The pandemic has changed our lives in so many ways, especially travel and adventure. Buying a ticket and planning to spend some days in another country of our choice is not as simple as it was before. We can’t just hop on a plane to Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Kenya, or Vietnam. Even taking a ferry to the nearby islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique is not a luxury that can be enjoyed now. I say luxury as we sometimes do not appreciate the ease of travel except when it is no more.

Over time, some borders have been closed including ours, preventing us from even leaving our countries to explore. The nostalgia intensified at times causing us to get so hung up on missed opportunities and adventures. What has been one of the greatest lessons is that if we fail to live in the present, we will miss out on other amazing opportunities to live a great life.

As a result of my experience through the pandemic, I would like to share with you 10 tips on how to keep the pandemic from outing my travel adventure flame.

1.  Explore old and new local spots

In any country that we live in, there are many beautiful spots that we have visited and that we may not have visited before. Let’s make a bucket list of these locations and schedule some vacation days or weekends for some adventure. During the pandemic, I swam up a gorge, explored the northern tip of the island, hiked to one of the most tranquil lakes in Dominica which were all new to me. Imagine swimming up the gorge is an activity that I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little girl.

2.  Keep active with new hobbies

Some of the good feelings we get when we travel could be due to our experience of new places, meeting new people, and doing new activities while we travel. Some of these same good feelings could be felt by discovering new hobbies. I discovered that I liked podcasting. This allowed me to share experiences and thoughts which could certainly inspire others.

3.  Try new experiences with different people

If we go a little more out of our comfort zone to meet up with persons, we may not have usually shared experiences with opens up a new chapter of experiences.

4.  Take time to rest 

Despite our desire to keep active, it’s actually a good decision to rest. Before accelerating, it’s good to gear down. How else are we going to explore Macchu Picchu, hike up the hills of Positano or experience the adventure of our dreams if we are too tired during the time we were actually supposed to rest?? Well at least, that’s a good motivation for resting.

5.  Learn about the new travel requirements

The requirements for travel have changed over the past year. For some, keeping up to date on new requirements could help in being less overwhelmed when the time for travel resumes. For others, keeping up to date on all the changes is actually overwhelming, as such I recommend checking in periodically as opposed to too often.

6.  Keep healthy physically and mentally 

If we are burnt out or sick, the quality of our future experiences will be significantly reduced. Let’s take time to ensure good physical health by sleeping well, eating nourishing foods, exercising regularly, among other healthy practices. Not only is our physical well-being important but our mental and emotional well-being. Let’s seek to be consistent in healthy practices.

7.  Reminisce on your previous adventures

Take some time to reminisce on previous adventures by scrolling through your photos, speaking with friends or family who shared the experience with you, or even spend some quiet moments in reflection by yourself. I spent some time with my parents recalling our travels before the pandemic which reminded me of some of the beautiful highlights.

8.  Explore new ways of traveling virtually

Interestingly, despite not being able to travel as before, there are still ways to discover new places and enjoy experiences from other countries. Airbnb created Airbnb Experiences and TripAdvisor’s Viator launched #Roamfromhome that takes us to the world simply from our devices. Pick an activity that you would like. Before you know it, you could enjoy cooking masterclasses with chefs from Mexico or Italy, or experience music, nature, or art from across the world.

9.  Practice good financial habits and save for future adventures 

Though it may have been much easier if we could pick money from trees, this fantasy is not possible. Now more than ever, it is important to create new sources of income and save sufficiently to meet the expenses of our taste of adventure.

10.  Live fully in the present

Though we may have desires to do many activities in the future or remember the great moments in the past that we would want to relive, we must always remember that the present is actually the most amazing gift that we have. We really only have control over the present. When we live fully in the present, this is one of the most influential keys to wellbeing which allows us to reduce our stress and manifest genuine happiness.

Several persons have inquired if I am itching to travel or doing terribly and I am in my country because of the situation caused by the pandemic. Fortunately, I am not destitute as I have practiced the tips I have shared above. I hope you too have been living fully in your present and have had beautiful experiences despite the pandemic. Feel free to add your own lessons to the list.

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About The Author

Lizra Fabien is the founder and owner of The Progressive Mind, a company that seeks to connect entrepreneurs and professionals across the Caribbean. As a global citizen, Lizra continues to seek opportunities to be of service globally and to connect her communities to increase opportunities for all involved. Lizra enjoys learning new languages, understanding new cultures, and being an avid traveler. She loves to inspire her family, friends, and personal community to pursue their dreams boldly. Additionally, Lizra is also the Executive Director of the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce, the leading private sector representative body in Dominica with membership across various sectors and industries. Lizra also represents DAIC regionally as the Immediate Past Chairperson of the Network of Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM) and globally as a member of the Global ARISE Board, the UN Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction.