worry about potential border closures and decided to leave it for a future trip.
Overlooking the small harbour of Portofino.
We left Italy on October 29th and crossed into France (who were already under lockdown measures) via the Mont Blanc tunnel and for the next two days, we drove towards Callais and our Eurotunnel crossing back to England.
On October 31st (Halloween) we were parked near Callais and ready for our crossing the following day. There were two other British motorhomes parked near us, also ready to return home the following day. As we spent one last night on French soil we watched our PM Boris Johnson on the news (on our motorhome TV) announcing another lockdown to start tomorrow. Welcome to Blighty!!
November
We arrived back home on November 1st, exactly two months after we had left the UK. It felt weird to be home, particularly because we were not allowed out of our home at all, since we had to follow two weeks of strict quarantine. My sister Angelita, who lives near us was kind enough to do all our food shopping since food shopping online was very difficult with no supermarket delivery slots available at all.
On the news, it was all about the general election for the US President held on November 3rd. The world waited for the results with bated breath. By November 7th most US media organizations projected that Biden would be the new President-Elect. Refusing to concede, Trump proceeded with legal challenges and he regularly Tweeted that Biden won because the election was rigged. The post US election chaos caused much concern over the democratic process with some voices around the world began mocking the US and comparing it to a banana republic.
December
Lockdown ended in England on the 2nd of December and our region was put on Tier 2, which meant no mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles. A maximum of six people allowed to meet outdoors. Restaurants remained open, hospitality could only serve alcohol with “a substantial meal”…whatever that means?? Retail shops remained open.
Margaret Keenan, aged 90 grabs the news headlines on Tuesday 8th of December as the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Thousands more vaccinations take place around the UK dubbing the day “V-Day”.
With a sharp increase in the rates of infection and a new coronavirus variant being discovered, which spreads even faster than before, Boris Johnson announces on 20th of December that Christmas can’t go on as planned. A new Tier 4 comes into place in London and other East and South East areas, meaning that these areas are kind of back into lockdown.
Here in Bournemouth, we have been in Tier 2 and both our adult kids were home for Christmas and therefore we did end up having a lovely time together. My sister and her family also joined us for a Christmas meal on the 25, the only day that we were allowed to get together with another family for an indoor celebration.
Wednesday 30th of December, the Brexit deal has been overwhelmingly approved by members of parliament today, and although we are feeling sad to be leaving the EU, we do feel relieved that at least a trade deal has been achieved. As travellers, we have enjoyed the freedom of staying and exploring around Europe without any constrains. All that is going to change, but we don’t yet really know to what extent it is going to make it harder for us to travel in Europe with our motorhome. Only time will tell.
Also on the news is the Covid-19 Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine which has been approved for use in the UK. Vaccination centres will now start inviting patients to come and get the jab, and our daughter Chloe, who is a Pharmacist will be involved in vaccinating people at the GP Practices where she works. It is with great relief that we welcome the news of a vaccine that works and could potentially be a game-changer for us all.
This good news comes along with the not so good news that millions of people in England have now been placed under Tier 4 restrictions, including us here in the South of England. With New Year evening fast approaching any gathering is not recommended. Brian and I will be spending the evening alone for a quiet celebration.
Goodbye 2020
As we arrive at the end of 2020, I think we can all agree that this year has been a “helluva year” and we are certainly not sorry to see the back of it. Good riddance indeed!!
Although telling yourself to feel grateful can sometimes feel a little bit cliched, I do feel immense gratitude that my loved ones and I have arrived at the end of 2020 in good health. Particularly when so many people have not. It has been a trying year for most people, including us, but we really can’t complain. This year people have lost their jobs, livelihoods, their homes and worst of all many have lost their lives.
I don’t have any predictions for 2021, but I think it would be foolish to think that coronavirus will not continue to cause havoc in all of our lives for a while longer. The long term impact of this pandemic will also for sure be felt for many years to come. But to finish on a more positive note, I’m confident that we can adapt to the “new normal” and learn to thrive whatever the circumstances that we all face – supporting each other and staying strong together
So let us make way for 2021!! Happy New Year to you all and looking forward to what 2021 will bring for us all…Bring It On.
Great wrap up of the year that sucked for all. Happy New Year to you and the family. What a year it’s been. I am also very happy to see the back of this year. Like you, I hope the next one is much better for all. Enjoy!
Thank you Kemkem, it has been an incredible year with many ups and even greater downs. We are just so grateful to get to the end of 2020 in good health when so many people did not have this good fortune. I hope that things can only get better from now on. Happy 2021 for you and Frederico.
What a great – and also a very poignant – article/post Gilda. I was reliving the year with you there – so much has happened! But so glad it brought lots of good & vibrant memories as well as the more trying and sad ones.
Wishing you & Brian and all the family a 2021 of joy and new and uninhibited travels …later in the year.
