For those of you who might need a break from the news and want to keep your wanderlust wings intact - here are five ways you can “travel” from the sanctuary of your own home.
Photographs: iStock
Text: Erin Gustafson
How do you write a travel column when the world isn’t open to travel? Here in Denmark and around the world, people are staying at home and indoors to keep the Coronavirus pandemic at bay. But possibly you had tickets to travel this month for Easter Break? Or maybe you had a trip cut short with sudden calls to return home. Disappointed? For sure. Sad? It’s understandable. But the world will open once again for us all to explore, engage in and enjoy. Maybe when it does, we’ll do it in more mindful and sustainable ways. Until then, stay inside, keep safe and well. Here are some ways to get away, even if from your couch.
#1 Taste a world of flavours
Time to bust out the spice mix you brought back from Morocco or Madrid, or maybe just Malmo. Travel through your kitchen by taking on a recipe from a far away place. Make a dish to remind you of the tastes from trips past or tempt you towards ones you’d love to take. Try a tangy and fresh Greek salad with souvlaki and pita, made with some of the yeast you’ve probably purchased. Or what about savouring something soothing and slurpable like ramen and broth. Almost everyone loves pasta, but with time on your hands, seek out a new recipe from a lesser-known small town region of Italy. Turn on some tunes from the land you are conjuring and voila, your far away dinner is served.
#2 Peruse the collections of art museums online
Culture hounds can curate their collections by surfing through the stunning array of art online. Did you know you can use Google Street View to walk down the halls of many famous art museums around the world? Step back through antiquity at the British Museum of London or soak up some modern art at the Guggenheim in New York. Want to stay a little more local? Check out the excellent online resources at Denmark’s world-class Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.
#3 Listen to music from a world away
Music streaming services like Spotify, Sonos, Apple Music and more offer amazing ways to search for music from anywhere. Pull up some Irish pub music and crack open a pint for a bit of “craic” and you’re almost in Ireland. Put on your pyjamas and log on to nightly opera performances from the Metropolitan Opera and let the likes of Bizet’s Carmen transport you. Search for Mexican Jazz and see what comes up. Open the window, let the sun stream, put out your beach towel while you tap your toes to some island rhythms. It’s up to you.
#4 Take in a travel series
Search for a series that can entertain and transport you. Dial-in some natural beauty with “Our Planet” or try the series “Somebody Feed Phil.” Foodies will love “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” “Street Food” or “Ugly Delicious.” Younger explorers will enjoy the series “Carmen Sandiego,” as the super sleuth solves mysteries in locations across the planet. All of these series are currently available on Danish Netflix. No streaming subscriptions? No problem. YouTube has many brilliant travel channel options from National Geographic, BBC Travel and Lonely Planet to a plethora of professional travel vloggers. Type in your dream destination and surf away from the safety of your Danish domicile.
#5 Revisit your best trips all over again
Or if wish-listing trips you can’t take right now adds to your self-isolation stress or sadness, instead consider a look back. Scroll through all those travel photos you still haven’t sorted from your favourite place. Print out some favourites or make a slideshow to share. Maybe it’s time to put together that travelogue or scrapbook you always meant to make after last year’s summer break to Norway or Nice. Conjuring memories of good times can help combat the disappointment we are collectively feeling. Where in the world would you like to go again?