Yes, the covid-19 pandemic is getting on our nerves, but it does not mean that you get compelled to feel blue. When you can’t travel, just keep calm and be fabulous. No, I do not see the current situation through rose-colored spectacles. But I do see the current situation as a rare chance to do things that I have been longing to do for months (well, some of them for years).
In this post, I have listed some ways to relive past travels and cherish the travel memories.
1. Give The Souvenirs The Place That They Deserve
While we all buy souvenirs from different countries with so much love, we rarely take them out of the packages. Stop doing that. Try displaying the souvenirs and mementos tastefully instead. You could rearrange your bookshelf and exhibit put some of the collections there, or you could also consider decorating a side of the wall with your best travel photos. The simplest way is to start using the usable souvenirs at home. I had bought some elegant coasters from Bali and a fancy kettle set from Vietnam a couple of years back. All this while, I had been waiting for the “right occasion” to use them. I have been now using them for the last few months.
2. Recreate That Local Dish When You Can’t Travel
Do you remember how much you loved that local dish of that country? Have you tried cooking it at home yet? If not, now is the time to let your taste buds enjoy the cuisine they loved. I am going to try cooking Nasi Lemak (Malaysia) and Injera (Ethiopia) this weekend. How about you?
3. Expand Your Horizons Regarding Your Favorite Travel Destination
While a trip introduces you to the culture of a place, the information that you have is still always limited. Every culture has a history dating back centuries. No, you do not have to read history books. I have a better idea. Watch a few documentaries on cultures (especially of places where you already have been). There are plenty of them on Hotstar, Netflix, and other OTT platforms. I recently watched a couple of documentaries on Masai Culture and North Korea, which left me flabbergasted. Or you could also scroll through some popular travel blogs. They are a great source of inspiration.
4. Accessorize Your Next Trip
Most travelers have a ready checklist of travel accessories. There are so many other useful travel accessories in the market today which are less known. You can spend some time browsing through them and decide which ones are most suitable to accompany you to your next travel destination.
5. Get In Touch With Your Travel Buddies
Get in touch with your traveler friends with whom you went to that thrilling trekking destination. Or pick up the phone and call your travel guide who enlightened you with the local culture. They are the ones who would be able to empathize with you. It may seem like a casual chat, but it would be comforting at that time of anxiety. Recalling some lovely memories from the trip is indeed encouraging.
6. Organize Your Memories When You Can’t Travel
Categorize your travel photos in separate folders to make memory revisiting convenient from the next time. Delete all the duplicate photos that have accumulated and declutter your photo albums. You can even consider a destination-wise scrapbook and add more life and beauty to your travels.
7. Choose The Next Travel Destination
It is always great to have something to look forward to. Looking at the current situation, shortlisting a couple of travel destinations could comfort you. Do you want to do something more productive? Prepare a travel budget and browse through tips on how to save money in these destinations. Nobody minds saving some money while traveling.
Conclusion
These were a few things you could do to satisfy your wanderlust when you can’t travel.
During normal days, escaping the rat race is just next to impossible. Even if we want to do something we love, we discard the thought by fearing that the other “rats” around us will reach the finish line faster. Now is the time to rethink whether you want to be a finite or an infinite player.
I choose to be in the infinite game, how about you?
