Travel the world without leaving home
The clean smell of fresh air.
To watch the orange and red glow of the sun melt into the Earth below.
The flavorful taste of authentic food and drink.
To listen to the brogue foreign accents.
And to feel the excitement run through your body as it always does after experiencing something for the first time.
To travel the world without leaving home.
It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
You don’t have to deal with any of the headaches of planning the trip, no dealings with insurance, rentals, bookings, where to go, when to go, budgeting, or time spent away from home.
What do those top things have to do with staying home, you ask.
Well, let me tell you with this list and how you can experience traveling the world without leaving home.
Travel the World Without Leaving Home
Browse Through Memories
Ahhh, memories. I don’t collect a lot of trinkets while on my vacations but what I do have are the photos that I have taken.
Photos can last forever. Looking at a photo reminds me of what I felt at that particular moment. To feel that excitement run through your body as it always does after experiencing something for the first time.
This doesn’t have to be exotic vacations to far away lands. Instead it can include weekend camping trips with the family or even a day that you went exploring on a road trip.
A picture truly is worth a thousand words.
Backup your Photos
So, because these photos are so precious, back them up.
Once lost, you will never be able to see them again. Unless, of course, you go back to that exact spot and take the exact some photo.
Now days, you don’t have to print every photo because we live in a digital world. So, there are multiple ways to back them up.
I don’t have a fancy camera (yet), so I usually use my phone and back them up to the google cloud right away.
Create a Photo Book (Album) or Scrapbook
I started creating scrapbooks of my travels and really enjoyed taking the time to do it. But it does take quite a bit of time and money to buy the scrapbook and print off all the pictures.
Now I take the easy way out and go on Shutterfly or Snap Fish and create the photo book. It does still take some time to go through all your photos but it’s worth it.
So, check out your options and get those photos into something that you can share with others or take a look at them yourself whenever you like.
My mom and I took a day trip to see the Worlds Larges Ball of Twine and I made a small photo album for her of the day we had together. (And yes, there are actually a couple largest balls of twine in the Midwest)
Relive those memories again.
Improve your Photography Skills
If you feel you want to learn more about photography, take a class or start taking more photos while going on nature hikes.
One of the best ways to learn and get better at something is to practice.
So, when you are able to go on that much needed vacation you will be a pro.
Arrange your Travel Journals
Journals, especially bullet journals, have been the new craze.
If you are in on this new craze then I bet you have a travel journal or two just sitting in the closet somewhere.
Use this time to relive those moments, go through them, and get them organized.
Watch a Travel-Related Movie/Series/Documentary
To get into that traveling mood, watch a travel-related movie, series, or documentary. Whichever one is your thing.
I’m a huge movie buff and especially love ones about travel because I see it and automatically want to go there.
Travel the world from your very own couch.
Some movies I would suggest are: Into the Wild, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Wild, Midnight in Paris, The Beach, The Bucket List, and of course Eat Pray Love.
Read Travel-Inspired Books
Another way to get into the mood of travel is to read a travel-inspired book.
Even better than movies, with books, you can use your own imagination and feel like you are living in the moment.
There is something about flipping the pages of a hard cover under a shade tree on a beautiful day or cozying up to a fire on a cold winter night.
Some suggestions: ‘The Art of Travel’ by Alain de Botton (also a movie), ‘Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road’ by Kate Harris, ‘A Woman Alone: Travel Tales From Around the Globe’ by Faith Conlon, Ingrid Emerick and Christina Henry de Tessan, and also movies are ‘Eat Pray Love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert and ‘Wild’ by Cheryl Strayed.
Read a Travel Blog
There is no better way to get inspired to travel than to read about it from people who have been there.
Reading a travel blog will get you inspired in so many ways. And, there are so many out there to choose from.
Learn something new about a place that you can’t find in the guide books.
Decorate your Place
Have fun with it, decorate your place to look like a country you would like to go to next.
Get pillow covers or wall stickers and pretend that you are actually there for the day or weekend.
Create an Urban Jungle
I’ve always liked the jungle for some reason. Who doesn’t like Tarzan? Swinging from limb to limb, saving his love.
If you like the jungle, then get some plants and place them in your living room. Make your home feel like you are there living in the jungle.
You wake up and see that banana tree in the corner of your house (with Tarzan standing next to it, winking at you) it will make you feel like you’re in a cabana in the middle of the jungle.
Cook an International Dish
Want to get those taste buds soaring? The flavorful taste of authentic food and drinks will hit the spot.
With technology being at your fingertips these days, it’s so easy to look up recipes and make whatever your pallet desires.
