Where I Want to Travel After Coronavirus
Is it possible? Could we really dream about a time post-coronavirus? Maybe it’s too early. Maybe it’s about time. Either way, I’m still starting to think about where I want to travel after coronavirus is no longer an issue.
My travel life came to an abrupt end when the coronavirus began to ramp up. In case you missed it, we were living in Prague with plans to return to Vancouver in early June 2020. Instead, COVID19 hit and we ended up racing back to Prague from Croatia and then leaving Prague three months early to return to Canada. My world was completely thrown upside down in a matter of days.
Before COVID, we had plans to continue our road trip from Croatia through to Budapest and then meet friends back in Prague. Over Easter, we were going to host Colin’s cousin in Prague and then head to Poland for a few days. At the end of April, Colin’s mom was going to come visit. And then the three of us were going to head to London to meet up with more family, and then up to Scotland for a few days. In the final weeks of May, we were going to road trip our way to Paris (where we were flying home from), stopping in Berlin, Belgium and Amsterdam to see friends.
But all of those plans were cancelled as we rushed home to Canada with a day’s notice. I’m so grateful for the travel time we did have. Colin and I have said often how thankful we are that we moved to Prague in June 2019. Our original plan wasn’t to move until September or October 2019, which would’ve meant seriously cutting our time abroad short since we came home in March 2020.
But even though we had an amazing almost 10 months in Prague, it was still so hard to leave. I was gutted that our year was ending early and our travel plans were cancelled. I was also very shook up from the way we got home and from helping travel clients of mine get home from Morocco and Australia.
For the first few weeks back in Vancouver, I spent all my time baking, watching TV and colouring. I retreated into the bubble of my home and embraced lockdown living. Travel was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, I was put off by travel. The idea of planning a trip really stressed me out. It’s one of the few times in my adult life when I wasn’t planning my next trip.
These days, I’m still baking and watching TV (though I’ve replaced colouring with reading), but I’m also starting to think about travel again. I’m still not ready to book a trip. The world feels too uncertain to me, not just because of COVID but also finances and work. So I won’t be booking a flight anytime soon, but I will admit I’ve opened Google Flights a few times in the last couple of weeks. Just to check…
I don’t know when I will travel after coronavirus; I don’t have a timeline. Obviously, I won’t go until the Canadian government says it is safe to do so. But even then, I don’t think I’ll be one of the first people on the plane. I’m still not totally comfortable with travel – which is an interesting thing for a travel blogger to say! But I am very interested to see how the openings in Europe go and how the world changes in the next few months.
But when I do eventually travel after coronavirus has calmed down, here is where I want to go! This is my post-coronavirus travel bucket list:
Where I want to travel after coronavirus
Back to Asia: Japan & South Korea
Before this pandemic, I had been planning for us to revisit Asia in the fall of 2020. I figured after a year in Europe, we’d enjoy a nice summer back in Vancouver seeing all of our friends and family, and then we could take off for a couple of weeks in Asia. I was craving authentic Asian food after living for 10 months in Central Europe.
My heart was set on Japan and South Korea. Colin and I visited Tokyo in early 2019, but just for one day on a layover. I had also spent a month in Tokyo back in 2014. But that 2019 visit reminded me how much I love Japanese food, culture and sightseeing. I was earnestly planning a visit where we could get out of Tokyo and see more of the country.
South Korea was also on my radar. I visited with family friends way back in 2007, so remember very little of our trip. But when a fellow blogger visited last year and shared photos, I was reminded of how awesome South Korea is. Colin has never been so I thought that would be a fun place for us to visit too.
Even if we don’t go in 2020, I would still like Asia to be one of our first travels after coronavirus. Maybe 2021 for cherry blossom season?
Bucket list: New Zealand
New Zealand has been on my travel bucket list forever so it’s definitely a place I want to travel after coronavirus. And not just because Jacinda Ardern is the best and they’ve handled the COVID crisis so well.
I have always dreamed of spending a few weeks road tripping through New Zealand and seeing all of the natural wonders. I’m not a big hiker but I know there’s a lot of the country to admire. I see Colin and I packing up a campervan, pulling into cute small towns and spending the night on remote beaches or mountains (with bathrooms nearby, of course).
With the pandemic, New Zealand has risen even higher on my bucket list. Not just because it’s a safe country to visit, but because it’s such an epic trip. New Zealand is far away – it would take a lot of money and time to get there. And with the coronavirus taking time away from us, it’s making me prioritize these big bucket list trips.
New memories in South Africa
While the pandemic has made me think of new places I want to go, it’s also made me think of old places I want to revisit. I visited South Africa a few times in 2013, when I was interning in Swaziland. I went to Malelane and did a drive through Kruger National Park, I went to Cape Town and saw the penguins and Cape of Good Hope in Simon’s Town, and I went to Durban and spent time relaxing on the beach.
