Hey Everyone! James Here! | Squat the Planet

Hey Everyone! James Here!

JK1919

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Hello all!

My name is James and I'm excited to be here! I am a student currently living in Ottawa, Ontario but am trying my best to get out one way or another. I've done a fair bit of conventional travelling but am no longer looking to contribute to the damage that the travel industry causes to communities and cultures. Regardless of what form it takes, my main motive for travel is simply to meet really cool people one wouldn't meet under normal circumstances, and it seems like here is an excellent place for it!

I am currently under lockdown along with everyone but once this is all over I hope to do some trekking around Eastern Canada, preferably with some trainhopping along the way but I definitely won't try this before seeing how its done in person. If you have constant existential dread, are a slut for nautical history, and/or are generally chill then we should get along!
 

Iris99

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Hey James
When you say you no longer want to contribute to the damage that the travel industry does, what do you mean concretely? Like do you wanna stop taking planes, or going to super far-away countries? I'm just curious!
 
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MFB

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What do you mean??
Your avatar, my friend. (which is great btw) Bad joke. :) ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz
Just trying to keep these threads lubricated!

Seriously though, great question!
 
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JK1919

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Hey James
When you say you no longer want to contribute to the damage that the travel industry does, what do you mean concretely? Like do you wanna stop taking planes, or going to super far-away countries? I'm just curious!
To a degree yeah the environmental impact can be pretty big, Canadian parks are often not as untouched as they ought to be, but I'm more worried about the economic impacts that the industry can have on areas. Like in Amsterdam where a lot of the economy was/is centered around tourism and a constant influx of travellers makes life for those living there unpleasant. Not to shame anyone from going to over-travelled places of course, they're often that way for a reason!
 
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MFB

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To a degree yeah the environmental impact can be pretty big, Canadian parks are often not as untouched as they ought to be, but I'm more worried about the economic impacts that the industry can have on areas. Like in Amsterdam where a lot of the economy was/is centered around tourism and a constant influx of travellers makes life for those living there unpleasant. Not to shame anyone from going to over-travelled places of course, they're often that way for a reason!
I'm a bit confused.
I dont disagree with you as I understand travellers can be annoying to the local folk.
But I always believe the reality is, in a lot of places, the travel industry gives a lot of lower class people a more palatable means to make an income. If they were to lose that, they would have few options to earn a living.
I cant speak much to Europe, but I know this to be true in Latin America.

I had a friend that was a year rounder in Ouray CO, which is a beautiful destination spot. He would always complain about the tourists, leaf peepers, amateur climbers, that would overrun the town in certain seasons. But to me this was biting the hand that feeds you. As in if not for the tourists he wouldnt have a job and wouldnt be able to live in that beautiful part of the world.
 
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