How to survive the lockdown: VR for the stuck-at-home traveler

Hi guys! How is everyone doing? A lot of us travelers are still stuck at home, still not able to travel. As for myself, our current lockdown continues until at least January 19. All stores are closed, as well as the schools and borders. We can travel in our own country, though maybe it’s not the best idea given the current covid numbers. Also, it’s not a lot of fun if you can’t have dinner somewhere, can’t shop or go to the bathroom anywhere. Daytrips are just no fun right now.

So, time to find other ways to satisfy our wanderlust. I don’t know about you, but my craving to see other worlds is just as strong, maybe even stronger, now that it becomes impossible to do so. Luckily, there are other ways to transport us to new places. In this category, the stuck-at-home traveler, I have shared my tips for books, movies, games, online museums and podcasts. Today I want to add to that category by a post about VR.

Two weeks ago we celebrated Christmas (can you believe it’s already been two weeks?). I was lucky enough to be able to visit my family, though on separate visits, because we’re not allowed to have more than two people over at a time. For my extended family, however, we decided to do things differently. We celebrated Christmas via Zoom, which was actually a lot of fun. We had sent each other boxes with gifts beforehand, and on the day we put the laptop in the kitchen and then all of us cooked the same meal, whilst chatting away. It was so much fun and actually, the first time the entire family was together. For even the uncle from Florida could stream in.

Anyways, between courses, we unwrapped the gifts that we had sent each other. My mother-in-law had sent us a gigantic box filled with presents, and one of those was a present for me (well actually, a lot of them were for me, but I want to focus on one in particular) with a card attached to it. The card told me she knew how difficult the last year had been, and she understood my need for travel. She hoped that the gift she got me would help.

Inside were VR glasses. The card told me to look up “360 video” on youtube, click one of the hits, slide my phone into the glasses and put them on. And then, immediately, I was there. The first video I watched was of the Maldives and suddenly, I was in the Maldives. I sat on the beach, and I could see and hear the waves, I was on a boat and then I was in the water. It was absolutely amazing. I turned it off, because I had to (we were still celebrating Christmas) but after all presents had been unwrapped, all the food eaten, and we had said goodbye, I got myself some playtime.

And it was amazing. I swam with dolphins, I took a balloon ride, then a journey to the edge of space. I’ve seen waterfalls and rode in amusement park rides. I saw the great barrier reef, sat inside a Panda enclosure (okay I did this a couple of times, actually), visited a cat café, saw the Northern Lights, took a stroll through Petra and went skydiving. It was absolutely wonderful and it felt as if I was really there.

There are many, many, many more videos to watch and I would love to view all of them. It really is a beautiful way to explore, within the comfort of your own home (though I did bump into tables a couple of times).

A little sidenote, there are VR glasses that cost 600 euros, that are used for gaming most of the time. You don’t need those. They are super awesome if you’re a gamer, but if you wanna watch 3d videos like you’re actually in them, you can get with by a model like mine, which uses your phone and doesn’t have an onboard computer. The effect is still amazing and breathtaking 🙂

How to survive the lockdown: 3 podcasts you should listen to

Hi guys! How are you doing? It’s been a while since I posted – for obvious reasons. We’re in a lockdown again, the numbers are higher than ever and it seems like this is gonna take a while. So I’m doing the smart thing and I’m staying inside. I am looking at doing a detox yoga retreat in january, but more on that later – when I actually decide if I want to go or not.

Today I will focus again on the stuck-at-home traveler. I’m pretty sure all of you are in the same metaphorical boat as I am, wanting to travel but not being able to. Earlier, in the first months of the corona crisis, I shared my ideas for books, movies and series and other tips for fellow wanderlusters. Today I want to focus on podcasts.

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Traveling during corona

Ciao! Right now, when I am writing this, I am in Rome having a fabulous time. I’m super grateful that the European borders have opened up, so that I can travel. I know most of you are still stuck in quarantine, and I can only say how much I am hoping that all of this will end quickly, so that everyone can go back to normal again.

