WANDERLUST
You don't have to leave home to explore new places
Despite pandemic travel limitations, wanderlust is alive and well in many people’s hearts. The desire to see the world may be currently limited but it is not impossible. Consider becoming a recliner rover by exploring the world through a variety of media in the comfort of your home. This travel concept known as “armchair travel” can help satisfy those desires to explore new places.
Armchair travel can also be a shared event with a little creative planning. Select a country and line up a collection of videos featuring your travel destination. Order in some appropriate carryout food or whip up an authentic dish or two in your kitchen. Hang up a few decorations or photos and play appropriate ethnic music to complete the ambiance. Invite in friends to come on board for an armchair adventure.
Travel experts like Rick Steves encourage armchair travel before any real travel. Valuable information about where to stay, eat and tour can be obtained through watching other people take the trip. Keep track of things you would love to see, places that look inviting to stay and adventures you would like to experience. Then, when travel opportunities open up once again, pack your bags to see it all with your own eyes.
Here are some suggestions using your remote as a passport and media as your travel guide.
A TRAVELER’S EYES
YouTube is an amazing source for travel videos of unusual experiences by vloggers, people who create video blogs. A simple search for travelogues will provide an abundance of options.
“Fearless and Far” features unusual epic adventures including a week living with the death tribe in Indonesia and camping in a Cappadocia Cave Castle in Turkey. “Hey Nadine” shows the travels of a single female who has explored the French Riviera, Russia and Turkey and includes many travel tips. The videos often show travel the way it really is with bumps in the road and travel challenges.
HIKE IN YOUR SLIPPERS
Many national parks offer virtual tours highlighting natural wonders and animals found in the parks. Simply start a search for a park virtual tour and be directed to many different options. One interesting option is a series called “The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks” at artsandculture.withgoogle.com. These videos are tours narrated by park rangers who know the park’s secrets. Rappel deep into a crevasse in Kenai Fjords in Alaska, fly over an active volcano in Hawaii or swim through the third largest coral reef in the world in Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida. Each video includes music and narration to complete the experience. It is suggested you wear headphones for the best experience.
In a collaborative effort, Google has partnered with more than 2,000 museums and institutions to provide high resolution images and videos of artwork and artifacts from around the world at artsandculture.google.com.
It is easy to spend hours clicking on virtual tours of museums. Stroll the halls and the grounds of the Museum of Modern Art in Saitama, Japan, or marvel at the pieces at the Leopold Museum in Vienna, Austria. See the famous rocks of Stonehenge in England and hear theories about how they were made and placed. Choose from more than 13,000 artist histories or discover facts of more than 600 historic events. Be onstage while the Philadelphia Orchestra plays “Hall of the Mountain King” at Carnegie Hall or see the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra rehearse Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” in Germany.
Others’ adventures
There are numerous travel blogs on the internet you can search for that chronicle real people’s travel experiences, both good and bad. Blogs are basically written opinions and information on a topic from people who want to share knowledge or personal experience. It is important to double check information that seems questionable but these are interesting accounts that are fascinating to read.
“Notes From the Road” is a travel blog featuring a view of traveling alone to places off the beaten path. “Uncornered Market” is a travel blog by a husband and wife who have visited over 90 countries. “Nomadic Matt” is a blogger who offers tips on traveling economically. The blogs can be a fascinating mix of personal stories and cultural awakenings that make for inspired reading. Simply search for them by name on your computer.
Touring through television
There are several informative television series and documentaries that provide spectacular world views. “The Planet” is a documentary that was filmed over five years in 64 countries that views different habitats like mountains, plains or seas during 11 episodes.
“Amazing Earth” is a two hour documentary that shows how the planet was formed and gives unusual glimpses of sites around the world. For a more whimsical view of travel, watch “An Idiot Abroad,” a British series featuring Ricky Gervais and Stephan Merchant coping with reluctant traveler Karl Pilkington as they visit the Seven Wonders of the World.
The Discovery television series “A Thousand Places to See Before You Die” highlights the wonders of countries around the world in 13 episodes. The late Anthony Bourdain’s travel and food series, “No Reservations,” is a 142 episode travel series featuring interesting interactions with locals in the United States and other countries.
“Rick Steves’ Europe” is the longest running travel series that showcases some famous and not-so-famous sites throughout Europe in an entertaining format. These shows are available for purchase on various streaming services. Some episodes are also available for purchase on DVDs.