🤞
A Happy & Healthy New Year to you 🥳 x
Thank you so much, Marion. I think we are all still trying to get our heads around the events of 2020, it has been extraordinary. We really enjoyed meeting up with you and Mark in North Devon and I just hope that we will have many new adventures together in 2021. Keep safe and see you very soon…I hope 🙂
It’s been an incredible year. Glad you were able to get out so much. Also glad you got to meet Ben and Peta. We caught up with them in August 2019.
Peggy, it really has been an extraordinary year for us all. It was lovely meeting up with Ben and Peta in Vietnam, they are such a fun couple. Happy New year to you and your family.
One helluva year is an understatement at best! 🙂 Great recap of your year, you really managed to get in a lot of travel. As you know we cancelled a big European tour back in March and we’ve never regretted it for a minute because we are certain (because of dates) we would have been in lockdown in Spain trying to fly home. Ugh.
“Banana Republic” is a good word for it and holly hell it’s not over yet. It has been a surreal ride this past year in the US, we still can’t believe what we’re living through. We just keep going one day at a time and January 20 can’t come soon enough. I’m hoping 2021 will bring a promise of change on so many levels.
So glad you and yours have all stayed healthy. Happy New Year!
Patti, for sure you and Abi made the right decision to cancel your travel plans. I am keeping my fingers crossed that January the 20th will go smoothly for Mr. Biden and his new Presidency. Happy New Year to you and Abi, keep well.
Here at Cattletown Steakhouse and Saloon in Tucson, Arizona on New Years drinking a margarita and feeling so incredibly fortunate that we haven’t lost anyone to covid. We also returned from travels overseas in March and have been able to travel for months throughout the US. Your recap of the year was really enjoyable to read. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. We are heartbroken over the incredible suffering and loss so many people have suffered. Even with the vaccine, things are going to be hard for a long time. We hope 2021 brings some brightness to these very dark times.
Steve
Annie and Steve sounds like you have had a nice quick start to the New Year. Drinking a margarita…yummy, I love that. Likewise, we are feeling very fortunate for finding ourselves here at the end of such a difficult year being in good health, when so many have perished. It is heartbreaking indeed. The vaccine is a very welcome finding, but it will take a very long time for things to get back to normal, for sure. Keep well guys and Happy New Year. I will visit your blog very soon 🙂
Hi Gilda, really enjoyed this read – and I’m afraid you’ve planted the seed of an idea for our next blog post! Reading your dates, I think our time in Hanoi possibly did coincide with yours, after all. Shame we didn’t twig that at the time, but maybe our paths will cross again when we can once again explore the world.
I am very glad to provide inspiration for your next blog post. Indeed such a shame that we did not realize our paths could have crossed in Hanoi. But I do hope that we will remedy that in the near future. Keep well and Happy 2021!!
What a beautiful and inspiring post to end 2020 my dear Traveller Interrupted. May the world open again for you to spread your wings and fly in any direction your heart desires.
Thank you for taking the time to share with us all the amazing places you visited in such informative yet poetic ways.
Please allow me to show my gratitude by honouring you and your journeys with some words of wisdom from Maria Sabina, indigenous Mexican, healer and poet:
“Heal yourself with the sunlight and the moon’s rays.
With the sound of the river and the waterfall.
With the sway of the sea and the flutter of birds.
Cure with mint, with eucalyptus.
Sweeten with lavender, rosemary, and chamomile.
Embrace yourself with the cocoa bean and a touch of cinnamon.
Put love in tea instead of sugar and drink it looking at the stars.
Heal yourself with the kisses that the wind gives you and the hugs of the rain.
Strengthen yourself with bare feet on the ground and everything that comes from it.
Get smarter every day listening to your intuition, looking at the world with your forehead eye.
Jump, dance, sing, so that you live happier.
Heal yourself, with beautiful love, and always remember … you are the medicine. ”
🌟Happy New Year! 🌟
Happy New Year to you my darling friend, so many beautiful words here by the poet Maria Sabina…”jump, dance, sing so that you live happier”…I love that. Thank you for the support you have given me throughout the year, I cherish this friendship that has lasted almost 30 years. We have been through a lot together and this year has been the longest we have spent apart, without meeting up in person. I think a catch up is in order for 2021…meanwhile stay safe 🙂
When you look back at some of those beautiful memories you can’t have too many regrets, Gilda. I loved that Amalfi coastline. It seems almost unreal across this span of time but Positano looks exactly as I remember it. Happy travels to you in 2021! 🙂 🙂
Jo, the good memories keep us going now that winter has arrived and the increase in he rate of coronavirus infection has gone up so much here in the UK and many other countries around the world. The Amalfi coast was a favourite for us in Italy, I am glad to have given you a trip down memory lane. Happy 2021 to you and your family! 🙂
Hi Gilda – helluva year indeed! What an outstanding recap of this “interesting” year, and I love how you wove world events (including the antic of our crazy soon-to-be-ex president) in. And I appreciate your positive take, one that we share. Our stories are similar: faced with cancelled travel plans, we made the most of it and traveled over land in Colombia as much as we could.
