In this day and age, when many of us have to worry about whether or not we can afford gas to get across town, crossing oceans to exotic places is a dream we’ll have to put aside for now. Don’t despair though, as you will now be able to explore more amazing places than ever before on satellite TV. Not only can you see, hear, and experience unreachable destinations, but you can see them in ways that real-life visitors couldn’t imagine.

The wonder of television is its ability to transport you to the times and places of your wildest dreams while leaving you in the comfort of your living room. Traveling isn’t always possible or practical, but that doesn’t mean you can’t scale the foothills of Tibet, traverse the jungles of Costa Rica, or descend the stunning Alps of Switzerland without even putting on your shoes.

High-definition programming is making virtual reality a reality, and that means seeing faraway wonderlands with jaw-dropping clarity and sharpness.

Hook up your HDTV and see every streak and blemish on wildlife in Africa’s Serengeti, every wrinkle on the face of isolated tribal women in the Amazon, and every feather on the Andean condor’s back.

Open your children’s mind

One of the greatest gifts of a child is his innocent and insatiable curiosity. When it comes to the cabinet under the kitchen sink or Dad’s hardware store, curiosity can leave Mom and Dad a little self-conscious, but when it comes to the world beyond Anytown, USA, curiosity is something that it should be embraced, celebrated and encouraged. A great way to get your children interested in the geography and cultures of the world is to let them see and hear it for themselves. Supplement books and websites with engaging programs that allow them to interact with the sights and sounds of faraway places. Shows like “Globe Trekker” do a great job of integrating history, culture and mind-blowing adventure to explore places as diverse as Iceland and Tahiti.

Explore the locations before you go

Tired of browsing travel websites, don’t have a local travel agent you trust, just can’t make up your mind? One of the benefits of all the amazing travel programming available from your satellite provider is that you can explore various travel destinations before making up your mind about where you’d really like to go, as well as get great ideas for what to do once you arrive. .

teach yourself

Learning doesn’t have to be just for kids. We’re never too old to learn, and travel scheduling is a great way to gain global knowledge in an easily absorbable format. Never again will you find yourself out of that cocktail party conversation or wishing for that answer in the trivia game.

Feel the taste for adventure without risking your life

Shows like “Survivorman” and “Man vs. Wild” put a new spin on travel, putting their protagonists in life-and-death situations in some of the world’s most pristine and unforgiving places. The Travel Channel series “Extreme” gets the blood pumping with a look at extreme sports and other hair-raising activities around the world. While you probably won’t get any family travel ideas from these shows, they are reliably entertaining and provide visuals you can’t find anywhere else.