The year began with something unforgettable. I kicked off 2020 in Dallas, attending the NHL Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl Stadium on New Year’s Day. The outdoor hockey game between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators drew a crowd of over 85,000 people, making it the second-most attended game in NHL history. What made it special was not just the score, a 4–2 comeback win for the Stars, but the sheer spectacle of being part of it. The ice rink sat in the middle of the historic stadium, the State Fair atmosphere buzzed just outside the gates, and Fair Park felt alive with noise and movement all day.
From Dallas I headed back to Austin, a city I continually find myself drawn to. By now I had visited multiple times, each trip layering new memories onto the ones before. Austin’s relaxed streets, eclectic music scene, quirky food spots, and familiar energy made it feel like a place you return to rather than simply pass through.
Returning home to Vancouver in early February brought its own milestone. I attended my Canadian citizenship ceremony, a quiet but deeply meaningful moment. Standing there officially becoming Canadian carried a sense of belonging that stayed with me as the year unfolded.
Late February brought another trip south to Seattle. Time in the Pacific Northwest has always felt easy, the blend of water, hills, and city life something I had grown comfortable with over repeated visits.
Not long after, life shifted dramatically.
By March 18, everything began to shut down as the pandemic reached Canada. Borders closed, businesses paused, and restrictions took hold. Routines that had once been second nature suddenly disappeared. Long nights became the norm, leaving work and heading straight home, spending hours alone in my space. Days blurred together, marked by short walks, quiet rooms, and the slowed pulse of the city outside. Those months stretched on, reflective and still, shaped by necessity rather than choice.
Summer brought a cautious easing of restrictions, and by August I found myself back on the road. A trip to Banff and Calgary offered space, mountain air, and wide open landscapes that felt grounding after months indoors. Passing through Kelowna on the way back highlighted just how quickly the scenery can change, from coastal rain to dry hills and open skies.
The remainder of the year moved in waves. Restrictions lifted and returned, plans formed and dissolved, and most days were spent close to home in Vancouver. Quiet walks, local routines, and familiar streets filled the weeks. Travel, once the defining feature of my life, softened into something slower and more intentional.
2020 became a year of pause and perspective. Movement gave way to stillness, and eventually the two coexisted. In the space left by cancelled plans and closed borders, clarity emerged in unexpected ways. When travel did return, even briefly, it carried a different weight. Mountains, familiar roads, and seasonal shifts felt like reminders of what had been, and quiet signals of what would come next.
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