We had the chance to sit down with Ashton Eli this week for our conservation interview series. Read below to get your weekly dose of insight and inspiration:
How has travel inspired you to be a better person?
Firstly, travel has made me a lot more open-minded as a person. I always used to think that I am open minded but its only when you visit different countries, experience their cultures first-hand, meet people, observe and live their life for a while that you get to know how different and yet how similar people can be. You also come to know very different point-of-views and the reasons behind them. It’s something that you just simply can’t learn while living in your own bubble. You really have to get out there and learn from experience.
Secondly, I have become a much more confident person who is a lot better equipped to deal with random situations. Travel might be a dream for a lot yet it comes with its cons. It can be quite stressful at times when you are in a new place surrounded by strangers who don’t even speak the same language. With time and practice, you certainly feel ready to cope with whatever comes your way.
Lastly, the most important change it made in me is that it made me realize how beautiful yet fragile our planet is and how we are capable of saving or destroying it. The pollution at a lot of places, especially in the oceans, has made me want to do something about it and increase awareness about this important issue.
What one travel experience changed your life for better and why?
It has got to be one of my very first trips to Iceland. We went for a two-week hike and did a lot of wild camping. We had massive heavy back packs that we filled with food and clothes. We regretted doing that on our very first day. We were ill prepared for the trip both physically and mentally. It was the hardest thing I had done in my life at that time and also the most inspiring. It made me realize that if I can do it, I can do a lot. It gave me self-confidence and courage to do more. Above all it gave me the travel addiction. Since then travel became the life goal for me and it definitely steered my life in a completely new direction.
Why should people care about conservation?
Growing up I felt that we were the most superior of the creatures and not just that but that they were all created to serve us. For me that also meant that we have the right to kill or destroy them as it pleases us. I realized much later that all the species including us, share this planet and it is home to all of us. We depend on each other. We as humans might be the most advanced creatures but that also puts a big responsibility on our shoulder. To protect and care about other earthlings.
Even if someone thinks that they do not care, even if it comes down to us ourselves, we have to care about the planet and its inhabitants because we are all part of a chain, so interconnected that if one is damaged, the others will suffer. Our generation might or might not face the consequences of our bad decisions and irresponsible attitude but our coming generations will definitely have to pay the price. Now the question is, do we really want to do that? If not, then we should certainly start thinking about our individual roles, no matter how small, in conservation of our planet and its inhabitants.
What does the word eco-tourism means to you and how do you play your part in that movement?
For me, eco-tourism is all about respecting the places and cultures that I visit as well as learning from my experiences. Who doesn’t love travelling; well most of us do. We like to observe different cultures, see beautiful places and have new experiences. But that needs to be done in a way that preserves the beauty of the places we visit and helps the locals. First and foremost, I follow the rule of “leave nothing but the foot-prints and take nothing but experiences.”
As a budget traveller, it can be hard sometimes but I mostly buy stuff from small local shops or looks for local places to eat. I did home stays a lot in Sri Lanka where it is quite popular and I loved it. Not only do you get an authentic experience by living with a local family, you are directly contributing to their well-being by paying them instead of some big hotel chain. I am currently doing beach cleaning in Borneo where we go for rubbish collection every day. I am also recycling the rubbish by creating art pieces for the place I am staying at. It has been such a great experience and I intend to continue to do it as well as participating in similar activities.
Either its seeing elephants bath and walk or witness giant turtles lay eggs, I always do a deep research into the places that are most ethical. If I can’t find a place that is ethical, I would rather not have an experience. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, we found a place where you can sit and get pictures taken with tigers. It was something that was on my bucket list but when I realized that the tigers are usually drugged and kept hungry. I decided to not visit it.
I use local public transport when I can instead of taxis. Not only its far cheaper, you are also contributing less to the Co2 emissions. More recently I have started work on a website that aims to raise awareness of the issue with easy to read articles, free e-books, features and interviews with people who are doing a good job at helping to save our planet. We aim to raise money by selling bracelets and invest that money into raising awareness with the help of social media. It will go live on 1st of March, you can visit it to know more about the movement on www.eyeoftheocean.org. Apart from that I have also started making some art pieces with the garbage I collect which is fun and a way I hope to use to increase awareness of the issue.
What three pieces of advice will you give to anyone who is about to start travel the world?
First of all, travel light. Seriously, give yourself a massive favor and don’t put all those things that you think you may need in a certain situation. The attitude that “I might never use it but if I need it, at least I would have it” will result in you carrying a massive backpack full of junk that you can absolutely do without. I have learned it the harder way and I see so many travellers, even experienced ones, making the same mistake. A lighter back pack will make your life much easier and your journey much more enjoyable.
Apart from keeping only the thing that you need, one thing you can do to make that happen is investing in high quality, ultra-light gear. Just by keeping this point in mind while shopping will make a big difference. Remember, it all adds up. Also remember that while there are a lot of things that is best to buy back home, there are a lot others that you can purchase locally if you need them and when you need them. For example, a high-quality rain jacket that takes little space might be best to find before you head off for your journey but you really do not really need six T-shirts.
Be a Responsible traveler. It might sound obvious or perhaps too sermon but please respect the places you visit. The amount of times I have seen beautiful spots littered with trash left by insensitive tourists is unfathomable. Leave places like you would like to find them. If you can’t find a bin, keep it with you until you do. It will probably be just a minor inconvenience for you at the worse but if you are enjoying a beautiful view, it’s the least you can do.
Live in the moment. I have made this mistake over and over again myself and I still catch myself red-handed of it sometimes. It becomes an obsession to take that perfect picture on our cameras or mobiles phones while we are travelling. So much so that we tend to just see from the lens. Just take a breath and soak it all in. Either you are witnessing a beautiful sunrise or are at a party, live in the moment and don’t waste it stressing about the perfect angle.
I remember sitting on a beautiful bridge in Singapore observing the natural beauty around me. There was a girl sitting/standing/lying right next to me. For the whole time I spent there, she was just trying to take a perfect selfie. I probably sat there for 20 mins and she was still not happy with herself till I left. I wonder if she did finally manage to get that satisfactory selfie. Well, don’t be that girl.
What about Laos or Luang Prabang is interesting to you?
I have not got the chance to travel to Laos yet since I only started travelling a few months ago with a long list of places to see. Laos however has to be on top of the list. It has got a rich history, beautiful scenery, caves, rivers, mountains, culture and above all from what I know, it’s not as touristy as some other countries such as Thailand. I am keen to go to not only visit Luang Prabang but also beyond it to experience the life of locals in smaller towns and villages.
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden is Laos’ first botanical garden dedicated to biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture and ecotourism. Why is their work important to you?
Never heard of it before to be honest but as I did some research and saw some reviews, it seems like an awesome idea and an incredible story. A dude facing mid-life crisis comes from Europe to find some peace and ends up starting a mega-project to save the biodiversity of Laos which also provides jobs for locals and preserves what might otherwise have been lost forever. It gives me even more reason to visit Luang Prabang and I hope we have more projects going on in the future in other places as well.
Do you want to do more to save the environment? Try joining our crowdfunding tournament or message david@pha-tad-ke.com to learn more about how you can get involved in creative initiatives at Pha Tad Ke that are contributing to the conservation movement.