Want a pint with your vaccine? BrewDog, a Scottish craft beer brewer and pub chain, is offering its closed outlets across the United Kingdom to the government to use as COVID-19 vaccination centres, and those vaccinated could walk away with a ‘special commemorative beer’. James Watt, BrewDog’s CEO and co-founder, put a call out on social media asking for followers to help name the beer.

Hi @MattHancock & @NicolaSturgeon

We would like to offer our closed @BrewDog venues to help with a quick roll out of the vaccine. For free.

We have waiting areas, huge refrigerators, seperate rooms for vaccinatations and an ace team who can help organise.

We want to help. pic.twitter.com/xljizBcfGx
— James Watt (@BrewDogJames) December 31, 2020

In addition to outposts across Europe and in the US, South Korea, Australia, China and Japan, BrewDog has more than 50 locations in the UK, which is currently under coronavirus lockdown rules that have closed non-essential businesses. The ongoing lockdown is expected to last until at least March as the country reels from a more contagious strain of the coronavirus that was detected in December and has seen case rates soar.

We are in talks with the Government about using our closed @BrewDog bars as vaccination centres.

We are also going to give everyone who gets vaccinated at a BrewDog bar a special commemorative beer.

But what should we call it? pic.twitter.com/ahuFolnxQ7
— James Watt (@BrewDogJames) January 1, 2021

Talks with the government are still ‘ongoing’, and after seeing BrewDog’s offer, other bars and pubs across the country have said they would also be willing to open up their spaces for vaccinations. Like many breweries and distilleries in the early days of the pandemic, BrewDog switched up its production lines to create 500,000 bottles of hand sanitiser and said that they’ve been making it ‘round the clock’ ever since.

BrewDog has a history of pushing the envelope with its marketing campaigns and crowdsourcing. In 2019, the company launched ‘the world’s first craft beer airline’, which flew from London to Columbus, Ohio, where BrewDog had opened a craft beer hotel, which features in-room beer taps and a built-in shower beer fridge in each of the 32 rooms. BrewDog has launched more accommodation options above its bars in Scotland and had pre-pandemic plans to expand its hotel footprint into London.

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The UK's BrewDog pubs want to offer you a vaccine - and a commemorative beer

Look, it’s tempting. The sound of waves crashing against the shore, the stillness of a wooded area after a snowfall. Perhaps you have friends or family posting enticing photos from exotic locales. Everyone is happy and smiling and seemingly healthy. But it’s important to remember, COVID-19 is still raging.

And though the fortunate among us are fatigued about being grounded and cooped up, others are burying loved ones. None of this is easy, but as European countries head into another lockdown and infection numbers continue to increase at staggering rates in the US, staying put feels like the right choice.

So now what? How can you fill the void left by the immense joy of traveling? Well … you probably can’t. But, here are few things to do to hold off for a little while longer. The end is in sight.

Plan your next vacation

Plan the whole trip from start to finish – down to deciding what clothes you’re going to pack. Try planning a practical vacation where you factor in your actual budget in booking flights and hotels. Include a loved one because nothing is better than having an actual argument over a pretend vacation.

Then, once the tears have dried and you’re speaking to one another again, try planning a vacation as if money was no object. Embrace your inner Kardashian and really splurge!

Go on a virtual walk with a friend in another country

Odds are, if you travel all the time, you’ve got friends all over the globe. Instead of boozing it up together in the house, why not opt for a virtual walk? Live in a place with no snow? Contact that friend in Sweden. Sunbathe with a friend in LA or showoff that discarded leopard-print mask that's been laying in the street for weeks. Remember, the best thing about any destination are the people.

Explore the world one bite at a time

OK, everyone recommends this. (Shameless plug, we’ve been doing it since March). But honestly, there’s no better way to transport yourself to your favorite destination than food. Instead of making dishes from the places you’ve been, why not randomly select a country and try your hand at making the national dish. Ever try panipopo from Samoa?

Support a shop, cafe or establishment online

Tourism dollars are the driving force for many economies around the world. COVID-19 has severely threatened or in some cases shuttered many local businesses. So while you wait to hop on a plane to patronize your favorite spots, why not see if there are ways to support small businesses around the world online? Often, there are official websites or charitable organizations to send funds.

Learn a language

Remember that time when you promised yourself you'd learn French? Well, now's that time. Nothing quite thrusts you into a culture like learning its language. Because it's not just hellos and how are yous – it's learning etiquette and a history of a country. And these days, there are so many language apps, that you can really pinpoint the technique and teaching style that works best for you.

The light at the end of the tunnel

Though a hot-button issue for some, the presence of several vaccines means there is an endpoint to this pandemic. All it takes is a little more patience and a lot of sacrifices.

If all that fails, you can always try a scavenger hunt.

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Ask LP: How do I resist the urge to travel right now?  

More travelers are choosing sober nights out when traveling, finding their experiences are richer, more memorable and they're more engaged with local culture than when they hopped between bars or spent the night chasing a single beer in an alcohol-free country.

Not-drinking is one of the most surprising trends of the early 21st century. A growing number of adults have realized the effects of alcohol on their mental and physical health often outweigh any benefits. Cue trending hashtags like #soberlife, #sobercurious and now #sobertravel.

Perhaps a subset of the wellness movement, sober living is really about connection, rather than puritanism. By giving booze a raincheck on holidays, travelers are finding they feel more authentic, are more present and start tapping into a sense of belonging that alcohol once temporarily provided.

Nightlife

Going out after dark is the obvious time when giving up on drinking could seem problematic. How does one dance, flirt, or abandon yourself to "where the night takes you" without a couple of glasses of bubbly or some top-up tequila shots?

By not drinking when partying, you’ll quickly realise that music is a greater elixir than the green fairy (absinthe). Get some travel companions on board and dive into some nightclubs sober – you’ll quickly find the right tune to get you on the dancefloor. And the messier the other patrons get, the less embarrassed you’ll feel. What’s more, the next morning you won’t wake up thinking " Ich will sterben" ("I want to die") because you’ve downed so much Jägermeister you now think you speak German, and you’ll have the energy to do all those daytime activities you planned as well.

