I’ve been thinking about all those who love to travel and wondering how they are coping during the Covid-19 shutdown.  I know you must be pretty bummed about having to cancel your trip or just by the mere thought of not knowing when your next trip will be. What does the traveler do when the traveler can’t travel? Here’s a  list of things to do during your Covid-19 shutdown:

1. Work on Your Wanderlust List

A girl can dream can’t she? Yes you’re stuck at home and can’t jump on a plane to paradise. But you can take the time to really hash out your wanderlust list. You can also take it a step further by researching your destinations and planning your trips. That way when the shutdowns are lifted, you’ll be ready to go!

2. Work on your Budget

When you figure out your Wanderlust list you’ll have an idea of where you want to go and perhaps, what you want to do. But will you be able to afford it? That’s were your budget comes in. But take it a step further. Don’t just look at your “travel budget”. Take the time to examine your ENTIRE budget and see what you can do to figure out which expenses you can cut. I use mint.com to help keep my budget in check.

Now let’s think even further. Covid-19 is having a negative effect on the economy. Unfortunately, there have been many lay-offs and numerous businesses have shut down. Chances are we will be going into a recession. Save your money as an emergency fund just in case. If you pull through and things end up being okay, then you can (if you wish) use those funds towards future travel.

3. Rack up those Travel Rewards/Points/Miles

We use miles, points, and rewards to travel. It’s pretty much how we can afford to go on multiple trips in a year. How do we get these points? Through credit cards. Many credit cards out there have bonuses or promotions where you can rack up a ton of points. For example, if you sign up with Southwest Rapid Rewards Card, you get 40,000 bonus points after spending $1000 within three months of opening the account. If you sign up with Chase Sapphire, you get 60,000 bonus points after spending $4000 within the first three months of opening. You can learn more and find out which credit cards will work for you from The Points Guy.

But wait, before you go crazy, please do not make random charges to your credit card. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. Instead, use your credit card for everyday purchases you would make anyway, like groceries and household items. Just make sure you pay the balance off right away, or as quickly as possible. You want to rack up rewards, not debt. Once you hit the required purchase amount, you’ll receive your points during the next billing cycle. Then you can use your points towards your next trip.

4. Learn a New Language

Is Paris high on your Wanderlust list? Then take the time to learn a little French. How about Lisbon? A little Portuguese can be very helpful. The few Portuguese words I learned for our trip to Lisbon came in handy even though most people spoke English. There were times English just wasn’t an option. It also felt really cool. I wasn’t fluent, but I can tell you, a simple”Obrigado” after getting directions always went a long way.

There are many online programs you can use to learn a new language. Popular ones include Rocket Languages and Rosetta Stone. Each of these provide a wide range of languages. Looking for something a little more kid-friendly and perhaps long-term? Check out Happy and Bilingual School for virtual classes with native speakers from around the world (Spanish, French, Italian).

5. Catch up on your Reading

I love to read. I know it’s not everyone’s thing, and if it’s yours great! If not, give it a try. Why do I think most people who love to travel would love to read? Because reading can allow you to experience the joys of travel without actually traveling (something you may need during this Covid-19 shutdown). “Reading gives us somewhere to go when we have to stay where we are” – Mason Cooley.

One of my all-time favorite genres is fictional history based in other countries. These types of books usually have all my faves – history, culture, and a great story … all in one. For example, I learned so much about Ethiopia’s history and culture while reading one of my favorite books – Cutting for Stone.  You can see what I mean about traveling through books from a favorite post – Travel to Africa through 5 must-read books.

I also have a list of must-read books (from other genres) that I always recommend while traveling (I’ll share with you soon, I promise – stay tuned).

6. Learn to Cook your Favorite International Food

I love food. Let’s be more specific … I love to eat food. One of my favorite things to do during a trip is to eat the local cuisine and traditional dishes of the country I’m visiting. Bacalau in Portugal; roti and curry in Trinidad; conch salad in Turks and Caicos. Even Fish and Chips in Ireland. Yep, I’m a foodie. The thing about loving food is that it helps if you can cook.

We cook a lot at home, but we’ve been cooking even more since the shutdown. One thing I’ve decided to do during this time, is to teach myself how to cook a new international dish each week. I’ve been using random recipes I find online, which is going very well if I might say so myself. I found an awesome Thai Basil Chicken recipe from Mark Wiens. I also recently started asking friends for their recipes. Simple, quick, and yummy.

However, if you want something a little more streamlined, where the entire family can participate and enjoy, check out eat2explore, where you can sign up to have “Explorer Boxes” delivered to you. Each Explorer Box contains three recipe cards, unique ingredients for the recipes (spices/sauces/grain mixes), and a shopping list for fresh ingredients. You also get educational guides and activity sheets that teach you (and your kids) about the culture, history, and food traditions of the country. That way you can you can bring the country and culture to your kitchen!

