Why hammock camping is good for the soul

Given the choice between sleeping on the ground in a tent and sleeping in the air in a hammock tent, I’d take the latter every single time. In the decade and a half since I started sleeping in hammocks so many brands have added to this wonderful world of sky camping and a recent favourite of mine is the Haven Tents range.

The Haven motto is to “make sleep the highlight of camping” and while that might sound simple, it’s a lack of perceived comfort that tends to put first timers off spending time in the great outdoors. And when it comes to hammocking, somehow a stigma has grown that sleeping in them is a surefire way to earning a bad back.

At home on the Mississippi River. Join me next time I go!

I’ve always figured that if you can happily read a book in a hammock on holiday then enjoying a good nap in the same spot isn’t a big leap, and whether your hammock has spreaders or forces you to pretend to be a banana, the sensation of swinging in mid air is an extra sensory experience that you can’t really find anywhere else. Except maybe in space. But a hammock is cheaper than a rocket, so let’s start on earth, or at least a couple of feet above the surface.

Em rolled up the fly and bug net for a full-immersion Mississippi River experience

There’s plenty of faff on the Internet and I’m not here to research what other people think. Instead, after over a thousand nights of sleeping in hammocks here’s what I know makes for a comfortable night in suspension, for me at least.

Lie flat. Insulate the underside. Avoid claustrophobia. Stay warm and dry. Don’t get bitten. And have fun, lots of fun!

Robyn Green loving a snowy hammocking experience in Montana!

Haven is one of the hammock brands that ticks each of these boxes, and visually it also illustrates the essence of what makes hammock camping brilliant, which is why their hammocks not only feature heavily in this blog, but why we recommend the first time hammock adventurers visiting our campsite at the Big Sky Hideaway try a Haven first.

The dimensions vary a little between the three sizes of Haven tent (the Original, the XL and the Safari) but each one is designed on the same principle. It is shaped around a thick sleeping mat, the lying position is flat and not banana-shaped, the spreader bars inside offer a really spacious feel, the bug net is incorporated into the hammock body and the rain fly can be separate, or bundled up together with no extra fuss.

When I first saw a picture of a Haven Tent I felt excited that in a world of a thousand hammocks there was one that looked different to all the others; the design made complete sense to my hammock enthusiast’s brain, it looked cool - like a floating sleeping pod (I have a fascination with sleeping pods) and most of all, in the Haven I saw something that would appeal to hammock skeptics.

The Greybeard Adventurer Dale Sanders falling in love with hammocking!

Recently I travelled to the USA and stayed at my good friend Dale Sanders’ house. He’s an all-round adventuring legend, but started his adventurers relatively late. At 80 years old Dale became the oldest man to paddle the full length of the Mississippi River. Then he became the oldest man to walk the Appalachian Trail. And then he became the oldest to walk the Florida Trail, and also walk the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim. While he was doing all that an 84 year-old guy paddled the Mississippi, so this year (in 2022) Dale went back and did it again, aged 87! As Em and I set up our Haven Tents in his garden Dale strolled over with the immortal phrase "I've never liked sleeping in hammocks" and with a grin I said, “ok my friend, jump in." Within a minute he said, "well, you know, I might just like sleeping in hammocks after this!"

Cold mornings are no worries when coming a Haven Tent and a Selkbag (a wearable sleeping bag!). Want one to save on your winter energy bills? Use the code SELK-BIGSKY15 to get 15% off

The same sentiment has been echoed this year by those visitors to our campsite who spent a night in the Haven Safari. Next year we’ll have all three sizes of Haven available to rent and I’m ready and waiting with answers to our hammock guest’s most frequently asked questions:

Will I fall out?

Those hammocks in movies that have those spreader bars, you might fall out of one of them. But the Haven is unflippable because the sleeping area is below the tree straps, or wherever the hammock is fixed.

Will I sleep well?

If hammocking is new to you then there’s a good chance you’ll wake up a few times during your first night, but you won’t regret any of it because in the morning you open your eyes up above the ground, below the forest canopy, with a big smile on your face.

Haven have a bunch of accessories, including a USB-powered string of ridge lights and a gizmo that inflates the mat in double quick time

Is it cold?

The key is to insulate a hammock sleeping platform and there a couple of ways to avoid the ghostly cold that tends to tickle your underside in a non insulated hammock. There are a few ways to do this but two are most effective: use an underquilt (which attaches and swaddles the hammock from the outside, trapping a layer of air between quilt and hammock) or choose a hammock with an inflatable mat, which offers insulation and also encourages a flatter sleeping platform. (Added bonus to the Haven Safari, is that the sleeping pad is deliciously soft and comfortable!).

