How Sustainable Were The 2021 Trips I Took
Another year of no plane flights and that feels good!
This year was very repetitive, throughout the year I went to four cabins and then I went to the Netherlands. I booked the small-scale accommodations directly and went there by train. I also liked that the cabins were near places I wouldn’t have visited which gave me a chance to visit lesser known places in the UK.
How Green Were The 2021 Trips I Took
Stay At Unplugged’s Koya Cabin
In April I booked my first Unplugged stay at the Koya Cabin. I walked around a lot and stayed offline – as per Unplugged’s rules I locked away my phone and used a real map. I really enjoy the Unplugged houses as the ones I’ve been on had guaranteed walking routes and that’s my favourite thing to do when away.
Off the Grid At Copper Hut
In July I stayed at Copper Hut near Whitstable. In addition to just doing nothing, I really enjoyed an afternoon of ‘uitwaaien’ (the Dutch art of going for a walk to let the wind blow away your problems) at Whitstable beach and seeing the cutest high street in Faversham. For this trip, I also booked a breakfast box with products from local food places. Also a shout out to the sustainable way the Copper Hut was built: from being made in a local workspace to showerhead from reclaimed pipes and an incinerator toilet.
Getaway At Unplugged’s Gruff Tiny House
In August I went to another Unplugged. This time I stayed at the Gruff one. My original trip to the South of France had fallen through, and they were offering a discounted stay as they had a last-minute cancellation so I decided to book it for my annual solo trip. I just walked around and read for 3 days long. During the first evening, I did have a mini panic attack as I realised I was all alone in the middle of nowhere, but that disappeared soon after.
Weekend At Cedar Valley’s Woodland Kabin
End of September I stayed at the last cabin of the year: what I loved most about the Woodland Kabin was the outdoor bathtub, the hilltop views and the bushes full of blackberries in full bloom. I also explored Petersfield: where I visited their botanical garden, the local food market and did a bit of thrift shopping.
A Trip To the Netherlands
Just like the last few times, I travelled to the Netherlands by train, which is the easiest option for me. In NL I did the usual thing of visiting friends and family. I always try to do or visit something new, but this time there wasn’t an opportunity sadly.
Final Thoughts
So all in all the trips were pretty green: the best thing I did this year is not take any flights and book via the big bad booking sites. For 2022 I do have at least 2 return flights planned to destinations I can’t go to in a more sustainable way. I want to do something in my daily life to balance that out, but haven’t figured out what to do yet. As mentioned here I did book a train trip to Barcelona for next year and am very curious how that’s going to pan out.
How green were your trips this year?