7. Organize your Packing Lists and Travel Gear

Now would be a good time to do some spring cleaning. Clean out those drawers and closets … and while you’re at at it, see if you need to throw out/donate and replace any items. This includes some of your travel items/gear. Whether you’re in need of a new traveling bag or kindle, or you’ve outgrown your swim suit, or you just want some noise-cancelling headphones, what better time than now to figure out what travel items and gear you need to replace or update?

If you’ve already worked on your Wanderlust list and know where you plan to go (whenever things go back to normal), it wouldn’t hurt to go through your packing lists and make sure you have all you need so you are ready to go when the time comes.

8. Get Some Fresh Air and Some Exercise

This is so easy to forget. Please do not stay cooped up in your house. You need fresh air and sunlight every day. It’s spring and the weather has been pretty good (at least in Atlanta). Get outside for at least 15 minutes to breath some fresh air and soak up some sun (just stay six feet apart from anyone else who doesn’t live with you). Your body needs that vitamin D. Take a walk, go for a run, or take a nice drive. Better yet, find a hiking trail you’ve never visited before and go on an adventure.

Exercise is also a must. I have to admit, working out just isn’t my thing. It’s probably not most people’s thing either. But folks tend to work it into their daily routine regardless. Guess what? Your daily routine is going through a major overhaul. With working from home and chasing the kids around between the online meetings and classes, it’s easy to forget about exercise. But you’re going to need to work this into your new routine (or whatever you want to call our lives now). There are online classes for everything. Pick your favorite. I love yoga, so I try to do one yoga class each day with Yoga with Adriene. It’s makes a world of a difference. Shoot, I think I’m actually working out more than I used to when out in the real world!

Let’s not forget to take care of our minds too. With everything going on nowadays (between covid-19 and self-isolation), you may be experiencing a higher level of anxiety or just finding it hard to focus. This may be a good time to try meditation. Meditari Institute is a great source for online meditation sessions, which will help bring you peace.

9. Take a Virtual Tour, Listen to International Music, or Watch a Movie/TV Series/Documentary that exposes you to another Country

You can pretty much do anything with the internet. Aren’t we lucky to have virtual tours at our fingertips? There are many great sites (no pun intended) you can visit virtually – for example, you can explore Machu Piccu, the Louvre, the Great Wall of China or even try to catch the Northern Lights!

For International Music, I don’t really need to say much do I? If you have Pandora then you’ll find your music easily. If not, you’ll find it just as easily with Google or YouTube – just search for whatever you want to hear – whether it be Jamaican, Ethiopian, Indian, or Greek music … you’ll find it. Then you’ll be able to fill your home with beautiful international tunes.

When it comes to Movies, TV Series, or Documentaries, everyone’s taste is different, but here are a few suggestions(there should be something here for everyone): Queen of Katwe; Long Walk to Freedom; The Motorcycle Diaries; Eat, Pray, Love. In terms of TV series, you can’t beat Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. Love this show (may he rest in peace). You can watch any of these on Amazon Prime Video.

10. Check in with Your Friends/Family who aren’t with you and spend quality time with those who are

Adjusting to this new life isn’t easy. It’s easy to get caught up. But now that I feel a little bit more situated and organized, I’m trying to use any spare time to check in with family and friends.  Make an effort to check in on your friends and family, just to say hi and make sure they are okay.

Don’t just send a text message. Pick up the phone and call. Sometimes just hearing your voice can put a smile on a loved one’s face. Better yet, you can Facetime or do a Whatsapp video call.  Nowadays, you can even organize a Zoom or Google chat session with friends and family, so you can have a virtual birthday party, or happy hour, or just a simple family get-together. Thank God for technology! We are blessed to have ways to see and spend time with each other, even though we may be miles away.

And for those of us who are not alone but living with family or friends…

If I had to say what’s the most positive outcome of the Covid-19 pandemic, I would say it’s spending quality time with my family. If you’ve read my blog posts, you know how important it is for me to spend quality time with my husband and son. It’s why I plan our family vacations. To spend time with each other … away from the everyday distractions of work, emails, phone calls etc.  Just us.

Well guess what? We’re all on a vacation now. Staycation to be exact. So what better way to spend it than with your family? Sure you aren’t lounging on a beach, or hitting the slopes. And yes there are distractions because you’re working from home and they are taking online classes for school. But set aside some time to spend together. It can be as simple as reading a book, playing a game, going for a walk, or simply sitting down with each other during family dinner and asking everyone how their day went. We have an opportunity to spend some real quality time together. Let’s make the most of it.

There you have it. A list of things to do during the Covid-19 shutdown. Who knows, maybe you’ll keep up with this list when things go back to normal.  Some items on this list may also be helpful in other circumstances, not just during a pandemic. There are other instances where you may not be able to travel. Maybe cash is low, or you have expenses coming up so you have to watch your budget. Maybe you have work or family commitments that make it hard to travel. Maybe it’s just not the right time.

Whatever it is, the same thinking applies as it does for Covid-19 … this too will pass. And when it does? Where are you going to go?