Tell me honestly, doesn't all this feel like a movie?
Like one of those apocalyptic ones. Where an extremely contagious virus takes over. It starts in one corner but quickly spreads across the world. Schools and universities shut down, markets are closed, people are confined to their homes, entire cities turn into ghost towns, economies fall apart.
While I'd pay a hundred bucks to watch this version of a dystopian world in a movie, I don't feel so thrilled about it happening in real life.
Unfortunately, though, that's the impact that the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had on our lives. The Coronavirus has already been declared a pandemic by WHO. Way over 300K people are infected worldwide.
We're living in tough times, and they're far from over.
Especially for those of us with persistently itchy feet, the longing to pack our bags and get the hell away is stronger than ever. Many countries are shutting their internal and external borders, in a desperate effort to curb the spread of the infection. While the situation warrants acute measures, it also puts a massive damper on our travel plans.
Many of you may have had to cancel your flights or put off your vacations. Given the volatility of events, it's best advised not to travel at this time. Just last week, I was supposed to fly to Copenhagen and only hours before my flight, Denmark announced it was to shut its international borders. I mean, what gives?
So what do we do? I've been racking my brain about how I can indulge my travel fantasies and unyielding wanderlust during this time. I'm sure you're, too!
Here are some things I intend to do more of, to mentally teleport to faraway places and distant lands, while I stay at home and self-quarantine.
Also, remind me to copyright the title "Travels in the time of COVID-19" for my first ever novel. Don't know when I'll write it, but I don't want the ghost of Gabriel García Márquez to haunt me in my sleep YA KNOW.
1. Read Travel Memoirs
If you've never been a reader, but are passionate about travel, this is your chance to pick up a phenomenal habit.
Travel memoirs are amazing because they give us a chance to vicariously live out the author's adventures from the road.
A good travel story can take us to the scene, with the characters, the setting, even the sounds and smells coming to life. It can make us cry, and it can make us laugh our heads off. That's the power of words.
Take this time of social distancing to read wonderful memoirs written by some of the best travel writers there are. I personally love all books by Bill Bryson; you can start with reading Neither Here Nor There, a hilarious memoir about his Europe travels.
Another awesome, easy breezy yet tremendously rewarding read is The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost.
2. Watch Travel Documentaries and Movies
I've been spending a lot of time Netflix 'n chilling anyway, these days.
Btw, are you watching any new show? Something really awesome you chanced upon? Let me know in the comments below!! I could use some recommendations.
In a bid to satiate our travel cravings, we can popcorn binge on movies shot in exotic locations. For example, Before Sunrise shot in Vienna and The Beach shot in Thailand (although I liked the book better). My absolute favorite is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Such a marvelous, underrated gem!
Here's a great list of travel movies you can watch.
There are also tons of amazing documentaries that can help shape your understanding of the world, in the comfort of your couch. Dark Tourist is one such compelling 8-part travelogue that takes the viewer to infamous destinations like a nuclear explosion site in Japan, Pablo Escobar's self-appointed prison, suicide hotspots, and real-life vampire homes.
Another brilliant documentary is Virunga, an inspiring and true story about a group of people in Africa who are going above and beyond to protect the critically endangered species of mountain gorillas.
3. Tune in to Travel Podcasts
Podcasts are such an incredible creation, you guys!!!
You can listen to them while commuting to work, buying groceries, cooking - basically any activity! Just plug in your earphones and let the spring of information wash over you.
There are so many good content creators making excellent travel podcasts. I regularly listen to the World Nomads Podcast, which has weekly uploads and they air interviews with journalists, travel writers and adventurers. There's so much you can learn from their unique experiences.
I'm also addicted to People Fixing the World, a BBC podcast that discusses how individuals around the world are making it better with tiny yet powerful steps. It is guaranteed to leave you inspired.
4. Start Travel Journaling
Build a habit to write about your past travels.
It doesn't always have to be something grand or challenging. Not everyone jumps off a plane or deep-sea dives.
But I know for a fact that all of us, each one of us, can share travel stories worth sharing. We're all gleaning experiences when we travel, and we can all help enrich the travels of others, with our knowledge.
Remember that awesome AirBnb you stayed at? Or that epic weekend getaway? Or even the big family vacation?
Start piecing events from your trip together, and weave them into a travel story replete with details. Try to recall the little nuances - the color of the building, the mood of the sky, how old your hosts were, what they were wearing when you met, sounds, hues, scents, temperature - try to pack as many of these details into your writing.
No one has to read what you write; sharing (or not) your writing with others is your choice.
But in addition to helping you recapitulate experiences from your own life and storing them for posterity, this exercise also makes you more mindful of how fulfilling traveling can be.
5. Learn a New Language
Far and away the easiest method to introduce yourself to a country's way of life is learning a new language.
English aside, the most spoke languages worldwide are Mandarin, Spanish and Hindi. If you speak one of these, good for you! There's always something new to learn, though.
Ever since I moved to Germany, I've been working on my German. It's still far from perfect. But because of this one skill in my arsenal, I get so many opportunities to enhance my travels.
