Well, well, well. It’s been eight months – eight months – since my last post.
Anyone reading this in real time won’t need to wonder why: 2020 was one absolute shitshow of a year, and frankly, I haven’t had much content to share on my travel blog in a year of virtually zero travel.
That said, I still wanted to write this 2020 recap, because I love having a little summary of each year that I can look back on later. I love reliving the highs, the lows, the adventures, the memories and the emotions. That’s why I started this blog in the first place, after all.
I’m about a month late in publishing this post, but hey – better late than never!
So, 2020…where do I even begin?
Perhaps by looking back at this hilarious-in-retrospect quote from my 2019 recap:
“I suppose if I had to pick one word to describe 2019, I would choose “stable.” Things were generally good; nothing too turbulent, momentous or unexpected happened…I’m really not sure what 2020 will have in store for me—in terms of travel, or otherwise. I do predict that the coming year will be a time of many big changes…at least, I hope so!”
HAH. Oh, Kelly of 2019 – you sweet, sweet summer child.
Hm, by big changes did you perhaps mean moving from Texas to California? In the middle of a pandemic? Which would last for the entire year, and into the next year? While facing the heaviest social justice issues of your lifetime? Plus a nail-biting, stomach-churning election process filled with vitriol and lies?
No, I don’t believe that’s quite what I had in mind. But that’s what we got…along with a few beautiful, joyful moments along the way. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Moving (Back) to Texas from California
In 2017, I wrote about how moving to California was one of my top highlights of the year. Three years later, it was the reverse move (but to Austin, rather than Houston) that topped the list.
During those three years, California became so much more than just the place I called home; it became one of my favorite, most beloved destinations on the entire planet.
So yes, leaving California was bittersweet; but in many ways, Austin just feels more like home. We haven’t been able to experience much in our new city yet (thanks COVID!) but we’re both very, very happy here.
What was a lot less fun was moving smack-dab in the middle of the lockdowns; we flew from California to Texas on March 14th, and that point things in California were already closing down. We only had a day or two in Austin before it shut down too.
And having just moved, we had nothing – no food, no toilet paper, no hand soap, no disinfectant wipes, nothing.
That month was among the most stressful and uncertain times in my entire life.
However, it was also one of the most exciting, because Derek and I bought a house here in Austin. I feel SO grateful that we found a home we love and were able to quarantine here. It has certainly brought us a lot of comfort and joy this past year.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt more anxious and stressed out than I have these past twelve month (and I do not say that lightly at all; my mental health reached a serious low point). But buying our home and making it our own during quarantine was one of the bright spots of a very dark year.
Read More:
- See You Later, California—Texas, We’re Coming Home!
- Reflections on Three Years of Living in California
- A Snapshot in Time: The Reality of COVID-19 in Mid-April 2020
One Last California Getaway
Our last weekend trip in California before moving to Texas was to Mendocino County – a quiet, rural stretch of coastline a few hours north of the Bay Area.
Our tiny cabin was located just a half mile off the coastal highway, but was tucked away in hilly redwood grove, creating the illusion that we were isolated in the middle of a forest. Even though I could feel the dampness of the sea in the air, I still couldn’t believe the ocean was so close.
During our stay we snacked on some brie and crackers, Derek made a homemade pizza for dinner, and we soaked in the hot tub on the deck after the stars came out. I couldn’t believe how dark it was out there; I could barely make out the giant redwood trees just a foot away from our deck.
I couldn’t have asked for a better way to welcome in my 28th year of life (or a more peaceful way to begin an extremely chaotic year).
Read More:
Our Beautiful, Magical Two-Week New Zealand Trip
When I booked our trip to New Zealand at the beginning of February, I had no idea that it would be our last international trip for a long, long time. Millions of travelers had to cancel their adventures last year, and I feel truly grateful for the fact that we were able to sneak in this epic trip before all hell broke loose.
New Zealand is one of the most incredible destinations I’ve ever been lucky enough to visit. I loved it all: every city and town we visited, every scenic drive, every meal, every Airbnb and hotel, every hike, everything.
It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place.
Queenstown blew my expectations out of the water, and our time there flew by. We had so many fun adventures there: wine tasting in the Central Otago wine region, riding the Skyline Gondola up to the top of Bob’s Peak, watching the sunset at Queenstown Bay Beach, relaxing at Onsen Hot Pools, a day trip to stunning Glenorchy…
Not to mention Wakana, Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, Rotorua, Matamata, and Hamilton! Man, what an amazing country. Did I mention how lucky I feel that this trip was able to happen?
Read More:
- The Ultimate Queenstown Travel Guide
- Onsen Hot Pools: Letting Off Steam in Queenstown
- A Peaceful Morning in Gorgeous Glenorchy, NZ
- Stopping to Smell the Roses—Er, Lavender—at Wanaka Lavender Farm
Alpine Scenery in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
While I adored every single destination we visited in New Zealand, Aoraki/Mount Cook was in a league of its own. It compelled me to write a full-blown love letter to the place, for goodness sake!
But honestly, Aoraki/Mount Cook is a nature-lover’s paradise. Hiking the Hooker Valley Track was one of my personal highlights from the trip; I just couldn’t get enough of those dramatic Southern Alps, swaying suspension bridges, wooden boardwalks, and glacial lakes.