We LOVED following your adventures through italy and your marvelous photos! And also your travels through SE Asia just as the sky was beginning to fall. As it happens, we have some other close friends who had to flee Vietnam and go to Spain just as things were locking down, and then they had to leave Spain early and get back to Medellin. I wonder if you were in Vietnam at the same time?
Like you, we are filled with gratitude for a year that made us all take a step back, figure out what’s really important, and enjoy some of the simpler things we’ve taken for granted. May 2021 bring us all an even greater appreciation, as we all move into the New Normal and (hopefully) gain back more of our freedoms. Especially to travel 🙂
Happy New Year and big hugs to you both.
– Susan and John
Susan and John, it has certainly been an extraordinary year for us all. Getting to end of 2020 in good health is what we are most grateful about. Thank you so much for following along and likewise I really enjoyed all your posts about Colombia, a country I am yet to visit.
It is very likely that we were in Vietnam at the same time as your friends and sounds like they had to exit the country in the same hurried manner that we did.
I think it will be a while before we are back to normal, the rate of infection here in the UK has increased a lot and our health system is almost at breaking point. A vaccine is our only hope.
I am feeling positive about 2021, but for now just taking one day at a time. Can’t wait to travel again, as I am sure you are too.
Happy New Year and keep safe 🙂
Happy New Year! Wow, it’s crazy to read your summary of 2020 and remember everything that’s happened. It still feels like science fiction. It’s great that you managed to get some travel in though and make the best of the year. Your motorhome really is the ultimate pandemic travel accessory!
That photo of Angkor Wat without tourists is incredible. I do fear for the travel industry and really hope that we can support it more again in 2021. Fingers crossed now that the vaccine is in play, things will improve.
x
Amy, this year has indeed been like “science fiction”…a great description. Having the motorhome did give us some freedom to travel in a way that we felt safe. We feel immense gratitude for having the opportunity to travel in Italy for almost two months and stay healthy.
I am glad you and Andrew have also progressed further with building your house and that you are currently enjoying the sunny Algarve, able to work remotely. You have faced many challenges in 2020 and yet you worked hard to overcome it all.
I do feel very sad for all the people in places like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam etc who have lost so much with the recent decrease in tourist numbers and like you said I do hope we can support them again in the near future. I hope the vaccine will be a game changer and things will improve.
Happy New Year to you guys and keep well xxx
Hi Gilda! Happy New Year to you and Brian! What an adventurous year you’ve had! How do you keep track of all these events month by month?
I agree that you were fortunate to travel as much as you did. Returning in the nick of time after the backpacking trip and being able to travel in Europe for two months in your RV, all during a pandemic year is incredible. Let us hope that all of us can travel internationally again soon. For excitement, cultural immersion, and seeing family… 🙂
Liesbet, Happy New Year to you, Mark and Maya!! It has been an extraordinary year for us all. Congratulation on publishing your travel memoirs, I absolutely loved reading it. I bought a Kindle version, but I also want to get a hard copy soon for keepsake.
Having the motorhome has made our travels in Italy feel a lot safer, as I am sure you also feel the same now that you are back travelling in Zesty. I just hope we can travel again soon and I am sure you can’t wait to travel over to Belgium to see your family. Fingers crossed the vaccine will be a game changer and life will return to some sort of normal again soon. Keep well and enjoying life.
BTW I tried to leave a book review on Amazon, but they would not let me ( I think it is because I am not a big spender on Amazon), but I will try again using Brian’s account (he is the big spender on Amazon…lol).
Gilda, I have enjoyed reading many retrospectives this past week from across the globe. Yours is by far the most detailed and inclusive of current events. I think it is important to share what happened around us along with what happened to us and you did that beautifully. Everyone chose a different style to recap the year, but the themes we all have in common are gratitude and optimism. I think that speaks well of the company we keep, here in the blogosphere. Take care and have a beautiful 2021. I can’t wait to see where it takes you!
Suzanne, thank you so much for your kind and generous comment. I keep a diary/journal throughout the year and I usually write down about things happening to us personally as well as some major world events. So it was not too difficult to write this post. I have been enjoying other people’s recap also, I think it is so important to take stock and reflect. Thank you for your support, as always and likewise I can’t wait to see what 2021 has in store for us all. Keep well my friend.
Wow Gilda! What a year! No wonder we all feel like we have whiplash after the year you described.
Your excellent summary is an incredible reminder of so many of the things that happened in the world this past year. I remember when you and Brian made it home from your SE Asia trip just as lockdown was going into effect – we were all so worried.
