Dreaming about your next holiday has taken on a new meaning since the outbreak of Covid-19. Many of us are missing holidays and facing uncertainty as to when we might travel again. Thankfully there are ways we can travel, albeit vicariously, via technology, from the comfort of our armchairs. And the best bit? There’s no queueing!
Here are some ideas to get you started;
Virtual Tours
Virtual tours have never been so popular. No need to put on shoes, figure out which ticket option is best, or even change out of your pajamas because, with just a few clicks, you can be roving around a myriad of famous attractions.

• Explore Angkor Wat in Cambodia and a handful of the surrounding temples without breaking a sweat.
• View the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil at sunrise, in the fog, at night, and from a host of angles and in many conditions.
• Explore The Vatican; options include The Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms.
• Wander around Machu Picchu in your slippers
• Walk along The Great Wall Of China
• Explore fjords, volcanoes, caverns, canyons, and more locations here...

There are many virtual and video tours online, and there’s perhaps nowhere you can’t visit, even Mars is available to travel to. But don’t just take our word for it, go and explore, if the attractions webpages don’t offer a tour, then I can guarantee someone on YouTube has put together their take, with varying degrees of proficiency.
 
Live-Action
Virtual tours are one thing, but how about live-action? There are a surprising number of webcams around the globe.
Have you ever seen the Trevi Fountain this quiet? SkylineWebcams have cameras pointed at some of the most famous attractions and city views around the world. You can search by country and city location or browse top viewed beaches and cityscapes.
WebcamTaxi is another network of global webcams that you can search by country, city, and browse by location on a map. Want to watch the giraffes at Melbourne Zoo or see who’s out and about in Times Square? Big brother is there for you.
Once you’ve assured yourself that everyone is staying at home, you can go on a virtual safari. There’s far more action at Tembe Elephant Park and Tiger Lake. Explore.org has live cams pointed at everything from kitten and puppy rescue to nursing spoonbills, manatees, bobcats, and penguins.
 
Fact and Fiction
How many times have you watched a film or TV series and wondered about the locations?  There’s some great action, drama, and fantasy with locations that have inspired thousands of vacations. In the interests of research, watch;

• The Lord of The Rings to see New Zealand like never before
• Outlander for sublime Scottish history and scenery
• The Beach for a flavor of Thailand
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty for a romp through Greenland
• Lost In Translation for Tokyo’s lights
• The Talented Mr. Ripley for Sicily, Rome, San Remo, and Venice
• Any Robert Langdon movie for being chased through a variety of historical landmarks

And there are many more with justifiable backdrops for fictional escapism – just don’t forget the popcorn!
Make The Most Of It
Some travelers have made up for missing their holiday by trying to recreate their vacation in their front room or backyard. Why not?
You can camp out in your backyard, or get dressed up, dim the lights and go to Broadway or The National Theatre in London.
Recreate your favorite cuisine; learn to cook Thai, Mexican, French, Italian.
Learn or brush up on your language skills. Duolingo offers free language classes that are surprisingly easy to get into. The major languages are all there plus some unexpected ones like High Valyrian and Klingon.
You can also use the time to get the most out of your camera. Both Udemy and SkillShare have some great resources aimed at improving your travel photography skills. Your subject selection will be limited to what you can find within the limits of your restrictions. However, you might find that the results will give you a new perspective and appreciation of what’s around you.
Combine using your camera with some walking or follow a plan to improve your fitness, ready to get the most out of an active vacation.
Whatever you choose, use the time to plan, and stay safe by following health advice.
Ready to start Planning, Book a Complimentary Exotic Travel Planning Session Here

Journalists are used to making a home anywhere. They often stay for days, weeks, or months in a place to report on a specific event. They stay in hotels and homes. They get to know language and locals. They walk the landscapes, eat the food, learn the transportation systems.
 
But what are the places that have so utterly captured them that they return, again and again, even when there’s no story going to print? Here are a few, highlighted in a recent Guardian article.
 
If you’re the adventurous trekking type, consider the lesser-known but breathtaking mountains of the Jalori Pass in India. You can book a fully-accompanied mountain treks — complete with air mattresses and ponies that carry all your gear — and costs include equipment, food, lodges, and expert guides. Take in the mountain vistas, forests, high meadow lakes, and centuries-old temples where pilgrims pray. It is a place, as journalist Emma Graham-Harrison says, that is “surprising, always beautiful, and entirely special.” In the vast landscape, taking it all in, passing few people along the way, she said she and her fellow travelers “were happy to be out of contact and suspended in time.”
 