One of my favorite memories from our time in Mount Cook was curling up on a little bed next to the window in our private hostel room, watching The Lord of the Rings on our laptop, and drinking wine straight from the bottle while the sun set over the mountains and the night stars came out. So cozy!
Read More:
- A Love Letter to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
- Alpine Adventures Abound in Mount Cook, NZ
- Hiking the Hooker Valley Track in Mount Cook, New Zealand
Visiting LoTR Filming Locations in New Zealand
As a lifelong Lord of the Rings fan, visiting destinations like Hobbiton, Rohan and Isengard is the ultimate fantasy. So when we began mapping out our New Zealand itinerary, I knew that visiting some of those LoTR filming locations was a must-do.
The first location we visited was Mount Sunday, i.e. Edoras, the capital city of the Kingdom of Rohan. See if you can envision the city of Edoras perched on top of the rocky hill, with the Kingdom of Rohan’s banners flapping in the wind.
And can’t you imagine the Riders of Rohan galloping through those golden fields on horseback? Or maybe Gandalf and Aragon, with Legolas and Gimli in tow?
Of course, the true highlight was visiting Hobbiton Movie Set. Seeing the iconic hobbit holes belonging to Sam and Bilbo, sipping cider at the Green Dragon Inn, and walking along the same footpaths as Frodo and Gandalf made my geeky little heart so happy.
I kid you not, this was one of the best days of my life – right up there with visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter…and my wedding 😉
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Sleeping in a Hobbit Hole
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” Ever since I first read these iconic opening lines at the impressionable age of ten, I have been absolutely enchanted by the fictional universe dreamt up by J.R.R. Tolkien.
So when I began planning our New Zealand trip, I knew I wanted to have the single most hobbit-y experience it was possible for a person to have: I wanted to sleep in a hobbit hole.
And you know what? It was every bit as even more magical than I ever imagined.
Underhill Valley is a one-of-a-kind, hobbit-style “cave house” built into the hillside of a working farm in the heart of New Zealand’s Waikato District. Every last detail of this secret hideaway has been thoughtfully designed and lovingly hand crafted by the farm’s owners.
Arriving to Underhill Valley is like stepping into the pages of a fairytale: from the elaborate stonework to the handcrafted iron fittings, and from the heavy timber doors to the dozens of flickering candles, it truly felt as if we had been transported back to the Medieval era…or perhaps to the Shire itself.
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Our Scenic Flight Over the South Island
99% of the time, I’m a pretty “chill” traveler. I enjoy the simple, cozy and indulgent things, like staying in quirky or unique accommodations and participating in wine tastings. Not a ton of crazy, “epic” adventures – until our scenic flight over the South Island and Milford Sound, that is.
I’m pretty sure “epic” is the perfect word.
As we began our ascent over Queenstown, I felt like my heart was in my throat. My hands were literally trembling from the cocktail of nerves, anticipation, and adrenaline that was circulating through my body.
Holy shit, this is actually happening. We’re really flying above the mountains in a tiny plane right now.
I watched as the lush green landscapes of Queenstown faded away almost immediately, giving way to row upon row of rugged, barren mountain ranges. By this point, The Lord of the Rings soundtrack was already playing on repeat in my head.
And then, we reached the glaciers. *Cue emotionally stirring music*
The landscapes were so wild, so remote, and so beautiful that I found myself with tears in my eyes.
It was one of those moments that left me feeling truly fortunate to be alive and exploring this incredible planet—just pure awe, wonder, and gratitude to be granted this rare perspective of Mother Earth.
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A Socially Distant Getaway to Palo Duro Canyon
Like many people, after six months of staying home, Derek and I were starting to feel some serious cabin fever. We have been very cautious during this entire pandemic; at the time of this writing (January 2021), we have still not been out to eat at a restaurant here in Austin.
Our short weekend trip to Palo Duro Canyon was a welcome reprieve. I didn’t even mind the boring 7-hour drive from Austin; it was just so nice to be out of the house.
We packed a cooler with all of our food and drinks for the weekend, brought the pup along, and spent our time in Palo Duro hunkered down at Doves Rest Cabins.
The only time we ventured out of our cabin was for a scenic drive through Palo Duro Canyon State Park (and a quick walk up the hill off the side of the road), which is truly one of Texas’s most precious hidden gems.
And well…that’s that.
Three trips in 2020. It’s certainly nothing to complain about; we got incredibly lucky scheduling our “big” trip of the year for February, which is more than most travelers can say. And squeezing in a little quarantine-cation was more than I could have hoped for after seeing the direction 2020 was headed.
On a different note, I feel like there’s so much I’ve left unsaid here. I mean, so much happened this year.
Not just in my own personal life, but for the world as a whole. It seems strange to write a “2020 recap” post and not dive deeper into all that has unfolded.
Alas, maybe I’ll have the emotional stamina for that another time. Or maybe not.
In any case, today is about looking back and preserving my own highlight reel (and lowlight reel, I suppose) from the last twelve months.
Suffice it to say, I’m happy to have arrived in 2021, and I’m ready to take each day as it comes.
(Pssst – if you’re curious, check out my top travel highlights for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, & 2015.)
Friends, how are you holding on? Cheers to the end of 2020 and the start of 2021 – may this year be better than the last!
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