Beyond dancing the night away at a roof-top bar in Bangkok or an underground club in Berlin, there are myriad nights out that don’t require a ready-made excuse if someone offers to buy you a drink. Many of the world’s cities will have theater, stand-up comedy, spoken-word performances, readings, escape rooms, live-music gigs, late-night bookstores, after-hours events at museums and art galleries, or night-time walking tours to keep you busy and booze-free. Broaden your idea of a fun night out and you’ll find sober travel may well make you more adventurous, not less.

The non-alcoholic world

Sober living is nothing new for a large percentage of the world. For reasons of custom, religion or culture, drinking is either frowned upon, illegal or near impossible in some countries. While many Middle Eastern countries do take a more relaxed approach to the consumption of alcohol by foreigners, it is usually kept only to hotels and restaurants and comes at a premium cost. So why not eschew the booze when traveling in a country where it’s otherwise banned and dip into a world of drinks you’ve never tried before?

Brits may love their tea, but for many cultures tea drinking is an all-day affair and one steeped in ceremony no matter where you’re having a cup. Even huddled under a makeshift tent in the High Atlas Mountains, a brew cooked over an open fire is given the same theatrical pour to oxygenate the flavors and is served with kindness and care to everyone present. Beyond tea drinking, and Italy ’s much-admired coffee culture, you’ll find West Asian countries offer a broad variety of refreshing cordials called sharbat, shorbot, serbat or sherbet. Seeking out haunts for an afternoon refreshment, such as yogurt-based sweet lassi or savoury doogh, will reward your taste buds and offer a potential inroad to meeting and engaging with locals whom you wouldn’t have met drinking expensive beers at an international hotel.

Ten sobering trends

Alcohol, what’s it for? Not drinking is a way of life in many Islamic countries; head where the locals socialize over tea or sharbat instead.
Alcohol-free bars: Bars and pubs where the drinks are no- or low-alcohol are popping up in cities such as London and New York.
Soft cocktails: No longer second fiddle to the "real drinks", mixologists are now taking mocktails seriously.
Wellness retreats: Forget that "yummy mummies re-live spring break" yoga retreat: many are strictly drug- and alcohol-free.
Booze-free festivals: Not common yet but popular among alternative lifestylers and families wanting to skip the hungover side of the festival scene.
The great outdoors: Camping in the wild often means carrying all you will eat or drink, leaving little room for non-essentials, so leave the booze behind.
It’s kombucha time: Served from a keg like beer, you’ll see a kombucha pitch at street-food markets and music festivals across the US today.
Sober raves: From Morning Gloryville to No Lights No Lycra, dancing is the main focus of these alcohol- and drug-free events popping up worldwide.
Sober sensations: Germany does multi-sensory club events in major cities with sober DJs, light performances and scent artists.
Sober travel companies: Tapping into the trend, travel companies like Sober Vacations International have started organizing tours for sober folk only.

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Is 2021 the year to try sober travel? 

“Close your eyes, take a deep breath, count to ten…” As 2020 ends with the first COVID-19 vaccines being administered, the wellness industry is adapting for 2021 with retreats to restore, realign and rejuvenate travelers.

After a year of super stress; of anxiety; of limited-to-no travel – of limited-to-no leaving the house! – of fretting; of comfort eating; of doom-scrolling; of mask-wearing; of longing; of lost connections; of just Way Too Much – we’ve perhaps forgotten that we need to take care of ourselves too.

“This year, more than any other, has highlighted the importance of looking after your health and wellness,” says Paul Joseph, Founder of Health and Fitness Travel. “The various global restrictions coupled with the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 have only made people appreciate any opportunities to better their health both physically and mentally.”

Many have started already: according to a report by Fitbit, the number of people meditating this year has increased by 2900%; Asos says sales of sleep aids have increased by 219%; and Joseph confirms inquiries for wellness holidays are up too. The emerging trends from the wellness industry include treatments and retreats designed to help us heal after a very long, painful year. Here’s what to expect.

Immune-boosting treatments

As the body's built-in bouncer, a strong immune system is integral to good health: it acts as an antibodies factory and naturally filters out any unwanted baddies. Immune-boosting treatments aren’t new, but they have grown in popularity in response to COVID-19 as travelers seek ways to strengthen their body’s natural defences.

Ayurvedic retreats, which originate from the Indian subcontinent, strike a good balance of a healthy diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep and stress reduction. On the southern coast of Madeira, the Galo Resort offers 10- or 20-day programs that mix daily consultations with Ayurveda doctors, tailored treatments, nutritional advice and views of the Atlantic that would make Christopher Columbus weak at the knees.

Nature therapy

For many during lockdown, the Great Outdoors and all of its nourishing beauty – the whipped peaks of the Rockies; the tranquil sinfonietta of a pine-shaded Great Basin stream; the vast Saskatchewan skies as deeply hypnotic as Sintara’s blue eyes – were visible only through whatever technology we had at home.

But, as evidence shows, being in actual, real-life, touchable nature is beneficial for our mental health. So expect shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) everywhere from its native Japan to California to the Alps; wild swimming in the sea, lakes and rivers; or just being at one in the Himalayas with Shakti Himalaya, which offers trek-and-tent getaways with a personal chef in remote Ladakh.

Combating stress and anxiety

Studies show that since the start of the pandemic, cases of anxiety have skyrocketed with almost half of the UK population saying they’ve suffered from high levels of stress. Using a bespoke combination of holistic and medically-backed treatments, including counselling, stress management holidays are designed to reduce tension long-term.

Minutes from the golden beaches of Ko Samui, Absolute Sanctuary in Thailand offers a destress and unwind package which features bio impedance analysis and 15 different treatments, including a Reiki session. Alternatively, travelers could unwind amongst 2700 acres of Tuscan vineyards, olive groves and glittering lakes at Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, an eco-retreat offering Brainkinetik® sessions that promote positivity and help manage stress.

Sleep and deep relaxation

With multiple reports of vivid dreaming and exhausting bouts of heavy-eyed insomnia, research by the Sleep Council suggests that the unease around COVID-19 has impacted the shuteye of up to 75% of the UK population. Experts at November’s Global Wellness Summit suggested that for better sleep we need to look for solutions using our circadian rhythms.

Based on the techniques of Mayan well-being, Chablé Yucatán combines serenity, sustainability and indigenous ceremonies such as temescal (steam house) treatments designed to unwind. It also offers floatation therapy, which helps guests reach a deep state of relaxation equivalent to eight hours sleep.

