The coronavirus crisis has meant that many of us have had to give up things we love or were intending to do. Perhaps one of the most common sacrifices ordinary people have had to make is not going on holiday and not travelling. Obviously, this sacrifice pales in comparison to those of NHS staff and key workers, but it can still feel devastating if you’ve been planning a trip for a long time.
Luckily, it’s still possible to get the travel experience without leaving your house. There’s plenty you can do to create a holiday atmosphere without needing to actually travel, and although it will never quite rival the real thing, you’ll soon be in the vacation spirit. With a little homespun magic, you’ll wonder why you ever wanted to leave. Here’s how you can get the travel experience without leaving your home.
Go on a glitzy Vegas trip from your browser
One of the most popular holiday destinations is undeniably the American city of Las Vegas. With its unparalleled glitz and glamour, Vegas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; you won’t be able to get that kind of feeling anywhere else…or will you? Why not head onto your browser to take a flutter from home? Sites like www.casimba.com offer casino-quality experiences without needing to leave your house. This can be a good way to feel like you’re really in Vegas, playing the roulette tables and sipping champagne. Other sites like onlinecasino-southafrica.co.za can be a good source to find other good gambling sites.
Cook something new
We can very easily fall into routines when it comes to food. Never has this been more true than during the coronavirus quarantine, when healthy eating and exotic dishes are harder to come by than ever. This doesn’t need to be the case, though. Why not try cooking something new for an evening meal? If you were planning to travel this summer, think about where you were going and try your hand at a new dish from that country. You’d be amazed how quickly the fresh, unfamiliar flavours will give you that all-important travel feeling.
Make yourself a flashy cocktail
Cocktails: they’re one of the quintessential things people most enjoy about holidays. Whether you’re an alcohol drinker or not, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails offer incredible flavour experiences to travellers, especially with regional variants factored in. The secret, though, is this: you can make cocktails yourself at home. All you need is the right ingredients and a penchant for mixology. Even if your first few attempts don’t go so well, don’t let that discourage you. If you’ve got a garden, sit out as the sun sets and sip your cocktail for a truly transcendent home travel experience.
Learn a new language
With apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone readily available on your mobile device, there’s really no excuse for not being bilingual in 2020. Just like cooking, think about the destination you were planning to visit this year and get stuck into learning the language. This lockdown won’t last forever, so when you do get the chance to go away, you’ll be glad you learned. Take it easy and pace yourself; even spending 5-15 minutes a day on practicing your new language can have a marked improvement on your abilities. Bilingual people are also highly sought-after for jobs, so you’ll be improving your CV too!
Try going for a walk
Depending on the current guidelines for your country, you may or may not be allowed to exercise outdoors. If you are, it’s definitely a good idea to take advantage of this (although be sure to distance yourself from others as much as possible). Exercising outdoors has innumerable physical and mental health benefits. If you can find somewhere you wouldn’t normally walk, then it’ll feel like you’re not just wandering around your familiar streets, so if you can walk off the beaten path (make sure not to go too far, of course, as government guidelines dictate), then do so.
Turn off notifications on your phone
While you’re on holiday, would you be checking your notifications every day for work emails? Of course not. You don’t even need to take your smartphone with you to have a good time when you’re travelling. With that in mind, it’s a very good idea to make sure that you don’t get notifications from your job while you’re “on holiday” at home. If you’ve managed to get the week off work, there’s no reason for you to still be involved in the day-to-day operations and disputes of your job. Switch off your notifications and allow yourself to relax!
Rest and sleep often
If you’re not getting enough sleep, your ability to truly relax is going to be seriously impaired. Make sure that you make enough time during your day to get some sleep. The scientific benefits of taking a midday nap have been well-documented, so don’t be afraid to put your book down and rest your eyes for a spell. Above all, though, make sure you’re getting enough rest every night, because you don’t want to spend your vacation days jittery and irritable. That means putting down your devices for an hour before sleep and trying to clear your mind of everything that could be bothering you.
