We’re all locked inside our homes. Families close, working remotely, and trying to navigate the world of distance learning. I can’t say for others, but this is not the kind of navigation I dreamed of. My world has shrunk, and a perpetual nomad like me finds it difficult to cope.
Or I did. Until I realised that we still have a secret tool that we all forgot about when we grew up. Ever wondered why kids never get bored? Leave them alone for a bit, without the option of screens of other distractions, and you will find them fighting mystical dragons, playing house with dolls that seem to speak, and talking to themselves in languages that they invented with their friends. Their secret is this tiny thing we shed when we grew up, called imagination.
Now imagine (pun intended) a world not locked down. Imagine borders being open and flights running full. Imagine a world that is healthy and safe. What is the first place you would want to go to? Picture yourself there. Is it on a white sandy beach like in Thailand’s Koh Samui, with a piña colada in your hand (a paper parasol sticking out of the glass) and the blue endless ocean stretching out as far as you can see? Or are you skiing down white powdery slopes, leaving the crowds behind as you ace the trail (no matter if you’re an amateur, we’re still dreaming, remember)? Watching wildlife amidst lush green jungles or a spectacular sunset witnessed hand-in-hand with the one you love, the world fading away in the background.
What do you see when you close your eyes? Where does your heart ache to go? Allow yourself to drift a little, and lose yourself in the beauty of wanderlust, even if it is just for a moment. Feel the sand, touch his hand. Close your eyes and travel. Experience the smells, taste the food. See the smiles, and you may just find yourself smiling to yourself too.
Close your eyes and travel. This is but a blip in the long and wondrous journey called life. It may not seem so yet, but this too shall pass. And when it does, you will know where it is that you wish to be. Close your eyes and travel. Wanderlust is free.
If you’re wondering how travel would be like post-COVID-19, you can read our predictions here.
