It appears that there are no limits to what Amazon can do for you. Aside from a constant flow of smiley boxes arriving from various parcel carriers, the company is now selling you virtual travel from the comfort of your own home.
There is nothing like traveling around the world, not that I would know. The thought is pretty intriguing and there are places I know I will never get to see outside of a movie if I’m lucky. Now, there is a chance to get off the couch, onto a flight, through customs, and take a stroll in Taiwan, without ever getting dressed.
Amazon.com has all the details but through private virtual travel, you can visit just about anywhere. You can take a cooking class on Latin American cuisine inside the home of a family in South America.
The concept is simple. You pick a time slot and day, and that selection is reserved for just you and whoever else you have at your home. You can see them, you can hear them, they can hear you, but they can’t see you. You can ask questions, you can take virtual pictures, and you can tell them what to focus on or if you are not interested, tell them to skip it.
The tours last about an hour on average and will run you between $25.00 and $40.00 per session.
From Slovenia to Australia to Peru, you can travel the globe in one day while controlling where you go, what you see, and you can do so personally without interruption. You will need a laptop or desktop computer. These events do not work with portable devices, game systems, or other phones.
I’m still hesitant to try one but that is only because I can’t be 100% certain that virtual would come even remotely close to the real thing and in that case would it ruin it for me? On the other hand, I know in reality I will never walk through a shopping district in Japan or explore parts of the Outback in Australia. So in that regard, this could be the perfect solution.