Usually I write these green pieces from my bungalow in Red Beach, but today I find myself in Varanasi, India; one of the most spiritual places in the world.

I’m halfway through a three month adventure with my husband, Tim, and we’re trying our best to continue our sustainable habits here in India. It’s not easy, but we’ve worked out a few key ways to reduce our waste while travelling.

Our Water-to-Go bottle eliminates viruses and bacteria from all water sources, reducing our reliance on plastic water bottles. We have stayed healthy so far!

We also travel with a Steripen. A Steripen kills bacteria and viruses (eliminating the need to boil water) through ultraviolet light. It’s a game changer for travelling or even local hiking expeditions.

Just like I do in Aotearoa New Zealand, I don’t leave home without my collapsible containers. We choose to stay in Air BnBs with fridges so that if one of us has left over food on our plate, we take it home to eat later. As well as reducing food waste, this habit has saved us lots of money too! We’ve enjoyed purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables from the stalls on the side of the road, washing them with filtered water and soap, and cooking them thoroughly. Aside from the main waste streams, food and water, we ignore the pull to purchase souvenirs and focus on experiences instead. We choose to support local businesses instead of large corporations and have made great use of the amazing train systems!

To be honest, I’ve put more waste in the rubbish bin in the past month than I have in the past year. Without my 15 minute bike ride to the Silverdale bulk bin store or clean drinking water running from the tap, we have to consume water and food wherever we can get it and usually that involves plastic.

I’m constantly reminded of the privilege it is to access sustainably sourced goods, though we continue to do whatever we can, and I hope these tips help you in your future travels too!

We have confirmed cabins on Avalon Impression travelling from Budapest to Amsterdam. Fly Korean Airlines to Budapest, with two nights exploring Seoul, then three days in Budapest before the cruise. Make this the perfect start to your European Adventure, with the chance to stay on and keep exploring Europe, or visit friends and family.

Dennis Payne, House of Travel Orewa

Magnificent Europe Budapest to Amsterdam

LAST

Avalon Waterways and Korean Airlines into Budapest, flying home from Amsterdam (or change city and dates to suit your dreams/plans).

15 DAYS – Cruise the Grand Rivers of Europe from Budapest to Amsterdam, including all meals (drinks with meals) and sightseeing onboard Avalon Impression.

Two nights stopover in Seoul, three nights in Budapest, with airport transfers.

19 night: fly/cruise/stay

Hosted from Auckland package. Tour Escort, Seoul Stopover

Share twin. Cat E Departs NZ July 6, 2023 cruise includes: Economy class airfares • All taxes • Cruise, as

What’s on at Estuary Arts Centre

“Magical Aotearoa”

by Susannah Law, Kim Boyd, Heather Maree Owens,

and students of Red

Beach Studio

“ELEMENTAL” by Sylvie Joyce

“Summertime” a group exhibition by the Hibiscus Coast Artists

“The Roses” painting by Jill Bryce now available view and book on: estuaryarts.arlo.co/w/

New Coastie

Ed Amon edamonnz@gmail.com

Going home

Driving Miss Daisy Hibiscus Coast

Driving Miss Daisy Hibiscus Coast

Driving Miss Daisy Hibiscus Coast

freedom with our safe, reliable

Keep your independence and freedom with our safe, reliable companion driving service.

Keep your independence and freedom with our safe, reliable companion driving service.

We can drive and accompany you to:

We can drive and accompany you to:

We can drive and accompany you to: our independence and freedom with our safe, reliable companion driving service.

•Medical and other appointments

We can drive and accompany you to: up in the metaphorical exile without even a measly chocolate bar. I exaggerate for effect, but the truth is that there has to be some criteria considering the huge family size and I trust my mother to make the right decisions.

Waiting at the airport also brings with it some peculiar experiences. I almost never read books written in my own language of Urdu which looks like Arabic in written form. I am deterred by all these social media videos of people getting kicked out just because they were reading or speaking something non-English and the other passengers felt unsafe. I recently broke that mould, when I was reading the Ibn-e-Safi Imran Series waiting at Christchurch airport. It is a racy spy series from my younger years. A woman waiting next to me asked with confidence, “that’s the Quran you are reading, right?” Weird to assume that any Arabic looking written word, written from right to left, is the Quran. My answer was ‘yes’. I didn’t want to break her confidence. Next time I see someone reading a Lee Child, maybe I’ll ask them if they are reading the Bible?

•Medical and other appointments

•Family/social occasions

• Medical/other appointments

• Family/social occasions

•Medical and other appointments ocial occasions

•Shopping trips

• Shopping trips

•Scenic drives

• Scenic drives

•Take your pets to the vets

• Take your pets to the vets

I will travel to Pakistan in April. It has been three years since I was last in the country of my birth. It is compulsory travelling because last year my father almost died due to a bout with Covid-19. I will be landing on the last day of Ramadan, just in time for the great festivities of Eid al-Fitr, which is a celebratory three days marking the end of Ramadan. I haven’t been with my family on Eid al-Fitr since I came to Aotearoa. Imagine not being with family on Christmas for 12 straight years. I am very excited. It is never an easy task travelling to Pakistan. The gift buying process has already started. Half our luggage will be going with goodies for the whole extended family. Gift giving is essential for Pakistani culture. From New Zealand chocolate to All Blacks apparel, this bag will be full of tokens of proof that I am living a successful life in New Zealand. There are always two different categories of gifts. One set is of special requests. This privilege is only awarded to immediate family, so they get what they want. The other set is generic gifts which I hand over to my mother. She then becomes incharge of distributing gifts to those who have not been on the naughty list within the extended family. If I were Santa Claus in this scenario, my mother is my stern administrator, deciding if someone gets a generic milk chocolate bar or the coveted Whitaker’s Dark Ghana. I have no say in that distribution process. She runs her empire with an iron fist and if you agitate, you end

I love international travel. The tiny bland meals, the tiny screen movies, tiny drinks in tiny plastic cups, and the swollen feet. I still find it amazing that I can travel 14,000km by flying at 40,000 feet in a pressurised box with a whiskey in my hand and Goodbye Pork Pie on the screen. If I can offer one humble suggestion; the safety videos can be shorter. That’s all.

Total Mobility Scheme cards accepted. ACC contracted supplier.

•Take your pets to the vets accepted. ACC contracted supplier.

Total Mobility Scheme cards accepted. ACC contracted supplier.

Total Mobility Scheme cards accepted. ACC contracted supplier.

Bookings essential, call Dave & Kathryn today: Ph: 09 428 4490 / 021 035 0431 hibiscus@drivingmissdaisy.co.nz www.drivingmissdaisy.co.nz

Bookings essential, call Dave & Kathryn today: hibiscus@drivingmissdaisy.co.nz

Driving Miss Daisy Hibiscus Coast

Bookings essential, call Dave & Kathryn today: Ph: 09 428 4490 / 021 035 0431 hibiscus@drivingmissdaisy.co.nz www.drivingmissdaisy.co.nz

Driving Miss Daisy Hibiscus Coast

Driving Miss Daisy Hibiscus Coast