Under more normal circumstances, summer is the time of year when many of us get bitten by the travel bug. In an alternate reality, I spent the first week of May on a road trip to Utah to attend my sisters college graduation; on the way there, a friend and I would have scheduled a stopover to explore Arches National Park.

In that same, unformed reality, Id be juggling the librarys jam-packed Summer Reading event calendar in order to find a few days that I could get away for a long weekend in Chicago; once there, Id happily wait 30 minutes for a table at an always-

bustling breakfast spot in Andersonville. After that, Id find my happy place at the Printers Row Lit Fest and then, perhaps, spend the evening sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a room full of strangers at an improv comedy show.

Alas, none of those travel plans were meant to be this year and, like many of you, the hiatus is just another example of the gray area in which we currently exist.

But, look, my intent isnt to win the Debbie Downer crown. Ive decided that its perfectly OK to pine for what might have been while also and this part is important finding ways to adapt to the world as it is now.

So, please settle in for my latest round of suggestions about travel destinations virtual tours, and international experiences you can enjoy without leaving home.

Did you know that the British Virgin Islands are made up of four main islands and more than FIFTY smaller islands and cays? Yeah, neither did I. While beach-y locales arent really my vacation go-to, even I can appreciate the palm trees and gem-bright ocean views all of which are viewable, in real-time, via a collection of webcams scattered around the Islands (go to http://www.bvimariner.com/webcams). But if you prefer a bit more action, you can also take a catamaran and sightseeing trip courtesy of The Adventure Travelers. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCokzveH8HM)

One of my best friends is obsessed with Greenland and, thanks to this gorgeous, birds-eye view video of Greenlands otherworldly landscape and scenery, I totally understand her fascination now. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7hbWvHKns0)

Yellowstone National Park

If youve been reading this column long enough, you might recall that Im not exactly outdoorsy. I admit it: I have a terrible sense of direction and a healthy fear of things that go bump in the night (or in the bushes, during daylight), so, a well-marked nature walk is my idea of roughing it. The good news is that these video walks and virtual tours of Yellowstone National Park are right up my alley: all the stunning, scenic beauty of visiting sites like Dragons Mouth Spring or the Mud Volcano; plus, the availability of a plethora of photographs, sounds and videos mean I can still explore the park without the need for sunblock or bug spray. (www.nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/ virtualtours.htm)

If youre anything like me, vacationing isnt just about sightseeing; I also love to learn about a destinations history, art and culture firsthand; and theres perhaps no better place to find all three than in Austria. This walking tour takes you on a lovely, meandering journey with stops at the Love Lock Bridge, Mozarts birthplace, Mirabell Palace and Salzburg Cathedral. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhVMMfe6tuo)

I dont know about you, but when I think of Tokyo, in addition to the amazing food, stunning architecture and history, I definitely think of a techie dreamland.

Given, Im only passingly conversational when it comes to the language of gadgets and technology, but the teamLab Borderless exhibit at the MORI Building Digital Art Museum just might win me over. The exhibit is described as a group of artworks (that) move out of rooms, communicate with other works, influence and sometimes intermingle with each other with no boundaries.

Suffice it to say, I cant even begin to describe the jaw-dropping, music- infused, multicolored, immersive nature of this digital artwork luckily, you can see it for yourself via this series of videos from the museum. (https://border less.teamlab.art/#highlight)

Krystal Corbray is programming and marketing librarian for Yakima Valley Libraries. She and other library staffers write this weekly column for SCENE. Learn more at http://www.yvl.org.

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At the Library: Can't travel? There are other ways to see the world - Yakima Herald-Republic