Kid Trips Family Travel: Virginia, DC and Beyond
  • Our Blog
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Family Destinations >
      • California
      • Canada
      • Caribbean & Bahamas
      • Connecticut
      • Europe
      • Florida
      • Hawaii
      • Japan
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • New Hampshire
      • New York
      • Pennsylvania
      • Vermont
      • Virginia
      • Washington DC
      • West Virginia
    • Family Travel Tips
    • Family Lifestyle
  • About Us
    • Connect
  • The Book
  • Press

Looking Back on 2020 - a Year (Almost) Without Travel

12/27/2020

5 Comments

 
Picture

By Amy

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there hasn't been a lot of travel this year outside the house, let outside the country. Like many, we have been staying home as much as possible, working and taking classes remotely, and postponing gatherings with extended family and friends. ​​Early in February 2020, however --  without realizing the scope of the impending crisis -- we embarked on a trip to the other side of the globe, all the way to Thailand.  At the time, we knew about the new viral threat  and seriously considered cancelling our trip, but cases of the covid variant reported outside of China were still relatively low and there were no travel restrictions on U.S. travelers. Ultimately, we decided to prepare as best we could and go for it. Little did we know it would be the final weeks before the world changed forever.

World's Longest Non-stop Flight

With one suitcase dedicated almost entirely to masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes, our family of five boarded the world's longest non-stop flight from Newark to Singapore (9,537 miles; 18h 30m), with a connecting flight to Bangkok (876 miles; 2h 30m).  [Watch the globe spanning  flight path in the inflight video we recorded below.]  
A year earlier when we planned this trip we assumed the most difficult part would be the length of the flight -- but we were wrong. Given the amount of time our kids can play video games and watch TV, mixing in some sleep and several meals was not a big stretch for Generation Z. For myself, it was a welcome chance to be still -- sort of like being in a sensory deprivation chamber with room service. I read, napped, and caught up on the latest movie releases.  ​We've had some rough flights with the kids, but this wasn't one of them. In fact I was downright relaxed and optimistic as we flew into the warm skies over Singapore's shipping lanes. 
Picture
View from Singapore Airlines flight 021 arriving in Singapore

Flying into an Emerging COVID Crisis

On landing, however, it became quite clear that travel had become serious business and that our main source of stress would not be the length of the journey, but the possibility of being exposed to covid. Although it was still early days, Southeast Asia was among the first regions to bear the brunt of the virus. Temperature checks, masks, and hand sanitizing stations seem normal to us all now, but when we landed in Singapore last February the necessary precautions were both unnerving and reassuring at the same time. Clearly, concern for health and safety was going to be an integral part of the entire trip. Where possible, we avoided crowds and public transportation and spend most of our time outside of the city.

Exploring the Beauty of Thailand

I'll write in more detail about our trip in later posts, but ​in sum-- thankfully -- the travel gods were with us and once we had safely arrived in Thailand we had one of our best family adventures ever. We explored Bangkok's temples, feed elephants in a remote jungle camp, paddled canoes through mangrove forests with monkeys overhead, and explored limestone cliffs along the coast of Krabi, We didn't realize it at the time, but memories of those sun-filled days of adventure would help get us through the darkest days of 2020. 
Picture
Elephant Hills tented camp near Thailand's Khao Sok national park.
While we were fortunate to have come through our trip and the rest of 2020 without COVID catching up with us, we did not escape the year unscathed. As we all struggle to recover and find some normalcy in our lives again, our trip to Thailand remains a sliver in time where we were blissfully unaware of all the ways life could unravel. ​Until travel is possible again, we look back in awe on a time when it was still safe to connect with the world offscreen. Hopefully in 2021 we will all get there again.  Until then stay safe and well!
 
