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Ever since we got back from Korea, we haven’t really been able to travel. Life got busy, I had an accident, etc. Then, as I was walking down to the train to head into Vienna, I realized something. I live in Europe… I live here, and I don’t appreciate it as much as I should. Something I had judged Lisa for when I first got here. So, I wanted to focus on your, and my, local areas. How? By giving you ways to travel without travelling.
Whatever could I mean by “ways to travel without travelling”? It sounded weird to me as well. Hell, even looking at it now, it sounds peculiar. Yet, there are ways to capture that feeling of travelling without going to Asia, Europe, or, or, or. You get the idea.
Live Vicariously Through Others
This can be split into three different categories, one of which could be considered the “oddest” way to travel without travelling.
The first is by asking about, and listening to, the travel stories of friends and family. Listen to their excitement as they describe those moments that made their trip special. Connect with them over those experiences. You might find that it deepens bonds and creates stronger relationships with the ones you love.
The second is by watching travel content from various travel creators. You may not be able to travel right now, but you can still escape with your favourite creators.
The third, and the “weird” one, is by watching the Travel category on Twitch. How is this different from the second? Well, it’s live, everything is happening in real-time. No edits. You can even chat with them if you would like.
I don’t find it that weird, but I’ve heard others call it thus.
Watch Documentaries
There are so many documentaries now. Many amazing places in the world have documentaries or National Geographic shows that are worth watching.
Many of these documentaries are available on YouTube. Including documentaries on made by content creators. Oh, look, a tie-in. However, if you’re looking for some National Geographic, Disney Plus also offers selections from them.
Not only are documentaries super informative, but they are also a great way to travel without travelling. After all, some of them are about the most remote reaches of the planet. Places that rarely see people. Places you may never see otherwise.
Plan A Future Trip
I hear far too often that people love going on trips, but hate the planning. I’ve never understood why! Planning a trip should be fun; a part of the whole travelling experience.
Therefore, experiment with different methods of trip planning until you find one you enjoy. One that excited you. Try planning trips to places you might never go.
Who knows? Perhaps the deep dive into a country and culture might lead you to take a trip you never would’ve imagined otherwise, like my Christmas in Korea.
Let’s Switch Focus To Our Local Areas
I am aware that up until this point, I have not put any focus on appreciating the place you live. This is where that really starts.
I am at a point where I have now been living outside of Vienna for over three years. Yet, I haven’t taken the time to even see a quarter of the tourist attractions there. Sure, I have found some incredible places and things to do in Vienna that aren’t super touristy. However, I haven’t even tried a Wiener Schnitzel from Wien(Vienna). Shhhhhhhhh, don’t tell anyone!
Yet, it’s not just the small things that have bypassed me. I haven’t seen Schonnbruenn, gone punsching in the Christmas markets, or gone to many museums. My Vienna and area experience is downright pathetic. I can give you lists of things to do in and around Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia or in Seoul, but Vienna? I’ve got next to nothing.
Approach Your Local Area As A Tourist (or Traveller)
Whether you live in a large city like Vienna or New York, or a small town, there are almost certainly things you have missed. Therefore, if you are looking for ways to travel without travelling, starting with your local regions is a great place to start.
Pop open a new window, go to GetYourGuide, or just type something into Google along the lines of “tourist attractions in X” or “things to do in and around Y”. Approaching your local areas as a tourist or traveller instead of someone who is from there can help change your perspective.
Perhaps you will get to see things you never may have otherwise. Maybe you’ll get lucky and stumble across some hidden gem that you were never aware of. Whatever your experience, it’s just that… An experience. One you may never have had if you hadn’t approached your locale from a different perspective.
I want to clarify something. I’m not saying, “Go to the tourist attractions you have seen a bazillion times.” No, I’m saying do the things you’ve never done before. The things that might’ve been “too touristy” or that you “never have time for”. It could change your life.
Look Into Day Trips and Weekend Trips From Where You Live
This one is one way of travelling without travelling that is a point of debate. Some say, “Well, that is travelling” Others say, “That isn’t really travelling”. I fear I fall into a space in between. Technically it is travelling, but most people never do it. When people think of travel, they tend to think about those big trips to Europe or across the states/world/whatever.
However, due to the daily monotony of life, people tend not to travel in their local areas. I have friends who have been all over Europe or Asia, but have never been to that small, cool place an hour from their home.
Many approach their home as just that, a home. They tend to think that there can’t be anything worthwhile nearby. Their daily routine, the act of seeing the same things every day, having been a local for so long, etc, comes as a detriment to all the things they could do, but don’t.
So, look up those places nearby. Go see a few. Experience your home in a different way than you do every single day. You might just find your new favourite place. Perhaps you’ll find some new cheap and delicious food that you never would have otherwise.
Now Is The Time To Do It. Why Wait?
It happens far too often that we are focused on that next big trip. Our next vacation. Yet, we miss all the amazing things around us. Both on that big trip and while living our lives back at home. We get so focused on escaping and experiencing something different that we stop living in the moment. We don’t appreciate the beauty and experiences we can have around us.
Perhaps it’s time for you to dive into the various ways to travel without travelling. I need to.
So, what do you plan to do next? How are you going to “travel” without travelling? Let us know down below!
I know that I, for one, will be taking a little trek down to Myra Falls in the next few weeks. It’s less than an hour away, yet I have never been.
As always, we believe we should live with intention, travel with purpose, and let the world inscribe its stories upon us.
So until next time, stay authentic, stay Nomadic, and let the world inscribe its stories upon you more than you do upon it.