Is it comfortable?

Way more comfortable than sleeping on a thin mat on the ground where all your pointy bits are aching in the morning. The flatter the sleeping position in a hammock, the more comfortable you’ll be.

The Haven Safari has a super soft sleeping mat and lots of space for gear and general hanging out

Where do I put my stuff?

Either put bags underneath the hammock and rain fly on the ground (or a mat), or hang them from a tree strap. In most good camping hammocks there will be a pocket or two for smaller items, the Haven tent has six pockets and also an internal ridgeline which makes hanging kit easy.

Is it easy to put up?

Once you know how it takes a minute or two to put a hammock up. Choose a good, strong tree and use tree straps to protect the bark and prevent your hammock from slipping downwards. We tend to have our hammocks at Big Sky ready to go for guests but I’ll always demonstrate how easy it is to take them down if they ask. When I’m travelling with a Haven I’ve got set-up time down to 90 seconds, and take-down time less than a minute.

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I’ve slept in hammocks all over the world, in all the seasons. Riverbanks and forests, south American boats, hanging off the arm of an industrial digger or a castle in a kid’s playground, the mooring chain of an ocean-going ship or on an island in the middle of a huge Scandinavian lake. The view is superb when you rise up a little and cocooned in a suspended temporary home, swinging with the wind and feeling protected no matter what the elements, hammocking is a really fun, good-for-the-mind, flood-free and happy go lucky way to spend time outside.

Em hanging out by the Mississippi River in an original Haven Tent

If you’ve never hammocked before and have a little curiousity, just try it. Before spending lots of money see if you can borrow a hammock from a friend or rent one at a campsite nearby. If you’re willing to travel to Lincolnshire, England we have a hammock village full of different ways to sleep between two (or three) trees and I’m always delighted to welcome in a first time hammocker. Over 100 people tried hammocking for the first time at the Big Sky Hideaway this year and I can’t wait to meet more of you.

Oooh and one final thing, I’m working on plans for the UK’s first ever hammocking festival to be held at Big Sky in 2023 (and hopefully every year after that). I don’t have all the details yet but there will be talks, hammock related prizes, trees if you have your own hammock and hammocks to rent as well. Sign up to the Big Sky Hideaway newsletter and I’ll share details as soon as tickets are ready to go!

The alpacas at Big Sky enjoy a hammock, too!

Links

• Try hammocking at our 15 acre camping farm in Lincolnshire, England!

• Take a look at the Haven Tents website

• Here’s an interview I did with Derek, who invented Haven Tents.

Ps. Haven sent us their tents because they believed in our mission at Big Sky. They didn’t pay us cash or ask us to do anything in return. I wrote this blog because I thought it would be a nice way to say thank you, I also think everyone should try hammocking at least once and Haven makes that experience very comfortable indeed.

Pps. Other hammock brands do exist, and I like plenty of them. If you have any questions about any type of hammock or aspect of hammock camping just drop me an email or write a comment below. Thanks for reading :)

5 essentials for your next overseas trip

Even once the world opens up following COVID-19, if you are thinking about travelling you will need to prepare yourself adequately. Whether or not you are traveling abroad or keeping things local, traveling during this pandemic will require special preparations.

Traveling can give you the break that you need to recover from the challenges of this year. Plus, if you don’t want your trip to end, you will be pleased to know that the number of countries where travellers can move and live temporarily is growing gradually.

More and more countries, including Georgia, Estonia, Bermuda, Barbados, Georgia, and Croatia are inviting remote workers and digital nomads to trade their home offices for the chance to live and work abroad as the pandemic ensues.

As the contagion cases continue to surge around the world, more and more organisations are reporting that employees might not permanently return to an in-person office environment until mid-next year or never in certain cases.

As a result, more and more global destinations are breaking away from conventional tourism models that depend on a stream of short term travellers in favour of visitors that are willing to stay for longer periods.

So if living abroad in a far-flung destination has always been your dream, now is your perfect chance to make your dream come true. But first, you will need some essentials. Here are 5 essentials that you should consider for your next overseas trip:

A stainless steel water bottle

What’s on your itinerary? Whether you plan on vacationing on a beach or prefer to spend time in nature, one thing’s for sure; that you need to stay hydrated throughout. That’s where a stainless steel water bottle comes in. With a high quality one, you will always have fresh water on standby.

While bottled water is readily available, no matter what part of the world you are in. Relying on it can get pricey, which is a deal-breaker for anyone traveling on a budget. Plus, bottled plastic water creates waste, which has become a huge problem in our modern society.

