7 things every traveller can be doing during the Coronavirus lockdown

Spending last Easter weekend in Muscat, Oman.

For the moment, travel has pretty much stopped. I should be in Algeria right now, spending the Easter weekend travelling, rather than being at home, kicking about the same place like I have done for the past two weeks.

But here I am, sat in my room as opposed to exploring the capital of Africa’s biggest country. Last year Easter took place the day before my birthday and I spent it in sunny Oman, the year before I enjoyed Easter in Israel and Palestine.

This year will be quite a bit different, yet despite the lockdown conditions we find ourselves in right now, I’m trying to remain positive and productive, whilst dreaming of next stepping on a plane (which will hopefully be in July).

But I won’t be the only one with itchy feet out there, so if you’re feeling fed up due to the COVID-19 lockdown and you’re going Coronavirus crazy, here are a few things you could do to help pass the time.

Plan your next trip

I’m supposed to be in Algeria right now, so here’s a throwback to the last time I was on the African continent - when I visited Cairo, Egypt back in April 2019.

This is what I’m sure most keen travellers are doing during lockdown, and it’s a great use of the time. Usually we are indundated with flight and holiday deals, and it can be a real headache choosing where to go next.

But now you have more time, why not jump on Google, look around blogs, travel sites and your favourite globetrotting social media accounts and start putting together some ideas for your next trip when this lockdown finally goes away.

Read more

Some of the books I plan on reading during lockdown.

I’ve seen a couple of tweets asking what people would be doing without the internet, but I think I’d be coping pretty well thanks to the hundreds of books I currently have at home.

The majority are travel and sport related, and I have a few new ones to sink my teeth into that concern the industry that I work in – aviation. I’m going to use quarantine to learn more about airports and planes, as well as get inspired about the weird and wonderful places our world has to offer.

Learn a new language

French? Spanish? Italian? Maybe use your quarantine to learn a new language.

I’ve been asked a few times if I learn some of the local lingo before I go abroad, and to be perfectly honest I don’t. I travel to that many places and make the absolute most of my annual leave and bank holiday allowance that I have neither the time nor the energy to learn a raft of phrases before I visit each new country.

Yes, it is lazy, and I accept that, although I have been casually learning Italian over the last year or so and I have also been using my time during this lockdown to start learning Spanish. Maybe you could do the same.

Unpack

Still not fully unpacked since your last trip? Now is the time to empty your suitcase!

Maybe this is just me, but I take FOREVER to unpack. Only last week did I unpack my gear back that was still full from my trip to South America in December. Maybe now is the time to get the last few remaining items of clothing out of your suitcase, or unpack the toiletries that are still in your washbag from your last trip.

Or maybe you are lightyears ahead of me and did this after returning home like any normal person.

Get creative

Why not print out some of your favourite travel photos and make an album or a scrapbook?

If you’ve got a love for travel, why not start a blog, sort through your best travel snaps and put them on Instagram or start creating travel videos? It doesn’t even have to be online. You could start a scrapbook to remember your past travels, or maybe just recount some of your fondest memories from on the road.

Clear your camera roll

Use the Coronavirus lockdown to do that thing you’ve always wanted to do but never got around to - clearing your phone’s camera roll.

This is something I DEFINITELY need to do, and I bet there are plenty of others like me. Is your camera roll full of your own photos, screenshots and stuff that people send you? Well, now is the time to stop putting it off and clear out your camera roll. This is long overdue.

Keep fit

Turn your home into a gym if you don’t like excercising outside.

With gyms shut up and down the country and social distancing being all the rage (well, sort of), exercising is not the easiest thing to keep on top of at the moment. Add comfort food to the mix to help you through this tough time, and keeping fit becomes nothing short of a minefield.

If you can, try exercising daily and avoid binging on junk food and alcohol so that when the time comes, you can gorge on global cuisine instead!

Have you got any tips for lovers of travel during the COVID-19 lockdown? Let me know in the comments!