Travel around the world without flying – How and Why?
Travel around the world without flying – is it even possible?
Just as when I stopped eating meat and dairy products, stopped accepting plastic bags and stopped shopping at fast fashion stores and products that come from sweat shops, the time has come for me to stop surpressing my knowledge and bad conscience of the impact all my flying has on the world.
I am no longer gonna fly.
But how, you might ask. How would I be able to travel to other continents?
Well, Europe and Asia are connected by land so that can be done with bus, train, car, bike and walking. Need to cross an ocean? Boat, ferry or cruise ship.
But why? A lot of people defend their and others flying by “the plane will fly no matter in you get on it or not” but if everyone thinks like that, we never move forward and no changes will be made. I want to show myself and the world that it is possible to travel all around the world without flying. As someone who a lot of people get inspired by my traveling, I also feel responsible to do my part. I want my actions to match my values.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that I will never set my butt on a plane again. Firstly I have 2 trips booked these following 2 weeks that I booked before this decision where I will be flying – however I will be buying climate compensation for these.
But I can also not know what will happen in the future. Maybe me or someone I know gets sick, and I need to get somewhere far fast. I don’t know. But I will not make a promise I can’t keep, but I do promise that I will do my best never to fly via airplane until there are environmentally friendly options.
Traveling from Coron to El Nido by boat and sleeping in tents on beaches during the nights – a great example of the journey being an experience on its own
Will it be hard?
Probably.
It can often be more expensive to travel by train or bus than by flight. It will also take longer, a luxury I might not always have.
But I also think it will be very fun and a totally new way of traveling and experiencing the world. Having to get creative about my transportations is motivating and inspiring. I want to show not just the world, but myself that it is possible and that there are no excuses for me not to travel in a way that is more sustainable for the world. I travel full time so I have all the time I want to spend on the actual journey. And this will also give me the chance to see places I never would have if I were to fly. To be more flexible and to get to meet more people and explore more paths less travelled.
What’s next?
I was planning on going to Iran for Norouz in March, and when I decided not to fly anymore I was first thinking that it will take such a long time and maybe I won’t have the time to make it there before Norouz, but after a quick search on the internet I realised it’s possible to get all the way from Sweden to Tehran with only 3 different buses. This really opened my mind to how much easier this will be than I have imagined.
I also have some loose plans to do a road trip in the Dolomites with some travel friends and I’m thinking I should make the journey there a journey by itself. Maybe ride a bike, maybe change it up and mix car sharing, train rides, bus rides and walking?
Can you tell that I am excited about this?
Saving the world all of the sudden seem like less of an impossible task. And I want to be a part of trying to save it instead of simply sitting on the sidelines watching it happen without helping.
Hiking is one of my favourite things to do – why not do hiking as a way of getting between destinations and not just as an activity itself?!
What are your thoughts on the climate impact flying has? Do you think my actions will have no effect? Would you be willing to fly less too? Do you have any questions?
Let’s start a discussion, I want to hear your thoughts!
Åsa
Good decision!
Linda, Resa medvetet
Du är svincool Evelina som gör detta. En dag kanske jag också kommer dit. jag älskar i grunden att åka tåg och jag hoppas jag lever det livet någon dag att tid inte är en grej. Jag vet att allt sitter i mitt huvud och är prioriteringar och jag beundrar dig för det beslut du tar och jag hoppas jag kan följa i dina fotspår och om jag gör det så ska jag vara dig evigt tacksam.
Jacob
In one way it’s really hard, but in one way it’s so easy. Fly less, that’s it. But it’s so much involved and for me it would mean a change in lifestyle, a change in job career and everything I know.
Like you, I am vegan. It was not that hard, just a decision and to stay with it.
The plane feels different. People saying ” the plane will fly no matter in you get on it or not” are just badly educated and don’t understand how a market economy works. I sometimes get the same argument thrown at me about eating-meat. The animal is already dead, it’s a waste not to eat it. Those people are just to ignore.
For me a big problem is the lack of alternatives. Substituting meat for a vegetarian diet is easy, gasoline car for EV is easy, use bicycle in a city is easy. But how do we explore the world if we don’t fly? In this case I really think the technology must be a driving factor and the technique must develop. And I think the prices must get higher but it’s airlines are so much harder to control than other transportations so it won’t happen and nothing we can put our trust to.
