I have a career in the aviation industry which has really brought to light how many people actually travel! Of course with travel numbers being down 90% this has had a huge impact on many. Normally, aviation travel is one of those industries you never expect to be impacted....no matter how hard times are people always find a way to take a trip.
My wife and I like to travel overseas every fall, the last few years have all been to Asia as my father lives in South Korea. This has become our vacation home base which we are so fortunate to have. Not being able to go this year has definitely had an impact on us, especially for my wife who is constantly slammed at work in the healthcare industry...she needs and deserves every minute away she can get. In another post I will speak to an annual volunteer trip my wife is part of to Ecuador where surgery and rehabilitation is provided to those in need that would normally not receive this care. Sadly, this trip is as of now not taking place next year due to the pandemic. This trip is ran by the True North Mission Society.
Since my wife and I have been together (going on 11 years) we have been to South Korea 7 times including side trips to both Tokyo and Shanghai and Holland once including Belgium and Germany. We have also taken numerous trips to the USA including Seattle, Houston, Las Vegas (where we got married in 2016) and San Francisco. Not having kids makes travelling like this quite easy and we have a great cat sitter who takes care of Okpo and Malika in our home while we are away.
Individually my wife has been to Ecuador 4 times as part of her volunteer mission. I have been to Holland an additional 4 times to visit family, Mexico for the Baja 1000 in 2014 which might get a post on its own. Prior to us getting together we have even more travel experience and while I have seen more countries, my wife has been to 2 continents I have not yet been (Africa and South America), and I have been to 1 she has not yet been to (Australia). We will even this out someday haha.
So as you can see, we are and have been EXTREMELY FORTUNATE. We have seen a lot and plan to see a lot more in the future. Since this pandemic has hit I have found a new level of gratitude for what I have been able to do and see in life with regards to travel.
The pandemic "forced"us to take our fall vacation within Canada, and even though domestic travel was also limited we spent a fantastic 10 days in British Columbia. The funny part about this trip was that the drive took just as long as flying to South Korea, and we end up with the same ocean at our feet however the 2 are so very different from each other.
I have attached some pictures of my favourite places...Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Las Vegas and of course Amsterdam. The second picture with just ocean behind us is from Windy Hill, one of our favourite spots in South Korea. One funny note from all of our trips is anywhere we go that has a tall tower, Stephanie goes up to enjoy the views and I stay on the ground, my fear of heights in buildings is quite severe!
For anybody that doesn't travel, or just hasn't had the chance to yet I absolutely recommend it. Visiting some of these places has been a real eye opener to other cultures and to the fact that regardless of how I feel sometimes, there are good people not matter where you go!
Hopefully the world can get back to its travel friendly self someday and with all that has gone on and continues to go on this brings a new perspective on how fragile the world really is...and how fortunate we really are that it is so easy to see by just hopping on a plane!
Cheers all, talk soon!
Shanghai, China.
Windy Hill, Geoje, South Korea.
Seoul Station, South Korea.
Amsterdam, Nederland!
Tokyo Skytree, Japan.
Las Vegas, USA.