I loved visiting South Africa, especially Cape Town, and would love to go back. I’d also love to bring Colin, as I know he would love it too. I can see us doing a wine and beer tasting, walking along the waterfront and heading up Table Mountain (even though Colin is afraid of heights).
And since we’re all the way over there, it would be awesome to also head into Namibia or Botswana. I’d love to do a few nights of safari in a luxury camp. I don’t think that’s quite in our budget, but maybe we could save up and splurge!
The parts of Europe we skipped
Even though we spent 10 months living in Prague and travelled through Europe a lot, there’s still so much we missed! Some of the places I want to travel to after coronavirus are definitely the places in Europe we never got to. I’d love to go back and visit Poland and Scotland, since we had those on our original itinerary but had to skip them. And I’d love to bring Colin to Amsterdam. We could visit our friends and I would love to show him the city where I studied abroad for five months.
We also talked about doing a full Balkans road trip – driving down Croatia and into Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania. Greece is another huge one on my bucket list. I’d love to visit the islands in the off season and enjoy them without the crowds. Portugal is another country I can’t wait to get back to. I visited Lisbon briefly in 2012 but know there’s so much more to see.
Of course, I also need to get back to my new favourite European city, Seville!
Local travel in BC
Realistically, the easiest travel after coronavirus will be local travel in my own province. In fact, our province is already open for some local travel right now! I’m actually really excited about this. I’ve been living in Vancouver off and on since 2010 and still have not discovered nearly enough of this place. And since our borders are still closed, it’ll be nice to explore more of BC without huge crowds of tourists.
Unfortunately, local travel will be a bit harder now that we don’t have a car. But I think we could borrow or rent one for a long weekend. I’d love to see more of Vancouver Island; I’ve only ever been to Victoria. I’d love to check out Tofino or Nanaimo. Salt Spring Island or Galiano Island would be awesome too! We’ve been to Whistler a few times but I’d love to go back, or spend time in Squamish. And we have family in Kelowna, so it would be great to visit them and meet our newest nephew.
There’s lots of BC to see and I hope the coronavirus inspires me to do more local travelling.
All right, that’s where I want to travel after coronavirus dies down. What about you?
Where do you want to go once it’s safe to travel again?
Share my plans for travel after coronavirus – Pin it!
I’ve never really had a huge desire to travel, but if I could pick just one place to go after coronavirus it would have to be Japan. I want to go there so badly and I hope to get to go see it one day, though I feel like I would need to be there for a month or two in order to see everything I want to see and experience.
I feel the same way about Japan! I’ve been twice but haven’t left Tokyo – there’s just so much to see and experience. Hope you make it there one day!
My husband and I were planning to go to Tokyo this year or revisit Europe because we got so sick in October. We wanted a do-over in Paris but to also visit Amsterdam. I would also love to visit Africa (Cape Town and Nairobi specifically) in my lifetime. I’m so depressed and disappointed with not being able to travel and it’s so uncertain as to when. And I’m not happy with the way the government in the US handled things, I know hate is a strong word but I really hate our President with a passion. I don’t blame other countries banning us. It’s just still so sad and disappointing. I would love to travel in 2021 and 2022, especially before we start planning for kids (I mean you can still bring kids to travel but it’s a little harder).
Yeah, the uncertainty is the hardest part for me. Very disappointing for sure 🙁 I hope you can make it to all of your dream destinations, with and without kids! I also have a few places I’d love to go before we start expanding our family.
Love this – and I entirely empathise. I have the same reluctance to travel still – and reliance on baking – but when I feel safe enough, I know I’ll be back out there.
Glad I’m not alone in this! And yes, we’ll be back on the road one day!
I like your list. Some of mine are the same and some different. We traveled all over Portugal in our honeymoon and I’d love to go back too. And Seville is great too.
Thanks, Leeanne! Aw definitely can’t wait to return to Portugal. What a great honeymoon!
Ugh! I want to go to everywhere on this list! Covid cancelled so many of my plans and I cannot wait to get back in an airplane and lost in a new city!
Also Colin definitely needs to go to Amsterdam! One of my favorite cities and hopefully our future home here soon!
Thanks, Gus! We were just talking about Amsterdam again this weekend – can’t wait to get back there and introduce it to Colin.
So many excellent choices here. I’ve got a similar list of favourite places I’d like to revisit and new ones I want to discover – let’s hope we don’t have to wait too long until we can hit the road again.
Thanks, Alison! Fingers crossed we can go safely soon!
I like your list, too (though you know I hate the term “bucket list”). What did you do in Swaziland? South Africa sounds really interesting, and I also would love to do a road trip around New Zealand.
