Travel Better
How to see the world with more awareness and the top 4 essentials for nomad life.
A Wånderful Life
What does it mean to wånder? Well, it starts with the combination of wonder and wander, which is how we see the world. In a state of awe and moving without a strict plan. When life is built around this philosophy, it opens you up to the gifts that life has to offer. You notice the small things that can be easily overlooked when you’re stressed, rushed, or too focused.
I am writing this on the train to a design expo that I was invited to in a smaller coastal city in Belgium. As far as I know, it’s their first time doing it so I am going without expectations and grateful for the excuse to see the ocean. I almost didn’t bring my iPad but then I wanted to finish this piece and make sure it was posted today. It’s challenging to leave it behind as I considered the possibility of an impromptu sleepover… I wanted to have it for Friday, regardless of where I am. How this relates to wånderment is that although I am still tethered to my device today - I pause to look out the window at vegetation. To see the color changing in the leaves. To see the windmills and the sky change from a peachy hue to light blue. It is possible to be a digital nomad and still leave room for special moments.
To wånder does come with responsibility though. When you notice the small details, you become aware of your impact. You see the bits of waste sprinkled amongst the leaves. You see the sadness but also feel the hope.
So today we carry this theme into hotels and their amenities. We take you to the unexpected places you can find algae in your everyday life and we leave you with a few essentials to be better at travelling while in a state of wånderment.
Hotel Amenities to Ask For
Algae in Unexpected Places
Top 4 Essentials for Nomads
Hotel Amenities to Ask For
Between 2018-2022 I spent time in over 100 properties, from 5 star oceanfront hotels to family-owned b&b’s, glamping, desert tents - and everything in between. My assistant and I would spend hours looking through the listings, the photos, the descriptions and the reviews before making a final booking selection. What were we looking for? Why spend all this time researching?
We were looking for a better way - raising the bar on current standards - and committing to those that met them. Besides considered aesthetics, we wanted glasses to drink from, a coffee maker, a mini fridge, pumpable shampoo and conditioner, recycling, hot water, heating for offseason, a desk, reliable wifi and laundry facilities. Access to a local market and a bakery, too.
Over the years I had swapped out my travel sized containers for glass bottles that increased the weight of my toiletry bag. I had jars of my supplements and powders to make sure I was getting my nutrients. While living out of a carry-on suitcase, my clothing was limited (yet still colorful and varied!) and I washed it typically at each longer stay. Understandably, I am a different kind of guest than most hosts were used to - but as there are more and more nomads, perhaps I am not that unique of a traveller any more.
If you’d like to travel better, here are a few things to consider:
- Wherever you book your lodging - if you see that they are still using single-use products - ask them to switch to wall-mounted containers and packaging that is bio based (like out algae-based solutions).
- If you’re a menstruator, ask them if they carry feminine care products. If they don’t, ask them to supply a social-impact brand like VYLD.
- If the mini bar is full of candies and snacks that you can get at the convenience store, ask for local options, including fruit. Ask where the local markets are.
- If you see bottle water, ask if they have a filtered water station and if its safe to drink from the tap. If you’re the bubbly type, ask for a bottle in glass.
- Also, ask where is the recycling bin. If that’s too easy, ask for compost.
My preference has always leaned towards smaller, design - or dare I say boutique - hotels that have excellent service. They may have the majority of this figured out, but if they don’t and you don’t feel empowered to ask, connect them to us and we will do it for you.
It’s up to us to create the customer demand in the hospitality sector, and overall, the industry can do so much more, just ask!
Algae in Unexpected Places
Part of what we do here at L’eautelier is raise awareness about our connection to our element of choice - water - and one connection point is algae. Yes, you can find this on your beaches and in ponds, but there are many other places where it is found, that we use everyday.
One algae that is widely used is carrageenan. Carrageenan is a hydrocolloid extracted from red algae seaweed. If that’s too scientific for you, no to worry. One of the red seaweeds that it comes from is called, “ Irish sea moss”. You may have already seen this as an option for your smoothies or in the grocery store. A few years ago I was tantalized by the rainbow of colors of the sea moss available at Erewhon. After twenty minutes of staring at the jars and reading what incredients caused each of the colors, my friend decided to treated us with one of a blue color. We decided to have it with unsweetened coconut whip for dessert. Well, it looked beautiful but it was not the flavor we had hoped for. Foolish us had thought the flavor would be … a flavor. Best to mix into a smoothie.