Go off of the theme that you decorated your house in and cook that international dish.
If you prefer not to cook, find a restaurant near you with that type of food.
For those picky eaters out there, if you’re not sure you are going to like a country because of the food, here is your chance to check the food out near home. I do know that it’s usually not completely authentic unless the cook is from that country, but at least it’s something similar.
You can try it and still be within minutes of home if you are still starving and need to order a pizza.
Pair it With a Cocktail
Part of traveling internationally isn’t just about the food, it’s also about the cocktails.
If you don’t drink, make it a virgin.
Stick with the same country and let your skills as a mixologist do the work.
Catch a Sunrise/Sunset
If you travel to the tropics, what is one thing that you are probably going to do? You are going to watch the orange and red glow of the sun melt over the ocean. Am I right?
Why not do this at home?
Take a morning or evening with your spouse and enjoy the view. If you are sticking to your theme, do it with a cup of americano on your veranda (deck).
Learn a New Language
Continue the theme day or weekend by learning a new language.
For the time you have chosen to be in a different country, learn to speak a couple words or phrases in that country’s language.
I know that it gets your panties wet to listen to the brogue foreign accents, and yes even if you are married. Don’t lie to me. However, when your husband whispers ‘te amo mi amor’, don’t laugh at him, at least he’s trying. You can laugh later, I won’t tell.
Go to a Virtual Museum/Sightseeing Tour
Still in the country? Travel the world without leaving home with a virtual museum or sightseeing tour from that country.
Since the whole 2020 toilet paper scare (it’s a U.S. thing), many museums have gone virtual.
You can even check out Google Earth. It’s a great way to see if you would really like to explore a place without leaving your home.
Learn Something New
To keep this day or weekend going, how about learning something new from that country. Such as writing calligraphy or how to make sushi.
Immerse yourself in the culture and learn everything that you can to make it an unforgettable experience.
Organize your Travel Gear
Another way to travel the world without leaving your home is to organize your travel gear.
Go through your gear and weed out the stuff that you don’t use or have never used. Maybe there is some stuff that you could use as a multi-purpose.
Going through stuff will bring back memories as well.
Play Board Games or Do Puzzles
There are a bunch of travel board games and puzzles out there to get you in the travel spirit.
Check out these fun and exciting board games and puzzles:
Trekking The National Parks
Explore the World – Test your knowledge and learn interesting facts about the natural world and the man-made world.
World Map Puzzle – A challenging 1000 piece puzzle that the whole family will enjoy.
Get a Coloring Book
Travel the world through coloring.
They now have adult coloring books, so get one on travel and sit down with your kids and get your creative juices flowing.
Get Artistic
Keep those creative juices flowing with arts and crafts and get artistic.
You could also create travel memorabilia using some of the items from your travels.
This could be a step further than just the scrapbooks. Instead create a travel picture wall, a box picture frame with some trinkets inside, or turn a photo set into coasters.
Start Saving Money
Start saving money for your next adventure.
Whether it be starting a saving account or a jar at home, nothing is better than wanting to go on that next trip and already having the money waiting for you.
There is no better time than today to start budgeting.
Make your Bucket List
If you don’t have a bucket list yet, start one.
When you make the list, also include activities that you would like to do as well. Such as, taking a ride in a hot air balloon.
Put this list on the fridge or on your bathroom mirror so you can see it everyday and it gives you inspiration to keep saving up money.
Inspiration Boards on Pinterest
To travel the world with inspiration on Pinterest. This is how I like spending my free time.
Create some inspiration boards for yourself and get inspired to travel the world. You could even print some of these off as well and place them around the house to stay inspired all day.
Plan a Future Trip
There is nothing more fun than planning a trip. I know that some people disagree and don’t care for the planning process.
If you don’t mind the planning process or have never completed it yourself before, here is your chance. There is no rush to have it completed by a certain time.
Explore your Town
I know you want to travel the world but have you seen everything there is to see in your hometown?
Learn where to find the best local sites in your town or better yet become a vocal local and help others visit your city with ease by writing reviews.
Even better, make it a staycation by traveling to some of the international sites in your city.
Or, learn exciting ways to tour your own city and travel without leaving town.
Now are you ready to:
Smell the clean fresh air?
Watch the orange and red glow of the sun melt into the Earth below?
Taste the flavorful authentic food and drink?
Listen to the brogue foreign accents?
And feel the excitement run through your body as it always does after experiencing something new for the first time?
I hope you found this list helpful and that it gave you some great ideas to travel the world without leaving home when you can’t actually travel.
Let’s get busy and start exploring!
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Henry Miller
