Reimagining travel during coronavirus lockdown
Ibn Battuta once said: “Traveling — it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” There is nothing more exhilarating than embarking on a new trip to somewhere you have been coveting for a while; from nature retreats to bustling cities and island getaways to cabins in the wild. Such experiences are enough to fill an animated afternoon with loved ones, describing the many unforgettable moments and unique tales you have amassed. Traveling leaves you richer, imbuing you with certain sensations, experiences and savoir faire.
However, the world is still on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with travel restrictions imposed all around the world. So I try to console myself with alternative ways of enjoying my favorite recreational activity. Perhaps the best way to savor the beauty of travel is to nestle with an array of indoor travel activities. Thankfully, as I started searching for some validity for my inspiration, a number of research papers popped up to support it. In 2014, the journal Psychological Science published a paper by researchers Amit Kumar, Matthew Killingsworth and Thomas Gilovich on the value of anticipating experiences and their effect on our happiness. The study finds that spending money on experiences, in general, makes us happier than material possessions. Interestingly, when we look forward to experiencing something in the future, we also experience a certain ecstasy and joy until that moment transpires.
So I try to use this insight and reimagine how I can savor travel experiences while staying indoors. As I write this, a YouTube video is playing on my TV featuring a two-hour walking tour of the mesmerizing Positano, a cliffside village on the south coast of Italy. Almost instantly, I am enthralled by its beauty and it paints a smile on my face. The video is aptly shot in the summer and the walk starts from the top of the cliff, before going down to the beach.
My curiosity got the better of me and I unearthed a travel article on Positano written by John Steinbeck in Harper’s Bazaar. The American writer visited the village for the first time in 1953 and lovingly described it as “a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” Steinbeck had stayed at Le Sirenuse — a former summer house owned by four Neapolitan marquises and turned into an enchanting hotel overlooking the sea. Perhaps its most prized treat is La Sponda restaurant. Pictures of the outdoor terrace at sunset are enough for me to file it in the “Future Holidays” album on my phone.
I also make a reading list of interesting travel books. A good book can give you a taste of the many delicacies a country has to offer. To illustrate this, I am currently reading “Istanbul: The Collected Traveler — An Inspired Companion Guide” by Barrie Kerper. It is nothing short of spellbinding. This collection of essays takes readers on an eclectic journey covering the history of the Byzantine Empire, Ottoman art, the Turkish rose, the culinary scene, and so much more. The writings are so vivid that I feel a storyteller is sitting right across from me and enthralling me with mystical tales.
Another advantage of reading these detailed essays is going beyond the typical sightseeing itineraries and broadening our horizons, understanding the nuances of other cultures, and building a repertoire that appreciates beauty in all its forms.
Watching travel shows, reading travel books, connecting with travel writers, and planning future holidays are some of the ways we can successfully keep our wanderlust alive during lockdown.