A pedometer

Tracking your level of activity, no matter how little is something that most individuals have become accustomed to these days. If you plan on walking a lot, then you must bring your pedometer with you. Not only is walking the best way to get your workouts in during vacation, but it is also the best way to enjoy the sights and sound up-close.

A pedometer will help you keep track of how much distance you will have covered during your vacation. Pedometers are so advanced these days that they do a lot more than track your steps. Some common features include the ability to track steps and distance taken, one’s heart rate, number of calories burned, active minutes, and even one’s sleep status all while receiving text and call notifications.

Some pedometers are so advanced that they even allow you to control your other home devices and gadgets just with your voice. Some are capable of downloading playlists directly on your watch so that you can have your favourite tunes with you during your travels.

Disposable face masks

It has been proven that wearing a mask is the best way to prevent the spread of the contagion. Most countries already have mandatory instructions requiring people to wear face masks when in public. So you will need to make sure that you pack a few disposable face masks so that you are covered.

But here is the thing about constantly being in face masts- it can get exhausting and uncomfortable. Add to that the sore ears, the foggy glasses, and the skin irritation and you have the perfect recipe for a dissatisfied traveler. But things don’t have to be this way if you invest in the right face mask for your needs.

Remember to switch your face mask as soon as you land; you’ll feel so much better as soon as you do. If you want an extra layer of protection, you can also invest in a protective visor.

Hand sanitiser and alcohol-based wipes

You will need to use your hand sanitiser as soon as you touch any surface. The Transportation Security Administration now allows passengers to carry up to 12 ounces of liquid hand sanitiser in their carry-ons.

You don’t necessarily need wipes when you have sanitiser but disinfectant wipes can come in very handy when you need to get rid of germs and deadly pathogens on things such as your phone or credit card.

Only clothes that you need

Overpacking your suitcase with clothes and knick-knacks that you don’t need is the last thing you want mid contagion. Remember to only pack the clothes that you need, leaving a little space for any souvenirs and items that you may want to bring from your trip.

Generally, it is best to carry lightweight clothes that you can dress in layers. Should you need to do laundry during your overseas trip, lightweight clothing is best because it won’t take too long to dry.

Ensure that you also pack comfortable shoes; a pair or two, that you can wear and effortlessly combine with your outfits of the day. Plan for the terrain you expect to encounter, whether that’s cobblestoned streets or wild walking tracks.

A comfortable pair of day shoes, sneakers, and some comfy sandals should do just fine. If you are traveling during winter or you intend on hiking during your travels, you’ll want to bring appropriate boots too.

Final Thoughts

Even though the pandemic has certainly made it a lot more challenging to travel, it’s not impossible to do it safely. But whether you are traveling locally or abroad, it can be hard to resist the urge to overpack.

However, packing things that you do not require will only put a damper on your deserved and long-awaited escape. So this list of essentials above will make sure that you don’t leave anything important out.

Planning for a destination wedding? Consider these 5 American cities

While a lot of individuals opt to tie the knot in their childhood hometowns, a lot more prefer to jet off to another city or country for an amazing destination wedding. There are a lot of perks that come with getting married at home where you are surrounded by memories and everything familiar. However, nothing beats a carefully planned destination wedding.

Destination weddings are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that combine the beauty of traveling with the romance of tying the knot. Indeed, who wouldn’t want to make the single most important commitment of their lives while experiencing a new culture with their closest and dearest?

Destination weddings are an excellent choice for couples that are not as manic with their wedding planning. With these weddings, the couples often have to make major decisions from miles away. They also have to entrust the planning process with someone as they don’t enjoy opportunities to do certain things like view the venue or meet all the vendors in person before the big day.

Even though this can become unnerving sometimes, the great thing about destination weddings is that they can be any size that you want them to be based on your budget. Some weddings only involve the eloping couple or the couple and a few of their friends. Others are blown out affairs that require elaborate planning for months.

Whether you are in the market for a beach wedding or a snowy one in the Alps, here are 5 cities that you should consider for your destination wedding:

Baltimore

While destination weddings are becoming a more popular choice for couples, not everyone feels comfortable asking their guests to spend hundreds on travel and accommodation expenses just to watch them tie the knot. But you don’t actually have to travel miles and miles to enjoy a beautiful destination wedding. There are numerous locations all over the country, one of them being Baltimore.

Boasting bustling cities, golf courses as far as the eye can see, and stunning bays that make for perfect backdrops, Baltimore has it all for couples looking for an affordable but great destination for their wedding. The landscape in Baltimore offers more variety than you can imagine so couples will have an abundance of extraordinary wedding venues, both indoor and outdoor, to choose from.

