10 Things You Can Do When You Can't Travel (Due to a Pandemic)

Before reading, I’d like to personally express my deepest appreciation to all medical, healthcare, grocery, transit, post and all other essential workers during these challenging times. Thank you for your service and everything you’re doing for us throughout this pandemic — the world is in full solidarity with you!

At the end of February, I was narrowing down my spring travel plans and had envisioned a rough itinerary for several new destinations, particularly Brussels, Zurich and a couple of Balkan countries. Like a lot of other travelers, I didn’t see the COVID-19 outbreak coming until it was too late, when the prospect of international travel became impractical and later impossible. Municipal, state and nationwide lockdowns have halted the ability for anyone to go anywhere, especially here in NYC, where the streets have become eerily quiet, absent of tourists and its iconic bustling and cosmopolitan energy.

How do travelers, a distinct part of the population that are “always on the go” cope during a global pandemic? Personally, I’ve turned to a couple of pet passions (Tarot cards, for one), but there’s quite a few activities we can do in the meantime to nurture our wanderlust.

1. Plan that trip anyway.

Now’s high time for you to reschedule any trips previously planned for this fall or next year. Most hotels and airlines are offering credit for trips cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak without a stipulation for setting future dates, or a straight-up refund. It’s definitely a gamble, but depending on how the pandemic plays out, travel will likely resume later this year. For a lot of countries, particularly European ones, low season begins near the end of August, which makes it financially advantageous to plan a trip around that timeframe. (Be sure to buy travel insurance, whatever happens.)

2. Take a virtual tour, somewhere.

The Louvre, MASP Sao Paolo, The British Museum and The Met are just a handful of many institutions offering free virtual tours of their campuses. New York’s Metropolitan Opera is also offering shows every night at 7:30 pm EDT, and you don’t even have to dress up!

3. Save your money.

If you’ve been impacted financially by the COVID-19 outbreak, now is the time to reconsider your spending and saving habits. Consider boosting your savings account for emergencies or a potential travel fund. Use any money previously allocated for your travels to pay off personal debt or contribute it to your 401k. Revisit what you consider “essential” expenses for you and/or your family. Once the pandemic ends, the benefit is that you’ll have more money available when you’re actually able to travel and, even better, financial security.

4. Learn a new language.

If you’ve been meaning to learn a couple of phrases before that trip to Sitges or Tokyo, now’s the time! If you’re a beginner, apps like Duolingo and Babbel are at your fingertips. Personally, I’ve been using the Easy Languages channel on YouTube to work on my Russian. By the time this pandemic is over, you’ll be fluent enough to have a simple conversation, wherever you decide to go!

5. Read some books.

That book you’ve been setting aside on your shelf for the past several months has been waiting for you to dive back into it! If you need suggestions, consider some immersive fiction classics like Heart of Darkness, The Alchemist, or critically-acclaimed Americanah or some non-fiction guides from Lonely Planet, Fodors or Frommers, which always make me even more excited about a future destination.

6. Volunteer and support non-profits and small businesses.

Feeding America is one of the largest networks of food banks around the United States, and you can visit their website to learn how to get involved. Alternatively, you can reach out to your local non-profit and ask how you can help. If possible, donate any PPE (personal protective equipment) you have on hand to hospitals and clinics and also, your blood. Small businesses, restaurants and those in the service and arts industries are unfortunately feeling the brunt of the pandemic and really depend on your patronage now more than ever. Consider buying takeout more often, being a gracious tipper and purchasing their services exclusively. Consider making more donations and offer pro-bono services or skills if you can.

7. Connect with your friends around the world.

Being able to have video conference calls with my friends around the world has been a game changer and a lifesaver. Facebook Messenger is free and great for groups of eight or less, and the free option of Zoom allows you to host 100 users if you want to host a large scale virtual event (note that you have to upgrade for meetings longer than 40 minutes). Whatsapp is also great for small group or one-on-one international calls (think Sunday dinner 2.0), and the House Party app is a fun alternative, and pretty popular with Gen Z.

8. Don’t watch the news (too much).

This is for your own sanity. In NYC as elsewhere, the news has been particularly pretty grim, and it’s horrifying to be reminded of disaster, economic depression and sadly, the sheer amount of death due to COVID-19. It’s ok to stay informed (I recommend just sticking with Reuters), but also flip the channel and tune out to something else (Tiger King is apparently the thing these days).

9. Create photo books and walled art from past travel photos.

There’s no better coffee table book than one authored by you, no? With ample time, you can play art director — consolidate your best photos from a recent trip and organize them into your very own travel book using services like Snapfish, Apple Photo Books or Shuttlefly. If you have several photos too grand to fit in a book, print them in larger sizes and hang them around your home (or even a shower curtain) — if you visit mine, you’ll notice a lot from Portugal.

10. Stay safe, and healthy.

Wear a damn mask. Maintain physical distance. Stay at home unless you have to go out for groceries or something essential. Meditate, don’t overdo it with the quarantine snacks and exercise at least 30 minutes a day (something you should be doing anyway). If you need to, talk to someone or find resources for emotional support. (NY.gov has some resources here as well.)

You’re probably aware of these things, but the more we do it and take care of one another in the meantime, the sooner we’ll be able to return to a somewhat normal livelihood and, dare I say it, travel once again.

Bonus: This is a very minor tip for Americans, but one that will certainly come in handy later. The Mobile Passport app allows you to save a bunch of time at the point of reentry for 30+ American airports. Download the app today. As soon as the pandemic dies down and regular services resume, also consider applying for TSA PreCheck to bypass most security measures when leaving airports, and Global Entry to zoom through when reentering the United States.

*T-shirt by Assemblage by PUNCTUATE.