One of the hardest adjustments I’ve faced during the pandemic is figuring out how to spend my free quarantine time. Being stuck at home without the ability to travel, explore nature, go to the gym and spend time with friends has been a major transition. Quarantine life is the new norm and who knows for for how long so I’ve asked a few of my favorite globetrotters to share their coronavirus thoughts beyond travel planning and pandemic perspectives. Here’s 9 Things to do in Quarantine from World Travelers:
1. BRING THE ADVENTURE INSIDE – Wade Holland
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A post shared by wadeholland (@wadeholland) on Apr 9, 2020 at 8:19am PDT
If you’re someone like me who needs the constant thrill or rush of outside adventure, you’re probably going stir crazy right about now. Well don’t worry, we’re here to give you some tips and tricks on how to bring the adventure inside! Here’s 3 outdoor adventures you can bring indoors!
- Extreme Skiing
1) Suit up in all your ski gear just like you’re back on the mountain. 2) Finagle your way onto the highest peak in your home. The kitchen sink will do. 3) Pull out your pocket fan and blow some air into your face. Remember you’re at the top of the world. 4) Now have your quarantine buddy throw a healthy size of flour into your face. These are the face shots of powder you’ve been waiting for. 5) Let your inner child come out and yell out screams of stoke. You’re getting fresh tracks all day.
- Snorkeling
1) Fill your bathtub full of water. 2) Add emerald blue food coloring and toss in two handfuls of cooking salt. You can almost smell that Caribbean blue. 3) Buy a bag of Swedish Fish and let them free in your new tropical waters. 4) Put on your snorkel and fins. Get your Instagram photo. You want people to know you’re on an influencer trip off the coast of Belize. 5) Dive into the tub and kick as hard as you can to spot one of the rare red fish who migrated all the way from Sweden.
- Mountain Biking
1) Fill up your CamelBak with plenty of water (or wine depending on what kind of ride you want to take). 2) Gear up. Put on knee pads. Tighten your helmet. Strap on gloves. 3) Position your bike in the living room up against the couch with the back wheel in the air so you can freely pedal in place. 4) Go onto YouTube and find the gnarliest POV downhill biking video. Turn that on in the living room so you have a prime downhill view. 5) Turn on your GoPro as you’ll want to capture all this action. Plus you’ll have footy to show your boys that you actually stomped that run. 6) Start pedaling. Now have your quarantine buddy whip you in the face with branches and leaves they found from outside. This will give you the full effect of cruising down remote singletrack.
2. WATCH OCEAN FILMS – Ashlan Cousteau
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A post shared by Ashlan Gorse Cousteau (@ashlancousteau) on Apr 9, 2020 at 11:30am PDT
While we are all fighting this pandemic together in our homes during quarantine, it doesn’t mean we can’t visit the beach in our minds. Here are my top 5 ocean films to make you feel the calming waves of the sea.
- 5. The Life Aquatic (because, let’s be honest, we all need a good laugh right about now)
- 4. Finding Nemo (we could also use a good cry!)
- 3. Splash (perfect date night in film)
- 2. Little Mermaid (great for kids of all ages)
- 1. The Endless Summer (feel like you’re surfing right along next to them)
3. DIG INTO HISTORIC TRAVEL NOVELS – Jared Ruttenberg
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A post shared by Jared in Cape Town 🇿🇦 (@jaredincpt) on Dec 12, 2019 at 7:22am PST
We live in a digital age where much of our travel inspiration is derived from social media. While there are indeed treasures to be found, during this lockdown I’m being again drawn into a world of literary travel. Historical novels are fabulous ways to engage with a country’s history, culture and very essence, before jumping online to search for the country’s relevant hashtags. I’d recommend you find some great novels, and dig in. You might just find a whole new appreciation for another country. Literary works often will also give the other side of the story – the life of the people who live behind that ‘Insta-worthy waterfall’ or other popular tourist spots. It’s the chance to meet a country warts and all. Some of my favorites:
- Half a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
- Philidia – Andre Brink (South Africa)
- Dark Star Safari – Paul Theroux’s (Africa)
- The Zanzibar Wife – Deborah Rodriguez (Zanzibar)
4. PLAN THEMED (DATE) NIGHTS – Kelley Ferro
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A post shared by Kelley Ferro ✈️ (@kelleyferro) on Apr 3, 2020 at 12:56pm PDT
Have you started losing track of days yet? We sure have. But without a weekly schedule, these quarantine days can start to feel the same. My advice – themed date nights with your partner (roommate or self). You can have an escape, even in your living room, but it takes a bit of effort and planning. First, pick a theme. For example, make it a Wild West night with cowboy hats, grilled steaks, country music and an old Western movie (I recommend Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). Or for a European evening, go French with Midnight in Paris and Coq au vin or go Italian with a pasta feast and Cinema Paradiso. You can’t go wrong with a Bond Movie, martinis and formal attire!
