A Conscious Travel Guide
Moving to Portland radicalized me - I now compost and walk three blocks away to the local compost bin. Our recycling level as surpased ‘Pro’. We’ve got bikes and e-bikes and multiple pairs of the best walking shoes there are. Items we don’t wear are recycled as well or donated. We’ve paired down our belongings to an annoying amount of ‘less is more’ - so much so we often don’t have what we need. Our favorite stalls at the Vancouver farmers market counted on us to show up each week. It’s pretty silly how aggressive we’ve gone with ‘slow’ living and ‘conscious’ living traditions.
And this is exactly why I had a minor panic attack on a vacation in 2023 where I could watch myself having an out of body experience: there’s grubby little leeah eating allllll the plastic bagged items and throwing her recylcing right in the trash and buying water bottle after water bottle. AND THEN I slapped back into my body and took a nap.
Vacation brain is real and the convience of one time use items for those said vacations is appaling. And it’s 100% something we’ve done to ourselves. It’s easy to turn into a consumption GoBLiN and answer the siren call of capitalism thinking “Whatever, it’s vacation”!
And normally I’m pro-YOLO, but you absolutely cannot be a dick. You must mind your manners, that is a non negotiable for me and especially for the group trips I host through Newberry Travel.
Conscious travel sounds intimidating, but it’s really just being intentional about how you show up in the places you visit. Here are a few lessons I learned the hard way:
Remember that someone lives there. In Venice, locals dodge selfie-takers on the way to work and pick gelato wrappers out of their flower boxes. If someone’s rushing, just step aside - you don’t need to yell something dumb at them as they pass. If you’re sick of holding your trash, pocket it until you find an actual trash can (and it might be back at your hotel). And if that charming flower shop is too pretty not to post, ask first.
Your viral spot is someone’s morning routine. One post can flood a neighborhood café overnight. Imagine that was your coffee shop or dog park. If you visit, buy something, say hello and thank you, tip by local custom (not your home country’s) and learn a few words of the language. A little effort earns a smile and a shared moment.
Collective care is the baseline. In Japan, considering how your actions affect others is just how life works. Use inside voices when the restaurant isn’t playing music, respect places of worship and if you knock something over, say something or fix it. Pretty please.
Wild animals are not your friends. If you can touch, feed, or bathe an animal on your next vacation experience: that’s a red flag. Elephants are “broken” with whips, chains and starvation to make rides and photo ops possible. Green flag experiences only involve observing (including Newberry Travel trips!).
Travel is hard, and that’s okay. You’re tired, homesick and craving a burger. I get it. But being tired is no excuse to take it out on locals. Take a nap, eat some carbs and be patient. Don’t gawk at people in religious attire and don’t swoop in to “save” anyone. A vacation likely isn’t the time or place.
Travel can be respectful again
Modern convenience has helped us lose the plot. International travel isn’t meant to be only comfortable. It’s meant to challenge you so you can learn and grow. My goal is for travel to leave you in awe again, not needing another vacation to recover from your vacation. Communities should flourish from your visit, not clean up your mess.
Ready to do it together?
Get your free copy of “Don’t Be a Dick”, my guide to being the best traveler you can be: [freebie link]
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Don’t be a shitty tourist. Let’s do this.