For those who suffer the most but earn the least – such as Black Americans who are 10% more likely to be experiencing persistent symptoms of emotional distress than white Americans – there are other options available. In New York City, Rest for Resistance runs free meditation sessions for LGBTQ+ people of color and The Nap Ministry, which hosts Collective Napping Experiences for the Black community in safe spaces, is now virtual.

Internet-free isolation and screenless solitude

Our screen time surged this year. Pre-pandemic, the average American spent four hours a day on their smartphone. Once stay-at-home orders were in place, this jumped to six, with surveys suggesting that 53% of Americans were suffering from “screen fatigue”. Studies show that increased screen time can lead to anxiety, depression and physical ailments.

To counter screen burnout, digital detoxes – what some in the industry are calling circuit breaks – will be big, particularly in remote, internet-free spots. At the Digital Detox Cabin in the UK, your phone is taken away at the beginning of your stay, leaving you only with the fields and forests of Essex. But the more adventurous should try Black Tomato’s Get Lost escapes : trips where you’re dropped into a remote, undisclosed location somewhere in the world and you have to find your way back out.

Local travel

Traveling locally might just have stopped us from going loco in 2020. With rental companies reporting a surge in domestic bookings and record numbers of visitors surging to beauty spots, travelers seemingly rediscovered the joys awaiting them on their own doorsteps – a trend predicted to continue in 2021.

In Europe, Original Travel has launched a collection of "Local Frontiers" tours that showcase lesser-known sides to short-haul destinations, ranging from road trips around Norway’s Lofoten Islands to bison tracking in the wilds of Transylvania. Contiki, meanwhile, is one of a number of operators offering slow-paced domestic trips to UK travelers, such as foraging hikes in the Welsh countryside and surf-and-yoga schools in Devon.

Active, low-impact holidays

Carbon emissions saw a record fall in 2020 as worldwide lockdowns gave nature an opportunity to catch its breath. They also gave humankind a chance to consider how we want to interact with the natural world in the future, so that we can better protect it. Cycling and walking holidays afford travelers the freedom to explore destinations widely and at their own pace. As a form of carbon-neutral transport, they are also kinder to the environment – and good for your physical health and mental well-being too.

You don’t have to venture far to lace up your walking boots or pull on your cycle helmet, and ramblers will find solace in a guided walking tours through the wild, melancholic landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, while budding cyclists will get into a spin over the thought of meandering through Sicilian vineyards in the shadow of Mount Etna, retiring each night to a 19th-century villa that served as a former monastery. Other great destinations for walkers and bikers include the hilly plains of Rwanda and the fabled mountains of Nepal.

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What to expect from health and wellness travel in 2021

I was lying in my bed in Brooklyn when I got the call. “Dude, I don’t think you should go to Mexico this weekend,” my friend Zoë said when I picked up the phone. It was the morning of March 13, 2020 – the day I will forever remember as the day everything changed – and Zoë, a healthcare executive, was concerned that traveling to another country may put me and my husband Rahul at risk for COVID-19.

“This thing is looking really bad,” she said, “and it looks like it’s going to keep getting worse. If I were you, I would definitely postpone your trip.”

My heart sank. Rahul and I had been heavily leaning in that direction already, especially after watching Dr. Anthony Fauci caution the world on the news the night before. But Zoë’s call confirmed our gut instinct. We would actually cancel our plans. We would pull the trigger. We would not go to Mexico for our winter getaway after all. Goodbye, beautiful Puerto Escondido beaches. Goodbye, mouthwatering Oaxaca City tacos. Goodbye, sunshine daydreams and artisan craft markets and all mezcal everything. Travel – or at least travel as we knew it – was canceled.

It’s been nine months since that fateful early morning phone call, nine months since COVID-19 grounded the globe and travel came to a complete and utter standstill. As a freelance travel journalist, I watched in disbelief as my beloved global community suffered a devastating amount of losses, both of actual lives and the lives we once lived. To steal a line from LA-based songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, it’s been a time of “ emotional motion sickness,” one that has made it possible to go from feeling okay to depressed to anxious to nostalgic to fearful and back again in two seconds flat. Yet despite this rollercoaster of capital-E Emotions, I’ve been surprisingly grateful for this time at home, too. For all of the worry 2020 has caused, for all of the unease and the angst and the sadness, this year of no travel has also brought me some much-needed inner peace.

I was traveling for the majority of 2019, right up until the December holidays. It wasn’t just any travel, either: It was high-stakes travel. Nerve-wracking travel. I was on the road to research and report my first book, Destination Wellness (out April 6, 2021), which is about health and wellness philosophies from around the world. For the book, I traveled to six different destinations – Jamaica, Norway, Hawaii, India, Japan, and Brazil – to interview locals and cultural experts in the area about the well-being principles and practices that define their lives.

This was a 27-flight solo trip, a trip that spanned four continents and multiple time zones and quite literally circled around the world. And for the most part, it was epic, a life dream realized. I met the smartest, most inspiring people on the road, the kind who make you analyze your own life by telling you about theirs. I stayed in the dreamiest of places, waking up to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach in Hawaii, the call of the mountains in Norway, and the smell of freshly-baked pao de queijo (cheesy bread) on a farm commune in Brazil. I took more than 5000 photos, and filled my iPhone notes with pages upon pages of deep-thought revelations. But even though the trip was filled with instantly lifelong memories, it also filled me with anxiety. In the back of my mind, I knew I still had to go back home to New York and actually write the book I was reporting – what if I couldn’t do it? Or worse, what if I could do it, but the advice I gave wasn’t actually good? Most first-time authors will tell you that imposter syndrome is very real, and I am here to confirm that statement. As much as I tried to will it away with my logic, reminding myself that I was qualified to write this book and to write it well, I was still riddled with doubt.

But then 2020 happened. And in a weird, counterintuitive way, it healed me. Not traveling healed me.

