Travel Tips
How To Satisfy Your Travel Wanderlust During Lockdown
Tips Beyond Virtual Hikes
Are you tired of the lockdown and craving to travel somewhere, anywhere? I know I am, but not enough to board a plane and head off yet. At the same time, using virtual “hikes” via Zoom or Google Maps does get old after a while. Instead, here are some alternatives to satisfy your travel wanderlust even during the lockdown.
1] Beauty Amid Urban Jungle.
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Instead of daydreaming (with despair) about an exotic vacation in Hawaii or Europe, have you looked closely at your home city? You may be surprised by what gorgeous sights you have taken for granted.
Take a short walk around your city (with your masks on, please!). Look around with a photographer’s eye — street photography can reveal some wonderful sights.
Here is an example of the convention center in San Diego, designed along with nautical themes (like a compass).
Does your city have a mix of old buildings and new architecture? An example is seen in this photo of the Philadelphia skyline taken from the Camden aquarium. The glass skyscrapers are a startling and gorgeous contrast to the old brick-faced brown buildings and factories.
2] Look for hidden gems in your own city.
Obviously, we would rather hike a trail in a gorgeous National Park, but until that is possible you need to look closer home.
Look at your city’s tourist guide, you may learn of hidden gems you have never visited or heard about. Evidence in question, this gorgeous sunset at a local park near my home. It is a tiny strip of land near the Delaware river which looks quite ugly during low tides. But when the tides are full — it transforms into a mesmerizing landscape. I know residents who have spent decades in this city but never visited it.
You may also want to support the local economy by visiting local museums, parks, and small businesses in your area. Another example is this quaint little neighborhood in SFO. Easy to miss, but a delight to the eyes when you do stumble upon it.
3] Recreate Memories.
Have you been on any memorable trips before 2020? If yes, get the photos out of their digital graveyards (phone, laptop, hard drives). With the advent of smartphones, we often take 80 pictures of the same spot from multiple angles. But we NEVER actually view them again.
a) Delete the unwanted pix. Choose only 25 pix for each trip. Try it. It is unbelievably hard and takes hours! Primarily because of the rush of memories! Partly because we tend to take a gazillion pix on each trip!
b) Pick a photo that you do like — Zoom in. Do you see any interesting details you missed in real life? For example, the image below is from my trip to Yosemite. (the blue hiker) Did you notice the landscape mirrored in the lake? I almost missed it, too!
Second example — this pic from Glasgow, Scotland. The stunning glass subway is obvious, but did you notice the castle-like structure behind it. There are so many in Glasgow that you almost overlook them after a few blocks of walking.
c) Print some photos. Photobooks are a great way to relive those memories! Or photo calendars! Bonus, you do not need to scavenge your phone to show off your globe-trotter glory!
d) Cook something you had on your last (or any memorable) trip. I recently made cheesy garlic broccoli from a Las Vegas trip we took many years ago.
Also, a decadent milk dessert my sister made at a family reunion.
4] Plan a Future Trip in Detail.
We cannot travel NOW, but there is no reason not to plan one for later. A friend of mine used his credit card loyalty points to book an international flight six months in the future at half-price to take advantage of the airline’s steep discounts. If the flights are canceled, he will regain his points. Win-win!
You don’t need to book anything just yet. Just start to plan. Traveling in winter (this year) or early spring (next year) can offer many advantages. Case in point, this gorgeous river hike we took in Yosemite National Park, California. We traveled in early April. Yes, the park hours were reduced, the weather was chilly and unpredictable, vegetarian meal options were meager, and some of the famous trails were closed. On the positive side, the crowds were non-existent, the fares on flights and hotels were at all-time lows, and the waterfalls were at their powerful best!
And after a couple of years, who remembers whether we covered all of the Top 10 spots on TripAdvisor? All I remember is that I had a wonderful time on a stringent budget!
If you plan now, you may snag some fantastic discounts too, or at least compare options relative to the peak summer rates.
5] Find joy in small things.
I have lost a loved one to Covid, so frankly, I am grateful to be alive, healthy, and financially stable enough to be able to indulge in daydreams about future travel plans!
Grateful for the small joys of life like a pretty flower or a bestseller book from my library. Being cooped up at home has taught me to practice mindfulness.
What about You? Are you grateful to be alive and happy planning your future travel trips?
If you could travel, what would be your first choice of destination? Answer in the comments section.
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