At the time of writing this article, I am locked up at home in quarantine. I am sitting on the terrace, drinking an ice cold beer, listening to Röyksopp and thinking about how this pandemic will change the way we travel once this nightmare is over. After all, we live from our travel agency and have to think about everything.
And when thinking about changes, I’m not just talking about using a face mask or avoiding crowds, I mean how everything is going to change in the emotional aspect of a trip, at least as we get used to a new reality. Obviously as soon as the quarantine is over and we can leave the house again (or we feel safe to do so), many of us will want to get out or resume the trips we were forced to cancel. Many of us have no choice, as the airlines gave certain deadlines to fly, we will have to travel in order to not loose our trip.
But for those who want to take a trip and have not planned it yet, there is still time to take into account other factors that may have been overlooked before. A trip costs money and time, not only do you have to save, you also have to ask for your days off from work and this pandemic in some sense will change us all. So why not take some time to do an introspection and make the most of that trip, which serves to reflect, make decisions, calm down, get excited, in short, only you know what your mind needs.
I would like to give some suggestions, I make them in different countries not because you have to travel abroad, you can take a wonderful trip in your own country or even an excursion near your city. I give international suggestions to offer more options and because I have readers from different parts of the world. If you do not want to travel abroad, perhaps the destination will serve as a reference to find something similar in your country.
To reflect
Having spent weeks or months locked up at home does not necessarily mean that you had time to reflect. We are all doing our best to quarantine as smoothly as possible, as well as psychologically pressuring ourselves that we have to accomplish something. So the time for reflection and seriousness may come later. I can’t think of anything better than planning a trip or excursion that includes nature walks.
I have already mentioned in other articles that I love trekking, because you free your mind and you are so focused on other things related to the environment in which you find yourself that you leave cell phones behind (except for taking photos) as well as the typical daily problems. How much would I give to be walking in the Cocora Valley in Colombia, in El Chaltén in Argentina, in the Glacier National Park in Montana, to finally do the Camino de Santiago or just enjoy the forest next to the town of Patrick in Belgium. How much would I give…
To help
My last trip before being in quarantine was to Chiapas, one of the poorest states in Mexico. The first thing I thought about when they imposed the quarantine were all the indigenous women and children who sell their products in the squares and streets of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Where do they sleep, what do they eat, how are they going to survive if the majority of their clients are tourists. Not to mention small businesses and this not only in Chiapas, in all of Mexico and in all the countries of the world.
If you have the possibility to travel, perhaps you can do it to places with more economic needs, where you can support merchants, street vendors, small businesses, family businesses, among many others affected by this crisis. What places would I recommend? Precisely places like Chiapas, Oaxaca, Yucatan, I think that all countries have their vulnerable cities or towns, I would recommend traveling to those if you want to help. Remember that it is best to buy local and not haggle, pay the right price.
To feel free
What is the first place I would like to go as soon as this quarantine ends? Definitely to the beach. I want to walk on the sand and go into the sea, this is all I need to feel free. Probably many of you have that same desire of wanting to relax by the sea.
After being at home for so long, we don’t want to be locked up or have stress. Surely, outdoor places will be the first option for most, especially for children and by the sea… life is tastier! Hopefully we return more consciously, without affecting the environment.
To overcome fears
If something has become clear to us, it is that life is very short and full of surprises, some pleasant, others not so much. With the coronavirus, we experienced how fragile life is and that everything can change from one day to the next. On the one hand, it filled us with fear of getting sick, of dying, but on the other, it helped us to overcome or show ourselves stronger in the face of other types of problems such as anxiety and claustrophobia.
If you got over this, you can do so much more. On your next trip, aim to get out of your comfort zone and face your fears. If you have to spend hours on an airplane, nothing happens, your flight will not last forever. You want to visit a country where not only another language is spoken, but which also has a very different culture, because the best thing you can do is go and try to soak up that culture. What about starting with Morocco?
To seek inner peace
Maybe after all this, the traveler seeks more peace and tranquility after all the uncertainty he has experienced. Perhaps all this is taken as a life lesson, others see it as a clear message from the planet that we have to stop a little because we were going too fast.
There are many places where you can travel to in search of peace, I am not talking about religious destinations, if that is what you are looking for, it is even easier. There are many wonderful options for those looking for places that fill them with energy and are reassuring, but here I refer back to my recommendations about nature locations. If you need to find peace, places like Mexico City or New York might not be your best choice.
I think what we will be looking for most, at least in the following months after the quarantine, are those places where we can think, meditate, enjoy… but outdoors. Where there are no distractions, but also no fear. National parks are a wonderful choice, settings where you can smell the wet land, listen to the rain, find your center.
To reinvent itself
There are places that inspire you, that fill you with creativity because they are full of beautiful corners and kind people. Personally, the ideas of starting a project, writing an article or even thinking about a sale have come to me when being in a city that has culture, gastronomy, art, music and atmosphere in the streets. Those vibrant cities that make you feel alive and whisper in your ear “you have to do what you are passionate about”.
For this, trips to Europe should serve as a source of inspiration. In my case, my muse was the city of Florence many years ago, where I decided that I had to follow my dreams, and the whole environment inspired and motivated me to do so. How many artists had their inspiration in cities like Paris or London. Everything we live can also be an opportunity to reinvent ourselves.
Obviously, everything is relative, some people find it easy to hike in the forest, while others might find it stressful. But I share suggestions based on personal experiences or those we have designed for other travelers. The most important thing is that you remember that the destination you are looking for may be your travel therapy.
When we are ready to travel again, remember that we can design and organize a 100% customized trip through our travel agency Tripdreaming. Contact me at silvia.lucero@tripdreaming.com.
For editorial questions, please contact me at silvia.lucero@latrotamundos.com.