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I handed in my first draft of Destination Wellness on January 15, 2020, just about two months before everything changed. And for the first time in a long time, I was actually home for long enough to test out my own advice after that. One of the biggest themes of the book is that you don’t need to travel to get your global fix, that it’s possible to adopt an international mindset wherever you are. And guess what? Not only do the tips and tricks check out, they truly helped get me through the pandemic. By the time I handed in my final draft this summer, my imposter syndrome had all but vanished, because I’d proven to myself that the advice was 100% worth taking. When the pandemic began, I wasn’t sure how lurching from a life of constant motion to a life of complete stillness would translate to the page, but in a fateful case of book meets moment, the advice now rings even more true than it did when I first wrote it.

In an attempt to recreate the onsens (natural hot springs) I came to love in Japan, for example, I have leaned into the bath life at home, calming my nerves with a steamy, Epsom-salt soak before bed. Inspired by the Rastafari natural living philosophy Ital, Rahul and I have tried to limit our processed food intake over the past couple of months inside, choosing instead to whip up wholesome soups and stews using only fresh ingredients. To prepare for the cold and snowy winter ahead, we’ve adopted the Norwegian philosophy friluftsliv , which encourages people to live as much of their lives outdoors as possible, all terrible weather aside. Ultimately, these international healthy living philosophies have done double duty over the past few months, helping both of us heal our way through the trauma of the pandemic and satisfy our massive case of resulting wanderlust at the same time. After all, if you can’t go out into the world, you can always bring the world home to you.

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As travelers, it’s understandable to want to explore as much of the world as we possibly can. We are a particular breed of human that feels most at home when we are not at home, most comfortable when we are surrounded by the unfamiliar. But if 2020 has taught me one thing, it’s that so much of the travel magic actually happens after the travel, once we’ve given ourselves the time and the space to process what we learned while we were away. To be clear, I know that recreating a Japanese onsen in your bathroom is not exactly the same as experiencing the real thing. I miss real travel just as much as everyone else, not least because I miss the me that real travel brings out. But looking ahead into 2021, I want to be sure to keep this “travel at home” vibe with me, too. As countries open up again and stay-at-home orders are lifted and people get vaccines and the sun begins to come out from behind the clouds, it’s going to feel tempting to pack a bunch of trips in to compensate for those that never were (RIP my Mexico trip).

That’s why I’m making a promise to myself now: I’m going to take it slower. I’m going to remember how nice it was to have the time to let the lessons I learned abroad marinate in my mind at home. I’m going to remember that, although it’s thrilling to jet from one place to the next, there’s beauty in the in-between, too – beauty that may be just as special as the trip itself.

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How not traveling in 2020 has helped me to heal 

If you’re concerned about how to stay in shape now you can’t get to the gym don’t worry: it’s never been easier to keep fit from the comfort of your own home – and you don’t need fancy equipment. Here’s our round up of the best apps to keep your body and mind well trained and firing on all cylinders.

1. Body weight workouts

Freeletics

If you’re lacking the imagination for how to make the most of that small space between the sofa and the telly, Freeletics has your back. It’s a fitness training programme that puts together 10- to 30-minute workouts using only your body weight: jumping jacks, burpees, diamond push ups, pistol squats and all the other moves that make you sick just to think of them. There are over 900 training moves all with explanatory videos. Should you want to make things a little more personalised then you can upgrade at a cost to get a bespoke coaching and/or nutritional guidance with meal plans too. But we reckon the free version is just fine if you’re training for maintenance rather than a specific goal.

Free on iOs and Android, freeletics.com

Seven

If the current lockdown means that, between trying to work from home in the spare bedroom and stopping your kids going feral, you haven’t the time for lengthier workouts – how about giving it your all for just, yes, seven minutes? You can tailor your options by gender, frequency and goals ("lose weight", "get strong" etc) and then choose from one of 200 different HIIT challenges, all of which involve body weight only. Each move is outlined with word and imagery explanations and each one lasts for 30 seconds. Some may not like the fact that there is no audio during the moves, but others will find this a blessed relief.

£9.99/$9.99 per month on iOS

2. Flexibility

Glo

Ok so you might not have your favourite yoga instructor pretzling themselves into an impossible position in front of you, but you can still keep going on your quest to get the palms of your hands on the floor before the year is out. Glo offers thousands of yoga and Pilates sessions, promising to improve posture, mobility, muscular strength and core stability. Plus, you can save lessons to use offline in case your dodgy connection conks out.

£21.50/$18 per month on iOS, glo.com

3. Cardio

Zwift

Something of a pioneer in the gamification of cycling and running, the Zwift app transforms turbo bike sessions and treadmill runs that you dread into something that’s really rather fun and sociable. You simply log in and pair your Bluetooth-enabled treadmill or static bike to the app (use a tablet rather than a phone if you have one) and power your avatar through any one of a thousand workouts around eight virtual courses (including Innsbruck and New York) while surrounded by thousands of other people around the world doing the same thing simultaneously.

£13/$15 per month on iOS and Android, zwift.com

4. Rehab

Pain Therapy

That persistent pyriformis syndrome isn’t going to rehab itself you know, and this app is the next best thing to having your physio stand over you while you do your homework. It offers an extensive library of exercises, stretching and rolling videos for all parts of the body. You can search by muscle group or type of exercise and, while you need an internet connection the first time you play each video, thereafter it’s stored on your device for later use offline at your convenience.

£2.99 plus in-app purchases on iOS

5. Rest

Sleepscore

If you think sleeping isn’t training, think again. Studies have shown poor sleep can play a part in anything from weight gain to depression. Get a grip on what your quality of sleep is actually like by doing virtually nothing: simply leave your phone on your bedside table and the app uses your phone’s microphone to monitor your breathing rate and body movements, then presents a detailed breakdown of your sleep stages, along with a nightly score. It even comes with personalised tips to help you get to the land of nod quicker – and stay there.

£5.50/$5.99 per month on iOS and Android, sleepscore.com

6. Nutrition

MyFitnessPal

One of the first nutrition-focused apps on the market and still one of the best. This won’t tell you what to eat but it will tell you how you’re eating. Plug in your weight loss target and desired time frame and it’ll give you your daily macro (fats/carbs/protein) and calorie targets to hit. You can then enter what you eat (manually or by barcode scan) for each meal and the chances are the app’s vast database of existing branded foods will have the nutritional information on them to give you the developing picture through out the day. There’s also a section to add any exercise you've done – and the calorie targets will automatically adjust to accommodate.

