It’s disappointing when you love to travel but life gets in the way. Here I am, a travel writer, who can't travel at the moment. Okay, so I over-reached for an overhead on the tennis court. Not a lot of damage but with a knee temporarily out of commission, sitting on a long flight then hobbling down cobblestones with a carry-on does not encourage a trip.
I’m not alone. Some friends are dealing with family issues, one blew her budget last year, and another was about to take a gourmet trip to Italy when her sister’s overly-friendly dog knocked her down, breaking several bones in her foot. (She was in a boot for half a year so I can’t complain about my knee.)
What is a person to do? Consider that half the fun is the dream and planning, so just get a start on future travels.
Check out travel shows, online blogs and devour travel magazines and books at the library. We think we know about destinations but delving into details while you have the time lets us glean new and more detailed information on destinations.
Be pro-active with a list. Where do you want to visit? Research each one and rate them in order, noting the best season to visit, relative costs, the length of trip (Weekend? Two weeks? Months?)
Create folders online or in your file drawer to note intiguing mentions of the best bistros, a bed 'n breakfast recommendation, activities in your prime destinations. It increases the interest and excitement; in fact, the details may even tip the scale for one locale over another. And, when you finally take off, they will be ready.
Learn a language. This takes time so you might as well start now to be prepared. DuoLingo is free and easy online and/or take a local course. Pick a language you’ve always wanted to learn or one in common use worldwide. (When English failed, my French came in handy in an Italian train station and a Portuguese tile shop.) Having a second language is never wasted. It doubles your opportunities to maneuver overseas.
Join a MeetUp travel or language group. Conversation flows easily when you are discussing travel tips, destinations, and connecting with potential friends from overseas or travel partners. As for me, even though I’m antsy to be traveling again, I’m learning Italian and exploring Sweden via internet. Just discovered a charming small town I'd never heard of which sounds fascinating.
It's on the list.
Comments