With Coronavirus having us all practicing “social distancing,” traveling anywhere further than the supermarket feels like a long way away from now. I know that I’m bummed, having recently canceled a trip to Portugal with my dad to hike the Camino together. How long will it even be before everyone can safely travel again? If you have the travel blues like I do, then look no further than these tips to help you keep busy and feel ready for when traveling is no longer taboo!
1. Finally go through those old travel photos
Are you like C and me? We take 1000 or more pictures per trip and then they sit on the computer for months on end before anybody even maybe goes through them. Well, if you’re stuck inside with nothing to do (thanks, Coronavirus!), then now is the perfect time to take a look at all those travel photos and finally do something with them! Make a memory book, a calendar, or canvas prints for your wall. Personally, I love using MixBook for creating books and prints to send to my family, but there are tons of other sites as well, like SnapFish and Shutterfly. **
2. Travel vicariously
I love getting inspiration from seeing where other people are going. Hopefully all of those travel bloggers you’re following are just catching up on writing and not actually visiting new places during these times. Read about a place you’ve always dreamed of going and get ideas about the best things to see, do, eat, and visit if you were to go there. Pinterest is like going down a rabbit hole of new places and ideas. Using the hashtags to find what you’re interested in on Instagram will lead you to a plethora of jaw-dropping photos of whatever destination you’ve chosen. Use all this new found inspiration to start planning…which brings me to my next point:
3. Start planning
Planning a trip can take tons of time if you want know about all of your options before you get there. With all the extra time at home, I’m reading two travel guides on Costa Rica for when I hopefully go this fall. The tiny country is extremely diverse, so I’m looking to make the most out of my time there. Another trip I’m planning is a big bike tour. This requires me to map out the distances between campsites and determine which cultural sites I definitely want to visit. I’ve too often missed an amazing castle or museum because I read the guide book too quickly or a day late. Now I’ve got the time to leisurely read about all the details instead of skimming on the go. Building the anticipation of the trip also helps make the happiness of travel last even longer.
4. Learn a new language
Based on the above, I’ll be brushing up on my Spanish. Even if you don’t plan on completely learning a language, being able to say “hello” and “thank you” always go a long way. Knowing a few additional sentences never hurts (for me, “I am vegetarian” or “vegetarian?” is a biggie!) There are tons of language learning aids out there, but I love DuoLingo and the DuoLingo Spanish Podcast (the podcast is also available in French). Being able to connect with the locals through their own language will help you have a more authentic experience. Take the time now to get a jump start on those basic phrases.
5. Acquire a useful skill
Lacking photography skills? Take an online course, get a book which explains the basics, or read blogs with tips for your specific camera. We all want good vacation photos! Take the time to learn more about this form of art and practice those new skills before your next trip.
Will you be going on an adventurous vacation? Having some bike repair skills is a plus if you’ll be out cycling. Going scuba diving? – review your buddy check list and the important pressure measurements. Vertical adventure? – learn and review how to clean routes and set anchors.
Even if your next trip will just include bird watching, get familiar with the local birds and their calls so you can pick them out more easily. Being prepared can help you make the most out of your next trip. The internet and YouTube have tons of information out there waiting for you to learn anything you’re interested in.
6. Visit virtually
To put it positively, Coronavirus is happening in 2020 when we have the internet to keep us from being bored. Instead of binging Netflix, check out all of the museums around the world that you can visit from your couch! This site includes 7 excellent museums like the Louvre, NASA, and the Vatican. Here’s a list of 20 virtual field trips which are good for the whole family including interactive activities and this list of 300 will surely have something for everyone. We usually feel like pictures don’t do it justice, but in this case it’s much better than nothing. Besides, you won’t have to pay an expensive ticket, deal with crowds, struggle to find the bathroom, or wait in any lines.
7. Get your gear in shape
Suitcase still packed from the last trip? Ewww! Empty it! My backpack and bike bags have dirt and I-don’t-know-what-else crumbling at the bottom. Clean them out and get them ready for the next trip. Have you been meaning to fix your sunglasses? Repair the hole in your tent? Waterproof your hiking boots? Refill the first aid kid? Recharge your camera battery? Restock the sunscreen? What are you waiting for!? Get your travel gear in shape so that when it’s time to travel again you’re not running around trying to do all of this last minute.
8. Research new equipment
As much as I love new gear, I try to not get crazy in order to keep it economically and environmentally sustainable (my tent has more patches than my Brownies vest and my ski pants are from the ninth grade). But there are times when you really just need to add something to your travel kit. To get the most bang for your buck, research the product that will be the best for you and your intended purpose. For my first second bike trip, I purchased a cheaper pair of bike shorts because I still wasn’t sure I would be so into cycle touring. Gearing up for my fourth bike trip, I’m now looking to invest in the best pair of shorts I can afford. To do this, I’ll look at gear reviews and videos online to choose the ones that will work best for me. Suitcase broken and irreparable? Looking for the best travel liquids bottles? Thinking about getting a travel towel? Take the time now to research and get the best product for you and not just a last minute, expensive airport find before take-off.
9. Go on an imaginary trip
I know, we’re not 6 anymore so this might not sound like fun at first. But there are a lot of cultural things that can be brought to you via the internet: food, music, and dance!
One thing I’ve noticed while working at home now is that I have so much more time for cooking! There are many cultures you can get a taste of right at the end of your fork. Mexican, Indian, Thai, and Italian are a few of my favorites. The internet is laden with thousands of cooking blogs with all sorts of niches for whatever your taste buds (or wanderlust) are craving.
Music is another way to transport yourself to a new place. Listen to Latin pop, classical Italian, French rap, or German electronic music and you will be bouncing to the beat of a different culture. If you’d like to combine your language learning with music, lyrics training is an awesome way to do just that!
Not only will the music take you to a faraway place but learning some new dance steps will also have you feeling like you’re getting the cultural experience you were after. Irish step, hula, flamenco, and belly dancing are great for keeping your distance from others. If you’re stuck at home with a partner, try to get them to learn tango with you. YouTube can be a great starting point to learning some basic moves.
10. Finally send all of those postcards!
If you’re like me, then you’ve got a stack of unwritten postcards hidden somewhere (maybe in that to-be-cleaned-out suitcase back in #7). Postcards make the best souvenirs and everyone enjoys seeing one of those brighten up their bill- and junk-filled mailboxes. Turn your stuck-at-home time into postcard-writing time. Before you know it, lack-of-social time has become old-timey-communication time. Not only is this another way to look back at all the great memories you’ve gotten to make so far from traveling, but more importantly it’s a way to keep in touch with others when times are tough.
I know it’s hard to cancel trips and not even be able to make definite plans for traveling in the near future, but there are many ways we can continue social distancing and satiate a bit of that wanderlust all at once. What do you travel addicts think of these tips for times of Coronavirus? Do you have any more to add or resources to support them? I’d love to hear your ideas!!
** Chris at Chris-Crossing the World is a terrible businesswoman. As such, absolutely no one has paid her to mention their business. At the time of writing, this website has made a total of $0.00. Use all suggestions at your own risk 😉
Thanks Chris,
like your tipps!
thanks for reading, Nikolai! 🙂