Let’s keep the wanderlust alive while going nowhere but home.
On our final days in Puerto Galera, news broke about the local transmission of the coronavirus or Covid-19. Then, I just got home when the government announced the possibility of a travel ban due to global pandemic. I was just about to unpack and deal with a week worth of laundry from the trip when I heard the possibility of being in a community quarantine. In just a matter of days, travel was put, on a halt, indefinitely. My planned tours are then postponed, indefinitely. And so as yours and everyone else’s travel plans.
Yet this sudden pause in our lives could be an adventure itself.
Flaneur with coffee
To embrace slowing down, in these trying times is challenging. But it is more of setting the tone and live by the day. Flâneuring, yes, there’s a word for our current lifestyle. Flâneur, French in origin, generally means “to wander with intention.” So pour yourself some coffee and start reading, The Art of Flâneuring: How to Wander with Intention and Discover a Better Life, by an American travel writer, Erika Owen, e-book. Then as the pages go, flâneuring, essentially, is taking a walk for the sake of taking a walk, enjoy the journey for what it is. And the audio book is the best companion while walking to buy supplies and food. Unleash your inner flâneur and experience the world in a new way. E-book and audio book available on Scribd, free for 30 days!
Skip the Line to your Porch
Detour from the relentless news cycle, and get some culture fix while social distancing at home with some museum mobile apps. Ever wonder what went down in history this day/month? The Ayala Museum app has that, a history trivia tab that is notable in the Philippines’ inspiring history. Or do a virtual tour of The Presidential Museum and Library via Google Arts & Culture app. Then step [virtually] inside the oldest Chinatown in the whole world, via the Binondo Chinatown Museum app. Then get your geek on for extraordinary educational experience with The Mind Museum app. And the coolest part is their D-I-Y experiments tab that let you bond with your little Einstein. Check the mobile apps here.
Surf your couch
As a way to keep the wanderlust alive, shout out travelers, a travel-inspired movie is a no brainer. And since we all watch via the internet nowadays, surfing the net has become binge-watching online. Head on to your fav streaming app, and see a film with picturesque cinematography. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 2013. Almost every frame of this movie is like a perfectly composed photograph. Like the lead role, Mitty, let’s daydream life adventures and bewitched by the natural beauty of Iceland, Greenland, and the Himalayas.
“To see things thousands of miles away, things hidden behind walls and within rooms, things dangerous to come to, to draw closer, to see and be amazed.” – Life Magazine
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Backyard spelunking
Caving-in this “new normal” means going beneath the surface. Check-in with your inner thoughts and reflect. By doing so, it could help you gain insight and see how to move forward. As a French-born novelist, Anais Nin, said: “You do not see the world as it is. You see it as you are.” While at it, why not go deep literally and figuratively. Quite literal with a book about the caves in the Philippines. But since we all can’t go out, explore it, figuratively, by reading the e-book. Caving or spelunking may seem daunting, but once you’re in, you’ll discover tranquility. It’s like being in-tune with your inner thoughts.
Bathroom spa sanctuary
Retreat and rejuvenate physically in a spa, right in your own bathroom. I know this might be a stretch, as most of us don’t have a bathtub. But a spa experience isn’t just about the tub. A shower head that has multiple settings is a nice upgrade – if you can, for some water massage. Then incorporating nature inside could also set the home spa experience. Plants, like succulents and flowers, have a unique way of making a bathroom feel more inviting. Aromatherapy adds to your home spa experience by evoking emotions, boosting relaxation, and relieving stress. Essential oils, scented soap, and lotions are the easiest ways to set the mood when creating a bathroom spa. Consider scents like lavender, jasmine, and vanilla for a calming effect. And don’t overlook the power of candles as the final touch to significantly enhance your ambiance while helping you de-stress.
Camp in your bedroom
And to make sense of it all, the art of stillness.
In our on-demand lives, one thing that is most on-demand is ourselves. And in the process, we lose contact with ourselves. This current pause in our lives brings us what we most crave and need, a break. Give yourself permission to be still. Have that sense of intimacy to hear yourself think.
“[But], if you want to come back home alive and full of fresh hope, in love with the world, I think you might want to try considering going nowhere.” – Pico Iyer, travel writer
The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere
Listen to the man himself, Pico Iyer, TED Talk and audio book.
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