While many of us may associate “travel” with the traditional physical travel, “travel” is a broad term that may not necessarily entail moving from where you currently are.
With travel bans in place and a pandemic going on right now, we cannot physically travel to destinations and we won’t be able to for quite some time. However, we can travel “virtually” and technology can help us do that. Through “virtual travel” we can explore places we may not have imagined to be able to go to, and it is also very eco-friendly and sustainable.
Here are 5 ways you can travel virtually and without leaving your home:
Reading and educating yourself on foreign countries
Reading is like traveling with your mind and you can really transport yourself to a place and time as you flip through the pages of a well-written book. You can learn fun facts about the world and other countries, as well as lesser-known facts that you may be wondering about. For example, if you are wondering ‘what is the longest bridge in the world?’ or ‘where are the happiest people on Earth?’ you can read non-fiction books or books set in particular places where you can learn about physical and human geography.
Google Earth or Street View
Google Earth is a tool you can use to explore side streets and lesser-known parts of destinations you’d like to visit. It gives you a real snapshot of what a place is like, with usual movements and the environment you would see in real life. Plus, it is an easy tool to use so you can see many sites in a short amount of time.
Explore a virtual museum
If you have always wanted to visit a museum but haven’t had the opportunity to travel to its site, a virtual tour is a way you can really leverage technology for a unique cultural experience. Make a day of it, reading up on what you want to see and how you want to approach the tour and diving into more information on pieces that interest you.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites or virtual Park Tours
You can still see and experience UNESCO World Heritage Sites and National Parks via virtual tours. Especially during these times when we are spending a lot of time at home, even just the visual tool of a beautiful site in nature can be powerful. This is also a way that you can determine whether a physical trip to the site would be worth your time and money later!
Tours or “explore with me” videos on YouTube
The Internet is full of video tours and ‘explore with me’ videos on YouTube. You can even “travel” to Mars without leaving your home by following NASA tours or videos. Type in the destination or place you’d like to see and you might be surprised with all the virtual offerings that there are.
Technology is an incredible tool, and especially during these times when many of us are unable to leave our homes, it is a tool that we should take advantage of.
