COVID Nation, Things to do, Tips & advice

6 travel-inspired activities to keep you busy during the Coronavirus lockdown

RiA
12 May, 2020
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Travel in 2020 has come to a halt. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the daily lives of everyone globally. While the world is on lockdown it means that only essential travel is permitted – if you’re stranded abroad and need to get home. If you’re an avid traveller like me, here are 6 travel-inspired activities to keep you busy during the Coronavirus lockdown.

1. Map out future travel

Just because you can’t travel now doesn’t mean you can’t map out where you’d go when you can travel again in the future.

Stay positive and create your bucket list to keep you busy while on lockdown. If you were planning to go on your first solo travel trip, you can begin (or finish off) your list.

If you’re already travelling solo, take some time and map out your next adventure. You could write a long list, one that’s focused on regions or maybe just your top 5 for starters.

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2. Test your knowledge with a travel quiz

Quench your thirst for travel with a few quizzes. Keep your brain travel active and have some fun at the same time. I found and have played a few travel quizzes recently like some of these. Check out some of my scores below:

Lonely Planet Quiz

- Lonely Planet Ultimate Travel Quiz

Quizzes from PlayBuzz

- Guess the counties based on their outline
- Where will you travel first after the Coronavirus quiz

The Telegraph

- Travel page quizzes

3. Get your cook on! Make meals from places you want to visit to bring destinations to you

If you’ve had an upcoming trip postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak or were already planning a trip you’ve had to push back, why not try out a few recipes to help bring a taste of that country to you.

You can easily find recipes online if you need them and make up a treat. Try also cooking meals from places you’ve already visited to take you back there with memories.

And while we’re talking about memories…

4. Bring back memories of past travel - sort your photos out!

If you’re like me, you take far too many pictures while on holiday. Years ago when disposable cameras were more popular, I’d buy a couple to take with me and would still end up by buying more while away.

Instead, my phone and camera get full now. It’s my phone mostly that needs a clear out where I forget to delete on the go. Take some time during the lockdown to spring clean your phone, camera or add those you had printed to your album!

Delete duplicates, those selfies you don’t like or perhaps even some of those accidental photo bursts. I’m sure that going through your old travel pics will bring back memories and make you smile.

5. Learn a language or photography skills for your next trip

Learn a language or basic photography skills online while in lockdown.

Okay, so it will take longer than the lockdown (we hope) to be fluent in a new language but why not use the time to start learning the basics. You could pick the local language from a past trip or one from a trip you hope to take in future. Even if you only manage to learn some key words and phrases it’ll help once you get there.

You can search for online course at websites like Groupon – they offer discounts on online language courses.

If you don’t want to take up a language, why not learn some other useful skills. You could take a photography course that may help you take better photos. You can use what you learn on your next trip.

Platforms like Alison, Udemy offer free or discounted online courses for a range of skills including photography.

6. Use your daily lockdown exercise to take you to another place

Now, this will require a fair bit of imagination.

While you’re out for your lockdown exercise, use your imagination and transform your surroundings in your mind. Perhaps you live near a river so imagine you’re by the sea and strolling along a beach. Maybe you’re near a park that’s has areas with lots of trees covering overhead – imagine it’s a rainforest. Or if you live somewhere quite hilly with a nice view once at the top, why not pretend you’re trekking up through Meteora or climbing to a Miradouro overlooking Lisbon.