What to do when you are not able to travel?
October 6, 2017
Sometimes you are not able to travel. Whether it’s lack of time, lack of funds or personal obligations, sometimes you are just homebound. For me travels ended for the rest of this year. The end of september I returned from my third trip to Egypt and in the beginning of october I went to the Dutch island Vlieland, but my travels are over for now. The last months of the year will all be about working and writing: my job at the castle during the weekdays and in the weekends I will be writing my new book. Still travelling is a life style for me: in a previous blog I wrote how I can hold on to my travelfeeling even when I am home and can’t travel. But there are more ways to live the travel life style while not travelling.
For me, travel is a way to understand the world in which we live, to educate myself based on first hand experiences, and to open my eyes to new sights, sounds, tastes and experiences. So when I can’t travel it’s about getting feelings and experiences like this at home. By preparing my next travels. Or by exploring my own country, or even my own city. Or maybe by taking a weekend off from writing to go on a short city trip. (Copenhagen is booked!)
What else can you do when you are not able to travel? Here are five tips:
1. Go to a hotel and explore a city close to home
How many times did you really explore the city next to yours? Questionned the history of the buildings around you? Or did you ever go on a quest to find a beautiful piece of nature or park in your own town? This will feel like a quick escape from reality or the stress of work or daily life. And you know: for sure you will discover something new.
2. Search the internet for dream destinations
After finishing some difficult tasks from your to do list, allow yourself an hour to search for dream destinations on internet. Look on Pinterest. Read blogs. Marvel at amazing photos that look too good to be true. And don’t forget to take notes: for sure you will find some bucket list material.
3. Research your next trip
Just take a day off to research your next trip. Where will you go? What is there to do? To see? To taste? To smell? To experience? Stroll down the internet for usefull information, read travel guides and it will take you to the travelling mood immediately.
4. Reminisce
Don’t forget to reminisce on old trips by gathering your travel photos, shells, stones and other things you’ve saved as trip momentos. Maybe you haven’t found the time yet to make a photo album: why don’t you do it now when you are homebound? Or why not remembering your trip by contacting one of your travel friends to catch up? Cherish the memories and relive them.
5. Dedicate your time to meaningful pursuits
Okay, you can’t travel now. But that’s no reason to get frustrated. Make sure you dedicate your time to meaningful pursuits. Not all your dreams are travel related! Work on your other dreams and goals. And when you have to work a lot: good, it will provide money and free time for future trips. Live in the moment and pay attention to where you are now and what you are doing at moment. We have no way of knowing what lies ahead, but that’s what makes the journey even more exciting. You never know how many days there are still to come. So make the most of the present, even when you are at home longing for another journey.
And true, sometimes you have to be really patient before you are able to travel. Patience does not mean waiting and doing nothing. Patience involves productive activity. It means doing your very best with the resources available to you, while understanding that the results you seek are worth the required time and effort. So be patient while working hard on the activities and goals and make sure you do things that bring you happiness in the present moment.
