Trips may be cancelled. Plans have gone awry. You can still be a globe trotter despite the lockdown laws.
I am by no means telling you to break the rules and venture out of your house amidst their Corona craziness; believe me when I say it’s still possible to #stayhome AND see the world. Here’s how…
Now more than ever, staying home is the new going out. We’re all a bit gutted that holiday plans have been cancelled or put on hold. It certainly doesn’t mean you can’t do a bit of what I’m calling ‘armchair travel’.
We’re fortunate to live in a world where, with a click of a button, you can dive into tropical scenes or experience other-worldly places. Get comfy art buffs and adventurers alike, let’s go get our armchair travel fix whilst staying safe at home.
Here are some ways you can travel the world without leaving the house…
Go Wild
If Netflix’s Tiger King has left you craving a wild experience (looking at you, Carol Baskin), the good news is I’ve also found a load of live animal feeds from Zoos, wild reserves and aquariums around the world…
Jump into a warmer climate and watch the animals that roam Kenya’s Mpala reserve – Available day or night, it’s amazing to be watching things unfold there whilst cosied up in your living room. My favourite moment so far has been seeing the hippos (babies too!) gathering around the watering hole for sunrise…!
Monterey Bay Aquarium in California are also sharing their footage including this mesmerising coral reef camera! They’ve also got an otter cam which has been bringing a smile to my face. Click here to discover their Open Sea exhibits online.
The San Diego Zoo also has a LOAD of live animal cams available – Depending on how brave you’re feeling, wander into the polar bear enclosure or visit the butterfly house!
Wonder Wanderlust
It actually surprised me there’s no ‘official’ seven wonders of the world list… So I’ve gathered some links to the places I personally class as wonders for your virtual field trip!
Niagara Falls is commonly ‘up there’ on lists of wonders and, lucky you, there’s a way you can still visit if the falls were on your 2020 bucketlist! Check out the horseshoe part of the waterfall from afar here. Bonus = No waterproof coat necessary!
The Northern Lights will forever be a wonder to me, and thankfully there’s also a camera to check! Given catching aurora borealis in action can be a bit hit-and-miss, now might not be the best time to spot the natural light displays but it’s certainly worth keeping an eye out.
Get ready to be blown away because I had NO idea there was a VIRTUAL climb of Mount Everest you could access online… Visit the site here.
Over to Italy and this one has quite an eerie feel to it with so many streets deserted. But Rome is undeniably wondrous and has many live cameras to check out – Including the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain.
Historical Hotspots
If History is more your thing, the Smithsonian have launched virtual tours galore! Dose up on girl power with the NWHM whilst you can’t properly catch up with your gal pals.
Be sure to visit one of Paris’ most ICONIC monuments – The Musée du Louvre. They’re offering free online tours, along with The National Gallery of Art over in Washington D.C.
There’s a tonne of museums currently offering online exhibitions especially for armchair travel adventurers so be sure to get your culture boost whilst you stay at home!
Auditory Explorer
Let your imagination go wild with a good audiobook via Audible – Escape to another world for a moment. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in all this so give yourself a moment to forget it all. You can also choose any audiobook as your first free one! Now’s the perfect time to cosy up and enjoy a bit of armchair travel through Diagon Alley, Westeros or The Hundred Acre Wood.
Lockdown has brought with it the perfect, undetermined amount of time to rewatch all your favourite Planet Earth episodes – Explore the savannah on safari with Sir David Attenborough’s reassuring, dulcet tones (PLEASE can someone bubble-wrap him asap).
There are plenty of podcasts to enjoy too, including The Big Travel Podcast. Featuring a range of guests from TV & screen or sporting stars to adventurers and ordinary people alike – It’s all about taking extraordinary journeys and uncovering just why travel inspires us so much.
A Hobbyist’s Heaven
Being on lockdown doesn’t mean you can’t take on a new hobby from a different country via armchair travel.
Bone-up on your cookery skills by learning cuisine or a classic cocktail from across the world – Eat your way around the world with these international cookbooks!
Stream an international movie and get to grips with a foreign language whilst you follow the plot. Collect your bonus points if you watch without the subtitles on! Try a black-and-white Italian classic, a Bollywood banger or a glamorous French screenplay.
If you’re craving some outdoors hobbies of your pre-lockdown life, there’s a beach cam at Porthtowan – Keep your eyes peeled and you’ll surely spot a few brave surfers out catching a wave. It may even inspire you to pick up a paddle board when you next head to a beach (post-Corona of course).
If meditation is more your thing, unwind with a 3D Soundscape on Headspace. Each track is 45 minutes and whisks you off to a different corner of the world. There’s plenty to choose from with Jungle’s Edge and Snowmelt River amongst the many on offer. You probably know I’m a Headspace lover since this post!
How did your armchair travel trip go? Where are you planning on heading to as soon as Coronavirus is a distant nightmare?!
Perhaps you caught a glimpse of something cool on one of the live web cams I mentioned – Let me know where your armchair travels took you…
Hope everyone is staying safe and keeping healthy, bon voyage!
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