As I sit down to write this, it’s dawning on me that this article would have been much more appropriate in May, 2020 instead of May, 2021, but I digress. Even though the world is starting to open back up, it will still be a while before we can travel at our 2019 mobility, at least on the international level.
In the meantime, maybe your target destination hasn’t fully reopened. Perhaps you’re not quite ready to venture out again. Or, if you’re just lazy, that’s perfectly fine, too. We don’t judge. It’s surprisingly easy to “travel” the world without leaving the comforts of home (or even your couch).
Food
We all have to eat. Why not turn it into an adventure? Most food is heavily tied to a particular location. Don’t believe me? What’s the first place that comes to mind when you think of sausages and beer? Hopefully Germany. What about tacos? Jerk chicken? Or Pork Lo Mein? All you have to do is schedule your meals around your favorite destinations.
Start your day south of the border with a classic Mexican breakfast. Huevos rancheros served on warm homemade corn tortillas. Top it with a salsa fresca made from fresh herbs and veggies you just cut from your garden.
For lunch, jet off to the romantic coast of Italy. Cook a margherita pizza on a Tuscan-style crust that you let rise in the warm morning sun. Top it with fresh Italian herbs and spices and serve al fresco. There is nothing better than a margherita pizza made from fresh tomatoes and basil you grew yourself.
Wrap up your world adventure on the bustling streets of Bangkok sampling some of Thailand’s world-famous street food. For dinner, serve up some Kai Khrapao (Basil Chicken) or Pad Thai with a side of grilled satay. And don’t forget a salad. My favorites are the Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad) or the Thai mint and cucumber salad.
Want to make it even more of an adventure? Try cooking it yourself. All of those dishes I mentioned above are easy to make with ingredients that are readily available at any American supermarket.
Music
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, music was my go-to escape. It was so easy to get away from all of the bad news, loneliness, and stupidity. Like food, most music is tied to a particular geographic area. And you can zip around the world much more quickly and efficiently than just through your three daily meals. In fact, let’s go for an adventure right now.
Let’s start on the warm tropical shores of Jamaica. You can almost feel the refreshing trade winds blowing off the Caribbean.
On our way out of the Caribbean, we’ll make a quick stop on the island of Martinique. The French Antilles are home to the upbeat zouk and kompa rhythms.
You can’t have a music tour without a stop in Ireland.
If you can’t get enough drinking in Ireland, try your hand at a drinking song in Russia.
Then, we’re off to Africa, which is the birthplace of so much of the musical influences across Latin America, the Caribbean, and even the United States.
Recharge your batteries in Southeast Asia with a meditation retreat.
Back on North American soil, visit the rich cultural centers of Mexico. I can’t wait to smell the shrimp on the grill at my favorite street taco stand again.
And we’ll come full circle back to the Caribbean and return home via the US Virgin Islands.
If you’re looking to up your home travel game even more, try combining food and music for an even deeper experience.
Maps
I may be a bit biased being a map geek, but I love exploring new areas on maps. Regardless of whether you’re poking around your own back yard or a new city on the other side of the globe, there are always new places to explore. Give it a try.
Google Street View
Supercharge your map exploration. Virtually put yourself on the ground pretty much anywhere in the world you desire. It’s about as close to traveling as you can get without actually traveling. Traverse the globe in a matter of seconds. And get inspiration for your next trip. I’d be lying to you if I told you that I didn’t waste plenty of hours on Google Street View when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Hit the ground on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Soak in the breathtaking views of the South African coast along the Chapman’s Peak Drive near Cape Town.
Trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal.
Go whitewater rafting through the Grand Canyon
Swim in the cenotes in the Yucatán.
And drive into the guts of the Australian Outback.
The world is quite literally at your fingertips. Go explore it.
Photography and Art
I love looking at travel and nature photography. It’s a way to relive fond memories. But more importantly, it’s a way to find motivation for your next trip, add items to my bucket list as well as explore new places. After looking at these photos of Lake Tahoe, don’t you really want to go there?
Meditation
Whenever you think of meditation, you probably think of mindfulness, peace, and relaxation. However, when you try to reduce stress through meditation, you need to remove your mind from the source of stress, which is usually close by. Then you can transport your mind to where it can relax. For most people, that’s somewhere in nature, such as at the beach, in the mountains, or in the forest.
Scents
Your sense of smell triggers some of your most powerful memories. In fact, it’s such a powerful trigger that businesses sometimes make their stores smell certain ways because certain scents actually boost their sales. You’ll notice these scents are most prominent around the holidays in November and December.
You can easily use scented candles, air fresheners, and fragrance sprays around your home. Transport yourself to the beach, mountains, river, meadow, and beyond. Nowadays, you can even use scents of your favorite foods and holidays to make your “getaway”. Pair your scents with any other item in this post for an even fuller experience.
Television, Netflix, and YouTube
Those of you who know me know that I mostly watch funny shows and sports on TV. Even though I don’t watch a lot of TV, I also watch travel shows. You can find them through your cable provider, most streaming services, and even on YouTube.
Why watch travel shows? First, they were a great escape from all of the negativity and loneliness associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, they’re great motivation. Obviously, you can get plenty of inspiration for places to travel and things to do. However, I don’t have anything remotely close to the budget that many of these shows have.
Instead, I get much more mileage using travel shows as inspiration to improve my skills in photography, videography, and video production. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do all three professionally. However, I believe that no matter how good or how well-known you are at something, there’s always somewhere you can improve.
Here are the trailers for a few of my favorite travel shows.
Your “Happy Place”
When you’re faced with adversity or under heavy pressure, close your eyes and escape to your Happy Place. A happy place is a place in your mind you can go to relax and re-focus yourself, where all your worries will fade away.
Take it from the great coach Chubbs Peterson in Happy Gilmore.
Conclusion
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we all still have a bit of hesitancy to resume our 2019 travel activities. Indeed, travel is still largely restricted on the international scale. If you’re itching to travel again, but are still worried about the pandemic, there are plenty of ways to escape and “travel” without leaving your house. Don’t hesitate to combine any or all of the methods we’ve discussed above. It’s not the same as actually being out on the road. But it’s still a pretty rewarding experience.
Top Photo: The Canadian Flag Proudly Flies over Highway 401
London, Ontario, Canada – August, 2019