Google Earth 

What would we be without all of the various services created by this global corporation is a question we’d rather not ask ourselves, gratefully accepting the benefits of this particular earthly project. No matter where it is you wanted to go as you were planning your next adventure, be sure to find it represented here – most of the time with a chance to take a virtual walk around the place of your dreams. I, for one, have been craving a few hours spent peacefully in a forest just to feel surrounded by nature and be part of it, so I’ve visited several national parks and reserves. A pro tip is to turn on some wildlife sounds found in abundance on YouTube so as to provide yourself with a multisensory experience. 

If you feel you’ve seen it all and you’d like to take a step further, you can help contribute to scientific research with a wide variety of citizen science projects recently covered by ITMO.NEWS. 

Zoo Cams 

Credit: Brandon Schmidt (@bschmidt16) on Unsplash.com

Credit: Brandon Schmidt (@bschmidt16) on Unsplash.com

Another popular way to learn more about the flora and fauna of our planet are zoo cams. Located in various cities around the world, they allow you to take a peek into the daily life of giraffes, tigers, and even the many inhabitants of the global ocean. Who knows, you might even discover (or rediscover) your spirit animal by noticing even more similarities between you and the creature you often use as a metaphor to describe your daily habits. As most of the cameras have a timetable of working hours, a fun challenge to try this weekend would be to compile a schedule that would allow you to organize your routine around that of the creatures you’d like to see – that is, if you miss the structure of your daily life as much as I do. 

Explore the night sky 

Credit: Nathan Jennings (@nathjennings_) on Unsplash.com

Credit: Nathan Jennings (@nathjennings_) on Unsplash.com

Here’s another idea with a twist: go camping at home (or in your backyard) and spend a night watching those glorious constellations thousands of miles away, dreaming of space travel or learning more about astronomy so that you can surprise your friends with a fun fact – that is, once we do tentatively go out for our nightly strolls. The link above suggests you use your actual camping gear, but I’d say no one is stopping you from building a good old fort, surrounding yourself with some of your most comfortable pillows and turning on some out-of-this world music as you take a journey to those faraway destinations and leave all your troubles behind.