Traveling is one of the most fun and therapeutic activities one can pursue, especially after one tough and cooped-up year. It is also a great way to bond with your travel partner – be it a friend or significant other – and make memories that’ll last a lifetime. This is one reason why many people have turned traveling into a major part of their lives. However, when the pandemic struck, many governments decided to impose a lockdown on their citizens, restricting any movement. Considering public health, it was the right decision but, this posed as the worst nightmare for travel enthusiasts.
Meet John and Tara Newby
John and Tara enjoy traveling more than anything, and there’s no stopping them when an opportunity to venture into unknown lands arises – so how did they do it? After the UK government announced the lockdown, the pair had to cancel their plans and flights, including hotel bookings. While the situation began to spiral out of hand, mass hysteria began to spread, and supermarkets began to run out of basic supplies.
What have they been up to?
True wanderers at heart, the couple have a target to visit all 193 countries in the world. For people with such ginormous ambitions, it was hard for them to pack up and hunker down in their house. As every responsible citizen, they made sure to follow the safety precautions.
On the 4th of September, they booked a ride on a ferry that was leaving from Helsinki, Finland, and traveling to Tallinn, Estonia. Once the restrictions were lowered, the Newbys took this opportunity to visit 10 European countries.
The Campervan
John and Tara have been continuing their travel journey during the pandemic with the help of their Campervan. What’s a campervan, you ask? Well, the Newbys converted a regular van into an ideal camping vehicle, including all the amenities needed for comfortable dining and sleeping. This van has been their key tool when it comes to traveling. It’s a Toyota Hi-Ace 2007 that took them 20 days to personalize according to their needs.
Since then, the couple has been traveling all across Europe, but they have been quite cautious about safety precautions and restrictions since every other state has a different setup. For instance, in Belgium, the couple wore a face mask long before it was implemented in the UK.
We don’t know about you, but if there’s anything good about traveling while in a pandemic, it is the less crowded locations.
All’s good as long as you’re staying safe! Happy traveling!