The idea of climate compensation is good but I don’t fully believe in it so I don’t do it. To compensate for emissions that happen today by planting a tree that needs to grow for long time might not work. What if someone cuts down the forest? Or if it burns down in a fire? Or is it the thought that counts? If we care about the climate, it’s all about action and doing.
Hanna
Hi! This is great!
Cruise ships and other ships are also not so eco-friendly, have you found any particular cruise ships /brands that are working to be more sustainable? As far as I know all electricity on board comes from diesel generators that run 24/7!
P.S. there are various companies working on electric planes, which is good news 🙂
Lavieenmarine
Hello Eve,
I always enjoyed your sustainable topics and I am happy to hear this from you. With you as an role model it will open new perspectives to travel for me.
But for me who worked full time and will be studying full time, I maybe don’t have the chance to take a longer transportation, so I will have to settle for the fastest/cheapest (if this would be a bus/train I would always take this one.)
Although I try to live a sustainable life by trying to refuse plastic and (most) consumerism. Also trying to reduce food waste & to buy organical food, buying no meat/dairies when I am at home.
I think we need more balance and I hope that flying doesn’t make me a bad person, when I try all of the mentioned things too.
Sofia
I totally agree with you! I was alo thinking how to get whwre I want to go without taking planes!
Nic
I really appreciate the fact that you’re practicing what you preach. I have met some people who have ecotravel blogs, but in real life they aren’t environmentally conscious at all and the blog is simply because that’s a trendy topic these days.
I look forward to hearing about your experiences not flying. Good luck and travel safe ? cheers!
Andreana
I really like your initiative. You mention that it’s fairly easy to get to Europe and Asia. But how about USA, Australia, Africa, South America? What’s the option for traveling there? I haven’t heard of taking a boat to USA (from Europe) or so. But I’m interested to know your thoughts! Thanks for a great blog and insta, for inspiring like you always do.
Anette
Så fantastiskt bra beslut av dig Evelina! Jag har ofta tänkt på detta när det gäller heltidsresande människor. Att det verkar vara ett härligt sätt att leva livet, men mindre härligt för vår planet. Fler och fler verkar resa mer och det är en utveckling som oroar mig. Hur kommer det att påverka växthuseffekten på sikt? Jag ser fram emot att följa dina framtida resor på marknivå och hoppas även kunna få tips på bra förmedlare av buss och tågresor. Sen tror jag att upplevelsen av landet blir en annan när man färdas så och att man kommer lokalbefolkningen närmare. Enda nackdelen är väl kostnaden, men vad gör man inte för miljön!
Lycka till!!
Sam
I like you am vegan, don’t shop in any fast fashion shows (almost everything I buy is from thrift shops), and am trying to be as zero waste as I can. I never really stopped to think about the impact my flying has on the planet. Although I don’t fly as much as some, I do still fly more than a lot, and that means I am making a negative impact no matter what. You inspire me to think more consciously about my flying and overall travelling in general. Hopefully I can move on to a more sustainable way of travelling just like you! Good luck on your journey of no flying 🙂
Astrid Maria Creutz
Jag har fullt fokus på att jobba med flygrädslan istället, lite tvärt om hehe..
Men men.
Tänkte bara säga att jag tog en kryssning hem från USA för några år sedan istället för att flyga. Det går att åka mellan kontinenterna när skeppen åker för att byta säsong. Då brukar det vara väldigt billigt, bara pensionärer som passagerare, och väldigt många dagar till sjöss.
Den vändan kostade mindre än motsvarande flygbiljett, och utöver det ingick mat och såklart boende under två veckor. Definitivt en upplevelse!
( Vet inte vad miljö-nettot blir dock, de där skeppen är ju inte direkt byggda med miljön i åtanke)
Heidi
You are such an inspiration! I’ve been thinking about doing the same and this makes me even more convinced. Speaking of what, I’ve been planning a trip to Iran as well and checking out some alternatives. Which land route did you pick in the end and how was it? Thank you for your interesting and inspiring blog!
Duang
Hi can totally relate to this post. I feel like a big hypocrite. Talking so much about the environment, living ‘green’, but those few far away flights leave me with a massive carbon footprint (the same for other ‘eco-conscious’ travellers), maybe bigger than ppl who don’t live conscious but never fly. I am searching for ways to travel more over land and see, but cannot afford this much time off yet. I am torn apart, even if I travel by plane for volunteer work or studies. Friends don’t understand it or want to defend their own behaviour. Flights are make cheaper and cheaper, cheaper than trains even, which is not a good development imo. I just keep hoping naively that there will be a fuel or technology for flying that’s not too polluting!
