Written by: Phindile Le Bris Sithole-Spong
Whilst many of us are confined to our homes and even our countries for the foreseeable future, traveling is looking less and less likely. Which can be a good and bad thing. As someone who’s recently moved countries, I am taking this new reality as an opportunity to explore my city more. Especially as I will be moving soon. This means hitting the road (literally on foot) to discover hidden gems. Whilst France is currently under lockdown and restaurants and bars are closed, this does not mean I cannot stop by the locally park. Or even grab a coffee at the local pickup and go coffee shop. There are numerous other ways to explore your city and even your home and I thought I’d share a few.
- Spend time in an area or room you rarely use: Living in a tiny apartment, you’d think we use all the rooms in it. However. As a young family of 3 we usually congregate around the lounge/dining room area. Which is why taking some time to hang out in our daughters room has been fun. After spending months decorating it during my pregnancy and then spending little or no time there. Its nice to sit in the corner, read a book to my daughter and enjoy the pink walls.
- Walk around your neighborhood: Whilst I have been living in my current city of residence for almost a year. I don’t usually venture out for the sake of venturing out. Which is why I enjoy the allotted 1 hour workout time allowed during confinement. This has given me the opportunity to see the city I live in. Whist I am not going anywhere in particular, I am enjoying getting to know my surroundings.
- Create an at home spa day: As I’ve recently gotten back to working out consistently, taking the time to just have a hot soak and give myself a facial is not only necessary, but a welcome break from the day to day. For my spa days I like to run a bath, pour some epsom salts, burn a candle and read a book while I apply a face mask. I like to follow this with a slow foam roll which is as good as a massage at this point. And given that my muscles are loose and warm from the bath. The 30 minute foam rolling session is nothing short of heavenly.
- Visit museums virtually: Want to go to the Louvre but don’t live in Paris? Or visit the Guggenheim but don’t live in New York? Not to worry, one of the great things about COVID19 and the restrictions it has put in place is that many museums and galleries have gone virtual. So just google what ever museum you want to visit, and sit back and relax as you see and experience all your favourite artworks and pieces from the comfort of your home.
- Book a hotel stay: With so many business affected by COVID, hotels are some of the hardest hit due to travel restrictions. However, as I recently learnt, not all hotels are indeed closed. Some hotels have taken to applying serious measures against COVID for guests who visit. On top of that hotels are offering huge discounts for stays. So take a look around in your city and see if your local hotel is open and running any specials. And if so, book your stay and enjoy all the little luxuries a hotel stay offers. From comfy bathrobes to room service and new yummy smelling bath products.
