For me, travel has always been about experiencing new cultures and realizing how many unique ways there are to live this life. That’s why when I started traveling nearly four years ago, I wanted to get as far away from the United States as possible. If I wasn’t half way across the globe then I wasn’t far enough. That’s why it took until only this last year for me to finally look South and experience the magic of Central America. I was on my way to South America when the Covid-19 pandemic began. With borders closing and American passports banning entry into many countries I’ve had to reevaluate my relationship with travel.
Trapped in the United States for the foreseeable future, I decided to look inward in regards to travel. The United States is a huge country and each State has unique geographical features. Sure, everyone speaks English and I run into Trump loving locals that make me want to risk the Coronavirus and jump on the first plane out of here. However, if you ignore certain factors, the United States is a treasure trove of wilderness and beauty.
Travel During a Pandemic
My sister and I decided to take a road trip from Illinois to California. In order to minimize Coronavirus exposure we got all of our groceries and water at a store before we left. We also decided to camp in the wilderness each night opposed to staying in hotels. We often stayed at National Parks but also used the app ioverlander to check if there were any camp spots near us. With food and lodging covered we were able to minimize our daily exposure to gas stations and fellow campers. At national parks we wore masks as we hiked which was hot but worth not accidently killing somebody at high risk.
On our journey we stopped at
There were two random nights in Iowa and Idaho in which we utilized ioverlander to find a cheap free camp spot.
If you plan to visit many National Parks in the USA you can get the National Park Pass for $80. It lasts a year and after you go to three parks, it pays for itself.
This roadtrip nearly restored my pride in America, despite our horrendous political situation. Hidden deep within the national parks of this country are wild bison, long horned sheep, striking desert landscapes, snow capped mountains and geysers. Don’t get me wrong, as soon as it is safe to travel again I’ll be the first person on a flight to Australia. However, I’m now looking forward to coming back to the United States to explore the rest of the National Parks and to do the PCT or Appalachian trail. Twenty twenty has been the year that planning is a waste of time and you just have to roll with the punches. My silver lining in all of this is that the United States is actually a beautiful country to travel in if you stick to nature!
Older Articles
The two sections below are a snapshot of my life when I was 18-24. My life in America before I was a world traveler.
Chronicles of a Wandering Soul 