Nothing to do with city breaks and beach vacations. This is good for the environment and our wallets. So that we don’t have to miss out on seeing the most beautiful places in the world, we are now simply traveling virtually.
Instead of idly dragging our feet, leafing through our passports and scrolling through photos of our last vacation for the umpteenth time, we are now simply going on a virtual trip. The Internet is our tour operator, the computer our airplane. Hold on, let’s go:
Bucket List Goal: the Northern Lights
The Northern Lights have been on our bucket list for a long time. However, seeing them is not just a matter of good luck in times of coronavirus. Without freezing feet and overpriced flights to the north, thanks to Polar Bears International in the live stream.
Bucket list goal: the cherry blossoms in Japan
They are the reason why millions of tourists fly to Japan every year: the cherry blossoms. As if Japan with its cat cafés, the Shibuya intersection in Tokyo or Mount Fuji wasn’t spectacle enough, the blossoming cherry trees provide even more tourists year after year.
Bucket List Goal: the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is 9,000 kilometers long. We can easily cover just under ten kilometers of this distance online without having to get off the couch. Saves calories – and air miles. The whole thing is also impressive virtually; we just have to do without the selfies for our Tinder profile.
Bucket list goal: the Atacama Desert
18 hours is a damn long time. Instead of spending it on a plane from Zurich to Santiago de Chile, we travel to Chile via a click. Using the Chile 360° app, we can take a tour of the Atacama Desert or take a virtual walk through the Chajnantor Plateau.
Bucket List Goal: the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Google not only navigates us through the Internet, but also through 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Fancy Versailles Palace, the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge or the Pyramid of Cheops? Thanks to Google Earth, we’ve been there before – at least virtually.
Bucket List Goal: American national parks
With so many buildings and historical sites, we don’t want to miss out on nature. Google Earth also helps here and takes us via satellite to Bryce Canyon, Death Valley, the Everglades or Yellowstone National Park. And all without camping or hours of driving.
Bucket List Goal: Israel
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, two must-see cities. We quickly whip up some shakshuka in the pan (it’s really easy with this recipe) or order sabich (in Zurich, for example, here) and underline our virtual adventure with culinary delights.
Bucket List Goal: Norway
Fancy snow and ice, even though spring is already here? Snuggle up in your favorite blanket and travel through Norway’s countryside on a steam locomotive. 15 minutes of snowy landscape, anyone?
