In March of 2020 I had planned to visit Peru on my first educational trip with Travel Beyond. I’d spent a summer in Cusco sixteen years earlier and couldn’t wait to return to my old stomping grounds. But then, just two days before my departure, everything changed. The COVID-19 virus we’d been hearing about in Asia hit home, causing stores, offices, and life to shut down.
Required to stay in our homes, travel to the next city, let alone another state or country, was out of the question. Work slowed, eventually stopped, and I found myself unable to access that which had always sustained me—the excitement and adventure of exploration. The proceeding months were difficult on many levels, as we dealt with isolation and loss, fear and uncertainty. But for me, one of the most challenging aspects was managing this absence, trying to fill the large hole that the inability to travel left within me.
Initially, I spent my days going for walks and reading books. Relaxing for certain, but time felt stagnant, unproductive, and wasted. So, I began to think of ways I could bring the world to me, to satisfy my ever-growing travel bug without having to leave the house.
My first destination? Colombia. My parents had cancelled a trip to the country due to COVID and so I, having visited the year prior, thought I’d re-create a slice of what they might have experienced. I whipped up some empanadas and fried plantains, a feat for a non-chef like myself. I prepared two rum drinks because I couldn’t find aguardiente, and this proved the next best option. I curated a playlist and projected a handful of photos onto the TV. With the ambience set, I ushered them into the living room where we proceeded to enjoy a perfectly Colombian evening, filled with stories, snacks, and lots of laughter.
To see where else we traveled, read the full story on Travel Beyond’s blog. And, for those wanting to visit Colombia in real time, there’s no better place to start than Medellín. A tour of Comuna 13 and a meal at El Cielo are both a must!