Free or £9.99/$9.99 a month on iOS for more detailed customisation options, Myfitnesspal.com

7. Meditate

Calm

Happily the benefits of meditation and mindfulness are pretty widely known these days: less stress, more energy, better focus, improved mental health to name but a few. Calm offers a smorgasbord of, well, calming resources to help you get one step closer to Zen master, including: guided meditations, soothing sounds (think waterfalls and crackling fires), gentle music, and bedtime tales narrated by a host of different voices including Matthew McConaughey (really), Stephen Fry and the headteacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

£36/$59.99 per year on iOS and Android, calm.com

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This article was originally published in March 2020, it was updated in December 2020.

7 ways to boost your health and fitness at home

Cold-water swimming has hit the headlines in recent years – it boosts the immune system; builds resilience; helps with depression – but can pools also show travelers a different side to a city? Writer Christopher Beanland thinks so. He’s visited more than 50 outdoor pools across the world for his new book Lido: A dip into outdoor swimming pools: the history, design and people behind them , showing us that public pools can reveal more about a place than we might realise.

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It’s dawn. Perhaps pre-dawn. Still cold, dawn. The sun slowly rises from somewhere, its glow is backlighting the nearby tower blocks, but it itself remains out of sight. The early bird is not yet up, the worm is slumbering too. But here, in this leafy, quiet corner of East London, steam rises from the glassy, undisturbed water of London Fields Lido as the morning’s first swimmers – hardy, swim-capped regulars in goggles – slowly lower themselves into the pool, breaking its tranquil spell, to begin restorative lengths between the red lane ropes.

These are the swimmers you read about in the wellness pages: the ritualistic, first-light bathers. The ones who set their alarm clocks before the trash collectors and live for over 100 years because they complete 20 lengths of the local outdoor pool each morning. Far from the madding Boxing Day dip crowd, they are seasoned splashers who have been transformed by open-air swimming, reinvigorated by the calm of a capital before its coffee shops open.

Christopher Beanland is not one of those swimmers. He’s obsessed, of course, as anyone who’s made the conscious decision to travel to the most intriguing outdoor swimming pools in the world would be, but – to paraphrase him a little more politely than he says on record – he’s not really a morning person. “Some people do it at 6am,” says Christopher, “I normally go there on my lunch break.”

Each day he's in London, Christopher typically ticks off 20 lengths of London Fields Lido – reputedly “Britain’s most hipster,” as anything northeast of the Barbican usually is – and he can be easily spotted by his bright pink swim shorts and Wayfarer sunglasses. But on vacation, Christopher will seek out the nearest outdoor pool too.

It was this habitual holiday swim that gave him the idea for Lido, his wonderful rumination on the architecture, art and philosophy behind swimming and outdoor pools. "There's interesting pools in different cities, both architecturally and historically," says Christopher about the book, “and I thought it would actually be interesting to tell their stories.” It also gave him the perfect excuse to don his goggles.

Gliding effortlessly between The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, a 5000-year-old public pool believed to be the world’s first, to London’s Swim Dem Crew who are trying to encourage more swimmers of color into the water, the book is filled with absorbing anecdotes and architectural insight. Its wistful photography will give you the urge to divebomb right in.

“Lidos are architecture you can use: you're actually getting in there and you're a part of it,” says Christopher, who believes local pools add to the experiential side of travel. “It's a more visceral way to experience a place – it makes your travel experience much more intense.”

He cites his trip to the pool at Zollverein Coal Mine in Essen, Germany as an example. When this former colliery and cokery was decommissioned, it was transformed into a huge complex that celebrated its history rather than being demolished completely. It now houses a museum, an art center, several restaurants and a pool. And a damn cool pool at that.

The makeover, Christopher writes in Lido, is an “interesting lesson in industry and memory,” and from an aesthetics standpoint, it's a wonderfully playful example of industrial regeneration. The 12m-long pool, created by Frankfurt artists Dirk Paschke and Daniel Milohnic, sits where coal was baked into coke; the blast furnaces, colorful pipes, the exposed red staircases all remain in their original places. By using the lido, swimmers are, in essence, interacting directly with history.

“The way we travel now – and I think it is fuelled by Instagram – people want to see photos of someone in this iconic place and they want to go there and get a photo of them enjoying this thing too,” says Christoper. This isn’t, he insists, a Bad Thing. “Whenever I look at people traveling on Insta, they want to climb up the mountain and they want to swim in the lake,” he says. “Whereas in the past – and I've been guilty of this – we’d maybe just go and look at those things.”

Take the iconic photographs of the diving at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, perhaps the Games’ most defining imagery: shots of divers leaping from the springboard, twisting and contorting in the air, with La Sagrada Família rising above the rooftops in the background. That pool, Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc, is open to the public from July to September, so travelers can, if they’re brave enough, dive in themselves.

Lidos also give travelers a unique take on a city, one from a local perspective. “I think it's increasingly something that you're going to find in travel guides,” Christopher says. “Places like the Oasis Sports Centre in Holborn are probably not in any London travel guides, even though it's like a really interesting place: an open-air pool right in the middle of London.”

Built atop a natural spring, the Oasis was a Turkish bath in the early 1700s, one that supposedly counted Queen Anne among its patrons. Now it’s an intriguing pool dwarfed by flats and high-rise office blocks and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it entrance. But thanks to a resurgence in popularity, lidos like this may well find themselves into guidebooks.

“A swimming pool renaissance is underway,” says Christopher, who visited a number of pools that have had new life breathed into them. This included Saltdean Lido in Brighton, “England best looking”, and the remarkable Piscine Molitor, Paris ’ art deco stunner where the bikini was first debuted in 1946.

But others, like the North Sydney Olympic Pool in Australia, which sits beneath the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the famous wave-smashed Bondi Icebergs Pool on Bondi Beach, have remained perennially popular.

Front crawl across the Atlantic and the tide is changing there too. The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in California is a wonderfully gauche homage to the ancient civilizations of Europe. Built for the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in 1924, it features a Vermont marble pool surrounded by Greek and Roman temples with colonnades and Cassou statues as well as a sculpture of Neptune. “Gaudy, isn’t it?” says Christopher.

Having been repaired and refilled in 2018, the pool opened to the public for the first time in July 2019. It costs US$1250 to enter – yes, you read that correctly – but what makes this pool so interesting is that it was designed by Julia Morgan, California's first female architect.