Here’s hoping that 2021 is better. We want to wish you and Brian a Happy New Year filled with joy, peace, and good health. 🙂 Terri & James
Terri and James, it has been an incredible year and feeling like we have “whiplash” is a great description. Brian and I arrived home in the nick of time just as England went into lockdown back in March and again in November it was quite a close call. Both times we felt quite relieved to get home.
I am glad you guys had a chance to explore closer to home, even though you had to cancel your SA trip. Your blog re-vamp has also been a great project, I have enjoyed all your blog posts in 2020.
We are looking forward to a better year for us all, I think the vaccine will be a game changer, but it will take time for things to get back to normal…or maybe it will be a “new normal”.
Happy New Year to you both and keep well 🙂
Happy new Year Gilda & Brian! I’m so glad that you were able to travel as much as you did. Looking back, your motorhome was a great investment!
I’m just so grateful that my friends and family were healthy and that I was able to support small organisations where I could, especially those in the arts.
We went to Norway at the beginning of 2020 but cancelled all our other international travel plans for travel within Germany – the Baltic Sea, Lake Constance, the Brandenburg lakes, the Saxon Switzerland mountains – and a bit of Austria instead. Our son also went camping in a “members only” hippy commune in the countryside of East Germany!
Let’s hope 2021 will be a better year for all.
Take Care & Stay Healthy! 😀
Victoria, so many people had to change their travel plans in 2020, with many not being able to travel much at all. I am quite grateful that with the motorhome we managed to explore Italy and feel safe at the same time. We also ensured to follow all the rules to keep us and others safe.
It is sad to see that the rate of infection in the UK now is so high and we are again in National lockdown, I guess is the same for you in Germany? At the beginning of 2020 we had no idea how much our lives would change.
Sounds like you also have managed to do some interesting travelling in Germany during the summer and your son’s camping in a members only hippy commune sounds like a lot of fun 🙂
We can only hope that 2021 will be a better year, with the vaccine giving us hope that things will get better. Meanwhile keep well and Happy 2021 for you and your family.
Gilda I couldn’t help but think how valuable this year in review will be from a historical perspective. Imagine rereading it in 10 or 20 years! Hopefully the pandemic will be a distant memory.
Of all the people I know, you two have managed to find a way to explore beyond your borders. Good planning on your part to have your mobile home ready to go.
Stay well and hoping the vaccine is bringing hope and light for far better days ahead.
Sue
Sue, I really hope that we can look back perhaps even in just a few years from now and feel that the pandemic is now truly behind us…a distant memory. It has been such a tough year for everyone, although we can’t really complain since we have remained healthy and so have all our loved ones.
Going to Italy by motorhome was great and we managed to explore beyond our country borders in a safe manner. We bought the motorhome back in 2019, thinking it would be such a great way of travelling around Europe and It has been proven to be a great way of travelling…certainly now more than ever.
My daughter is frontline worker, so she has been the first in our family to receive the vaccine. She is now busy vaccinating others. I am feeling very positive about the vaccine and can’t wait to have mine.
I wish you and David a happy and healthy 2021.
Last year sure has shown us that the world is out of balance and maybe even completely fucked up. But it did also make us appreciate what we maybe had started to take for granted. Of course, nobody wants the lockdown and the whole covid-19 thing to continue, so let’s hope for some better times in the new year, although like you, I think it’s still going to take some time.
Otto, so true that we have been taking a lot for granted and not appreciating things in the way that we should have. There are many lessons to be learned from 2020 and I hope that these lessons will not be wasted, but will become steeping stones to a better world.
The vaccine does give us hope, but we are not “out of the woods” yet, far from it. Here in the UK things will likely get a lot worse before they get any better…but yet we must remain positive.
I hope you and your loved ones are well and that 2021 will be a good year for you.
We are, thank you, are I hope the same for you yours.
Hi guys and welcome to a more positive looking 2021.
Thoroughly enjoyed your writings and like you, we are just free wheeling !
Pinot is locked up safely in UK and we are safe and well at home in Brisbane.
It looks unlikely we will be allowed to take up our travels any time soon.
Take Care and carry on carrying on
A and A x
Hi Allen and Amanda, I am glad to hear that Pinot is safe and sound here in the UK and that you are both in good health in Brisbane. Looking at what the weather is like for you at the moment I am VERY envious.
We have been on National lockdown for almost two weeks now ( the 3rd lockdown since last March) and things are not getting any better yet. It certainly looks like travelling will not be resumed anytime soon.
We are not making any travel plans and just waiting for the results of the vaccination program…keeping our fingers crossed that it will work out well for everyone.
Meanwhile lets just follow the rules, stay at home and keep safe.
Happy and healthy 2021 for you guys xx
I have found great pleasure in visiting your blog.
paintdigi.com
Thank you, I am glad you have enjoyed it. Best wishes for 2021.