Don’t you just love Lisbon’s iconic red terracotta roofs? Talk about dreamy.
It feels wrong to talk about traveling right now.
We're in the midst of a pandemic, thousands of people across the world are facing economic ruin due to worldwide lockdown measures, and, by all outward appearances, the United States seems be on the brink of a divide. It’s as if the world has been turned upside down.
But is it wrong to take a moment to dream?
Is it wrong to reminisce on our past travels? To crave a freshly-baked croissant from your favorite cafe in Paris? To blend up a homemade margarita and pretend to be in Mexico? To plan a road trip across the wildly beautiful United States just for the heck of it? We say no.
You see, we honestly believe that traveling makes the world a better place.
Not only does it open our eyes to new cultures, but it teaches us to cherish our differences as people and simultaneously reminds us to embrace our similarities. It reminds us of what we have to be grateful for in our daily lives. Traveling is invigorating, inspiring, renewing, and exciting!
Recently, we released a survey designed to analyze how not traveling has affected people's mental health.
As part of our findings, we discovered that many people desperately long for the opportunity to travel again. Respondents remarked:
"I miss the excitement of visiting a new country, seeing what's out there. I miss the freedom traveling gives me.”
"I have a bit of wanderlust so being here at home for months seems to almost sap the energy out of life.”
“I have genuinely missed the opportunity to travel, rejuvenate, refresh, and clear my mind.”
"As I’m a full-time carer for my mother, my holidays are precious to me."
You might not be able to travel right now, but we encourage you to dare to dream of the moment you can. Why? Because it could be crucial to your mental wellbeing.
If you're anything like us, traveling is an integral part of your life, and you might find not traveling just downright sad.
One of the best ways to combat this feeling is to simply start dreaming. In fact, studies have shown that planning a trip, even during this pandemic, is a healthy exercise that can help instill feelings of wellbeing and happiness.
It's possible that travel will never look quite the same, but who's to say that it should? Can't this whole mess be an opportunity for growth and progress? We say yes! In fact, we're committed to doing everything in our power to make sure that travel in the future is better than ever before.
LoveHolidays recently published an awesome guide on how to travel responsibly during this time that includes useful information on how various countries across the globe are coping with this changing environment. You can find the guide here.
The reality of the COVID-19 pandemic means that traveling in the future must be done responsibly.
Health must be a top priority. We need to take care of our bodies and support our immune systems as best as we can, not only while traveling but every day.
We should strive to make better, more conscious choices throughout our travels. Decide to support small businesses and keep the local culture alive!
Choose to spend more time outdoors, soaking up precious vitamin-D, and reaping the real, measurable benefits of time spent in nature!
If you're looking for some travel inspiration to lift your spirits, we invite you to browse our portfolio of affordable luxury, small-group trips on our new AstridTravel Club website.
And most importantly, dare to dream.
Hang in there, folks!
Sincerely,
The AstridTravel Team
It feels wrong to talk about traveling right now. We're in the midst of a pandemic, thousands of people across the world are facing economic ruin due to worldwide lockdown measures, and, by all outward appearances, the United States seems to be on the brink of a divide. It’s as if world has been turned upside down.