Tokyo is currently undergoing its 4th COVID-related state of emergency. This state of emergency failed to prevent the Olympics from taking place. Still, extra restrictions have been put in place, including the inability of foreigners to attend the event as spectators.
The inability to travel to other countries and attend events or tours or vacations has been a constant theme during the pandemic. And while the pandemic is slowly winding down, it will be a while for tourists will be able to leave their homes to visit other countries. So how can the travel-lovers out there, well, travel? It turns out that the internet is a fantastic way to explore every corner of the world virtually.
Best Ways to Explore the World From Home
Experience Virtual Reality
Virtual reality has hit its stride in the past few years, with major corporations like Facebook and Valve shining the spotlight on the future of VR with their headsets. But why mention VR here? VR goes farther than gaming or media viewing; it can be used to travel the world with unmatched immersion.
Have you ever wanted to climb Mount Everest? The popular VR game The Climb allows you to experience the excitement of mountain climbing first-hand. Want to walk the lengths of the Great Wall of China or go for a swim at Venice Beach? There are countless 360-degree videos and tours designed for VR users. VR’s potential is limitless!
Go On Virtual Tours
Speaking of tours, let’s take a moment to discuss virtual tours. See, when the pandemic started, museums, aquariums, and countless tourist destinations were forced to close their doors for an indefinite period. To make up for it, these places offered free virtual tours of their exhibits.
For example, the Smithsonian still offers multiple virtual tours of all of their exhibits. The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, lets people walk around a 2D recreation of the building. If you ever find yourself bored and in need of a quick history lesson or the need to learn about fish, why not go on a virtual tour?
Watch Travel Vlogs
Sure, you may not be able to travel, but there are plenty of online creators and celebrities that can. And oftentimes, they will document their travels in the form of a vlog. The quality of said vlogs vary from creator to creator, but watching vlogs is a fantastic way to alleviate boredom.
Travel vlogs not only alleviate boredom but also allow you to see and experience new cultures and locations through the lens of an online creator. It almost feels like you're traveling with a friend. Fortunately, YouTube has thousands of travel vlogs that you can binge at any time. Why not give them a shot?
If you happen to be in a country where YouTube is either banned or extremely limited, you can bypass such censorship with a VPN. That way, you can travel the world without the fear of censorship getting in the way!
Conclusion
It has been a rough year for everyone, and the inability to travel—even now—has made it even worse. Fortunately, there are tons of ways you can escape the confines of your house without actually leaving your house. Most of the solutions listed here are free but keep in mind that getting into VR will cost, at minimum, a couple of hundred dollars.
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