Travel is a very different thing now than what it was only a few years ago. The ongoing effects of a global pandemic are still being felt, and will likely continue on beyond any official end date. There are certain countries that might be making progress with reducing cases and increasing vaccines. Yet we are always hearing of new outbreaks and secret strands that continue the longevity of our pandemic situation.

For those of us caught in the most severe areas of outbreak and transmission, international travel is not the highest priority. For others though, like many of my friends in Australia, they’re using this time to save money and fuel the wanderlust dreams for the day when borders will finally be open again. In some ways, wanderlust dreaming is a form of escapism and staying hopeful about the future in a post-COVID world. 

You might be asking yourself, how can we satiate our wanderlust with all that is going on in the world? I have some ideas and some tips for you. Even if you cannot travel across continents, I hope that this will keep the wanderlust dream alive.

So if you are planning on any kind of holiday now, be more organised than you normally would. Check ahead of time if hotels are operating, fill out any kind of visa or travel information necessary.

Some countries, therefore people, have it better than others

It’s important to acknowledge one’s privilege and blessing when talking about, dreaming about, and finally realising goals of wanderlust. Certain people have always had it a little better than others when it comes to travel; whether it be in the ability to buy a plane ticket, take time off work, or have a disposable income. So how does the current travel situation benefit some while hindering others?

For countries in the midst of an outbreak, travel is almost out of the question. Depending on where you’re going right now and which passport you’re using, this could severely hamper your travel ambitions. Furthermore, if your dream destination has put your country on a ‘red list’ then you may not have too many options at this current time. Many countries still put Turkey on a COVID ‘red-list’ despite the city functioning as normally as possible.

Countries with small or isolated populations often have very strict border crossing laws. Such nationals will have a harder time travelling than others. The island nations of Australia and New Zealand are one such example. Their COVID outbreaks are generally small and quickly controlled, when compared to the rest of the world, yet they also have strict rules about not only who can enter but also who can leave the country. 

Travellers from other countries are simply blessed by their geography. Countries that share land borders are more likely to form travel bubbles and agreements in the future. The already existing structures for travel in the European Union mean that travel to Europe will become easier for other Europeans first before those of us from other parts of the world. This is why you might want to start planning your travel to places closer to you first.

Start close then work your way out

Speaking about travelling to the places closest to you, look at your definition of wanderlust and vacation. Can you still have a nice getaway in your country, in your state, or even in your city? The answer for me is yes. The act of freeing up a weekend, packing and planning for travel, helps bring consciousness and purposefulness to your activities. It helps make everything feel real. 

For me, I take the tram through Istanbul’s old town all the time. However it was only after my wife and I spent a weekend in a small hotel in Istanbul, were we able to walk its magic streets, sample cultural treats, and generally take our time to explore uncharted territory. Despite living in the city, it was like going to an entirely new place. The complete change of scene, made our little holiday feel refreshing and unique.

Being open to new things and ready to shift gears quickly is an important trait for travel; especially now. If you’d like to read 10 more helpful mindsets for travellers, check out my article here.

From the suburbs, go to the cities

Extending on the theme of looking closer to home; how many cities have you been to in your own country?

Can you say you’ve visited every city in your home country? Start with the major ones, but even the smaller ones are often trying to improve their tourist economy. And for the smaller cities, their tourist income comes largely from local and interstate tourists, not necessarily from international travellers.

I am an, unfortunately, lousy tourist guide for my own country; I’ve only been to 3 state-capital cities in my country, out of a total 8. Even then, I’m sure I have only scratched the surface of fun activities and interesting places in my own home city. Why not explore and conquer your own grounds first? People are buying tickets to travel to your city, while you’re saving up to get out.

Pay attention to the constant, international travel updates and changes

This is the part where we start to talk about international travel. Don’t worry I’ll address that too! Start to build up your resource list and bank of trustworthy websites. With this, you will always be able to read the latest travel news and stay afloat on the conditions of your dream destinations. I also use Instagram to get in touch with various bloggers and influences for a bit of ‘on the ground’ news.

With travel laws changing regularly you might be wondering if 2021 is the right year to go travelling. Read my article here to see what it was like to travel this year.

Look at which countries are friendly with each other

As mentioned, one direction you could take is to look at who is forming travel bubbles with each other. Which countries are making open border and vaccine agreements? It seems countries that are closer to each other are more likely to sign travel agreements first. However, it could also be that both countries have shared economic or cultural interests too.

Recently my wife and I travelled to Budapest, Hungary. Despite it being a culturally rich and historic city, it was never on our radar. However, we soon learnt that Hungary and Turkey had agreed to accept each other’s vaccination certificates. This opened up a new holiday destination much faster than we were expecting. Thanks to this we were able to help scratch our long untreated wanderlust itch.

Keep an eye out on quarantine and vaccination laws

Every country, regardless of what union or trade area they’re in, is developing its own normalcy contingent plans. These aren’t always the same as neighbouring countries and are often made up of multiple stages. Any further outbreaks would obviously set a country back in its plans.

What we’ve noticed, is that countries that were previously locked in isolation are now allowing travel with mandatory quarantine. Those countries that previously enforced quarantine now have shorter or no quarantines, depending on vaccines.

Suffice to say, things change often and things change quickly. It is a good idea to follow the developments on your target vacation spot to make sure nothing pops up to surprise you. I have found the website travel bans a good place to start with announcements. After that, I’ll check out my dream holiday destination’s own tourism website for more specific details.

Be more organised than you normally would be

I’m not a very organised traveller. Actually, I’m not a very organised person in general. However, this recent state of global travel has forced even me to make some changes. As you may have gathered by now, wanderlust is not just the act of dreaming. At least if you actually want to realise those dreams one day. It involves research and constant updates to be on top of the situation.

I have previously written about the various things to consider and prepare for when travelling during this time; you can check it out here if you like!

So if you are planning on any kind of holiday now, be more organised than you normally would. Check ahead of time if hotels are operating, fill out any kind of visa or travel information necessary. Nowadays countries may ask you ahead of time where you’re staying, how much money you’re bringing, even if they never did before. At least for the foreseeable future, it pays to be an organised traveller.

What is being done in terms of the virtual reality sphere?

I’ve thrown a few different interpretations on what it really means to be on vacation. This final piece might be the most challenging for those itching to get out and experience the world. There is actually a way to give in to your wanderlust and see the world, from the comfort of your own home.

More and more people are investing in virtual reality as a tool for tourism. Using a wide range of strategies, like user-uploaded content, streaming, and high-quality camera and drones, many companies are creating virtual travel products. So you can see and experience a place without even having to go there. You could even think of Instagram as fulfilling this wanderlust need too. It isn’t just for while the pandemic lasts, as even many small townships are turning to technology to get more eyes on their local sites.

These tours are often much less expensive, maybe even free, compared to ‘real-life’ options. They can be found online and are often streamed through things like Zoom; which many of us have also had to get acquainted with, thanks to the pandemic.

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Nowadays there are many options for the trapped traveller and nauseous nomad who cannot get out of their house. It takes a little bit more work and preparation nowadays, and oftentimes you need to reconsider your definition of a holiday, however, there are still so many options available to us. I hope one of these strategies attracts you and you are able to pursue your dreams of travel. Don’t lose your sense of wanderlust!