10 Ways to Experience the World Without Leaving Your Home

It is usually that time of the year when most of us start applying for leave and planning for a year-end vacation but for now, travel plans have to be put on hold. Even though this may be a disappointment for travel enthusiasts, you do not have to feel entirely deprived from being unable to satisfy your wanderlust.

With a little bit of creativity and imagination - and the help of some carefully chosen items - you can still enjoy a taste of your favourite destinations right within your home. 

Here are 10 different ways you can still explore the world and perhaps gain some inspiration for your next vacation when the time comes.

Indulge in a quintessential British afternoon tea the next time you have an afternoon to spare. To immerse yourself in the time-honoured ritual of tea making, you will need a good quality teapot to brew a fragrant pot of loose leaf tea, like TWG’s Golden Earl Grey. Prep a spread of fresh pastries, cakes and finger sandwiches to go with your freshly brewed beverage and you are all set for a leisurely afternoon at a British tea salon.

With their enviably flawless complexions, Hallyu celebrities have inspired many beauty fanatics with their K-beauty routines, which you can easily recreate at home with the help of innovative products by Korean brands.

One unique product which works while you sleep are overnight masks which are packed with nourishing ingredients for the skin like Sulwhasoo’s Overnight Vitalizing Mask. It is formulated with traditional Korean medicinal herbs to provide soothing moisture so you awaken looking radiant in the morning. Or check out Innisfree’s Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam, a cleanser containing volcanic clusters to deeply purify clogged pores and remove excess sebum for clear, smooth skin.

You can also enjoy a high-tech Korean-style facial at home with the range of beauty devices by LG Pra.L. For some stay home light therapy to rejuvenate your visage, its futuristic Derma LED Mask is fitted with red LED and infrared lights that penetrate through several layers of skin to enhance cell regeneration with just nine minutes of use per day.

On a cool, rainy evening, you might want to consider evoking the feeling of spending winter in a Swiss chalet by preparing a typical Swiss fondue for dinner. The Staub fondue set includes a cast iron pot, four fondue forks and a burner so you have all the gear you need to easily melt cheese or chocolate into a gooey, oozy, delicious dip for your favourite meats, bread and fruits.

Alternatively, make yourself a cup of rich hot chocolate with top quality Valrhona cocoa powder and snuggle up on a couch while wrapped in a blanket to feel like you're in the midst of a chilly European winter. 

Just like how the taste and aroma of wine is enhanced when you use the appropriate wine glasses, you can gain more enjoyment when you drink Japanese beverages like sake and tea with authentic cups and servingware. 

Brew sencha or your favourite Japanese tea in the T Nishikawa Hohin Teapot, which is made using the Ichin technique where clay is squeezed out with careful skill to create a design on unglazed porcelain. Complete the set with a matching teacup. 

The next time you drink cold sake, decant it into this sake container which is made using the traditional “bent cedar” craft of Akita prefecture. The cedar wood has insulating properties to keep your drink cool and will also infuse a subtle refreshing fragrance to the sake. The Shozu Shikko set of six wooden cups is a perfect match with this sake container.

With stunning lakes, rivers and mountains, New Zealand is not only loved for its beautiful scenery, it is also famed for its excellent natural produce. You too can enjoy the goodness of this bounty in the comfort of home.

To taste the country’s terroir in a glass, open a bottle of Matua Summit Marlborough Pinot Noir. Made with pinot noir grapes, this vibrant cherry coloured wine has flavours of red fruit and a touch of toasty oak and soft tannins for a fresh, lingering finish.

Unique to New Zealand, the manuka honey supports the body’s immune system and is a source of antioxidants. It is also known to have skincare benefits, which you can experience for yourself with Foreo’s Manuka Honey UFO mask. Packed with nutrients and moisturising properties, your skin will be immediately soothed and left more supple and radiant.

Take a journey to the far east just by changing up the decor or furnishings in your home. To evoke elements of China’s distinctive aesthetic style, you can redecorate a corner of your personal space with a subtle oriental touch. For example, Scene Shang’s Gentleman Cane Chair, is a modern spin on traditional Chinese scholar chairs with a relaxing lean-back while still appearing elegant and refined.

Complete the scene by lighting Shanghai Tang’s ginger flower scented mini candles and sip a cuppa using its Vivid Dragon Fine Bone China mug featuring an oriental dragon motif and you might just be mentally transported to a teahouse in China.

Bold colours, intricate patterns and varied textures are signatures of Moroccan decor - and to bring a touch of this vibrant style to your home, you can consider giving your tableware a small makeover. 

T2’s Moroccan Tealeidoscope tea set, which includes a teapot and cup, features a kaleidoscopic combination of patterns and motifs inspired by the colourful North African country. Fill it with Moroccan tea leaves for a refreshing brew containing green tea blended with Sahara mint.

Finally, complete the mood with Lalique’s Neroli Casablanca candle, a heady scent of neroli which originates from the North African bitter orange tree blended with opulent white flowers, patchouli, amber and vanilla.

French meals are all about indulging in fine food and wine, so for your next fancy stay home meal, evoke the mood of dining in a Parisian brasserie with a meal of French delicacies. You can’t go wrong by starting with a glass of chilled champagne like the Tattinger Comtes de Champagne 2007. Its citrus and delicate floral notes complement the drink’s tasty lemon notes and subtle saline and smokey flavours, making this golden hued bubbly is a delight to savour.

Why not go all out with an indulgent treat of caviar and wine as well? With aromas of fresh butter and vanilla, the Louis Latour 'Les Clos' Chablis Grand Cru 2018 is a full-bodied wine with good minerality that goes well with the nutty flavours and long finish of caviar as well as seafood including oysters, shellfish and fish.

Australia’s diverse and fascinating indigenous culture is something that has to be experienced in person but in the meantime, you can enjoy some elements of this rich artistic heritage at home. Australian brand Alperstein Designs works with Aboriginal artists to feature their designs on products, with royalties directly benefiting the artist and their community. The Lulu Trancollino Cotton Tea Towel has such an artistic swirling pattern, you might even want to frame it up as a piece of wall decoration instead.

Or the next time you pour yourself a drink, why not try an Australian gin? Canberra Distillery’s Summer Gin is handcrafted with over 30 different botanicals including native Australian plants including strawberry gum, wattle seed and lemon myrtle for a unique flavour. This spirit can be enjoyed straight, as a gin and tonic or in a martini.

Finally, if you, like many other frequent fliers are missing the thrill and anticipation of boarding a plane that will take you to a new destination to explore, the newly launched SIA@Home service can help you re-create Singapore Airlines' famed in-flight experience right at home.

You can now order a First Class or Business Class meal for two, created by the airline’s International Culinary Panel chefs, complete with a wine or champagne pairing. The menus include creations by eminent MasterChef judge Matt Moran and famed kaiseki master Yoshihiro Murata. 

There are even options to purchase packages that include designer tableware that is used in the First and Business Class cabins so you can plate your food the way it would be served up in the air. 

To truly make it feel like you are on a long haul flight, why not switch your phone to airplane mode and treat yourself to a few hours of binge-watching tv shows or movies the way you would in a plane. How relaxing!

Most of all, we hope these travel from home ideas keep you inspired and looking forward to the times when you will be able to soar the skies again in the future. In the meantime, relax and rejuvenate with curated experiences from our KrisShop Moments concept store.