Having said that, I also realize that there are lots of people out there wondering what life will be like after corona. What is gonna be our new normal? Especially during travels, what can we expect? With this post, I hope I can take away some of your worries or questions, sharing my own experiences traveling during covid19.

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Fleeing the quarantine

At times, this quarantine is really getting to me. One week I’m doing great, working and writing posts and feeling productive, but last week was not like that. I had a headache and felt dizzy, spent every day in my pyjama’s watching Netflix and doing nothing at all, until eventually, I was done with it. Banging on the bars of my cell, otherwise known as my windows, crying and screaming to get out.

I felt locked-up, going crazy with need for adventure, for doing something else than spending time at home. I just really need to go. The next day, Boyfriend had searched for a few stops nearby, places where we wouldn’t run into a lot of people, but where I could get some fresh air and a change of scenery, even only for a couple of hours, without the risk of getting sick or contaminating others.

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how to learn a new language

Hey guys, how are you doing? I’m still cooped up in my home due to the corona virus, and aside from working, I’ve been searching for things to do. The following weeks I will give you some tips for the stuck-at-home traveler. Booksseries and movies and games that fellow wanderlusters might enjoy, because they will transport you to the places you can’t actually visit right now.

When you’re feeling like you’ve read all the books, seen everything there is to see on Netflix and finished playing every game, you might get the feeling: I want to do something productive! Lots of peoples bucketlists are not just endless lists of places they want to visit, but they also include topics such as learning a new skill – or a new language. And what would be a better time to start learning a new language, than when you’re locked up in your own home, bored out of your mind? Time for some tips!

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How to have a great staycation

Normally I would be on a trip somewhere around this time of year. For years, our student’s association planned trips at the end of april, and later, boyfriend and I started our own little tradition to celebrate our anniversary in the beginning of May by going somewhere. But now, we’re stuck at home thanks to corona.

So how about a vacation at home, better known as staycation. It’s almost time for summer break but a lot of trips have been cancelled. So in this post I will share my tips for a great staycation. Because a vacation at home can also be fun and relaxing!

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How to survive the lockdown: visit an online museum!

Hey guys, how are you doing? I’m still cooped up in my home due to the corona virus, and aside from working, I’ve been searching for things to do. The following weeks I will give you some tips for the stuck-at-home traveler. Books, series and movies and games that fellow wanderlusters might enjoy, because they will transport you to the places you can’t actually visit right now.

Our ‘intelligent lockdown’ has just been extended, and we’re not sure when our restaurants and museums will open again. So it’s time to look at some online museums, for a lot of them have virtual tours or exhibitions, so you can look at their art from your own home. Here are some of my favourites!

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How to survive the lockdown: Movies and Series for the stuck-at-home traveler


Hey guys, how are you doing? I’m still cooped up in my home due to the corona virus, and aside from working, I’ve been searching for things to do. The following weeks I will give you some tips for the stuck-at-home traveler. Books, movies and games that fellow wanderlusters might enjoy, because they will transport you to the places you can’t actually visit right now.

So far I have covered books and games, but sometimes, even more so in these times, you just wanna lie on the couch and watch television. And there are some great shows on Netflix and Disneyplus you can watch. Here are some tips on films and series for the wanderluster!

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Corona as an eye-opener for dreams

Sitting home these days, staring longingly outside, I’m dreaming of all the places I’d rather be. Now is a good time to reflect on your hopes and dreams. What is it you really want? What’s the first thing you want to do when all of this is over?

The first thing I want to do when this is over is jump in my car and drive over to my family to give them all a very big hug. And after spending some real time with them, I want to jump on a plane to visit a place I have been dreaming of since I was there many moons ago: Nice, in the south of France.

This whole quarantine thing can really be a wake-up call. Because why wait to do the things you dream of? Since we’re stuck at home, not knowing how long this is gonna last, I wonder why I never went back there. Why delay your dreams?

So what is it you are dreaming of? Places you’re longing to visit, new skills you want to learn or things you want to do… You can write them down in a bucketlist, but you can also make plans to actually do them. Of course, we’ll have to wait for corona to be over, but why wait longer than that? It’s time to follow your dreams, instead of delaying them.