Top 10 Experiences and Trips During COVID Times (2020-2021)!

Its insane how it has already been two years since the world has shut down, opened, partially closed and we have no clue how things will unfold next year.

With that said, I managed to enjoy some experiences that made my two years very very memorable. Here they are:

My favorite experiences and visits during COVID 2020-2021!

1- Antarctica

I can’t explain enough how this experience was different. Alone, going to the South Pole is something. Being stuck in the South Pole is another level. Wrote a book about it yes, and it still is special. I can’t wait for someone to make a movie out of my story it sure did feel like I’m living a movie. 

I guess by default this goes on top of the list since its the FIRST and MAJOR thing I’ve gone through when this whole pandemic started.  If you’d like to go to Antarctica or want to know more about it, checkout my post about Antarctica here.

2- Underwater Villa

This is the most recent experience, yet goes up in my list! I never thought Id enjoy sleeping underwater as much as I did in Tanzania. I guess being in a villa in the middle of the ocean, where it’s so basic yet so surreal was a true getaway. Truth to be told, its not a place where Id stay more than one night. However, that one night was an absolute magic & beauty. 

You can find some of my posts on instagram about this place, here’s one of my favorites: Waking up in the ocean!

3- Giraffe Manor in Kenya

Giraffe Manor in Kenya was on top of my bucket-list for the longest time. I booked it 6 months before the date, and was horrified that it gets closed/cancelled due to situation and closure of airports. I was too worried, to the point I did not bring up the trip except for a few people around me. I just didn’t want it NOT to happen. The time came and I did make it to this beautiful hotel. Wanna read more about this hotel, find my blog post here about it. 

4- Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking was something I wanted to do but wasn’t on top of my list when it came to priorities and interests. I worked with one of my hotel partners, the One and Only in Montenegro, when we discussed their properties around the world and Rwanda came up. Every year, I try to visit a new country and during COVID, visiting a new country by choice was a bit difficult. Rwanda was a place I wanted to see and the fact that they have properties in two different beautiful locations in Rwanda made it sound very very attractive to me.

When I started researching the properties and saw how beautiful they were, it was impossible for me not to want to go there. See Rwanda, stay at two gorgeous properties and do Gorilla Trekking? OH YES.

The experience of trekking to see gorillas, the closeness you get to them and see them right infront of you was just terrifying yet so very amazing. They were ‘playful’, curious and very interesting to observe and interact with. 

5- Helicopter over active Volcano in Iceland

Thankful for a fellow joiner in one of my group trips for convincing me to take this helicopter ride. I first thought its just another ride on a helicopter which I’ve done so many times, why not. As soon as we got closer to the active volcano, I was out of words. I didn’t have any words to explain the way I felt. I was in complete silence and super impressed of this natural phenomenon that we only see on TV. Wow. We felt the heat from the helicopter. Incredible.

 

6- Serengeti animal spotting from my room

Although it was not my first visit to Serengeti, nor the Four Seasons Serengeti nor seeing animals there. However, I was able to spend a bit more time in the resort itself and see animals as I wake up, as Im having coffee and as I’m in the pool SO CLOSE TO ME. I kept on seeing smiles on my group member’s faces and plenty of thank yous and gratitude; this made this experience extra special. Waking up to a group of elephants passing by your terrace is not something I can say that I see everyday that’s for sure. 

7- Sleeping in an over-car tent in Kuwait dessert

In Kuwait, we don’t go out to explore enough. I live in it, go to work, see my friends, socialize in houses and thats about it. Our weekends are mostly restaurants, cafes, and gatherings in homes. These two years got us looking for things to do and experiences to have. One of my absolute favorite experiences was camping in the dessert in a location I did not know existed (or at least didn’t make the effort to go and se it before), and what made it even more memorable is the over-jeep camper! This was something indeed. We camped overnight, had an amazing time, and moved back to the city the next day. I loved it, its totally worth making it to my list and I cannot wait to do it again this winter! 

8- Walking on a Glacier in Iceland & in Argentina

I walked on two beautiful glaciers. One in Argentina in 2020 and one in Iceland in 2021. Need I say more? Memorable experiences for sure.  The first glacier was with my group in 2020 and the second one with also my group in Iceland 2021! Never gets old, never gets boring! 🙂

9- 7132 Hotel Spa in Switzerland

I am always fascinated by the spas at the hotels in Switzerland. So fancy, so luxurious and so beautiful. Staying in a hot thermal water in a zero degree weather was always a challenging idea for me. When I visited and stayed at the beautiful 7132 hotel, I couldn’t resist going into that spa. Different rooms with different pool temperatures, phones were not allowed in there for privacy and for relaxation purposes. Totally worth it and totally beautiful!  

10- Staying in the huge slide villa in Maldives at Soneva Fushi

Last but not least, when the world opened borders again in 2020 one of very first destinations to re-visit was the Maldives. I had the chance to stay in a gigantic overwater villa with a slide at Soneva Fushi Hotel. This, is totally an experience and a beautiful one especially coming out of a lockdown at the time! ♡ 

Never let fear control you.. 

PS. All travel experiences can be done and planned for you by hello explorer♡