When you Google the term “stone stacking”, you’ll find a shit-ton of information. There are lots of different meanings behind these stacked rocks. I’ve seen them before, but on our last hike at the Liechtenstein gorge, I was overwhelmed by the amount. Also at Lago di Braies, on its South side, we encountered plenty. So I became curious. After researching a bit I learned that this practice does more harm than good.

In the outdoor community, it’s usually recognized as a trail marking, but it actually origins in many spiritual and cultural practices. Think of its use in Buddhist tradition or Vikings practices. Even seafarers used stacked stones for navigating long before lighthouses came to be. Because of their wide significance, these types of stones go by different names. Some people call them stone johnnies, cairns, or stacked stones. So you see, before it became a social media trend as we know it today, it actually had (and still has) more purpose.

Leave nothing but footprints

Nowadays, stone stacking is a popular trend amongst hikers so it seems like we need to do some awareness work here. You see… when you intentionally move stones, you displace important ecosystem structures. In addition, moving rocks in any way contributes to soil erosion, as the dirt once protectively tucked under them is now vulnerable. Slowly, we start to turn natural landscapes into peopled places.

Do we want that? No. If we want to keep enjoying the outdoors as we do today, we have to start taking responsibility. “Leave nothing but footprints” preaches that message clearly and effectively.

What to do when you encounter these cairns?

Obviously: don’t add any. You could consider breaking them down if you feel comfortable with it. Only do it when you are sure these cairns don’t serve any other purpose because you don’t want to destroy those intentionally set as navigational aids. In the poll off Adventure Journalism, other co-travelers advise how to. Here I highlight one comment:

“Please dismantle them gently. Knocking them down can irreparably damage sensitive plant and small animal (inc insects and other invertebrates’) habitats. If you’re going to dismantle them, do it gently, or inform park/area staff so they can do so.”

Commented by M. on the forum

Would you like to have more in-depth information? Please read this article here. Next time you and your friends go for a hike, you have something to talk about If you wish to read more about sustainable travel, you might like my last article about flying and its impact. Cheers

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Messengers of God

The Tafi Monkey Sanctuary was built in 1996, but even way before that the monkeys have had some sort of protection from the harmful practices of humans. The ancestors of the community believed that the monkeys served as messengers of God. Even today, the Mona Monkeys live in a free environment and they are in no way encaged. They are wild. Wild, but friendly when you offer them bananas. I mean, who doesn’t like juicy fruit, right?

Of course, the area has much more to offer. The quiet and safe environment is also home to thousands of butterflies and other insects. Also nature-wise, there is a lot to discover. Just like the animals, the area also benefits from the protection and is, in that way, able to flourish freely.

The sanctuary offers tours in the area as a source of income to sustain its business. Just like the monkeys, the local community benefits from the visitors too. Revenues from these tourism practices have brought electricity to the village, as well as improvements to the school and the local clinic.

So overall concluded, the sanctuary has passed my ‘is this the type of tourism i want to contribute to’ test!

Practical

Location	Tafi Atome (Volta Region), Ghana
Entrance fee	25 Cedis per person
Time to spend	About one hour. Perfect to combine with another stop.
What to bring	Don’t forget your bananas!

Planning on traveling to Ghana? Contact Emo Foundation, they will take care of all your needs Cheers!

The post The Mona Monkeys Of Ghana: Messengers Of God appeared first on Simply By Joy.

Because, hey, we all like to travel from time to time. Look at the following steps as a helping hand for your next travels, or maybe just as useful tips to keep in mind during planning.

Minimize flying

Aviation is, unfortunately, the fastest-growing source of Green House Gas emission. We all know that not flying would be impossible but…

… (try to) choose direct flights

Most carbon emission comes from the act of ascending and descending airplanes. A big step would be avoiding connecting flights. A perfect example would be: flying from Brussels (Belgium) to Chengdu (China) with KLM Airlines. This track usually includes a connection in Amsterdam (the Netherlands). A solution could be: Take the high-speed train from Belgium (Brussels or Antwerp) to the airport in Amsterdam and then continue your flying journey. Think of alternatives such as coach travel, carpooling, or making use of high-speed trains.

Pay and ‘compensate’ your carbon emission

Initiatives such as Greentipper.com give you the opportunity to calculate your CO2-emission and pay for compensation. The money goes to climate projects that benefit nature/the environment. Conduct wise research or check if the airline you’re flying with provides the option when checking out.

Avoid business class

‘Why‘ you ask? People who fly business class leave a larger carbon footprint because they take up more floor space. I know what you’re thinking “but the business class-area is already provided. It isn’t going to change anything if I don’t fly in that class.” There is not much that I can say or do but give you the information and mention ‘change only starts with you.’

