The situation hit me this morning. A beep on my cell phone and my Google Calendar popped up with the message: Going North. This was a reminder of the timeline planning I did when I was in Mexico in February. I never heard of this new virus at the time. Now I’m stuck at home in my mini-home in Oliver BC.
I’m grateful that I got to enjoy life in beautiful Mexico during the eight weeks I spent there. When the news about the coronavirus emerged, I knew I had to book a flight back to Canada pretty fast. I made it back just in time before things turned bad.
Don’t postpone your dreams. Do what you want to do and instead of dreams, you will have memories.
There is not one day that I don’t think about my solo road trip to the Northwest Territories and the Yukon last summer.
I might be stuck here for a while and not be able to travel far, but I can dwell on my memories. I am planning for my next adventures and will be ready once the time comes.
Usually, being patient is not my thing. Now I have no choice.
I have to be flexible, adapt to the situation, and be open-minded. Staying positive and being patient are the keys to getting me through a difficult and crazy time.
Look around you to see what’s available in the situation you’re in. Spend time and reflect on your present circumstances and then make a plan.
I keep listening to News broadcasts to a minimum to stay sane. I’m not a follower and I like to make up my own mind about what I believe.
When I look behind the scenes at what is going on in this world, I realize that I have to let go of the craziness and instead concentrate on myself and my well-being.
What are my core values and beliefs? What makes me comfortable and content?
What do I want to do when life gets back to more normal? How can I plan my next trip and be ready for it?
Do a soul search and find out. For me, it’s health, freedom, adventure, exploring, healthy eating, nature, a healthy environment, animals, and of course, travel.
I’ve been living a nomadic lifestyle for a while now without a permanent home. When a situation like the coronavirus strikes, having a home becomes a priority. Having a base and being independent is important.
In my case, I don’t have family nearby, I’m totally on my own. Reaching out to friends becomes an important factor in dealing with unseen situations.
On top of that, it is a way of learning who your real friends are.
What is it that I always wanted to do and never had time for?
For all of us with a busy lifestyle, this is the time to catch up on postponed projects and educate ourselves about new topics we’re interested in.
Being stuck gives me the opportunity to continue the online photography course I never finished.
Even with social distancing in place I can go out for a wild food hunt and improve my foraging skills.
Chatting, video calls, and phone calls are now more important than ever. Communicating with family and friends on a regular basis is a must during social restrictions.
Reaching out to people I haven’t talked to forever brings back a new social feeling.
We don’t know what we’ve got until it’s gone.
Without freedom, life would be miserable. Like in many countries, we would live in fear and insecurity.
Let this pandemic make us all stronger and wiser, but don’t let it take away our freedom.
After having been out of the box for a while, it’s hard to go back in and adjust to a restricted lifestyle. Being stuck in one place is hard on me. While on the road, the days hold limitless potential and opportunities.
I’m the happiest camper when I head out into my world with my mini-camper. There is this feeling of having ultimate flexibility, time, and freedom for real living.
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Yrene lives in the Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada, and is the founder of BackcountryCanadaTravel.com. She was born in Switzerland, lived and worked on different continents and has travelled the world. Yes, that's me, an Entrepreneur, wilderness nut and animal lover who prefers off-the-beaten-track places. I write about things I love. Mostely.