7 Things To Do When You’re NOT Travelling

As a frequent traveller stuck at home for the foreseeable future, I have been in deep thought about things to do when you’re not travelling especially for those of us who are practising social distancing and isolation. Ever since I embarked on a solo adventure over 6 years ago, the longest I have gone without travelling anyway was 2-3 weeks. So you can imagine how tough it is right now not being able to just pick a destination and travel without a second thought. I know many travellers are in the same boat so I thought I share simple things to do when you’re not travelling.

Until the recent pandemic, I didn’t truly realise how much travelling is a privilege that I have somehow taken for granted. I am fully aware that not everyone can travel as often as I do due to many reasons finances being one of them. But until the pandemic, I didn’t realise how painful the feeling is of wanting to go somewhere but can not due to circumstances out of your control. Having experienced this unfortunate feeling, I thought I share how I am coping with these 7 things to do when you’re not travelling.

7 Things To Do When You’re NOT Travelling & Are Isolating

“I travel not to escape life but for life not to escape me” this is one of my favourite travel quotes and I have so many that I like sharing. Now, what happens to life when you can not travel? Life goes on, and it sure has, albeit not how we would like but it still carries on like nothing happened and tomorrow is another day. But for my wanderlust heart, I know I had to find a way to cure the boredom that I have been experiencing due to recent events.

As a nomad at heart, it’s hard not travelling somewhere new whether home or abroad searching for a new favourite destination. I have shed a tear or two because all my travel plans that I made up to 6 months in advance have been cancelled with new no plans insight. This is why I thought putting together a list of things to do when you’re not travelling is a good idea to uplift myself and hopefully lift you too. The ideas are simple in nature and don’t require you to leave the comfort of your own home as we practice social distancing.

Read or Listen to Audible or Podcast

When I was young, I loved nothing more than getting lost in a book about some faraway land. As I have grown old I find I have less time dedicated to reading so I have picked up audible and it’s one of the new ways that I love getting lost into new unchartered waters. Since I got audible I have found more and more books to listen to whilst I rest or continue to work and it’s like I am transported somewhere new, I can visualise it all. Depending on what you like, you too can get lost in some faraway land.

Manage your travel pictures

I am sure like many travel bloggers and travel enthusiasts, like me you never really have the time to go through ALL your pictures. Thanks to the recent events, I have had the time to go through all my pictures, I am sorting out which I want to print and display in my home, which I can finally share on Instagram and which to delete.

Cook a meal from a favourite destination

When I think of the best foods I have ever had on my travels, I struggle to pick just one. Of late though the Moroccan tajine has to be one of my most favourite dishes of 2020 thanks to our visit to Essaouira. I sampled the same dish in Marrakesh and I must say the one in Essaouira was the better version. I have been trying of late to recreate the tajine but so far I have not come close, I am not giving up until its perfect.

Watch travel shows

I have never been one for travel shows but somehow I got hooked when I started watching them a couple of months ago. There are so many places on planet Earth that I know I won’t be able to visit so its nice to watch them on travel shows. One of my favourite travel shows has to be Joanna Lumley’s India.

Watch movies in a foreign language

As I have shared below, my favourite language to learn has been Korean so 60% of the movies I watch are in Korean (with English subtitles) but in some instances, I don’t need the subtitles I know enough to understand some of the lines in the movies. Watching movies in Korean always brings back wonderful memories of my visits to the country and my next visit there.

Learn a new language or improve another language you learned

Over the last couple of years, I have tried to learn German (no success) and Korean (mild success) and I have realised I am not good at new languages. I grew up in a bilingual family and honestly I am content with those languages but its fun trying to learn something new and Korean has been by far my most favourite language to learn. When I have time I like to polish up on the language and learn new phrases.

Plan your next adventure

I know this may seem counterproductive but planning a new adventure always puts me in a good mood. At the moment we do not know when we will be able to travel again so all my plans at not for this year but rather for in a year’s time. I am someone who loves to plan important trips months in advance but I have a spontaneous nature so I still book trips last minute.

Travelling is second nature to me so the last couple of weeks have been absolute torture not being able to go wherever I want. I am glad that before the travel ban came into effect I managed to squeeze in a trip to Malta and Morocco in January and USA and Korea in February and Portugal in March. As a wanderlust, I travel at least once a month abroad but from April until the foreseeable future all I keep receiving are airline cancellations e-mails that have been depressing but I am coping by doing these things mentioned in this post.

How are you coping?