Ok, ok, so carrageenan is used as a thickening agent used in many foods we eat. It is put into ice cream as a stabilizer and to distribute the fat and solids evenly. It is added to refrigerated desserts like custard. However note that gel desserts are typically made from agar, which is made from Gelidium and Gracilaria. For now, we will stick with carrageenan. Chocolate milk contains carrageenan to stabilize the cocoa particles. Other milk and plant-based milks, like almond and oat, can have carrageenan in it as well.
Besides foods, carrageenan is also used in toothpaste to help thicken the consistency. There have been some studies about an enzyme from seaweed that prevents tooth decay and we may see more seaweed in dental care like mouthwash.
Take a look at the items noted above and see if you can find carrageenan listed. Are you already using it daily?
Top 4 Travel Essentials for Nomads
Whether your place of lodging has managed to include your amenity requests from the note above, or not, there are things that you can be responsible for. We’ve included a few that can help you feel a sense of home wherever you are - including the areas that are off the beaten path.
1. A cup for hot and cold beverages
Shouldn’t the hotel have this? One would think, but even recently in a not-so-low-cost hotel in NYC did I experience this. With no mini bar or glasses in the room I asked the concierge for glasses and a wine bottle opener and was given a stack of paper cups. In the morning, when I had coffee - to stay, they also provided it in a paper cup with a plastic lid and no recycling in place. Also, some airlines have improved their routine by recycling their cups and refilling rather than giving plastic water bottles. However, many are stuck in their routine. On the bright note, airlines like Vueling, reward you with discounts if you BYOC. If you find yourself moving around in a dusty place like, Burning Man, you’ll need one with a clip and a lid.
As a nomad, there are moments when you long for bits of a home and a cup can represent one. I picked up a pineapple covered enamel cup when I was in Hawaii from Olive & Oliver at the Surf Jack Hotel in Waikiki . It has traveled the world with me and still works to this day (it is next to me as I write this) albeit a minor scar from when I dropped my bag and something inside caused part of the enamel to chip off upon impact at the airport. Those airport floors have damaged both this cup and my phone! Take caution or you’ll end up with a souvenir that you weren’t wanting to bring with you.
Want one of your own? They are still available.
2. Portable Solar Charger Power Bank
Although your lodging may have outlets to charge your phone and whatever else you need power for, you spend time outside of your base. What do you do on a train, a hike, or while you’re out exploring? When I am travelling, I tend to need to power up 1-2 times per day after I have left my hotel due to the amount of photos and videos I take. After numerous voices told me “you need to get a power bank”, I started to listen, If you have one of these, you’re covered. I’m not the biggest fan of cords, and some of them do include them, but I also love the wireless phone charger capability. Plus - this allows you to go on those wånder days worry free of how you will get back home.
3. Eating Utensils
If you eat with your hands, good for you. Most of us enjoy eating foods with some kind of cutlery or even chopsticks. I’ve seen many establishments switch to wooden forks and spoons but have you thought about how wasteful it is to use a piece of wood only once? Not to mention, who wants to eat cake with a wooden spoon? If you do get served with these, take them with you and use them until they are ready to be composed - and put it in the compost bin yourself! This is also a great option if you’re on a budget or need a convenient solution.
My go-to is pair of chopsticks that unscrew midway and come in a pouch that rolls up nicely so that they don’t get contaminated in my bag. I’ve also included a metal spoon that fits in, so I include that as well. Depending on your way of eating, you can create one that fits your needs.
DIY: Pouches to create your own kit.
4. Deodorant
Your fellow passengers and anyone you’ll meet will silently thank you.
I was going to say that nomads should bring a pair of clothes, but you can typically find clothing anywhere you go and some of the best parts of travelling is heading to the second hand and vintage stores to see what you can find.
That lead me to think of undergarments, but one could go au natural. I’ve also known the campervan types to wash their underwear nightly in the sink and many sleep sans clothes.
So what is something that hotels don’t provide, that helps with staying fresh and without foul smells? Deodorant. The hotel gym and spa may have this, but only as aerosols for hygienic reasons. Plus, those spray deodorants are often with a baby powdered scent that makes me cringe.
So which one to bring? Forego the plastic containers for ones in paper, or in my case, get a crystal one in a cork travel case. I have had mine for over a year and there are little signs of it wearing out. The cork has some discoloration from coming in contact with liquid items in my toiletry bag, but this investment - the one I selected was 20€ at the time of purchase - already costs less than having to refill. I used to use the paper wrapped sticks but at 5-6€ each, they had to be refilled more often than the plastic ones and weren’t always available to repurchase.
Our selection was found in Portugal. We found these alternatives.
Savoir Faire…
Off to the expo that deems it self a tribute to craftsmanship. Will let you know what we experienced in the next post!
You made it to the end. Wow, you made me blush.
All the best,
Morgan Ræ