Traveling as a Hobby

St. Augustine had said "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
How wonderful it would be if I could visit every country in the world!
If anyone asked me what my favorite hobbies are, my answer would be  reading and traveling. Both take me to places unfamiliar yet so wonderful , broaden my horizons and let me explore the world.

A Cobblestone street in Vieux Lyon

Whenever I visit a new town or a country  I like to visit  museums and historical sites, and try local delicacies. I prefer taking public transportation, and I especially enjoy traveling to places where I don't know the language.


I don't spend a fortune when traveling.  A carefully planned trip shouldn't cost a lot, though overseas trips are more expensive. For me the airfare is the most expensive, so I plan and save once I decide where I travel next. I have rented apartments from university students and professors when they were on vacation. This is ideal because an apartment comes with a kitchen. I would go to the local market for vegetables and fruits and cook something quick at the apartment. Or I would go to a restaurant frequented by locals.

Bouillabaisse in Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Most European countries have very good public transportation systems. There are even bicycles you can rent, unfortunately I don't know how to ride a bicycle. 😴 My favorite method of transportation is metro and train. I keep a map of the city and a compass in my handbag because I can get easily disoriented, especially in underground metro stations.


Most countries have excellent public transportation.

Some cities are small enough to explore by foot.



I try my best to avoid places crowded by tourists. Sometimes I travel off season. Airfare can be cheaper in off season, and cities are a lot calmer. I love Paris in winter.

Tuileries Garden in winter

I set a budget for each trip. One item in my budget is souvenirs. I have a habit of buying small fridge magnets from the place I visit. I started this because I didn't have a lot of money as a student. I still do this, and sometimes buy a cookbook with regional recipes or small local crafts. I travel light, so I don't buy big items.

I find books wherever I go. These are used bookstalls along the banks on the river Saône in Lyon

I love open markets where I can find local fresh produce and unique handmade items. This is a market near Göta Canal, Sweden.

I travel to nearby places as well. One downside is there is no reliable public transportation system where I live. So I have to drive, which I don't enjoy much. But I do take day trips to local parks and like visiting nearby National Historic Landmarks. According to National Park Service there are just over 2500 National Historic Landmarks.



Traveling does have a negative impact on the environment. Air travel is one of the biggest  carbon dioxide emitters. I try to be environmentally conscious - by reducing energy consumption at home, by reusing and recycling, and buying locally grown produce whenever possible. The one thing I cannot do is to avoid overseas trips. I visit my mom every year and it's a long international trip. Even if I eliminate all other trips,  traveling thousands of miles once a year  can leave a large carbon foot print.

So the only thing I can do is try to reduce my carbon footprint  by other means. According to the carbon footprint calculator by The Nature Conservancy, my total CO2 footprint is 12 tons/year which is 56% better than the average. But there's a lot more I can do.

 

Do you think about how your travel habits affect the environment? Have you changed the way you travel because of its impact?