Reflections of a Curious and Mindful Traveler

"Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?" ~Alice in Wonderland A message from me! May 2019 Thank you for reading my blog! If you didn't, I encourage you to watch the video above. Youtube videos are new to me, so you got an unedited video...I think it was about the 15th take... I look forward to continuing this blog. I have a few ideas for future posts: What even is Ecotourism? What are Ecolabels?      A explanation      A guide A closer look at the attitude-behavior gap of travelers My struggles with sustainable travel Travel Resources I have found helpful  How to create an eco-friendly travel kit Question for you I would love to know what YOU would like to read about. What did you appreciate about this blog? What would you change?  Bonus Quote "We travel because distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something inside o...

Approximate Read Time: 4 minutes "Get into the habit of asking yourself: Does this support the life I'm trying to create" ~Unknown Colorado, September 2016 Mindful Travel. Sounds nice....relaxing.....peaceful. You're probably picturing me meditating on a beach or hiking alone in a forest. That might be mindful travel for some people, but to me it is a set of unwritten guidelines I follow to help me get the most out of my travel experience while leaving as small of an impact as I can.  1. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Respect is my starting point. I respect that I am a visitor to the places I travel. I respect that I will be experiencing a different culture, lifestyle, and challenges than I am used to. I do not go to these places thinking I will change things or that I know a better way of doing something; I go with an open mind and an open heart. Sometimes I need to do some research on traditional customs and expectations. This is also to help me be aware and safe wh...

Approximate Read Time: 6 minutes "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it.  The time will pass anyway. " ~Earl Nightingale Costa Rica. June 2018. Welcome back! I know the last post had some hard to swallow truths. So I wanted to write a 'Part II'. In this post I will look at some Positive effects of sustainable tourism. Examples of changes that have been made and what the road to success looks like. This will focus on the larger picture of big organizational changes. The next post I will look at the smaller ways YOU can make a difference. What are we waiting for, let's dive right in..... Sarasota, Florida. August 2012. I believe sustainable and mindful travel can make a difference, as do many organizations. In fact, it is the hot topic in the tourism industry. But really, what is sustainable travel? Urban Herne. (2014). Principles of Sustainable Tourism With sustainable tourism in mind...

Approximate Read Time: 6 minutes "Kel, when is the last time you went on a trip." "It's been a while......why?" "You're grumpy. You always get grumpy when you don't travel." Let the research begin, April 2019 I love to travel. It is one of my favorite things about life. I grow as a person every single time I go on an adventure. I always learn something new. I try not to take my expectations with me, because it will almost always go differently than planned, and usually for the better. Which is why I have to face some hard facts. There are a lot of people out there working hard to make travel sustainable and to try and raise awareness about the negative environmental impacts....but it is complex and difficult. Most travelers (sometimes me included) don't want to hear these facts. We would rather be blissfully ignorant as we step onto that plane to go somewhere new, somewhere different, somewhere exciting.  The trut...