During the early months of 2023, I made my first trip to North America. I spend most of my time in Oregon, LA, Hawaii and parts of Canada. The trip was a special one for me, because it was my first flight out of Europe. The total duration of my stay was around ten weeks and I must have seen the seasons change at least four times.
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First experience
I remember experiencing my first cultural shock as soon as I arrived in Portland, Oregon. Everything looked familiar but, at the same time, a bit strange. My brain couldn’t process where I physically was, and this took quite some time to adjust. Thankfully, I had a good friend living there and helping me find my way around the city. On the weekends, we drove into nature, where I could take some landscape photos and videos. Since the days were still short and mostly rainy in early January, I captured more gloomy and dark looking photographs. Dramatic views over the ocean or empty roads surrounded by majestic trees.
Different climates
While North America is a massive continent, I could see a big difference in scenery once I arrived in California. With the much warmer climate, even January felt like a nice week in the Spring. What caught my eye were the beautiful sunsets and colorful skies. The same was true for Hawaii, where I visited the island of Oahu. I felt that the contrast between the tall, expensive building and the greenery was very noticeable.
Nature in Canada
Lastly, in Canada I visited Vancouver and Toronto. With some trips around those areas. From the end of March until April, I spent my time exploring. Nature kept drawing me in, and I frequently escaped the busy city life. Those beautiful parks, mountains or forests are the place to be in Canada.