I believe in the power of travel. It connects families and friends. Travel also allows us to broaden our horizons and to open our minds to new cultures and countries. When we get through this, I am looking forward to hugging my family and friends, having our planes back in the air and our travel plan back on track.
So here is a list of adventures that will keep your wanderlust fed and your travel dreams alive from your cozy armchair in your living room.
1. LEARN THE LANGUAGE
If your next stop is a far-off land with a foreign language, language training starts now. Matthew Youlden of Babbel magazine speaks nine languages. His big tips: “Know your motivation – why you’re learning, how you’ll use it – and commit. Find a partner (virtually if needed) to practice with and push each other. Talk to yourself – It’s weird but a great way to build confidence.”
2. BOLSTER YOUR BUCKET LIST
Get out the atlas, spin the globe and make that bucket list. We know what it is, we kind of know what’s on it … but have we written it down? Now is the time. Kids love this exercise. It encourages big thinking, a bit of research and starts a shared plan. Who’s on the same path? Who’s on their own trip? Where can you combine and conquer.
3. VIRTUAL TOUR
Take a virtual tour of a Museum
Museums and galleries around the world offer virtual tours. Sashay around New York’s Museum of Modern Art or Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, tour the Guggenheim, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, or head to Paris’s Musée d’Orsay en route to the Louvre in Paris, France.
Fancy a show? Settle in with some popcorn and hand sanitiser for a night at the opera. The New York Met, although closed to the public, is offering free performances streamed nightly at 7.30 EST.
4. EAT YOUR ITINERARY
Choose a cuisine and go to town on the theme.
To keep wanderlust sated pick a different country every night. If you’re self -isolating, why not host a virtual dinner party with friends (Mary I pick you to co-ordinate). Choose a cuisine and go to town on the theme before chowing down. Need inspiration? Tune into Massimo Bottura’s Kitchen Quarantine, live streamed on Instagram.
5. READ BEFORE YOU ROAM
Deep-dive into old and new books where your dream destination sets the scene. Every traveller follows in the footfalls of pioneers, adventurers and early explorers. In a world before Instagram these intrepid souls recorded their journeys in “journals” later published as books and maps. The internet has its merits but there’s nothing like a primary source to awaken the spirit of discovery and get the mind primed for being there.
6. GET TRAVEL FIT
Do some Yoga or a solo hike in your suburb.
Do some walking to ready your calves for off-terrain treks or hike into the mountains so your lungs adjust to different altitudes. Stretch into an online yoga retreat, online piltes or chill with the ABC. Start "couch to five" or join a virtual class online.
7. TUNE IN & TRIP OUT TO PODCASTS
Take a stroll in the wild with nature writer Jon Mooallem via Walking, his new podcast of entirely ambient noise (birdsong, leaf rustles, footsteps). If your boots are made for walking on a shoestring, check out Extra Pack of Peanuts, a podcast of budget travel tips from wanderers and bloggers Hiking Thru to get you ready for the next hiking adventure.
8. TOUR (CYBER) SPACE
Tours a 3D replica of the surface of Mars, recorded by the Curiosity Rover. According to Elon Musk (and Ikea), the next frontier of travel is into outer space. You can take the giant leap to Mars without taking one small step out the door now that NASA has partnered with Google to offer tours of a 3D replica of the Martian surface as recorded by the Curiosity Rover.
9. SAFARI FROM YOUR SOFA
Binge watch The fourth set in the Life on Earth series of natural documentaries written and presented by Sir David Attenborough, The Life of Mammals examines the evolution and habitats of mammals across the globe.
10. QUARANTINE AND CHILL WITH TRAVEL SHOWS
Switch off and take flight with Netflix’sStreet Food, which gets you behind banging pans in Kyoto, Delhi, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh and Singapore street stalls. If all else fails, look up Five Star Insider, an ahead-of-its-time travel show where your correspondent pillages five-star travel experiences or watch as Joanna Lumley travels the entire length of the Nile river from it’s mouth at Alexandria to its source in the Rwandan mountains.
11. LOSE THE BAGGAGE, REPACK THE BAG
Empty, then repack, only the bare essentials.
Plans and dreams are off this year for our 2nd John Muir Trail through hike but this gives us time to cut down on what we really didn't need for our 2019 hike. We left Australia with a base weight of 13-14kgs - our goal is 12kg - I guess we have about 18 months to decide.
When we come out the other side, and we will, all with itchy feet to get going - I will be ready - I hope you will be too!
Stay inside and stay safe. Xx
