We all know that aside from traveling (and continuing to feed the travel bug when it acts up), there is no real "cure" for wanderlust. Temporary fixes in the meantime only feed us for so long, but they're better than nothing. Here are 5 ways to satisfy that ache to travel in the meantime.
1. Google Street View
Occasionally I'll find myself needing to look up some random info about somewhere I've been, and somehow my Google session turns into a Google street view session where I "re-visit" the streets I've walked on in other cities. This is pure nostalgia at its finest! It's also fun to look up cities you haven't been to to see what certain places look like.
Here’s an example from Google Street View:
Rue de Caumartin
hotel athenee view
2. Read travel blogs and books
The best way to get inspired for travel? Reading about others who have done it/are doing it! You're bound to find new places and tips about where to go. Make sure to vary the blogs you read so you get multiple perspectives on places.
And as far as books go, there's nothing better than sitting down with a good read and transporting yourself to a faraway fictitious land of adventures.
3. Watch shows or movies set in places you want to go
Whenever I'm about to go to New York, I always watch Gossip Girl. If I'm going to Southern California, I watch The OC. On the flight to Italy I watched Letters to Juliet and a few months upon returning home I was missing it, so I watched Under The Tuscan Sun. It's fun to anticipate your trip (or dream up future ones!) with shows/movies set in that location.
4. Draw inspiration from Instagram and Pinterest
Like reading travel blogs and books, seeing other places through someone else's eyes is always a nice way to temporarily feed your wanderlust. Visuals are even better! A picture says a thousand words.
5. Map out RTW routes
Go to a RTW planner website (like AirTreks) and map out all the different routes you could take to circumnavigate the world. Oh, a stopover in Dubai would be on the way? Add it to the itinerary! I know I can't be the only one who does this as procrastination to more important tasks.
Extra points if you draw it out on a physical map.
And bonus points if you actually book the ticket!