The Seychelles are probably the most widely known African islands for romantic beach vacation. But like a sweet little secret in the Atlantic, the tiny twin-island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe. sits peacefully tucked in the Gulf of Guinea. Known for its cocoa production, this place also attracts outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy the pristine bays and beaches, the heart-stopping beauty, the amazing cuisine, and the unique populations of rare birds and butterflies.
 
Very sparsely populated, the islands still boast a number of luxury hotels. With the interesting mix of African and Portuguese histories (the islands were formerly a Portuguese colony, and they are dotted with many now-defunct cocoa plantations), there’s an ease to the pace of life, and a fantastic, rich culture to enjoy. As a honeymoon destination, it rivals many of the more well-known islands — and it has the added advantage of not being overcrowded. As one traveler put it: “Between lunches of grilled red snapper on the jetty, I passed my days snorkeling amid shoals of tigery-looking fish, kayaking to distant beaches and falling asleep to the ebb of the tide on my own private beach. I was in danger of setting up shop here...”
 
Now that Cuba is on more people’s travel radars, it’s a great time to explore this lush, extraordinary place. Playa Bacunayagua, Cuba is an absolutely charming location which sits quietly along the northern coast of Cuba. From any larger hotel in Havana, it’s easy to hire a guided car to take you to Bacunayagua. Along the way, you can stop by any number of roadside piña colada stands and enjoy a leisurely cocktail made from palm-fresh coconuts, cream, and pineapple.
 
On the way to the playa, you’ll cross the tallest bridge in Cuba — the Puente de Bacunayagua — which at over 1,000 feet long and over 300 feet above sea level, is rightly considered a marvel of civil engineering. The coastline, once a well-known pick-up point for boats smuggling Cubans to Florida, now holds plenty of undisturbed beaches that look out onto pristine, azure waters. It’s a perfect day trip and a wonderful way to see all that Cuba has to offer.
 
 
Are you looking for a perfect vacation that has all the thrill of a popular tourist destination, but that feels like a secret hideaway just for you? If that’s what you’re craving, I can help you get there! Together we can discover a place that you’ll want to return to again and again. Just click here to get in touch with me today.

​For any person who loves to travel, who loves the freedom of being able to go almost anywhere, who sees the world as a beautiful place to be explored — this is likely a time of some discomfort and uncertainty.
 
It is, of course, good to be wise. It’s smart to listen to experts and make necessary preparations.
 
Many of us are having to adjust our businesses, our budgets, our schedules --
and for many of us, that might include huge changes to vacations, destination weddings, honeymoons, reunions, and other getaways we’ve been looking forward to for months.
 
I want to say: I’m sincerely sorry for the upheavals. I’m feeling them, too.
 
And I also want to say: there is hope, and there is so much great stuff to look forward to.
 
There will be a time when this uncertainty will be resolved and the fear will lift.
 
While we’re doing our part to keep ourselves and our communities healthy — practicing social distancing, being conscientious about washing our hands, staying home, not touching our faces — we can also experience the excitement and joy of making future plans.
 
Four quick things to know about travel in the coming months:

1. Many airlines are waiving change fees on all tickets booked for summer travel.
2. Amazing destinations are offering refundable packages, special offers, and extra freebies to those who book now. 
3. This is a smart time to buy inexpensive trip insurance so you have the option to cancel and get your money back if things change before you depart. 
4. It’s not too early to start dreaming, planning, and booking for fall and winter trips!

 
Right now, it is a season of stillness, of staying close, of appreciating all that we have right in our own homes. It’s in our best interests to accept this temporary shift. We have a unique opportunity to be of service to one another in ways we maybe haven't imagined before.
 
And just imagine how incredible it will feel, when the time is right, to stretch our wings, set off across oceans and mountains and miles, and make the whole wide world our home again.
 
I am sending all my best wishes for health, healing, happiness, and hope for you and your loved ones in the coming weeks and months! If you have any questions about your travel plans, please don’t hesitate to reach out.