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own and do not reflect those of any of the business entities mentioned. We did not receive any compensation, benefits, or freebies from any vendors during this trip.  All rights reserved to GoKidTrips.com (c) 2020.
Picture
Wat Pho in Bangkok,houses the largest number of Buddha images
5 Comments
MckimmeCue link
1/27/2022 05:15:44 am

This is a very informative—edifying article to all. Thanks a lot! Continue to post!
If you are looking for coupon codes and deals just visit coupon plus deals dot com

Reply
MckinneyLee link
1/31/2022 01:07:16 am

Thank you for sharing this informative one.
If you are looking for coupon codes and deals just visit coupon plus deals dot com

Reply
Teresa M link
7/23/2022 04:15:31 am

2020 is a year that several people don’t desire to talk about or keep in mind. This year can be explained using all kinds of words like challenging, depressing, heartbreaking, surprising (the list goes on), but we think the all-including phrase is “a year we won’t fail to recall”. And while it certainly has been the most life-changing year our generation has come across, from our opinion, it wasn’t all demise and dejection. We’re considering of 2020 as a blank slate. It’s a fresh, pure year waiting for us to cast in the time slots as, and when, we desire. We didn’t have any work responsibilities, or anywhere we had to be just places we selected to be. There were certainly some severe changes on the skyline; they just weren’t the alterations we were expecting. We were happy that we didn’t have our year all sorted out, and to be honest, 2020 actually was a year of “clearness” for us.

Reply
Jr D link
8/4/2022 10:20:15 am

Great article!

Reply
Jackie Lou link
10/11/2022 08:52:35 pm

Great article! I had a good time browsing your website. I don't leave very often remarks, but you deservingly get a thumbs-up! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Keep it up.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Sponsored Ads  
    Picture

    Visit Kid Trips 's profile on Pinterest.

    Our Book

    Kid Trips Northern Virginia Edition

    Buy New $12.59
    Picture
    Amazon Button

    About The Blog

    Kid Trips' blogs profile fun events and cool family-friendly venues. We focus on regional and national family travel articles. 


    Blogs Via Email

    Blogs Via Email:


    RSS Feed

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    December 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    August 2009


    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Links We Love

    Real Housewives of NoVA
    NoVA Outdoors
    Our-Kids DC
    Tiny Steps Mommy
    Kid Friendly DC
    Richmond Mom
    PWC Moms 

Contact Us | Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Press I Newsletter Archive

Kid Trips LLC © 2013-2020

Photos used under Creative Commons from Eddie Yip, schopie1, Mr.TinDC, bryansblog, NatalieMaynor, Aero Icarus, cam_rich345, cam_rich345, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, smilygrl, Jim, the Photographer, howcheng, cam_rich345, angela n., BarnImages.com, Numinosity (Gary J Wood), kirichkov, konradherrman, deek ay, gfpeck, Pink Sherbet Photography, USACE Europe District, 401(K) 2013, brownpau, dprevite, geopungo, Michael Bentley, thisgeekredes, Michael Bentley, jasonawhite, LizMarie_AK, C_osett, benagain_photos, freshtopia.net, Lars Plougmann, Aurimas Adomavicius, geopungo, Henning Grap, geopungo, karendotcom127, Adrian R. Tan, angela n., Alex1961, Ray Bouknight, PapaPiper (Travelling), patrickkuhl, epSos.de, edenpictures, karendotcom127, My Lil' Rotten, daniel.baker, Mr.TinDC, Pictures by Ann, bob194156, Rubbermaid Products, Rob Shenk, *_*, Mark Sadowski, mrpbps, ShardsOfBlue, pelican, TruffShuff, naql, karendotcom127, Bob P. B., TruffShuff, karendotcom127, archivesfoundation, Purple Sherbet Photography, Laurel_Kate, TownePost Network, gamene, hinebaugh.erin, bob194156, Michael Bentley, g-l-o-w, bengrey, D.L., Jim Larrison, jjandames, R'lyeh Imaging, Poetprince, HarshLight, Payton Chung, Sydney Treasures Photography, @cdharrison, Rictor Norton & David Allen, Tambako the Jaguar, campdarby, DBerry2006, brownpau, sidewalk flying, PetroleumJelliffe, Angelo González, wjarrettc, SPakhrin, Port of San Diego, Loren Javier, Trishhhh, sponselli, Steffy B., Vancouver Laser & Skincare Centre, D.B. Blas, jeri gloege, Last Hero, Los Amigos Del Fuego, jasonb42882
  • Our Blog
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Family Destinations >
      • California
      • Canada
      • Caribbean & Bahamas
      • Connecticut
      • Europe
      • Florida
      • Hawaii
      • Japan
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • New Hampshire
      • New York
      • Pennsylvania
      • Vermont
      • Virginia
      • Washington DC
      • West Virginia
    • Family Travel Tips
    • Family Lifestyle
  • About Us
    • Connect
  • The Book
  • Press