Our last two articles shared exciting virtual tours you can take around the world and even right here in the USA. But we know that that alone won’t cure your wanderlust. So we’ve gathered up a few more ideas for you to help you get through the pandemic. We know that once the travel bans have been lifted, you’ll be even more ready to explore the world soon if you follow some of these ideas we have below. Take a look and let us know what you think!
Learn a new language
Now is an excellent time to learn a new language so you won’t be tongue-tied when you finally get to go on that trip to Rome like you’ve always wanted to do. Duolingo offers free language classes online. And of course, you’ll find plenty of videos right on YouTube.
Watch a travel show
Whether you love Rudy Maxa, Rick Steves (our personal favorite) or any other travel host, you know that just watching a good travel show can be soothing. You’ll pick up great travel tips and for a brief moment you’ll get to feel like you are visiting that place you’ve been wanting to go to for so long.
Learn new recipes from the countries you want to see
Sometimes just tasting good food from another country can be comforting when you can’t go there yourself. We love trying recipes from BBC Good Food which organizes them by country. Another personal favorite is All Recipes which not only highlights food from around the world but also has reviews from others who have tried that recipe too. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention another excellent site, Recipes Around the World.
Make a travel photo book
Raise your hand if you’ve taken a million pictures on your past trips but never actually printed them out. Don’t worry, we’re absolutely guilty of this too. But now is the best time to finally do something with all those files. Try using a website like Shutterfly to organize all of them into a nice photo album. It’s a fun way to relive your past adventures!
Read a travel guide
Rick Steves writes excellent travel books that give you all kinds of insider information you need to know to have the best trip ever. We especially like Europe Through the Back Door. Lonely Planet also makes detailed guides on pretty much any destination you might be considering. They also created another book you might want to check out called Lonely Planet’s Ulimate Travelist: The 500 Best Experiences on the Planet.
Make or update your bucket list
If you’ve never created a bucket list, it’s a great way to plan out the trips you want to take in the future. You can get a fancy notebook or just use whatever you have in the house. Write out where you want to go, sites you’d like to see and how long you want to stay. What type of experiences do you want to have? Do want it to be a relaxing trip? One full of adventure and action? Just planning out a trip like this can make you feel a little bit better.
Listen to music from around the world
Find a comfy spot, have your favorite drink close by, close your eyes and turn on music from countries you’d love to visit someday. There are so many excellent artists worldwide and you might find a new one you like. We personally love compilations by Putumayo Presents which has compilations of music from Cuba, Italy, Africa, France, India and more. You can buy them right on their website or you can also find them on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com at many other major retailers.
Try a fun game from around the world
If you have children, this one is perfect for you. Parents.com has a list of some fun and educational games children in other countries play and you won’t need special board games for them. You’ll find games from Chile, Pakistan, Greece, and more. Just grab a few items you already have around the house and you’ll be having fun in no time.
Have an immersion day at home
Why not combine some or all of the above to have a theme day at home? This is especially fun if you have kids. Start off the day learn a phrase or two in another language. Make lunch that includes one or more foods from that culture. Watch a movie or travel guide show about that country. Learn a few fun facts to share from a travel book. Finish up with some relaxing music from that country.
Just contact us at 1-877-530-5560 or complete our Contact Form and we’ll put together the perfect travel arrangements and itinerary for you!
Contact us today by visiting www.CompleteGetaways.com or calling 1-877-530-5560