When Morgan traveled to France to study at École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1896, she was initially refused admission because the school had never before admitted a woman. It took another two years before Morgan was permitted entry, and Neptune Pool now forms part of her little-known legacy.

“There’s so many great stories,” says Christopher, “but one of my favorites is from Australia where I discovered a blue plaque at the Bronte Rock Pool dedicated to Evelyn Whillier.” After competing as a swimmer at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and then winning gold, silver and bronze medals at the 1938 Empire Games, Whillier dedicated the next 46 years of her life to teaching children to swim at this free pool, which is cut dramatically into the cliff.

And it’s stories like that, which remind us as to why so many lidos exist. "Britain's lidos were mostly built in 1920 and 1930s. In that period, people thought it was really important to learn to swim and also have these community places where people could go and exercise and get fresh air,” explains Christopher. “So it's part of a whole movement like social housing, the NHS, and all these ideas of improving people’s lives."

London Fields Lido was built in 1932 as part of an egalitarian drive to improve public health, but the pool was closed in 1988 when its funding was cut by the government. After some fierce campaigning, it reopened in 2006 and now more than 250,000 people swim at the pool annually – Christopher included.

“The lidos that have simply provided their community service are getting their dues,” he says. “[They offer] redemption for the price of a coffee.”

Lido: A dip into outdoor swimming pools: the history, design and people behind them by Christopher Beanland is published by Batsford.

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The world’s best outdoor pools - chosen by the man who swam them all

With countries already starting to immunise their citizens against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19, will airlines and governments require vaccination to fly or even to get on the plane? Aviation journalist John Walton explains what we now know.

If you’re feeling the light at the end of the COVID tunnel with great news from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and other vaccine manufacturers, you’re not alone. Over the next few months, it’s likely that many of us will be vaccinated against this terrible disease, and if you — like me — are longing to see friends and loved ones, or to experience our shared world once more, it’s a massive comfort.

But as you prepare to get vaccinated — and, barring any medical reason you should probably discuss with your doctor, you should — it’s important to realise that some airlines and governments are likely to require proof. And, especially if you’re early on the priority list before systems are put in place, that may mean you need to take the initiative and be prepared for some thoroughly unglamorous paperwork.

Qantas — which has cut international flights well into 2021 — has been out at the forefront of saying that it’s very likely to require passengers to have had completed vaccination before flying. Chief executive officer Alan Joyce has suggested that his plan is to change the airline’s terms and conditions to require vaccination, saying that “we think it is a necessity” for international travellers arriving into Australia and for anyone looking to leave the country as well.

Whether an airline can require you to have a COVID vaccine before flying with them will depend on the country your airline is based in, as well as where you are, but as a rule, yes, airlines are generally private companies and can require that from their customers. Think of it as a “no shirt, no shoes, no service” kind of rule, except for public health. That said, there will be passengers who are unable to have vaccines, and those reasons will be along a scale from “medically unable for valid and certified reasons” through to the sort of personal and religious objection that is more of a question of politics than of public health.

The news of COVID-19 vaccine success is causing a spike in travel searches

Managing these exemptions will be critical and complex for airlines. We know that in many cases unscrupulous passengers have been only too happy to abuse regulations like, for example, the US rules on service animals for disabled passengers in order to avoid pet fees, often using fake online certification companies to do so. It’s not hard to draw a line from that to falsified vaccine paperwork, crackpot religious leaders certifying that their particular sect has religious tenets against vaccines and that you’re a member, and so on.

Regardless, it may well be that some governments will require passengers to be vaccinated as a condition to entry, or to avoid their two-week quarantine hotel systems. You can probably expect that to be the case where authorities have done a good job in limiting or even eradicating local transmission of COVID-19, including Australia, China, Hong Kong, Iceland, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, but also elsewhere. My guess would be that you’ll have to scan or photograph and then send them the proof of your vaccination — so make sure you get and keep proof — or indeed vaccinations.

So, here’s where it gets tricky. All of this is happening very fast, with vaccinations already being rolled out before we know what airlines and governments are going to require in terms of proof. It’s entirely unprecedented too, and things are likely to change quickly, so the first thing to make sure you have on hand is a lot of patience. First off, make sure you save, scan and photocopy every piece of paperwork, whether that’s a doctor’s appointment note, printout, the little medical leaflet, any “what to look out for” side-effects pamphlet you’re handed, or whatever else.

What does the COVID-19 vaccine news mean for your 2021 travel?

If you’re handed a vaccine certificate, this is excellent. It should state your name, the date of your vaccination (or vaccinations — if you get a two-jab vaccine, make sure you particularly keep track of the second piece of paperwork), the medical professional who administered it, the vaccine administered, the lot number of the vaccine, and the location of the administration centre. (At least, that’s what I got the last time I had my flu vaccine. Have you had yours this year?)

To be honest, if you live somewhere where English isn’t the language of paperwork from your healthcare system, it might be worth creating an English translation printout for your doctor or other medical professional to stamp and sign. Something like, with your local language on top, a large space for the doctor to stamp and sign in the middle, and then in English:

I, [blank for doctor’s name], registration number [blank for registration number] confirm that I administered the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus vaccine type [leave blank for the name of the vaccine] to protect against COVID-19 to [your name] on [leave an especially large blank for two potential dates] at the immunisation centre in [leave blank for town name]. It is my considered medical opinion that [your name] is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 according to the [name of your country] system.

Depending on how your vaccine is packaged, you may well be able to take the box home with you. I’d certainly do that if possible, because that will also give you some proof of which of the vaccines you were administered. It may feel like a bit (or even a lot) of paperwork hassle — but, truly, wouldn’t we all do whatever paperwork is necessary to be able to travel again?

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Questions? Concerns? Thoughts? Aviation journalist John Walton writes regularly on travel for Lonely Planet and a variety of aviation magazines. He welcomes questions and discussions from readers on Twitter or Instagram, where he’s @thatjohn!

Will I have to get a COVID vaccine before I travel in 2021?

If the holidays – or a global pandemic – have derailed your healthy habits or have left you in extra need of a serious unwind, check out these dreamy detox destinations and wellness retreats to restart travel, and the rest of your life, with your best foot forward.

Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel. Check the latest guidance before departure, and always follow local health advice.

1. Mountain Trek, Canada

Ideal for: boot-camp lovers

For most people relaxation means a few more hours in bed, but at this no-nonsense mountainside retreat in the Canadian Rockies it’s more about invigorating exercise than it is about catching more z's. So expect dawn starts and crisp mountain air as the team attempt to deliver you to optimal health.

A staff-to-guest ratio of 40 to 16 ensures the focus is on you, so it might not suit those who like to hide at the back of the class. “Mountain Trek is hard but it works,” says Alexander Timmons, owner of the resort. “It’s not a week-long vacation; it’s an experience that changes the rest of your life.”

But before you go brushing up your granola-eating skills, take solace in their success: having recently been voted the top health retreat in the US and Canada by Travel and Leisure, and with a string of other accolades under it’s belt, Mountain Trek boasts the highest guest success rates of any health retreat.

So lace up your boots for a busy week that includes sunrise yoga overlooking a lake, hours of guided alpine hikes through the snowy peaks of British Columbia, spa treatments and a dietary regime that’s low-calorie but nutrient dense. Tough love never felt so good.

2. Euphoria, Greece

Ideal for: mental wellbeing, weight loss

This retreat in the Greek Peloponnese fulfils the promise of its moniker, as you’ll discover a mere day or two in when your blood pressure goes down, your posture straightens and you’re practically levitating from your bed with positive endorphins.

The very reason Euphoria exists is a tale of recovery. Forced to rethink her life after a cancer diagnosis, founder and the first female chairman of a Greek bank, Marina Efraimoglou, retrained in Chinese medicine and opened her ‘dream retreat’ last July. Everything here, from the architecture to the treatments, is based on the five elements of ancient Greek philosophy: water, air, fire, metal and wood, (try the Five Elements Balancing massage) as the foundation for healing and spiritual development.

Wellness practitioners use a pinprick blood test – a sort of physiological scanning – to devise an appropriate meal and exercise plan for you. But, as Marina says, the aim, ultimately, is to become your own healer. So, even if you don’t buy into the spirituality (or the blood test), you’re certain to find the ‘cure’ in the spectacular four-storey spa carved 25 metres into a private pine forest, rooftop yoga studios, outdoor pool, generous rooms and blue blue Greek skies.

3. SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain

Ideal for: all-round MOT

It’s a favourite of Vladimir Putin, but don’t let that, or the high-end hospital feel, put you off: SHA Wellness Clinic is one of the world’s most stylish (and serious) spas. Everything has been designed to bring your stress levels to zero, from the room-temperature setting to the sheets on the beds. But what sets it apart is its crack team of experts and a 360-degree approach to wellness, blending traditional Chinese medicine and genetic testing, with a macrobiotic diet at its core.

When you arrive, staff will listen to your woes and design an individual wellness programme specifically for you. “Our guests come here to make lifestyle changes,” says wellness director Pedro Catarino. “The defining difference is the number and variety of treatments we offer. The scope of clinical and holistic experience makes SHA very special.”

Healthy eating is the cornerstone of the SHA recovery method but forget limp lettuce leaves; former head chef Pablo Montoro spent time at Michelin-starred El Bulli and, although the mantel has now been passed to Javier Salas, it still shows in the thoughtful, flavoursome food — even if it is on the light side.

Since doctors orders also include communing with nature, guests are encouraged to get outdoors and enjoy the incredible setting, perched on the hillside overlooking the sea in Southern Spain, but it’s really the expert medical advice and physical treatments that make SHA a life-changing experience.

4. Little French Retreat, France

Ideal for: some quiet self-reflection

The pace is unhurried and the peace palpable at this charming country house in rural Gascony with year-round retreats that focus on cleansing, physical movement and relaxation.

Little French Retreat founder Tamsin Chubb ditched a high-flying corporate career for her late mother’s rural home in France in an attempt to overcome her grief and refocus her life. She draws on her experience as a yoga instructor, Ayurvedic cook and interior designer to create a space that accommodates guests’ all-round health. The result is a welcome antithesis to five-star sprawling wellness resorts, with Chubb offering just six guests “the space to see and think clearly, to re-examine current habits and reset their course” through thoughtful balanced programmes: it’s intimate and personal with “no ego, standards or expectations”.

Food is one of the trump cards with recipes riffing on Ayurvedic principles with a French twist, all made with organic local ingredients. The programmes, which range from beginner’s yoga to seasonal Ayurvedic cleansing, mountain hiking, sunset meditation and workshops, are designed to reset your inner switch. “It’s a very open, non-judgmental atmosphere,” says Chubb. “You don’t need a new yoga outfit, or even an expensive mat, just an open mind and a willingness to learn. All the health benefits will follow.”

Note: Little French Retreat is closed until further notice due to the pandemic, but has shifted to virtual offerings until it's safe to accept guests again.

5. Hotel Post Bezau by Susanne Kaufmann, Austria

Ideal for: anti-ageing

Don’t be fooled by the Heidi-style chalet exterior: it may be chocolate-box charming, nestled at the foothills of Austria 's Alps with added cow-bell-tinkling sound effects, but this is no twee mountain cabin. Hotel Post Bezau is owned and run by skincare expert Susanne Kaufmann – who has developed the alpine retreat once owned by her great grandfather into a modern destination spa – and the focus is less gruelling detox, more rejuvenation retreat in slick, Scandinavian-inspired digs.

Since she launched her first product line in 2003 – and earned herself a cult following – Kauffman’s premise has always been about natural ingredients, holistic principles and highly-developed techniques to promote graceful ageing. Detoxes here are well thought out and swing from the activity-focused family and tennis packages to the more po-faced three- and six-day body detoxes run with some of Europe’s best doctors and experts.

The hotel, too, is based on what makes Susanne feel good, from the espresso down to the bed sheets and, while sugar is banned if you’re detoxing, the food is hearty and healthy, to be enjoyed after your forest hike, yoga class, sauna or plunge in the outdoor pool, all of which afford magnificent views of snow-dusted mountains.

For a full refresh try the TCM Detox which straddles the gamut of treatments, from liver wraps and lymphatic drainage to alkaline facials and personalised meals and exercise.