Joshua Spodek
A kindred spirit!
I’m in my third year since choosing not to fly for similar reasons — http://www.inc.com/joshua-spodek/365-days-without-flying.html. One of the best decisions I’ve made!
Among other benefits that emerged from the decision, I’m learning to sail to enable myself to get off North America and it’s turning out to be something I love.
Since choosing to avoid packaged food, I take over a year to generate enough garbage to throw out — http://joshuaspodek.com/year-emptied-garbage — and I’m generating less all the time. Meanwhile, my food has never been more delicious, convenient, inexpensive, healthy, and social — http://joshuaspodek.com/food-world-reviews.
Every choice to act by my environmental values ends up improving my life — the bigger the act, the greater the improvement. I’ve learned to look for situations I used to avoid, replacing feeling guilty and helpless with growth and meaning.
Another example, my podcast, Leadership and the Environment — http://joshuaspodek.com/podcast. I started it with anxiety, out of concern that my nation had elected a president who I expected not to protect the environment. Now it’s one of my great passions, with world-class guests.
Anyway, glad to see I’m part of a growing community.
Josh
Jule
Wow, great decision.I am not that far. But if there is a possibility to get to a place without flying I am always choosing this. I love to travel by train the most.
But I really wouldn’t recommend a cruise ship if you like to cut down your carbon footprint because those are huge carbon producers too.
Can’t wait to see your future travels without flying.
Sincerely
Jule
Jule
Oh and a question I forgot to ask: If you havent been traveling so far already, would you have made the same decision? As it is really not that easy to get to Australia, America, the Phillipines, etc without flying in a short amount of time. Most people don’t have the time do sail across the ocean, some people get so seasick they can’t even watch a boat 😉
Really curious about your thoughts if you would have chosen this path if you haven’t seen so much already…
Jule
earthwanderess
Hey Jule! Oh of course I couldn’t go on a cruise ship – ever. To cross continents I would want to sail and not even go with cargo ships as sailing is the best option for the environment 🙂
earthwanderess
Yes I would have. I still travel full time and plan to go to both the Americas and Australia without flying. And of course time is an issue for many people. I do this because I can, I am not telling anyone else to never fly again 🙂 Just hoping to inspire people to fly less if possible 😀 And even though I’ve seen many places there are even more places I haven’t seen and I don’t expect I will ever stop traveling
Caroline
I am very conscious of global warming. That’s one of the reasons I stopped eating meat and dairy (the ethical reason though is the main one), I compost my waste, I do not use plastic, I buy in bulk, I buy clothes in thrift stores etc. etc. However travelling is a passion of mine. I don’t have the luxury of time like you. I work a normal job and I only get 3 weeks a year time off. There is no way, I can travel to far away places and see two or three different countries in such a short period of time, without taking the plane. The way of travelling that you suggest is just not practical or applicable to 99.999% of the population who want to go far away and have limited time and resources. So, unfortunately….the plane it will be for me until we come up with a new solution.
earthwanderess
Hey Caroline!
I don’t suggest that way of traveling at all, in this post I just write about how I personally came to that conclustion for ME, from the situation that I was in.
Also, This post is old and I don’t travel far anymore, and rather focus more on exploring my home country (which I’ve taken for granted and just wanted to explore other countries before) and I’ve realized just how much there is to explore here.
Something I do recommend others to do nowadays is to travel closer to home.
I also think it’s very important to remind ourselves just how extremely privileged we are if we have the ability to travel or fly abroad once a year or more. Only 3% of the whole world’s population fly regularly. If you have a passport that allows you to travel to many different countries, have paid vacation at all, or the financial situation to take time off and/or to pay for a vacation you are *extremely* privilieged. Which I know can be hard to understand when you live in a society where many people are as privileged as you.
As I said, in this post I just write about MY desicion, but if you look at any interview with me or other posts you’ll see that I’ve talked about how this way of traveling is not at all an option for the majority.
You do whatever feels right for you, and you obvisouly do so many incredible things already for the environment, but I do recommend you to keep check of the amount of emissions from your flights just so that you don’t loose grip of how high the emissions get.