Our Kokoda Community are an outdoors-y bunch, so the fact that the Easter long weekend has just rolled around and we’re all strictly confined to our homes and supermarkets rather than campsites and mountains, we can start to feel a little isolated in isolation, who would have thought? Here’s how we’re staying sane this weekend while still respecting the social distancing rules currently in place!
1. Go hunting... for Easter eggs!
The New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern thankfully declared this week (and we’re sure that Scomo would agree too) that “both the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny [are] essential workers.” This means it’s time to get out the wicker baskets, stock up on chocolate Easter eggs and create a bit of wholesome fun at home. Easter simply wouldn’t be the same without rifling through the backyard and eating sickening amounts of chocolate! Even without kids, setting up an Easter egg hunt for a loved one is a throwback you won’t regret - just be careful that the dogs don’t get a hold of any of your eggs!
2. Create a controlled campfire in your own yard!
If you’re fortunate enough to have a big enough yard, grab yourself an outdoor fire pit, some chopped firewood from your local hardware store and a packet of marshmallows to create the ultimate isolation-friendly backyard camping experience. The smell of smoke will give you that nostalgic feeling of being at your favourite campsite, why not even set up your swag in the yard too! Just make sure you check the local fire authority websites first to be aware of any current restrictions that might be in place.
3. Go through some old photos of previous hikes you’ve done around the world!
There’s nothing quite like taking a trip down memory lane. Whip out some old snaps from backpacking treks you completed years ago, show off to your family some of the monstrous trails you’ve completed and share some of your favourite stories from all the places you have been. You’re bound to bring up memories that you’ve long forgotten and it might just be the inspiration you need to go on another trekking getaway when this pandemic is over!
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4. Start planning your next adventure for when isolation is over
Now that you’ve gone through some of your old photos, it’s probably given you that feeling of wanderlust to make you want to start planning for when isolation is over. Although it’s too soon to start booking flights or locking in dates, that doesn’t mean you can’t start asking your Facebook friends what they're favourite hiking holidays have been, where they would recommend or start researching places you’ve always wanted to visit. Everest Base Camp? Machu Picchu in Peru? The wild world is your oyster and now is the perfect opportunity to start planning.
5. Live vicariously through your favourite outdoor adventure movie
Into the Wild, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 180 Degrees South, the list goes on! You might notice that you’re starting to feel a little sluggish being inside all the time, sometimes watching others conquer their own journeys will inspire you to peel yourself off the couch and get active again. Some of our very own Kokoda competitors and volunteers have shared some of their own favourite outdoor adventure movies on our Facebook page here.
6. Let your imagination run wild (literally) with one of these great books
Into Thin Air, Bewlidered and Wild are all page-turners that will have you feeling at one with nature again without even leaving the house. It can be tiresome staring at a screen all the time, so why not give your eyes a break and flick through the pages of one of these fantastic novels instead?
As much as we would all love to be out enjoying the great outdoors this weekend, it’s important that we all act responsibly and do our best to overcome this pandemic as a community. While the short-term future may have us stuck indoors, the long-term benefit is that we’ll be out doing what we love sooner if we all follow the guidelines set out by the Australian Government.
Be sure to stay connected with the Kokoda community during these unprecedented times and share some of your own tips, trick and recommendations about what you’re doing in isolation, we’d love to hear from you!
