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Hey, Pipers!
As you know, the majority of the world is locked down. For the health of our own and for the health of the people around us, it’s recommended we all stay at our homes until COVID-19 pandemic calms down.
I know traveling is so far on everyone’s wish lists. Right now, even going out of our apartments feels like an adventure, with all those scared looks of passers-by, masks covering the strangers’ faces, crossing the road just to not be confronted with a person approaching… Social distancing is making us look like islands!
Supermarket rushes that no Black Friday could compare to, fight for the last toilet paper roll on the shelf, stocking on protective masks and disinfectants… Is this what survival has become? Prepping up for the doomsday?
Humans are social animals, but without the firm social support in times of crisis, we quickly realize we can rely “only on ourselves”. We become selfish, but we also become lonely! Quarantine is stimulating depression, one that Robinson Crusoe probably experienced on his deserted island, until that Friday came about.
Speaking of Robinsons, Netflix is my great friend these days! I just finished watching “Lost in Space” series, which is a science fiction story following the family of Robinsons, getting stranded somewhere in space, with a dream of reaching Alpha Centauri, the solar system where everything would be better. Life in unknown parts of the universe is hard, but it teaches great lessons of love, friendship, and family. I totally recommend it!
My own space exploration (well, at least the exploration of the reachable corners of Earth) had its third anniversary on March 28th! Time flies, right? Even I cannot believe that Pipeaway is three years old! If you’re thinking about blogging, these are some lessons I learned in the year that passed by!
One might think that solo traveling could probably be a great preparation technique for isolation times. But there is no career in loneliness!
We all struggle in complex times when social media already supports alienation and shallow connections. Nobody gains an academic degree from being alone, being rejected or just shut down. It’s incredibly hard to master the silence of solitude!
But listen, islands are probably the most beautiful oases in the world! Sure, life on massive continents provides comfort. But islands are loaded with adventure spirit, each of them is a world on its own! We should look at the island experience as a source of inspiration, not as a source of depression!
For instance, forget about the coronavirus for the moment! Can you rewire your brain and change your associations of fear with something comforting? My choice is not the eponymous beer, but Coron, the island in the Philippines, certainly one of the most beautiful places in the world!
Islands are gardens of nature, often such that you cannot find anywhere else. When I recently visited Tenerife Botanical Garden, I was reminded of how we should respect plants and trees. They have been around much longer than us, and there is some wisdom to learn from their silence!
Once all of this is over, I do plan to go back to Bali, the island where I started learning how to surf. This comforting activity, leaving you just with your board and sea waves, is a first-class meditation for me! If you’re just looking for a nice place to enjoy all the luxury without too many people around, check The Santai resort! In Indonesian, the hotel’s name means ‘relaxing’. We will all need that!
There are many islands to explore on Pipeaway! Discover the natural and historic treasures of Malta, the South Korean territory of love called Jeju, or find your me-time in the fantastic Greek islands of Cyclades! These are all the places I’d love to return to. In memories, or in real life!
If that’s not enough reading material for your quarantine time, these are the most popular posts of the past month!
- Korean NFSW: Jeju Loveland sculpture park in pictures
- 7 best Korean desserts to try in Seoul: From sugar ball to bingsu
- Gay Cambodia travel tuide: Gay Khmer between pride and hide
- Sayonara, Nara Dreamland: Ghostly amusement park exists no more
- Naked hiking: When I am nude, all fears disappear
Until next time… Sretno!
That’s ‘good luck’ in Croatian!
Yeah, it seems we will be learning some Croatian phrases before new territories (and islands) open up to traveling!
Take care!
Ivan Kralj, Pipeaway.com
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