THE GOOD TRAVELLER’S 5-COMMANDMENT DECALOGUE

The Good Traveller Decalogue in 5 Commandments

OUR 5-COMMANDMENT DECALOGUE OF THE GOOD TRAVELLER

Sociologists describe us, humans of the day, as nomads. Essentially and typically nomads. The times when our lives were enclosed within a very limited space are long gone. And this is applicable to our mentalities too. No more irrefutable certainties, but yet with a feeling of relative comfort in this ever changing and liquid world. Millennials take all this wandering about for granted, and not with displeasure.

No wonder that travelling has become a most revealing sign of our times. And so has the environmental issue, probably the biggest challenge we’ve ever confronted. Travelling has a huge impact (not necessarily harmful) on our surroundings. If we are to leave a print, and you bet we will, let it be a good one.

So, what should we keep in mind when travelling? Here’s our humble Decalogue for good travellers. To cut it short, we’ve made it a five-commandment Decalogue, with an extra one:

  1. Consider the local culture and habits. We’ve all experienced this cultural shock, for good or bad. Dealing with it wisely is a major virtue of the good traveller. For instance, some of our students find us, Spaniards, a little too straightforward (blunt?). True, we are not very obsessed with politeness, but, from our perspective, why should we repeat so many times “Thank you” and “I´m sorry”? Should people apologise for not conjugating properly, say, our famous subjunctive? We find this apologising very shocking, too.
  2. Please try to minimise waste generation. Cutting down consumption might be the key point, but there are more things we can, and should do. You are surely very familiar to most of them, so no need to insist on that. In our school, we have recycling bins for glass, paper, plastic and cans. The tap water is drinkable in Spain. No sparkling water, though.
  3. Choose the activities that generate a little environmental impact (hiking, canoeing, or cultural visits). In natural spaces, try not to leave a trace, other than friends and good memories.
  4. Get local, go Asturian. Whenever you can, prioritise local stuff. You’ll contribute to the development of the local economy. And believe us, once you’ve tried Asturian cheeses, there’s no turning back.
  5. Remember that unexpected events (little delays, bad weather…) happen everywhere, so they really are to be expected. Come to think of it, sometimes they make the best part of our journey. If everything fitted exactly the picture we get from the travel guides, then, what would be the point in travelling? Therefore, when dealing with little inconveniences, be patient and sensible.

Now comes the extra one:

For those of you that feel less adventurous but still are passionate about discovering, try armchair tourism. It’s a most pleasurable experience too. Learning Spanish or Greek, enjoying world music and cinema, cook some exotic delicacies…. A superb experience, with a little impact on nature and a huge impact on you.

Our contribution to Sustainable Tourism

As well as our ongoing efforts to  minimise the impact of our activity on the environment and have as great a positive impact on the local economy as possible, and to celebrate the UN’s World Tourism Organization initiative of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, Peak Me is offering all our students throughout the year (and for good!) a 5% off our course prices if they get here avoiding the use of the plane. We know it’s hard, hence our little incentive! Just let us know when you book.

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