2020, what can I say? This has been a disaster year, on so many levels. It’s been so bad that doing a summary of travel almost seems pointless, bordering inappropriate. But even in dark times, it’s maybe good to go back and reflect on our journey and try to recall the bright moments.
I had so many plans for this year. End of last year I wrote about plans to see a lot more of South and Central America, with visits to Europe and North America, but all that came to a halt in March, as the world came to a stop following the global pandemic and I had to struggle going from one quarantine to another, a few curfews, to finally make it back to Hong Kong, after which it became clear that travel will not be possible for the near future until the world gets a grip.
Still, let’s try and give it a go.
Overall summary
This year I’ve explored a lot more of my Hong Kong base, with revisits to Australia and Israel (x2) and a first visit to Brazil and the south American continent.
So, here’s a quick summary of my 2020 in travel…
January
The year started with a trip to Australia, which was at the time really struggling with uncontrollable wildfires. Still, despite that, I was able to visit Sydney and Melbourne and tour around a bit:
- Visions of Sydney : Australia
- Sydney Harbour and Tower Eye: Australia
- Visions of Melbourne : Australia
- Royal Botanic Gardens and Opera House : Sydney
- University of New South Wales campus walk : Sydney
- Chinese Garden of Friendship : Sydney
- Bondi Beach to the Gap Lookout : Eastern Sydney Hike
- St Kilda daytrip from Melbourne : Australia
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria & St Kilda Botanical Gardens : Melbourne
- Old Melbourne Gaol
- Mount Dandenong & Red Bluff: Daytrip from Melbourne
February
My original plan was to continue to New Zealand and to South American from there. But instead had to change my plans, returned to Hong Kong, and flew to Israel for the Chinese new year. These were first signs in Hong Kong and China that the pandemic is looming, which meant I couldn’t fly back from Israel to Hong Kong as I originally intended:
- Technion campus tour : Haifa, Israel
- Open University Campus: Raanana Israel
- Hebrew University Givat Ram campus walk : Jerusalem
March
Instead, naively thinking I could outrun the pandemic, I flew instead to Brazil, to begin my south American adventures. First stop, which also turned into my last stop, was Sao Paulo:
- Visions of Sao Paulo : Brazil
- Walking around Sao Paulo : Brazil
- Ibirapuera Park & Museu de Arte Contemporânea : Sao Paulo
- Visions of São Bento do Sapucaí : Brazil
- Pousada Refugio Mantiqueira : São Bento do Sapucaí
- Stone Ana Chata at São Bento do Sapucaí
April-June
Struggled to find a way to get back to Hong Kong, and failed, and instead flew to Israel, where I entered a 2 weeks quarantine followed by a month curfew. Once that was over, was able to explore a bit of Israel, as I await a flight that can take me back to Asia:
- Forest of the Martyrs : Israel
- Nahariya Beaches : Northern Israel
- Yehiam Fortress National Park : Northern Israel
- En Afek Nature Reserve : Northern Israel
- Galilee Galil park : Karmiel
- Visions of Dead Sea : Israel
- Visions of Jaffa : Israel
- Visions of Caesarea National Park : Israel
- From ancient Tel Arad to the Dead Sea : Southern Israel
- Ancient Susya National Park & Anim Synagogue
- House of Art : Arad
- Bet She’an National Park : Northern Israel
- Mount Tabor and Safed: Northern Israel
- Apollonia national park (Tel Arsuf) : Israel
- University of Haifa campus : Israel
- Reichman University IDC campus : Israel
July-December
In July I was finally able to make it back to Hong Kong, where I entered a 2 weeks quarantine and then stayed for the rest of the year.
Once out of quarantine, I committed to doing 2 hikes a week, to try and keep sane, which I managed – for the most part – to keep. I’ll start updating those hike photos in the upcoming weeks and will come back and update here. I’ve so far completed around 40 hikes all over Hong Kong. More on that later.
- Shing Mun Country Park hiking trail : Hong Kong
- Dragon’s back to Shek O hike : Hong Kong trails
- Kowloon Peak to Little Hawaii Falls hike : Wilson Trail sections 3 and 4
- High Junk Peak Country Trail Hike : Hong Kong
- Tai Tam to Stanley hike: Wilson Trail Section 1
Summary
Absolutely the worst travel year I’ve had since 2005 (compare that with 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009).
I really hope 2021 will get us back to some kind of semi-normal life, and hopefully atleast a bit of travel.
Hang in there…