As fall came, so did another wave of COVID-19. With this in mind, stay at home orders, shutdowns and lockdowns are now a reality, again.
This puts our Christmas holiday plans into the mothball section of our mind – which can really suck. However, we can always return to them once things blow over and it’s safe to travel again.
Now that we have addressed that, let’s think of ways we can improve our holiday plans.
For Example…
Use the extra time to make plans that save money, give you more control and allow your experience abroad (if you choose to go) to be more memorable.
Discover the Place
When you were planning to go on holiday, why did you choose that particular location? Let’s say, you chose Greece. Did you choose it because you’ve heard of the amazing things like the Pantheon, the Greek classical columns, the hoplite soldier statues?
All too often, we decide our holiday destinations, based on things we have heard or speculated about. But, now, that we have the time, explore the nation you intended to visit. Take the time to watch a couple of documentaries about its history.
For example, in our homeschool curriculum, we have been using virtualfieldtrips.org. From the site we can visit locations all over the world and gain more information about all of them.
So, be sure to explore the cities and the attractions you were going to visit – but in great detail this time. Really get to know the place, and understand why it’s so appealing to you and your family.
Change Your Accommodation
If you booked a hotel room, was it because it’s the thing to do, or you had no other choice because all the other bookings were full? Now is your chance to change it.
Some people that booked hotels, or bed and breakfasts, will have dropped out as their own holidays had to be cancelled. Maybe now, you can book the exact kind of accommodation you wanted. Hey, you could probably even get a discount since businesses are so desperate to get customers.
Getting Around
Did you plan on just getting small flights from destination to destination? Maybe you booked train tickets to go across the country. But, that’s not as fun as booking your very own charter bus. If you’re wondering how much to charter a bus costs?
No worries, try that website and see for yourself. Everything can be booked online with just a few clicks. Set your pick up date, punch in your email address and wait 2 seconds for the company to get back to you with a quote.
Re-Imagine Your Dining
Sometimes, we look for comfort and familiarity in foreign places. It’s understandable to want to book a table at a restaurant, whose cuisine you are familiar with. But seriously, go local instead! When in Rome, should be your motto.
So change or rethink your restaurant booking, and select a quieter, less touristy type of dining experience. The benefit is, you will eat as the locals do. You won’t be getting semi-authentic food as the main internationally-friendly restaurants will serve you. You are getting the real deal in smaller family-run businesses.
Final Thoughts
We can all agree that it’s a sad situation if we are unable to visit our loved ones and travel for the holidays. However, use this time to be more productive and creative by planning and virtually exploring places around the world that you intend to visit as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the meantime, checkout a few tips on how to roadtrip safely during this pandemic.