Like earlier this year when I met a local family in Meisbach, a charming Bavarian town. We had a broken exchange but they bought me a coffee at the end (no biggie but it's very unlike Germans!) only because I spoke their language and, of course, because of my usual fabulosity and charm.
Whenever I run into German-speaking people while on the road, I speak the crap out of the language. It also gives me a chance to practice for free! And you know I LOVE FREE THINGS (forever channeling the Indian in me).
Best part - There are tons of resources to help you to learn a new language. I swear by Duolingo, a fantastic app with over 23 languages, including endangered ones like Navajo and Hawaiian. The paid version is great but the basic version has pretty much all the good stuff, and it's free!!!!! (The Indian in me just somersaulted across the room).
Personally, I've never used another tool or app apart from Duolingo. But I've heard great things about Babbel and Triplingo. So let's get cracking!
Which new language are you picking up? If it's German, we can practice together ;)
6. Eat Abroad - Without Leaving Home
Ahead of traveling somewhere, what's the one thing you look forward to doing to the most?
You guessed it: It's eating all the amazing food there!
Food is such an intrinsic part of our travel experiences. It embodies the cultural identity and individuality of a place. It shines a light on traditions, norms, flavors that have been passed on through generations.
What better way to experience the thrill of travel than to bring those flavors to your kitchen?
This is the time to brush up your culinary skills. You can transport yourself to the winding alleys of Marrakech as you make an easy vegetable Tagine, or to the bustling Bangkok street markets while dishing out a bowl of Pad Thai.
Itching to go to Italy? Turn on an Opera playlist on Spotify, pour yourself a glass of Chianti, and make spaghetti while throwing in heaps of basil for good measure.
Here's a list of super easy dishes from cuisines around the world, to get you started. Now go whip up a storm!!
7. See a Foreign Film
Just like books by international authors and culinary delicacies, watching foreign movies connects us to the human side of ethnicities, cultures, nationalities and worldviews.
The cast, characters and settings are completely different from us, but the underlying set of emotions is mostly the same. It's all about similar values, about love, about hate, happiness, success, peace, war - all seen through the eyes of someone from another part of the world. Which is the biggest upside of watching international films.
Get comfortable with subtitles. Parasite, a Korean black comedy thriller, won four Oscars this year. Stranger by the Lake is another brilliant French movie that'll keep you glued to the edge of your seat till the very end.
Here are some more international film recommendations.
8. Tour Places Virtually
I recently discovered a legen-wait for it-dary app by Google called Arts & Culture. And my mind = blown.
This is a super cool app that uses high-resolution image technology, fairy dust and magic sparkles to enable virtual museum tours. Which means you can visit the Louvre in Paris, or Anna Frank's House in Amsterdam, whilst home-isolating yourself. Technology can do wonderful things!!
The app also offers other unique features like zooming capability to assess a piece of art up close, street views, 360 degree videos, short excerpts about key events and personalities in history, and the coolest feature is a face map. The app tells you who your famous lookalike from yore is. I matched with a painting by Van Gogh called Head of a Woman. And nothing in my life has ever made more sense.
Vincent Van Gogh was a smart man. Google is pretty smart, too. Not bad, Google.
9. Take a Course
The internet is such a great resource for expanding our knowledge.
You can find so many comprehensive online courses that discuss in detail and the history that led up to what we know of a country and its political, economic and cultural landscape.
I have recently taken and enrolled in a few such interesting courses to widen my understanding. Harvard University offers excellent courses pertaining to theology, one example being Christianity through its Scriptures. There's also the link between China and Communism through the years explained in this detailed course I took recently.
Coursera also has tons of FREE (special emphasis on the word) courses from reputed universities across the board; here are a few to get you in the groove:
Big History: Talks about all the historical events in the run up to how we see the world today
The Miracles of Human Language: An introduction to linguistics and on understanding how we all speak different but similar languages
Greek and Roman Mythology: I haven't finished this yet but I'm loving it already; very thorough and interesting
10. Talk to People
This might even seem like a no-brainer to many of you, but hear me out.
Do you have a friend who's moved abroad? Or even to another city? Do you know someone who recently visited the Caribbean? Or someone who saw the pyramids in Egypt?
Call up that friend. Talk to them about their experience. Ask them what the weather was like, how the people were, what the food was like, how it all made them feel.
If you know someone who lives abroad, ask them about the country's governance, how the banking system works, is health insurance mandatory, are there any community startups, and around a hundred and sixty-seven other questions!
We're surrounded by people brimming with experiences and stories. There's ALWAYS something new we can learn from others.
So use this time to call up that friend and talk. And learn. You know that call's been pending for a while now, anyway.
P.S. I've noticed that a lot of bloggers and non-experts have been doling out advice about taking shorter trips or planning your next vacation. For the love of God, DON'T. Please don't make any bookings or travel anywhere till this whole thing blows over. From the looks of it, the Coronavirus is still a long way from over and will take its course. Planning anything at this point might result in disappointment.
Instead, invest your time and energy in learning more and fuelling a clearer perception of the world. In the end, this understanding will help you when you do eventually travel to all those places. And that, you will. This, too, shall pass. Amen!
How're you satiating your wanderlust in times of COVID-19? Do you have any other cool tips?