The sun warms my baby bump as I take a sip of my fruity mocktail. My husband, lying next to me in his lounge chair, orders a local hazy IPA from the poolside menu. We discuss which Cuban restaurant we want to try for dinner that night.
Our plans are delightfully played by ear as we know we must revel in one of our last trips for two before becoming a family of three.
At least that was the vision for my Babymoon / Birthday trip that I was supposed to be on in Miami the week of March 16.
The week of March 9 seems like decades ago, where information about Covid-19 was changing sometimes hourly, making our heads spin.
My husband and I moved from denial of the situation to frustration and sadness for this outbreak getting in the way of our vacation plans.
There was a bit of bargaining mixed in for a couple of days to see if we could make the trip happen in some modified way. But we ultimately decided it wasn’t worth it and begrudgingly canceled our travel arrangements.
I didn’t realize it until later, but we went through all the stages of grief in a matter of days.
As a travel advisor and sabbatical coach, I’ve had conversations with my clients who are in different stages of grieving canceled or potentially postponed trips like…
…a European sabbatical for a couple and their four young children.
…a destination wedding in the Scottish Highlands.
…a multi-generational family trip to London and Paris.
…and many more trips that clients were looking forward to for months or even years.
Many admit they feel guilty or selfish for grieving the loss of travel when there are literally life and death situations so many people are dealing with.
But that doesn’t mean that your feelings don’t matter.
If you are like me, travel is a big part of your life and therefore a part of your identity that brings you joy and fulfillment.
It’s a pretty big blow to our identities when we can barely travel anywhere but the grocery store!
All of a sudden, we are all grounded for an undetermined amount of time.
Our freedom to travel was instantly taken away.
It serves as a reminder that travel is a privilege – one that we have taken for granted for a long time.
Trust that we will travel again.
We don’t yet know when and what that will look like, but the prospect of hopping on a plane across the world sounds more magical than ever, doesn’t it?
But for now, travel enthusiasts have a globe-sized void in our hearts.
I did some brainstorming on how to fill that void and achieve the benefits of travel without leaving home.
Here are seven ideas to get your wheels turning:
- Spin the globe and pick a recipe to cook from that destination
- Pop on a movie filmed abroad – bonus points if it’s a foreign film with subtitles
- Watch educational videos or virtual tours based on your interests
- Exercise your artistic side with a travel-themed craft
- Immerse yourself in a book that takes place in your top bucket list spot
- Jam out to an international playlist
- Download Duolingo to start learning a new language for your next trip
You may look at the list above and say you’ve wanted to do a lot of those things before, but you were “too busy.” Now that excuse isn’t as strong anymore…
A silver lining is that this forced slowdown gives us an opportunity to reflect on our priorities and how we use our time.
Your normal routine has been disrupted.
I tell my clients returning from sabbatical to take advantage of the break in routine as an opportunity to start new daily habits that result in positive life changes.
Although this time is far from a sabbatical – especially if your new job description includes homeschool teacher, daycare worker, and/or errand runner for your high-risk parents – you can still make lasting changes.
If you really think about your favorite travel memories, it’s likely they have little to do with the destination.
Instead they probably center around simple quality time with loved ones – a meaningful conversation, sharing a new experience together, or laughing over a meal.
All of those things can absolutely take place at home, if you make the time.
I’m working on a fun and easy way to deliver curated travel resources without hours of googling that will scratch your travel itch, help you plan future trips, and connect you with a likeminded community of travelers.
Click here for more information and sign up for the waitlist!
About Carpe Diem Travel
Do you feel like you are “always on” and “work-life balance” is a myth? Carpe Diem Traveler helps you be intentional with your time off so you avoid burnout and renew your zest for life through transformational travel. Visit: carpediemtraveler.com/
