Many of us are struggling with the current travel restrictions. International travel plans went out the window in 2020 and the future of travel for 2021 is uncertain. How do you satisfy your wanderlust and desire to see the world when you’re stuck at home?
While there’s no real replacement for a good trip abroad, there are a few things that you can do that might scratch that itch. Those who enjoy traveling may be able to bide their time happily until borders reopen.
Not sure what to do? Feeling trapped? We have some ideas on how you can “travel” at home. Keep reading to learn some things that we’re doing at the moment to keep the urge to travel at bay.
Do Some Research
Are you already planning a trip for the future? Now is a great time to put your research in and learn about your next destination.
If you already bought your ticket, take a look at your target country. What kinds of customs should you anticipate? Do you speak the local language? If not, do you have time to learn a few phrases so you can get around outside of major cities?
What about tourist destinations or great hiking spots? This is the perfect time to plan out your travel itinerary.
If you haven’t yet picked out your destination, why not use this time to research the cities and countries that you’re interested in? This will make it easier to narrow down your options when it’s finally time to get on a plane and go.
Researching and planning ahead of time makes everything so much easier. Don’t let this time go to waste.
Watch Travel Shows
Do you want to see far-away lands with a helpful guide? We love watching travel shows to get in the traveling mood.
There are plenty of great options, and you won’t have to miss out on any countries or cities. There’s a show for everything.
We love watching travel shows that revolve around food. It’s helpful to see the local restaurants and traditional foods so we can plan out what we’re going to eat and where we want to go when we get to the country in question. When something makes its way to a food show, you can be sure that it’s going to be great.
Are you more interested in the great outdoors? There are plenty of shows that revolve around animals that are native to every country. If you’re trying to get a good look at nature before you go to make a checklist of flora and fauna, these shows are a great option for you.
More interested in landmarks and important destinations? No problem, there are shows for that as well. Make a list of important monuments or activities.
All you need is a good streaming service, cable, or a digital TV antenna installation and you’ll be traveling in no time.
Use Google StreetView
Do you want to feel like you’re “there?”
Google StreetView is a great way to immerse yourself in your destination. While you won’t see everything that you like, and it’s not the same as being in your destination city, it puts you at eye-level with where you want to go.
Through StreetView, you can wander around and get a feel for the area. You can see people, monuments, and the cities and streets that you hope to visit throughout the year.
Play a Travel Guessing Game
Did you know that there are games that use the StreetView idea to take you to faraway places? Once you’re there, you get to guess your location.
The most popular one of these games is Geoguessr, but there are plenty of options that can give you the true virtual travel experience. You might even find yourself “in a country” that you didn’t know that you wanted to travel to.
Playing a travel game is a great way to lose an hour, but they’re educational and they’ll help you prepare.
Make an Image Board
Not the virtual travel type? Why not make an image board to project your dreams of the travel ahead?
There are plenty of ways to make a good image board. If you need something tangible to hone in on your travel desires, make a physical one with a large piece of craft board and printed photos and phrases that remind you of your destination.
Digital options are also great for this. Many people use sites like Pinterest to gather all of the websites and photos that remind them of their travel plans or Canva to put photos and thoughts into a slideshow-type setting.
If you don’t know where you want to go yet, put images that represent your perfect vacation. Do you know that you want to see warm beaches, blue oceans, volcanoes, and great hiking locations? Put down those images so you can start your hunt for the perfect place to go.
Collect Souvenirs for a Shadow Box
Why not take this time to remember some of your previous trips?
We love making shadow boxes. It’s a fun way to put your crafting skills to good use and put together all of those souvenirs that are laying around.
Do you have shells, tickets, small trinkets, or photos from your last trip? Gather than and arrange them in a shadow box to create a cool decoration. Why not make one for every trip you’ve been on?
Satisfy Your Wanderlust (for the Moment) With These Fun Ideas
You can’t go out and see the world right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t satisfy your wanderlust in small ways while you’re trapped at home.
Remember, you won’t be stuck forever. Travel is in the near future, and when you’re able to get out again you’ll be ready.
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