For the foreseeable future our world has shut up shop where travel is concerned. And it may be quite some time before we are able to start travelling again. But don’t put your wanderlust on hold. The world is still at our fingertips and there are a number of ways to keep the travelling spirit alive from the comfort of your home. There are great travel books to read, interesting TV shows and movies to watch, on-line meet ups to join or an on-line class to join or maybe take a virtual tour of a museum. Basically, you can still see the world from home. Here is my list of ways you can travel the world when you can’t travel.
Read Books
Read a good travel book
Reading in general is a great way to while away your time. Now reading travel books that take you on an adventure will help you kill a number of birds with the one stone. You can transport yourself to far-flung destinations while spending your time at home. Reading is one of the best budget-friendly travel options to help you travel the world when you can’t travel.
Some of my great read recommendations include:
A Year in Provence, Peter Mayle
Under the Tuscan Sun, Francis Mayes
Falling towards England, Clive James
A Walk in the Woods or Down Under, Bill Bryson
Ten Years a Nomad, Matthew Kepnes
And one of my favourites, the first travel guide I wrote, Live Work and Play in London and the UK, Sharyn McCullum
If you need a kindle or other reading device click here. And when this pandemic is over this item could come in handy while you travel.
Movies and TV shows
Watch travel-related TV shows and movies
There are many truly amazing movies and TV shows that can take you around the world. Even if they don’t take you around the world they can take you to other places. Some of my favourites:
National Lampoon’s European Vacation
Under the Tuscan Sun, if you can’t read the book, watch the movie.
Eat Pray Love
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Lost in Translation
Born Free
Gorillas in the Mist
Outlander
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Thelma and Louise
Lord of the Rings
The Amazing Race
Virtual Tours
Welcome to The Louvre
If you can’t get to a museum, no need to worry, as many museums are now able to come to you. Why not take a virtual tour. Though it isn’t the same as actually being there, it is still a great way to pass the time of day. And you never know what you will see and learn. Here are some I’ve been too lately. I would love to add to my list so if you have been on a virtual tour lately please drop a link in the comments below. You will be helping someone travel the world when you can’t travel.
Anne Frank Museum, Amsterdam
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Picasso Museum, Barcelona
The Giants Causeway, Ireland
British Museum, London
Buckingham Palace, London
National Gallery, London
Metropolitan Museum, New York
Coliseum, Rome
Catacombs, Paris
The Louvre, Paris
Machu Picchu, Peru
Ruins of Pompeii, Pompeii
Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
National Gallery Victoria (NGV), Melbourne
Podcasts
Put your earphones on and be taken away
Put on your headphones, close your eyes and sit back and relax while being transported somewhere else while listening to a travel podcast. I’m just starting to get into these so don’t have any favourites right now to refer you to. But I will update this post with some soon. In the meantime, if you need a pair of good headphones click here to discover what is available.
On-line Classes
So much to learn
Though you won’t actually be travelling with an on-line class you can get yourself ready for your travels. What I mean is, you could do a TEFL Course so you could teach English in another country. Maybe hone your photography skills to learn to take better photos. Possibly do a travel writing course so you can write about your travels and make money from them. Or learn a language yourself so you can immerse yourself in another culture. The possibilities are endless.
I-to-i for a TEFL Certificate so you can teach English. Check out the courses I-to-i offer here.
Travel Writing is one way you can make money while travelling (or not), check out my Travel Writing Course here.
Udemy is a great website offering many on-line courses including travel photography, graphic design and blogging, to name a few. Check them out here.
There you go, my suggestions on how you can travel the world when you can’t travel. So until we can travel again, travel the world with my suggestions and see where there might take you. I hope to see you on the road real soon!
Great post! At least we have digital world to enjoy!
Yes the digital world is proving handy!
Great list! I just signed up for an online class yesterday – figured I had no excuses to not get it done. I’ll be doing some virtual tours this weekend as well, excited for how travel will be changing in the coming months.
Good on you. I hope your course takes you where you want to go! What course is it?
I love reading posts like these and seeing how others are “traveling” right now! I’ve been reading tons!
Yes, this is how I have been travelling right now. But am looking forward to some road trips real soon. How about you? Where will you go when you can?
Those are some great ideas .these days I keep watching travel shoes
Thanks. It is just what I have been doing as well as writing content for my blogs. Keep watching travel shows!
Great ideas! I am loving listening to podcasts and trying the virtual tours at the moment – they are a great way to see new things without being able to travel! I teach abroad and would definitely recommend a TEFL course to prepare for some long-term travel – companies all over the world are desperate for English teachers, especially when all of this is over.
Yes, there are many ways we can continue to travel without leaving home. Thank goodness for innovative people who have created the virtual tours – I am loving them too.
I’ve been looking for some lists like this and completely agree about under the Tuscan sun. The book and the movie.
Under the Tuscan Sun and A Year in Provence are two of my favourites.
All of these have got me through isolation! I love reading and writing! I also have been exercising and baking!
Glad reading, writing, exercising and baking are getting you through isolation.
Love these ideas! I have been all about the travel podcasts lately to keep me feeling inspired for future travel. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you like the ideas. What travel podcasts can you recommend?
Ugh, I signed up for a bunch of online classes and haven’t done any of them 🙁
This might be the kick I needed to realise that I’m wasting time!
Just persevere. If you really want to learn new things you will. You aren’t wasting your time!
I absolutely love these ideas, particularly the book suggestions. There’s plenty I haven’t read that I’m adding to my list. That’s awesome that you wrote your own one too!
Reading travel books is a great way to immerse yourself in somebody else’s travel experience. So keep on reading!
These are great ideas. I like everyone is starting to feel the itch to travel again. These ideas are perfect!
Until we can all travel again, and feel comfortable travelling, these are just some ways to help scratch that travel itch.
Great post. Cheers to technology that we can travel virtually.
Agree. Technology is great to travel virtually.
Wow! This is really one useful list. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you think so. I am sure there are many more virtual tours you can take.