9 Travel Themed Activities You Can Do While We Must Remain at Home

A Stay at Home order is hard for EVERYONE but it is simply necessary for the good of all people right now.  That being said, staying home every day can make us feel isolated and cause people to start getting stir crazy.  Especially for those of us who are always traveling or dreaming about traveling.

It sort of reminds me of when our parents took away the car keys as a punishment when we were teenagers.  We are good for a few days, but then the need to go starts to set in.  I have put together a list of some ideas to help occupy our minds, nurture the travel in our hearts and keep us busy while we wait this virus out.

 

Watch Movies Featuring a Destination you Love or Want to Visit Soon

I think that everyone is binge watching Netflix right now.  If you are looking for some travel movies, here are some good ones (not sure if they are all on netflix).

• The Italian Job
• Eat, Pray, Love
• Under The Tuscan Sun
• Mama Mia
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• The Woman in Gold
• The Darjeeling Limited
• Midnight in Paris

 

Read a Book set in your favorite Destination or Somewhere That You Want to Learn More About

Although you cant go to the library right now, there are still other options for finding a good read.

• Download from Kindle
• Use Audible
• Order books from Amazon
• Check out Hoopla, another great program that allows you to download books for free through your local library

Learn or Improve your Foreign Language Skills

These are some examples of different styles of language learning tools.  I have used Duo Lingo and Coffee Break Italian podcasts.  Both are helpful but have very different approaches.  Find the one that you like the best and work your way through some lessons.

• Duo Lingo – App
• Coffee Break Languages – Podcasts
• Babbel  – App
• Rosetta Stone – System

 

Make a Recipe From one of your Favorite Regions

Pick a country you like the food from and look up a recipe from a cookbook or on the internet.  If you don’t have all the items or it looks too hard, you may be able to order from one of the subscription box companies that comes with all the ingredients and detailed instructions.

This can even be a lot of fun to do with another person.  My husband and I have enjoyed putting on some Italian music, having a glass of wine and creating a dish like Risotto together.  Date night in!

My son bought me an awesome My Portugal Recipe book as a gift after discovering we were planning a trip there.  This weekend I am excited to finally try out making one of the recipes.  Check out my Instagram Page to see the results!

 

Work on Photo or Travel DIY Projects

Sometimes we get so busy with our travels that we don’t get around to doing anything with the treasures we collect or the photos we take on our trips.  Well folks, no time like the present to start creating and organizing.

Here are a few ideas but there are a ton more on the DIY Network, Travel Channel website or Pinterest too.

• Create a collage, scrapbook or photo album from one of your trips
• Repurpose an old frame for a favorite vacation photo you took
• Make a set of Map or Photo Coasters from a Memorable Road Trip
• Put together a Shadow Box featuring Keepsake items from a trip you have taken

 

Listen to Art, History or Travel Podcasts

It is important for me to ALWAYS BE LEARNING.  While I have been working from home, I have been listening to Podcasts as I grind through my reports.  I am learning something plus it helps prevent that feeling of total isolation.  Here are a few I like:

• Rebuilding the Renaissance with Dr. Rocky Ruggiero
• Rick Steves Travel Podcasts
• Lonely Planet Travelcasts
• Smithsonian Channel Podcasts

 

Pick a new Playlist Featuring a Music Theme from an Interesting Destination.

It’s easy to find or create a Pandora station for Fado from Portugal, Italian, Scottish, Caribbean or whatever suits your mood.  You can even listen in the background if you are working from home.

A good playlist can really help elevate your mood.

 

Clean and Organize your Travel Gear

This current downtime is a great chance to go through your travel gear and wipe down and organize your bags.  I like to store them with a dryer sheet inside to keep them smelling fresh.  It’s also a good time to go through all your travel supplies and throw out the expired items, the wonky old stuff and the almost empty items.  Make a list of what you will need to restock before your next trip.

When this crisis is all over you will be ready for action!

 

Start Planning Your Next Adventure!

Right now it feels like things will never get back to normal in the world, and in reality things may never be quite the same after this.  But eventually life will slowly start to get better again.  During this dark time, planning your next adventure can give you some hope that we will get through this eventually.

• Watch some travelogues
• Order guide books and maps
• Plan a route and make a list of sites you want to visit
• Review hotels you might want to stay at
• I like to read a little bit about the history before traveling to a new location because it gives me a better feel for the significance of what I see while I’m there.

Collect all the information in a box or folder until you are ready to start putting your plans into action.

 

Final Thoughts

I hope some of these ideas help you find your way stay busy and keep travel in your heart.

We are All in This Together!

Be Well!