2020 REFLECTION
In all fairness I didn’t do too badly, managed to get away twice before the world shut down and just missed out on my trip to Turkey…by a matter of days.
WELL, THIS WONT TAKE LONG!
At the time I was gutted about missing out on it but it turned out that I dodged a bullet. Over the months of April and May millions of people competed for those few remaining seats back home. If I had been stuck in a more isolated country like those in the South Pacific, I could have joined my friend who was stranded for almost five months. Sounds idyllic…..not when it’s the height of the hurricane season!
2020….
- COUNTRIES – 15
- NEW COUNTRIES – 5
- FLIGHTS – 35
THE DISPUTED SERIES
Neither of my trips went to plan, but first, I visited a few more obscure countries around Eurasia. So, with a list of 4 new and 5 existing countries I arrived in Georgia with mixed feelings!
2020 REFLECTION
YING & YANG
After being handed a bottle of wine from the immigration I set off to the hostel for my trip. I waited patiently (most unlike me) for my agent to collect me from my hostel in Tbilisi, having already scheduled my trip to Abkhazia. Hours passed without a car arriving or a response to my email. However, after a bit of detective work through Facebook I managed to track the agent down who surprisingly responded immediately.
“I thought your trip was for next year?” he said.
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CHANGE COURSE
Needless to say, with visas and the like to arrange it was no longer going to be an option. Devastating being so close but yet so far!
I got over it (what choice did I have 🤣) and enjoyed the rest of the trip but writing this exactly a year on to the day I find it amusing that the agent could well open his diary today and see my name and Abkhazia written next to it….
To read about The Disputed Series click here.
2020 SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – Monasteries of Armenia, Lara beach Cyprus and Schloss Neuschwanstein.
- LOWLIGHT – The tour mix up.
THE OIL SERIES
The next trip was soon after and too me back East as part of The Oil Series to visit the Persian Gulf along with Sudan.
The highlight of this trip was meant to be Iran but in 2020 tradition that wasn’t going to happen. Arriving in Khartoum airport I was immediately approached and asked if I was David Simpson, clearly the name and white face stuck out. They told me of the issue but it appeared that as they diverted my flight to Tehran, no one knew the true impact, the capital of Iran located 10 hours north of my expected destination, Shiraz.
2020 REFLECTION
WATER FIGHTS IN KUWAIT
Arriving at Sharjah airport (one of the worst) in Dubai for a few hours layover I noticed straight away what was going on. Airlines canceled flights all over the world, and then the news from Iran emerged. COVID numbers spiraled out of control, and I realized my flight wouldn’t leave… another bullet dodged.
Instead, I headed to Kuwait where I had 2 days water fights with locals, before checking out Doha not something I had expected.
2020 REFLECTION
TREND SETTER
After arriving into Manchester, mask on, I remembered people clearly wondered what was wrong with me. Little did they believe that in just a few weeks times they would all be sporting the same thing.
To read about The Oil Series click here.
2020 REFLECTION
PORTUGAL
From April onwards, after a 3-month hard lockdown, holidays became nonexistent for everyone, and I felt stuck in a flat doing my blog for those 90 days, which was nothing short of painful. However, I was one of the lucky ones as I was able to fit in a trip to Portugal in July and then in September – two of the most appreciated and chilled out trips I’ve had.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m aware there are many people who don’t get the chance to go on holiday at the best of times let alone during 2020 so I’m always thankful and this year especially. As for 2021….check the next post
NEXT UP
2021!
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
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To watch the videos of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
