Contributed by Geraldine Mills
The lockdown worldwide is something that is uniting everyone all over the world. Aside from the fact that everybody is staying at home together, we are also combining in one other thing. That one other thing is our immense wanderlust all of a sudden. Even though the Malaysian government has since loosened the lockdown and has allowed people to return to work and businesses to open, interstate travel still isn’t permitted without a justifiable reason. And even Malaysians prefer to remain cautious and stay at home. It’s no surprise that two months into this lockdown measure, everybody's feeling a bit of cabin fever nowadays.
However, you can still stave off your wanderlust at home in little ways. As much as possible, you should be staying at home so that you reduce the chances of you getting sick. Therefore, you should instead look for productive ways with which you can prepare for your next travel adventure while you're at home in lockdown instead.
Luckily, the Internet is there to help you prepare for your next travel adventure. If you're ready to start developing plans for your next travel adventure, then here are five ways you can do that while at home.
1. Make a wanderlust mood board.
If you are feeling a bit of wanderlust but don't know where you plan on going, then you can start by making a mood board that will help inspire you. There are plenty of free apps or websites such as Pinterest that can help you create your mood board for your future travel plans. A mood board is a visual collage of sorts that centralize around a specific idea.
With a mood board, you can plan out several things. You can start window-shopping for luggage sets, and since not a lot of people are traveling nowadays, you might even find yourself a solid bargain on these. There's nothing that will make you want to visit more than if you have cute luggage sets with you.
A mood board is especially great for creating visual representations of the places you in your travel bucket list. You can center your one mood board on a specific country, for example, and then put up photos or images of the activities that you want to do there.
A wanderlust mood board will help you find an avenue to release your desire for travel. At the same time, the mood board will help you have a foundation for your itinerary before the journey itself.
2. Find off the beaten track adventures
When you're preparing for your next travel adventure, you have more opportunities to research places that nobody has been to before. Before the lockdown, you usually just thought of the first place you wanted to travel to and then planned out your trip there.
What this traveling usually entails is that you go to the most popular (and often crowded) places the country has to offer. However, what the lockdown should have taught you is that maybe you want to avoid crowds for a little bit. Perhaps it's time for you to start looking for places that are off the beaten path.
If you want your next trip to feel like a real adventure, then going to fewer tourist traps is the way to go.
3. Scrub up on the local language
When people travel to a foreign country for the first time, one of the things that people research first is the local language. However, with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the learning stops there. When it comes time to start packing for your vacation there, you don't brush up on the local language as much as you should.
Now that you have a lot more free time given the lockdown, you should be able to scrub up on the local language of the next non-English speaking country that you plan on visiting. At the very least, you should practice common phrases such as "thank you," "how much is it?" or "where is the bathroom?"
4. Research all the best places to eat, drink and stay
Research is fundamental, no matter where you plan on traveling. If you do your research beforehand, you have an easier time planning out your itinerary. You also avoid being disappointed by the places you go to during your trip. On that note, one of the most important things that you should research beforehand is the best places to eat, drink, or stay.
Researching the best places to eat and drink and stay during your travel there will help you stay on budget while having the best possible time. You can also find out which tourist traps are worth going to and which ones are a waste of money and time.
5. Experience virtual travel
If you're craving travel right now, then there are a few modern alternatives available to you. One of the best ways you can "travel" today is through a virtual tour. There are plenty of virtual trips all over the world. From the Vatican to the Pyramids of Giza, if you want to travel the world in the comfort of your own home, then look for virtual tours available online.
Final Thoughts
The lockdown all over the world is tight for everyone. However, it is our responsibility, and the least we can do to help our front liners. It's also going to be a big help as the rest of the world heals from this phenomenon. At the very least, you can help prepare for your next adventure while at home to help you relieve that itch to travel.
Stay safe, everyone, and remember to stay at home!
About the writer Geraldine Mills is a self-confessed wanderlust, with a passion not only for traveling but also for sharing her travel experiences and tips as a writer. She writes at Geraldine Walks so check it out for more travelspirations!