The Urban Ecolife » EcoTravel Sustainable Lifestyle Design Wed, 19 Aug 2015 07:09:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.1 Beekeeping in Romania and The Unromantic Side of ‘Romantic’ Dreams/beekeeping-romania-unromantic-side-romantic-dreams/ /beekeeping-romania-unromantic-side-romantic-dreams/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2015 18:12:07 +0000 /?p=5672 That’s a lot of ‘romans’ in one blog title.   It’s no coincidence though. This post is a little past its due by date, but I’m going ahead and getting it up because it’s oh so fitting and oh so timely.   You see, I’ve just wrapped up my time in Romania.   I really am on a journey with no end. Home one minute, up and away the next.   I’m not in this to give you travel advice … →

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]]> /beekeeping-romania-unromantic-side-romantic-dreams/feed/ 0 Dreaming of Travel? Why Not Volunteer Abroad On An Organic Farm?/volunteer-abroad/ /volunteer-abroad/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2015 21:15:17 +0000 /?p=4595 Imagine waking up to sound of toucans in the lush green mountains of Costa Rica. A layer of mist hovering over the jungle as first sunlight gently wakes you from your slumber.   You spend your morning doing manual labor; digging, planting, catching fish, harvesting food, or whatever tasks need your attention that day. It’s sweaty and hard work but on the inside, it feels good to move; to use your body and feel energized to do so. Rewarded with a hearty lunch of … →

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]]> /volunteer-abroad/feed/ 1 That Time I Thought I Had it All Figured Out…/time-i-thought-i-figured-it-out/ /time-i-thought-i-figured-it-out/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2015 21:10:39 +0000 /?p=5083 It was the one week that changed my life. I didn’t know this at the time but a pebble had been thrown into the open lake, instigating a ripple effect which would set the foundation for the rest of my life.   I think people romanticize the idea of epiphanies. Like it’s all about the sun piercing through the peeling away clouds. A sight revealing magical rainbows, prancing unicorns and shooting stars falling from the heavens. There’s an expectancy that the audience will stand up and erupt in applause … →

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]]> /time-i-thought-i-figured-it-out/feed/ 3 Permaculture Paradise on Isla de Ometepe/permaculture-paradise-isla-de-ometepe/ /permaculture-paradise-isla-de-ometepe/#comments Tue, 15 Jul 2014 19:22:39 +0000 /?p=4780 Imagine a lush green volcanic island teeming with such an abundance of natural beauty that as each day passes, you become more possessed by the temptation to scrap the rest of your travel plans and pitch a tent there for the remaining days of your life on planet earth and allow the mystic draw of the place to swallow your soul whole. An island with a sort of ‘Jurassic Park-like’ appeal that’s bursting with natural biodiversity, foliage the brightest shades of … →

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]]> /permaculture-paradise-isla-de-ometepe/feed/ 0 9 Healthy Travel Snacks For The Backpacker Who Prefers Not to Live Off Instant Noodles/9-healthy-travel-snacks/ /9-healthy-travel-snacks/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2014 15:00:23 +0000 /?p=3787 It’s all too easy to forgo your health whilst travelling when adopting the, “I’m on holidays and therefore I’m allowed to indulge and do whatever the hell I want…. again, because I’m holidays.” Yes, ok, in some situations, it’s amazing to indulge. Granted, you are on holidays. I get it. So I’ll let that excuse to slip in on the odd occasion. For some people, taking a short weekend trip or even a trip that’s less than a month, ‘indulging‘ may not be such a big deal. Soon … →

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]]> /9-healthy-travel-snacks/feed/ 5 Earth Lodge: An Eco-Retreat Paradise Outside of Antigua/earth-lodge-eco-retreat-paradise-nestled-antiguan-mountains/ /earth-lodge-eco-retreat-paradise-nestled-antiguan-mountains/#comments Fri, 30 May 2014 15:00:10 +0000 /?p=4496 As we winded our way up the mountains and Antigua faded away behind in the background, I suddenly felt a sense of relief. Don’t get me wrong. I loved my time in Antigua, Guatemala. Who could say otherwise when you spent a large portion of that time stuffing your face with some of the best organic chocolate, coffee and macadamias on offer. Not to mention, the luxurious stay at the Yellow House Hostel which I have the The Globetrotting Girls recommendation to thank for. … →

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]]> /earth-lodge-eco-retreat-paradise-nestled-antiguan-mountains/feed/ 0 My Visit to an Organic Macadamia Farm Reveals Why Macadamia Lovers Can Rejoice!/visit-organic-macadamia-farm-reveals-macadamia-lovers-can-rejoice/ /visit-organic-macadamia-farm-reveals-macadamia-lovers-can-rejoice/#comments Tue, 27 May 2014 15:00:53 +0000 /?p=4458 I never intended this blog to become a travel blog and it won’t, for the most part anyway. So don’t fret. My intention has, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, to share with you The Urban Ecolife. My life right now though, being on the road and exploring the wonderful diversity of the world, is something I cannot NOT share with you. The incredible glimpses into other ways of life that reflect the ecolife I want to … →

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]]> /visit-organic-macadamia-farm-reveals-macadamia-lovers-can-rejoice/feed/ 1 Is there such thing as Sustainable Coffee? (and it’s not just about being Organic)/is-there-such-thing-as-sustainable-coffee/ /is-there-such-thing-as-sustainable-coffee/#comments Sun, 25 May 2014 15:00:07 +0000 /?p=4362 Confession time. I’m a caffeine addict. Whoa Emily… starting it off heavy.   I’ve been this way since who knows how long. Probably when my Dad bought his first espresso machine back when I was fresh out of high school. I figure I could have worse addictions because at least this one brings with it some health benefits (but I won’t delude myself into believing that there aren’t plenty of downsides as well). There’s something about the morning ritual, the social experience … →

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]]> /is-there-such-thing-as-sustainable-coffee/feed/ 14 The Homesteading Life in Guatemala/homesteading-life-in-guatemala/ /homesteading-life-in-guatemala/#comments Sat, 17 May 2014 17:16:08 +0000 /?p=4357 It’s been touted from the rooftops that reverting back to the simple, homesteading lives of our forefathers is the way of the future. Well, at least for those of us seeking a low-impact, healthy, abundant and sustainable way of life.    So what have we to learn from those who live out this way of life naturally? That is, those traditional cultures that maintain this way of life, even in the midst of an ever globalizing world. Yes indeed, we have much to … →

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]]> /homesteading-life-in-guatemala/feed/ 1 Next Stop on the Local Eating Trail – The Food in Guatemala/next-stop-on-the-local-eating-trail-the-food-in-guatemala/ /next-stop-on-the-local-eating-trail-the-food-in-guatemala/#comments Wed, 14 May 2014 15:00:15 +0000 /?p=4358 I’ve been in Guatemala now for over 2 weeks and have had plenty of opportunity to sample the local cuisine. The food in Guatemala is most certainly cheap by Western standards. When eating out, a meal need not cost more than a few dollars, depending on where you eat. Off the tourist trail, you will of course, spend far less. As part of my Spanish course at Cooperative School San Pedro, I’ve had the opportunity to stay with a local family. My … →

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