Say no to cruises!

Yes, I know how magical and extraordinary a cruise trip could be… But the impact of the cruise industry is SO DAMN BAD. I am sorry, but this is the hard reality. Cruise ships produce an incredible amount of solid and hazardous waste, which is dumped into the ocean and sea. Aside from the waste, there is also an enormous consumption of portable water, which -after consuming for several purposes- gets contaminated. Guess what happens with that? Yes, correct. It (also) gets dumped into the ocean and/or sea.

Further, regarding the social-economic impact, it’s important to know that tourists who arrive ashore usually do not contribute to the local economy as they have food and drinks on board. Mass tourism origination from cruises indirectly contributes to higher taxes and inflation for the locals.

Certifications for travel organizers

Many travel organizers are certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which means that they conform with a set of criteria in their management, social-economic -, cultural -, and environmental impact. You can find these companies on the website of GSTC.

Animal Welfare – be critical

A photograph of you holding a tiger cub? Riding an elephant? Holding a snake? Cage-diving with sharks? Yes, it is all amazing and adventurous. But I am sure you and your moral compass know better than that. Obviously, there ARE sustainable wildlife tourism companies. But there are many that only seem to be. Please consider which company you invest your time and money in. Not all companies care much about the lives of an animal. Keep in mind that every interaction with animals, either in their natural habitat or not, will affect their well-being and their physiology.

Support local economies

In many countries, tourism causes the exclusion of local enterprises because of international intervention. Think of big hotel chains such as Hilton, The Marriott group, …. Try to find alternatives by staying at local hotels/residencies and making use of local tourism services. Further, I advise you to buy your souvenirs which are made by the natives. I mean… who travels to Poland, only to buy a souvenir that is actually made in a completely different country?

The tips mentioned above are rather a small portion of possible measures we can take to fight unsustainable practices within the tourism industry. Let’s stand together and help our beautiful world a hand. I (and many others) will be grateful! Thanks for reading.

More tips on traveling? Catch your (solo) travel bugs here. Looking for an alternative & sustainable way of traveling? Find inspiration by reading the story of Katrien and Kobe!

Peace and love!

The post Sustainable travel – who, what, how? appeared first on Simply By Joy.

While researching this activity I realized there’s definitely poor information about this on the world wide web – so here you go!

PS, I already warn you for the pictures: some water came into the Go Pro case & ruined the quality of most pictures. Also, I was terrified. WATER and SEA LIONS from close-by aren’t my cup of tea.

Option 1 – Islas Ballestas (can’t interact with the animals here, read further for swimming!)

In Peru, you can easily visit the Islas Ballestas. These famous Islas Ballestas are groups of islands that are located about 4 hours from Lima. You’d have to navigate yourself to the small town named ‘Paracas’. What’s so special about these islands? How does ‘penguins in Peru’ sound to you? Strange? Well, that’s the spot to encounter wildlife such as sea lions, penguins, pelicans, etc. This tour consists of a boat ride and some information on the islands and the animals.
I, myself, didn’t make it to Islas Ballestas but instead, I went for an alternative:

Option 2 – Swimming with sea lions on Palomino Island

How to get there?
The first thing you’ll have to do is to get to Callao. Callao is considered to be one of the dangerous places in Lima, however, I didn’t notice any danger. Just don’t provoke and avoid going when it’s dark. It is a port town located about 30 to 40 minutes from the capital city. Tell your taxi or Uber driver to go to ‘Port of Callao’, get out at the square and follow the next instructions:

Find a tour
As we got out of the Uber, we immediately got approached by several tour companies that were selling the tour to Palomino Island. We choose the one that was least pushy and that offered us a fair price. We were the only foreigners in the group, which I like as it gives a more local experience. There were other tours where foreigners did join. If you mind being to the only outsider, choose your tour wisely. Later on, I learned that it is also possible to book this tour in advance (online). Of course, you’re going to pay a higher price. You have got to determine what you prioritize… An example of a company that uses online service is Mar Adentro.

Departure time
These ‘swimming with sea lions’ tours usually start around 10 am. We made sure to be at the location at 9:45 so we could find a tour calmly. One circuit usually takes around 2,5 hours until you get back at the starting point.

Action, action, action!
The boat ride takes about 45 minutes for you to get to the exact location. This gives you the times to enjoy the sun, the views, and the wind in your hair. It’s also the time when you’re going to change yourself into a wetsuit, in order not to freeze when you get into the water. Because YES the water is cooooold. The smell and the noise of the sea lions will give you a heads up once arrived. You’ll be free to drive into the water and swim. Enjoy! The sea lions are super curious and will approach, listen to your guide, and don’t touch the animals. Let them play around and do their thing

Enjoy your dive! Love, Joyce

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