Other Ideas:
- Italian Night: Dress formal, cook a lasagna, break out some red wine and watch Big Night, The Godfather or The Sopranos.
- Island Fever: Concoct Mai Tais, pop on the Reggae, cook up some pineapple chicken skewers and watch Castaway
- 80s Night: Classic pepperoni pizza, watch Back to the Future and rock whatever 80s clothing you have in your closet. Don’t forget the 80s jams!
5. PERFORM ACTS OF KINDNESS – Megan Snedden
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A post shared by The Kind Effect (@kind_effect) on Feb 18, 2020 at 3:53am PST
If you have a friend who is a frequent traveler, outdoor adventurer, or recently returned expat, use this time to do a “how are you really?” mental health check-in. Isolation can fuel anxiety and depression, especially for wanderers because we’ve lost access to things that help keep these conditions at bay like time in nature, hard-core exercise, and human connection. Genuine and simple gestures of kindness – like taking time out of your day to call someone – can help us each get through this together. Plus, helping others can actually help you feel better too! Let’s use this moment of being grounded to support our travel family.
6. GET INTO LEARNING CONTENT – Mike Dewey
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A post shared by Mike Dewey (@mike_dewey) on Sep 16, 2019 at 5:33am PDT
My biggest tip for things to do in quarantine is to engage in learning content. Now is the time to either improve a skill you already have or one that you’re interested in while we have plenty of time at home. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll get lost in my Xbox or Netflix too, but as a filmmaker, there have been skills I’ve been wanting to improve for a while like audio, motion graphics and editing techniques. Now is the time! Hell, I’ve even been intrigued by some of the Masterclass offerings on cooking. Find ways to improve yourself, keep your mind busy and limit the constant checking of news that inevitably just brings you down and ruins your day. For now, I’m doing all I can staying inside, social distancing and spending my time trying to learn and grow from it.
7. ZOOM & TACKLE SMALL GOALS – Melissa Curtin
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A post shared by LaLaScoopin’ the Best of LA (@lalascoop) on Mar 24, 2020 at 8:22pm PDT
I travel often, so for me to be home a month in LA is unusual, so I am having somewhat of a hard time with the lockdown when my biggest passion is learning about new cultures, exploring, food, and traveling. In order to not lose your mind locked in a home or apartment, it is important to connect with other people in some way. Besides social media, I have used Zoom for a dance party, yoga, educational meetings, and virtual happy hours with other couples. The best and most unbelievable meetup was a 2.5-hour Zoom conversation with old college friends, one I hadn’t spoken to in over 15 years. We have already planned another Zoom meetup for the following week. This reconnecting felt so good and probably wouldn’t have happened until now.
What are some other things to do in quarantine? Set 1-2 things you plan to do each day the night before and commit to achieving them. They can be small – like I am going to try making a new recipe with what is in my house. My list includes trying a new fitness class online, finishing one blog post or travel article each day and completing unfinished projects, such as cleaning out under the bathroom sink, throwing out old magazines or repotting succulent arrangements in my home. Accomplishing little projects can make you happy. For travel inspiration, I recommend reading travel articles online for inspiration – my favorites include Lonely Planet and Roadtrippers.
8. BECOME A HOMETOWN HISTORIAN – Douglas Williams
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A post shared by Douglas Williams (@dooglaaswilliams) on Apr 4, 2020 at 2:10pm PDT
I like to know about where I am. I want my imagination to sink into the soil and the trees, the people, and the history of how a place came to be. That goes for even places that have become quite normal to me, like the city where I live, Berlin. Considering that for the next several months I’m grounded from my travel as an opera singer, and summer vacations might be very local trips into the rambling countryside that surrounds the German capital, I am refreshing myself in the history of the region. Specially I’ve dusted off two wonderful histories, “Iron Kingdom,” by Christopher Clark, looking at four centuries of how Berlin (and Prussia) came to be a European powerhouse. And Tim Blanning’s, “Friedrich the Great,” a lively biography of one of the most fascinating modern leaders and cultural influences of the enlightenment, Friedrich II, King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786. There are so many layers of history in Berlin and the region, and foreseeing a summer of lake trips and cycling in the countryside I want load up on some history to allow my imagination to see into the landscapes and enjoy my favorite spots with new (and more knowledgable) eyes.
9. DANCE AT A SILENT DISCO – Justin Walter
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A post shared by Justin Walter (@atwjustin) on Sep 4, 2018 at 8:58am PDT
One of my favorite things to do in quarantine is attend an underground silent disco. You can too! Create a Spotify playlist of your favorite dance songs that fill your soul with joy, make you smile and get your feet moving. Pop in a pair of wireless earbuds (and maybe even enjoy some weed products, if it’s legal where you’re at). Blast that music in your ears and dance like no one is watching… cause no one is! I’ve thrown myself several underground silent discos and when I close my eyes I’m mentally dancing at clubs in Berlin, Burning Man and Snowbombing.
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