Thanks, Tiffany! I was in Swaziland through an internship with my university. The set up was actually not great – we were working in a community for orphaned children and there was a lot of miscommunication concerning what we thought we’d be doing and what they thought we’d be doing. In the end, I think it all worked out but a rough start. But would certainly like to get back to southern Africa and explore more!
We feel the same! And Japan! Yes! We may well have gone this year 🙁 But we’ll definitely go back one day. Great post. Love your writing style.
Thanks, Ross! Yes, can’t wait to get back to Japan.
Looks like we’ve got a lot of the same places on our bucket lists! My husband and I had booked a trip to Croatia for next month but we’re still undecided whether to go or postpone. But next year, we hope to visit Japan and New Zealand the year after. I hope you get there (safely!) when the time is right xoxo
Aw sorry if you do have to change your Croatia plans. Hope your 2021 plans all work out – Japan and New Zealand would be amazing!
Australia was our top list this fall but we are sadly hunkered down in San Diego and the kids are back home for the time being too. Life is different for awhile.
Aww hope Australia can happen for you soon!
These are some really great places. I’d also love to go to Japan, and South Africa is on the list. For me Europe is probably going to be my first stop to see my family in the UK and hopefully a couple other places depending on when I end up traveling.
Thanks, Emma! Hope you can see your family soon.
I find it hard making lists of “Where I want to travel” because honestly I want to travel everywhere!
Like you though, I did also want to do a Balkan trip (although mine was going to be via bus/train as I can’t drive) so I would still like to do that, fingers crossed I can do it next summer instead!
I hear ya! So many places to see. I can’t drive either so was planning for my partner to do most of the driving for that one 😉
I’m sorry your living abroad had to end so soon. I remember watching your HH international and green with envy for the adventure you were about to embark upon. We have some similar lists, I would love to go to Greece and did have a trip planned for Croatia in April that was canceled. Will you return to living abroad again?
Thanks, Renee – it was awesome while it lasted! Sorry you had to cancel your Croatia trip and hope you can go when it’s safe to do so. I don’t know if we’d live abroad long term again, as my partner works in a hospital so his job isn’t as mobile. But I think we’d want to do longer trips where we stay in one spot for a month or two. We’ll see where life takes us!
If you ever need a Vancouver travel partner, pick me!
I’ve never been to Asia, but I would love to spend some time exploring there.
And New Zealand is FANTASTIC! I tell everyone that they need to go there. It’s so beautiful.
Thanks so much, Brooklyn! Ah you’re making me want to get to New Zealand right away!
Great list! I think it’s really important to focus on amazing trips in the future. The current situation really sucks, but there is nothing we can do…
I was planning to spend at least 6 months abroad in 2020 – I wanted to head to Indonesia in early April and stay for 2 months, before spending a month split between Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Then a week each in Thailand and South Vietnam. Then I was planning to head to Australia for a about six weeks before heading back to Germany until mid-November. I was then to go on a cruise with my mom before heading to New Zealand to spend a year there.
It’s disheartening that none of these things are possible, but hopefully I’ll be able to do a lot of these next year!
Hope you get to visit all the places on your list next year!
Thanks so much, Steph! Aw brutal to think of giving up a 6 month trip. Your plans sound awesome and I hope you can reschedule everything!
I’ve had some travel plans that got cancelled because of the pandemic, but I’ll have to say that even planning for trips and thinking about where I want to go after COVID is enough to get me excited for the future. Oh and I’ve always wanted to go to Europe, so I can’t lie but I got a little jelly seeing your pics. Great post! 😊
Yes, trip planning is one of the best parts! Hope you make it to Europe once it’s safe to do so!
It is such a shame that your travel plans were cut so short, but at least you guys were able to get home and be safe. I think I echo your sentiment about not wanting to travel abroad at the moment. I would love to be visiting my favourite country (Greece) but it just doesn’t feel right. A staycation is the way forward for me for now!
Hopefully you will be able rearrange some of your travel plans. New Zealand is a place I would love to see!
Thanks for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Thanks, Aimsy! I hope you get to go to Greece safely soon!
If I picked one place to go after Covid-19, it would be Japan and England <3
It will be over eventually, which I hope soon.
Great choices! I would be happy to go to England or Japan too!
I went to Australia at the beginning of the year and wanted to do a 12 month time out from work and explore the other side of the world. I didn’t make it to New Zealand so this would be on my list. Saying that I’ve gone back home to London and I think for the next few years I may have to cut down on travel and save the money for a housing deposit. But do let me know if you’re back in England and I’m more than happy to share some recommendations 🙂
Ah sorry your time in Australia was cut short and you didn’t make it to New Zealand. Next time! Thanks for the offer for England 🙂
This is a great post and we’ve been doing something very similar. So much to see on the doorstep! We really want to go back to Japan too!
Thanks so much! Yes, lots to see locally. Hope we both get back to Japan soon!