6. Samahita, Thailand

Ideal for: yoga and sun lovers

Samahita is refreshingly stuck in the '90s, not so much in aesthetics but with its charming, low-key pace. It's located in Thailand on Koh Samui ’s sleepy southern tip, and owner and internationally renowned yogi and stress management specialist Paul Dallaghan is less in pursuit of profit, more in pursuit of peace. He believes everything you do should be “based in joy and carried out with fun”, whether that’s a YogaCoreCycle session – a combination of yoga and fitness classes – or one of their detox retreats.

There are no off-the-shelf wellness packages here. Instead, guests are encouraged to choose their own experience based on their wellness goals. Daily yoga classes and simple menus that include juices and salads are a given and, while the detoxes themselves are challenging, the atmosphere is relaxed, with open-air yoga and dining – sans alcohol – but there’s coffee and wi-fi. Either way, you’re likely to return tanned, toned, lighter and enlightened.

Note: Samahita is closed until early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

7. The Raw Retreat, Cornwall, UK

Ideal for: stress, weight loss

According to Beverley Bird, founder of the Raw Retreat in Cornwall, we can all benefit from a regular detox. “Lack of energy is one of the main ills of modern society and many people don’t realise how much energy it takes to digest food; humans are not designed to have food constantly available. Raw food places less strain on the body.”

Retreats here are probably the most personal of anywhere, with Beverley and her husband Simon overseeing individual menus and offering a personalised service to each and every guest, while also respecting personal space. As the name suggests, programmes focus on delicious and expertly prepared raw food: think nori rolls, courgette spaghetti and chocolate roulades (that’s right, chocolate. It’s sugar, dairy and gluten-free but it’s delicious) washed down with a vegetable juice.

Accommodation is a cosy renovated barn with a wood-burning stove and views of the rolling hills. One-to-one yoga sessions, therapeutic massages, colonic irrigation, hypnotherapy, food workshops, seaweed baths and long walks in the Cornish countryside complete the detoxing process. It’s a nurturing, cosseting way to cleanse, in the arms of skilful and knowledgeable owners who will send you home feeling lighter and lovelier.

8. Reclaim Yourself, Iceland

Ideal for: nature and adventure lovers

You might spot a whale or the aurora borealis while riding your Icelandic horse through the wilderness. But if that sounds too much like a scene from Game of Thrones, perhaps the idea of soaking in the geothermal hot springs after an invigorating yoga class will do the trick. “I’ve run retreats in countries all over the world but this is, hands down, my favourite,” says Jools Sampson, who, together with Adam Hustler, leads Reclaim Yourself, a yoga-travel retreat in the Icelandic wilderness. “It’s a chance to get back to nature and back to ourselves; I love that it’s so remote,” Sampson says.

You couldn’t get more remote than a luxury heli-skiing cabin in Northern Iceland. Daily Vinyasa flow yoga takes place in the private yoga barn and if you want to add some oomph to your om you can opt for the more adventurous pursuits of three-or-six-hour hikes, horse riding, or whale watching on the nearby fjord. Then spend the evening watching the Northern Lights over snowy mountain peaks from the luxury of the sauna and outdoor hot tub (naturally).

An expert team of yoga teacher, chef and therapist work alongside each guest. The plant-based menu is surprisingly hearty, like “Christmas on a table” and, while they don’t serve alcohol, Sampson encourages a little tipple while soaking in the local geothermal pools. “It’s not a bootcamp, the guests can choose to have a hot chocolate or a glass of wine, or go online to read the news. But, the location and retreat work to remove you from the stresses of everyday life so it’s much more likely you’ll want to be far removed from it all.”

Note: Check ahead of time to see if travel restrictions have impacted the retreat you're hoping to attend.

9. Aro Ha, New Zealand

Ideal for: outdoorsy types

The setting alone, with its pure alpine air and glassy lake views, is enough to make anyone feel better. But New Zealand ’s eco retreat Aro Ha – the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere – happens to have a bona fide track record in achieving radical results, despite being a newish kid on the block.

The five-to seven-day detoxes are aimed at rejuvenation through a fairly gruelling, if not rewarding, schedule. You will be pampered but not necessarily in the way that you know (no mani-pedis here). Instead you are encouraged to connect with nature, mindfulness and physical activity. “Most who come to Aro Ha are looking for an adventure that addresses the neglected parts,” says co-owner Damien Chaparro.

A typical day might start with sunrise Vinyasa flow yoga, followed by a green smoothie and a hike through alpine trails. The plant-based lunch, while on the light side, is reportedly delicious. High-octane exercise classes are reserved for the afternoon, along with deep-tissue massages and decompressing in the sauna or plunge pool, followed by restorative yoga, mindfulness practice and dinner. On the forbidden list is cigarettes, alcohol, sweets of any kind (no surprises there) and complaining is ignored, so don’t bother.

If losing weight is a goal, you'll no doubt shed some pounds, but and you’ll also gain some friends as bonding is a highlight, and a nourished soul.

10. Haramara Retreat, Mexico

Ideal for: laid-back beach yogis

For a Robinson Crusoe-style experience with added luxe factor, head for Haramara Retreat in Mexico. Located in the coastal jungle of Riviera Nayarit, it's near the surfing town of Sayulita, where the vibe is barefoot and beachy and, according to owner Sajeela de la Borbolla, seems to be a place “suspended in a state of meditation”.

Go as deep as you like with one of the more structured programmes, opt for a more nurturing retreat or, better yet, build your own itinerary. The appeal here is the loose, laid-back approach with yoga at its core. “People can disconnect, come together or be by themselves; the environment as a whole helps them explore themselves,” notes de la Borbolla. The melodic chirping of birds and the sound of the ocean are all that you hear from your luxury open-air cabanas, which are scattered throughout the hillside property and lit only by oil lamps to help you fully disconnect.

When you’re not settling into downward dog, head for the poolside bar for a homemade Kombucha or, if your programme allows, a colourful cocktail. The menu is light, zingy and packs a punch with local ingredients, and can be tailored to suit guests’ needs. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, learn how to make the perfect Margarita at a cooking class or try the Temazcal – a drug-free trip of the senses that symbolises the cycle of death and rebirth, which takes place in the retreat’s Sweatlodge. We can already hear you exhaling.

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