Three weeks ago, I returned to Minneapolis from Colombia. I had been leading/guiding a Zegrahm Expeditions land trip there, with a fantastic local guide named Diego Calderon, and six very keen clients. As we explored different habitats for birds (Colombia has more bird species than any other country in the world!), learned about and spotted orchids, and met many wonderful people, the corona virus 'situation' was progressing steadily along in the background. We ended the trip a few days early, ultimately concluding that things had escalated to a point where the responsible decision was for us to all get home and stay isolated. But it was an amazing trip, and Colombia is certainly an incredible and diverse country. I will be back.
Now, the 'stay-at-home' world ticks slowly along for all of us; and, depending on our respective personalities, for some it ticks slower than others. Like many other professions, those of us who work in the world of travel (as guides, naturalists, lecturers, and expedition leaders), have watched our work and lives grind to a very sudden and definitive halt. It's remarkable to consider that only three weeks ago, my group of travelers and I were visiting coffee farms, waking before dawn for the climb up on a ridge to see Colombia's tallest peaks at sunrise, and sitting surrounded by noisy orange flashes at a cock-of-the-rock lek (If you are confused, this would be a good time to consult 'the internet' 😃).
So now we wait, and stay home; and keep ourselves and those around us safe. This of course means that pretty much overnight, we have become unable to travel in the way that we would like to, and that we always have. But we can certainly reminisce about the experiences we've had on past trips, and dream of the travel adventures we will embark on again (like coiled springs!), when this is all safely behind us.
With that in mind, once a week (while we remain in "stay-at-home" mode), I'm going to highlight one travel destination, in photos and video. Let's start with Myanmar, from a Zegrahm Expeditions trip I co-led with Anthropologist Shirley Campbell in 2019.