Learning a new way to move..

Us humans have evolved and learnt to move in ways no other living being can. But we know it’s come at a price. I think about this in the context of the natural world and how flora and fauna move (or don't as the case may be) and what that means for the relationship they (and we) have with our environment.

Our capacity to move (travel) in the way we do clearly set's us apart. It's perhaps this capability, at least to some degree, that's created the seed from which we've developed the perception of 'dominion', distance and disconnection from nature. After all we can go anywhere, anytime with planes, trains and automobiles and much more.

What we're only really now coming to terms with is the impact (the dark side) of one of our greatest gifts. The gift of mobility. This is also deeply personal for me as my father's deteriorating health and old age reveals how much he values mobility and the agency that comes with it.

We often take this gift for granted and in the process neglect the environments through which we travel. How often do we speed down a freeway to get our destination with little or no consideration for how we travel, through which country we travel, how our ancestors traveled, the natural environment as it was, is and could be.

In the fleeting time we spend in a destination how often do we question, what we arrive with, what we're willing to let go of and leave behind, and what we're willing exchange, and perhaps exchange just in our being in that environment. How often do we ask what gifts can I offer in appreciation for the new experience I've had and connections I may have made.

This is also deeply personal as I move on from Gippsland in our new adventures house sitting around Australia, spreading the word of Wayfairer.coop and the opportunities for a regenerative approach to travel.

As much as our message at Wayfairer is about 'Leaving a place better that you found it' its perhaps as simple as just being present to the gift we have to be able to move and the extraordinary experiences, connections and relationships we can have as a result. For me the gift of travel has been literally life changing.

If this resonates with you we'd love to invite you to become a member of Wayfairer.coop to support regenerative travel. A platform designed to give back to communities and acknowledge everyones role in creating a sustainable travel future. A platform that celebrates the incredible gift we have to move and to be moved!