Kang Family Vacation 2020

Lake Minnewanka, Banff

We just finished our annual family summer vacation.  

What a strange time to be "holidaying," in the midst of a pandemic.   But, we had our vacation time booked off, and all of us desperately needed a break from the stress and busy pace of the past few months.  So we packed our bags, and headed off for a local "stay-cation" in the Rocky Mountains.  Truth be told, I was bitterly disappointed because our original plans had been to drive back to Vancouver Island for a visit.  Well, originally we had booked tickets to fly... and then the pandemic hit and we changed plans to drive instead.  As the time came closer to our holiday, everything still seemed so uncertain.  Travel was not restricted, but not recommended.  The news reported backlashes of angry residents when people crossed the border.  And, of course, was the risk of potentially spreading the virus to others unknowingly.  So, we cancelled our BC trip, and decided to stay close to home instead.  Of course, right after we left, BC moved to its next phase of opening and started welcoming back travellers, but it was too late.  Even so, with all the risks of travelling, we may not have gone anyhow. 

Moraine Lake

We ended up having a spectacular time!  The Rocky Mountains are incredible any time of year, but to go in the summer without all the busy crowds of tourists, seriously was a gift.  We were able to go anywhere we wanted, and not have lines and throngs of people to get through.  Daniel took some phenomenal photography, the kids had a blast, and we really felt refreshed.  Of course, we missed seeing everyone in BC dreadfully, but there will be another time (we're just currently not sure when that will be).

RJ & MJ in Banff

For me, personally, it was so nice to unplug from the load of counselling and the worries of the world.  I was fully able to be present with my kids and family, and we really all had so much fun.  Following our time in Banff, we still had time off, and we used it to recharge and tackle some projects around the house.  Not so exciting, but it still felt good to get stuff done that normally is hard to get to.  The weather has been really hit and miss, but we snuck in a few more beach days, and a trip out to Dinosaur Provincial Park, before we headed back to our jobs. 

RJ & MJ in Dinosaur Provincial Park

It was definitely a different kind of vacation this year.  What was markedly different was how little interaction we had with others... it really was JUST our family for the majority of the time.  This was a little lonely feeling at times, because we DO like to spend more time with loved ones (and also hoped for a bit more of a break from the kiddos), but overall, I felt like it bonded our family in a new way.  That's been the biggest blessing and curse of this pandemic.  As hard as it is to be together ALL the time, and not have the breaks that we are used to, we have grown to be used to being around each other day in and day out.  It is challenging, but I honestly think we will look back on this as a special time in all of our lives.  

Oh, and if you want more pictures, you can find the full story of our trip on my Facebook page.  

Kang Family Vacation 2020