Itchy feet anyone? Mine sure are, but even almost after a year since the world stopped in terms of travel it doesn´t really seem like everything will be the same soon. Although we managed to escape here and there for a short time during this past year, we mostly spent it at home. Especially if I compare it to what we had planned for and to how our previous years looked like as well. And who knows, maybe it will be the same this year. I sure hope not, but who knows? After being stuck at home for the first month or two during the pandemic last spring I wrote a blog post about all the things we can do at home while in self-isolation, quarantine or lockdowns, but here is another, slightly more specific post on how we can actually travel virtually without leaving our home. For all travel enthusiasts. Surely you have tried some of these ideas in recent months, but maybe someone else gets new ideas about how to satisfy the desire to travel at least virtually.
1. TRAVEL BOOKS
Anyone else like to read? I mostly read on my travels, on the train, on the plane, even in the car, and of course on the beach, for example. At home, time often runs out, but we can always take it without excuses and read a really good book that takes us to distant places in our minds. It can be a novel that takes place in a more exotic country, it can be a travel book, a tourist guide, a collection of stories from the road and similar.
2. TRAVEL BLOGS
One of my absolute favorite ways to spend my free time right now is not only writing here on the blog, but also reading blogs on other travel-related internet sites. There is a whole bunch of travelogues in English and other languages, with a lot of content from different parts of the world, so the choice is really great.
3. LIVE TRAVEL PRESENTATIONS
For those of you who are more lazy with reading and prefer interactive, live visual presentations, there are currently quite a few online travel lectures available. They are mostly through Facebook pages of libraries, student clubs, travel agencies or individuals who otherwise write travel blogs as well, you can find them also on Instagram, Zoom and some other channels.
4. YOUTUBE VLOGS AND VIDEOS
Another option for those who prefer video content are travel vlogs. There are loads of these on Youtube in English, but you can surely find them in other languages as well. You can choose individual ones, depending on the topic you are interested in, or follow certain channels regularly – I am currently following a couple of travelers who, despite the pandemic, are still on the road since last year and usually publish a new vlog once a week.
5. TRAVEL DOCUMENTARIES, MOVIES AND SERIES
Of course, you can also watch a good travel movie or travel themed series, either on TV channels and on paid portals such as Netflix, Amazon prime and similar ones. Travel documentaries are also a good choice in these times when travel is a bit limited and harder to do.
6. REVIVING PAST TRAVEL MEMORIES
Many people procrastinate by editing and sorting out photos from past trips, and now this is also a great task to bring back your past travel memories. Why not prepare a photo book for example or develop a couple of photos for the living room wall, maybe pout together a photo album, or at least edit and back up your photos on a computer disk.
7. WRITING TRAVEL BLOGS AND JOURNALS
Did you ever think to yourselves while reading other blogs, “oh, I can do that too”? Well, now is a great opportunity. By writing a blog, you are guaranteed to learn a lot, as well as reminisce about past travels at the same time. In addition, editing and writing a travel blog also forces you to edit photos. Those who are more for the analog rather than digital can of course also try writing a classic diary or t.i. scrapbook.
8. VIRTUAL VISITS OF MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, HOTELS AND OTHER TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Many world-famous museums and galleries have been offering a unique opportunity to visit them virtually from home since the beginning of the pandemic last spring. Take a look at the famous Guggenheim in NYC, the Berlin Pergamon, the Uffizi in Florence and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, for example. In addition to these, you can virtually walk around some of the more luxurious hotels, as well as some of the world’s biggest attractions such as the Taj Mahal and the Sydney Opera House.
9. FOLLOW OTHER TRAVELLERS ON INSTAGRAM
Instagram may not really be my most popular social media, but it is a great choice for following other travellers who are currently on the go, despite the pandemics. And yes, there aren’t that few of them at all! Especially since the introduction of IG “stories” function, where you can see current short recordings and other content, you somehow stay in almost daily contact with them and it´s a great way to feel virtually connected to the world.
10. FOLLOW PEOPLE LIVING ON OTHER CONTINENTS ON INSTAGRAM
You can of course follow not only those who are currently traveling across different continents but also those who live in those faraway places. In certain parts of Australia, New Zealand and Asia, as well as on the Pacific islands, travel, road trips, visits to restaurants and tourist attractions are very much possible at the moment and it is very refreshing and motivating following them and relive that “normal life” we are all waiting for while in lockdowns.
11. PLAN YOUR FUTURE TRAVELS
Despite the fact that every year we usually have a plane ticket or two in our pockets around January, a couple of weekend trips and visits to the homeland all booked out, this year (due to the rather bitter experience of last year) we decided to leave everything to chance. However, this does not mean that we do not dream and plan anything. Oh yeah, I definitely plan. Only without buying tickets and without a specific date in mind. When the opportunity arises, we will go as quickly as possible and it will be easy since we´ll be ready for it from the planning perspective as well. Planning is always a joy to me, because I know that it will come true one day, even if only next year or even later. Try it yourself, choose a place you wanted to visit for a long time and read, explore, prepare a route plan. They can´t take away our dreams.