Boston

If you are big on history, then Boston is a great pick for history buffs to get married in. As one of the oldest cities in the country, there are lots to choose from in this city. Choosing a wedding venue may even require more work than expected because you will be spoilt for choice.

Because it is the largest city in the state, Boston is an attractive option for couples planning their wedding notable for its culture and jaw-dropping skyline. From gorgeous forests to bustling cities and quaint little towns, Boston will offer you a variety of options for your Big Day.

If history is what you are after, fine museums and some of the oldest neighborhoods in the country are all the more reason to choose Baltimore as your destination of choice. Indeed, history and natural beauty interweave enchantingly in Boston. All couples are unique, so wedding planning will vary greatly.

Austin

Austin is the capital of the Lonestar State so it offers couples an eclectic atmosphere, a perfect blend of urban and country undertones with lots of great things to do. All marriages are permitted and legal in Austin include same-sex, religious, as well as civil marriages.

And don’t even get us started on the stunning range of wedding venues and vendors available. From barns and gardens to hilltops and unique buildings, the city has it all. The weather in Austin is also great all through so you can tie the knot at any point of the year whether spring, summer, winter, or autumn, and you are still guaranteed to have the best wedding experience.

Cape Cod

With its pristine beaches, grassy dunes, shimmering waters, and verdant countryside, Cape Cod is made up of a series of smaller towns each offering its unique personality. Collectively, each of these small cities will offer couples a range of settings that ran the gamut from luxury resorts to quiet getaways consisting of rustic fishing villages.

Surrounded by impressive views, you and your guests will feel like royalty on your special day whichever town you choose for your special day. If you are interested in a venue that offers a charming oceanfront venue promising wraparound views of the coastline, then it might take you a little longer to settle for a venue owing to the broad variety of options.  You simply won’t find charm like it in any big city so if you’ve always wanted a venue on the water, you should seriously consider Cape Cod.

Charleston

There is no denying that Charleston is one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Thus, the city is a hot spot for couples looking to have a destination wedding. Offering couples a taste of Southern hospitality, numerous luxury hotels at affordable costs, and a plethora of delightful wedding venues, it doesn’t get any better than Charleston.

It’s also worth mentioning that Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the country. As such, if you are also looking for a destination with lots of history, then you will be pleased with what Downtown Charleston has to offer. Here, couples will be treated to cobblestone streets, colonial horse carriages, and all types of architectural designs that will provide the perfect setting for your wedding photography.

Couples really do get to enjoy the best of both worlds in Charleston, whether they are interested in a bit of city life or beautiful beaches. For those who would love to venture out of the urban area for a laid-back atmosphere, there are several options available too.

Final Thoughts

Saying yes after the big question was popped was easy. Embarking on a wedding planning? Slightly harder. But fear not, with these great destinations, it should be a little easier to plan the destination wedding of your dreams.

5 destinations to work from remotely during the pandemic

Ah, remote working. What used to be peculiar is now the norm amid a pandemic. Even though the idea of working from home has been a reality since about the 70s, its widespread implementation today has stemmed from the surging cases of the pandemic.

What this has done is shocked a society that isn’t used to working from home as the standard. The once half-heartedly implemented concept has now been embraced by big and small corporations and businesses alike. As such, if you are currently looking for destinations to work remotely from, you are certainly in good company.

Remote work has been a great way for businesses to maintain operations during the state-mandated shelter in place guidelines. This will remain the case even in the coming future. Back in the good old pandemic free days, people unable to work from home as they would like would often fantasise about becoming digital nomads.

Of course, for many, this would have meant quitting their office job in place of remote work in an exotic, far-flung destination. But that’s not the case anymore. These days, remote work is no longer seen as an indulgence but rather a requirement.  Nowadays, at least 2/3rds of the country’s workforce is working remotely.

As such, if you have always fancied the idea of becoming a digital nomad, the state has been set perfectly for you. Even though a lot of countries in the world are still adjusting to the outbreak, which has thus far curtailed international travel greatly, you wouldn’t believe just how many opportunities there are in store for people dreaming of working remotely abroad.

More and more countries have started creating programs designed to lure travellers looking to relocate and work in another country. Many of these countries have suffered immeasurable losses and have suffered financial challenges resulting from reduced travel amid the contagion. As such, longer-term travellers looking to work remotely would be a great boost to the local economy.

So if the idea of working remotely in another country sounds appealing to you, here are 5 destinations that you can work from remotely during the pandemic:

Las Vegas

Tired of the monotony of working from home? Then why not give Vegas a shot? Remote working vacations are big business in Sin City. So much so that resort casinos such as MGM have even launched "Viva Las Office" packages designed to offer remote workers a spirited workweek in the world’s favourite adult playground.

