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Traveling to a new place is something that most of us think about at some point or another. We think about traveling to get away from our usual surroundings, explore a new environment or culture, relax our bodies and open our minds.
But sometimes we simply can't travel. Whether it's due to financial limitations, lack of PTO, or a worldwide pandemic like COVID-19, exploring the world may not always be possible.
So what can you do in the meantime while travel is temporarily off limits? Here are 5 things that will get you ready for when the time comes to click that “book ticket” button:
1. Learn a New Language
How many times have you wanted to visit a place, but hesitated or changed your mind all together because you didn’t know the native language? When facing travel downtime, take the opportunity to learn and practice a new language so that you'll be ready for when it’s time to take off again.
Free apps such as DuoLingo can be downloaded to your phone. Rosetta Stone is also a very popular and effective language learning tool, although there is a subscription cost involved.
2. Take a Virtual Trip
Just because you can't physically get on a plane and travel doesn't mean you can't continue to explore the world. Now is a great time to catch up on your favorite travel blogs (or find one, if you don't have one already) and make a list of places that you want to visit when the travel restrictions are lifted. If you’re on Pinterest, make a Board and fill it with all of your favorite locations...then take a “virtual trip” while browsing through all of the sites and photos. Google Earth also makes it easy to zoom for a real-world view of the location.
3. Get to Know Your Own Backyard
You don’t need to go far to find beautiful places or to try new foods. Use travel downtime as an opportunity to get to know what is in your own backyard. If you have a car, go for a short ride. You’d be surprised at just how many gems you can find in your own neighborhood. Take photos of the beautiful sites you see around you. If trying new cultural dishes are your thing, look up ethnic restaurants in your area and give them a try. If you have kids, create an outdoor scavenger hunt to make exploring your area more fun.
4. Start Your Online Business
If you've always wanted to spend a significant time traveling but could never do so because you didn't have enough vacation time, brainstorming and/or starting your own online based business is a perfect way to spend your travel downtime. Whether you choose to be a full-time blogger or a product or services provider, having a 100% online-based business gives you the flexibility and freedom to travel where you want, and when you want.
There are several Facebook groups full of entrepreneurs who travel the world thanks to their online business ideas…all you have to do is search for the one that works best for you. For other ways to put money in the bank while you're building up your business, check out these Five Easy Ways to Make Extra Cash to Travel.
5. Get Fit
While waiting on that next vacation, might as well get your body in shape for when it's time to bring out the swimsuits! You don't even have to spend money on a gym. Social media and sites such as YouTube make it easy to do effective at home workouts (my personal favorite is PopSugar Fitness). The best part is, you can even take those workouts with you when you travel and do them from your hotel room or Airbnb. To add some additional weight to your workouts without purchasing a heavy weight rack, some Flint Fit resistance bands or Lxuemlu Resistance Cables will do the trick.
So next time you have the travel blues, think on the bright side and remember that there are several things that you can do to not just to keep you busy, but to improve yourself all around while waiting for your next trip.
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