Wanderlust? 4 ways to stay sane without travel during Covid-19

Nicole Gardner explains four ways to stay sane, have fun, and make the most of your time at home during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Over the last few weeks, the world has changed faster than we ever imagined. We’re in lockdown and all we want to do is get out and travel the world we’ve taken for granted for so long. Well, we can’t do that but, like Hamlet, we can count ourselves the kings of infinite space if we can only get past the bad dreams. Here are 4 ways to indulge your wanderlust and stay sane without travel during Covid-19.

1. Explore the virtual world

Thousands of the places you’ve always wanted to visit are available in the virtual world. Museums have online tours, aquariums and zoos are live-streaming their animals, and musicians are streaming concerts. Here are some of my favourites!

Google Arts & Culture’s 360° videos are a great place to start. Browse the London Science Museum, stroll the Pyramids of Giza and admire the Eiffel Tower from the comfort of your living room.

Machu Picchu, the Tower of London, the Vatican Museums and Archaeology, and Stonehenge are among the other offerings to help you stay sane during lockdown. Get searching, and forget about Covid-19 for a few hours.

Who wants to stay home for a trip to the zoo? The animals are on lockdown too, but live-cams let us peep into zoos and aquariums around the world. Edinburgh Zoo and Zoos Victoria are streaming their animals. Don’t miss the snow leopard cubs – they’re insanely cute!

If you prefer the ocean, Monterey Bay Aquarium and Sealife Melbourne have you covered with live cams of the aquariums. The penguins are amazing!

If you’ve got a Google Cardboard, VR videos and apps get you out and about from wherever you’re staying – just don’t trip over the coffee table!

Guardian VR has amazing true stories from around the world, or you can stay home and take your kids out through Expeditions.

Star Tracker VR lets you explore the night sky, and Flutter VR gives you a chance let go of your sanity, embrace your inner child during a butterfly chase through a forest, and forget about Covid-19.

2. Explore the world of your imagination

Back in the good old days, when staying sane was easy during the pre-internet era, the only place you’d even think about something like Covid-19 was in a sci-fi story. Even though you’re stuck at home, your mind is free to roam. Here’s where you can find things to read and listen to.

Your local library is closed, but if you’ve got a card you can  borrow ebooks and audio books online. Head to your library’s website to find out how.

If you’re not a library member yet, don’t despair: Standard Ebooks and the National Emergency Library have you covered.

If you prefer up-and-coming authors, head to Wattpad. You’re sure to find something you like.

Podcasts are a free way to stay sane and expand your horizons. If you’re new to podcasts, the BBC and The Motley Fool podcasts are great places to find out how the rest of the world handles life during Covid-19. Don’t worry, there are plenty of other topics as well. You might even learn something!

From the Metropolitan Opera to the Sydney Opera House, hundreds of concert halls have moved their concerts online, often for free. If you’ve always wondered what all the fuss is about, now’s your chance to find out.

Travel broadens the mind, but there are plenty of other ways to do that.

Learn something new with The Great Courses Daily, Coursera or edX. Alternatively, YouTube has tutorials for everything under the sun – and beyond!

3. Explore the physical world

Okay, okay, I know the whole point of this is to stay inside, but you’re allowed out for a short walk in the local area. Stay away from other people and make the most of it.

Go on a bear hunt or explore your garden. Do you know the names of all of the plants and animals in your garden? This is your chance to find out!

4. Stay sane, stay home during Covid-19 and meet people

One of the joys of travel is meeting people and exchanging ideas. Good news: there are thousands of places on the internet to meet new folk for a chat.

Meetup and Eventbrite have virtual meetings with all sorts of people around the world. If you don’t like what’s available, start your own.

So, stay sane, have fun, and explore the world during Covid-19!

Planning to get away on holiday when you can again? A travel credit card may save you money while you travel. Pay with confidence and save on fees with one of MyWalletHero’s top travel credit card picks!

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

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