Like many top travel destinations across the world, Vegas has been badly hit during the pandemic. Resorts and hotels have therefore been forced to come up with such creative strategies in an effort to make up for the lost revenue caused by cancelled conventions and events.

Barbados

Barbados has one of the most inviting environments for remote workers yet. The Caribbean island even has a program referred to as the Barbados Welcome Stamp, that allows remote workers to stay in the country for up to a year. But there is a twist.

For one to qualify for the program, you must prove that you have an annual income of at least $50,000. This will demonstrate that you have the means to support yourself during your stay. Applicants will also be required to pay an application fee of $2,000 and $3,000 if one is moving with a family.

Bermuda

Like Barbados, Bermuda also has a similar program known as the “One Year Residential Certification”. The program allows remote workers to stay and work on the island for up to a year. Remote workers can take jobs from any part of the world and are not limited to employment opportunities on the island.

This way, remote workers can work in the pink sandy shores of paradise without displacing local workers’ jobs. Bermuda is a great choice for international remote workers because most parts of the island are still relatively unoccupied.

Whether you are looking for a quiet area to peruse that marketing book you’ve been holding on to or you need the perfect backdrop for your zoom meetings, you can’t go wrong with Bermuda’s island vibe.

To be considered for the program, you must part with an application fee of $263. You must also prove that you have eligible employment to support yourself during your stay. Once you are approved for the program, you can leave and re-enter the country as you wish, which is great news for anyone leaving family members back home.

Mexico

Mexico has had its doors open for travellers for some time now. Mexico has always been a great choice for digital nomads arriving from the States due to its proximity. Digital nomads can stay in Mexico on a tourist visa for at least 6 months.

Anyone wishing to stay for longer than 6 months can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa that will extend the stay to one year. If you like your stay in Mexico so much and would like to make it more permanent, you can extend the temporary visa up to 3 times. However, you must prove that you are capable of taking care of yourself financially during your stay.

Georgia

Like many countries on this list, Georgia also has a program designed to lure digital nomads. Georgia’s program, “Digital Nomad Visa”, was created for remote workers from all parts of the world. The program was created specifically for freelancers and self-employed foreigners interested in settling down at the now capped mountain destination.

Remote workers must supply proof of employment before they can be considered for the program. Upon arrival, they must Alsip quarantine themselves. Once the self-isolation period ends, the nomads are free to move around the country and work for up to a year. Digital nomads on the program also get 90 days of travel throughout Europe’s borderless 26-country Schengen region. If that’s not the perk of a lifetime, what is?

Final Thoughts

Remote work had been picking up steam before the pandemic. Now, however, the growth of remote work has accelerated at an alarming rate, which means anyone looking to work remotely abroad has numerous opportunities and destinations to choose from.

Whether you are a seasoned digital nomad or are working remotely for the first time, you will be spoilt for choice by the number of countries ready to open the doors to you and your iPad. So go forth, and explore!

nb. this bog was written before the third national lockdown in January 2021. Please do not travel against government advice and use the ideas in the article for future plans when the world is a safer place once more.

Five cool books to read while traveling

If you haven’t much time to read during your busy day to day, then a vacation or a trip can be the perfect opportunity to get your read on. Reading during a long commute or flight is easily the best way to occupy the time. Even after you’ve arrived at your destination, keeping a good book with you and convert just about any space or environment into a relaxed zone.

Not to mention, you can easily match your trip duration with the perfect length of the book. For instance, on a short weekend away, you can pack a slim narrative with you that you cab casually peruse during your downtime. If yours is a long trip, perhaps consider bringing something with a little more heft.

That said, you don’t even need to lug around a bulky book with you. Kindles and electronic readers have made it significantly easier to enjoy your favorite titles while downloading. Because they are so portable, you can download as many book titles as you would wish to have without cluttering your suitcase. This will even give you plenty of space for the new books that you will purchase after you settle down.

And if you are pressed for cash during your trip, sitting down in a quiet location to read is an affordable way to enjoy your surroundings. Reading is free (for the most part), effortless, and you can enjoy doing it in innumerable places. So if you’ve been meaning to catch up on your reading, here are 5 cool books to consider for your travels:

Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke

Artificial intelligence refers to the science of teaching computers to carry out human-like tasks. Artificial intelligence used to be the fodder of fiction movies, but this has all changed today. Artificial Intelligence in various forms is everywhere these days, from self-driving cars to virtual assistants in your pocket. So how can you not be curious about this wondrous technology?

Sure, artificial intelligence books may not be the most interesting thing that you will ever read while traveling. However, you don’t have to restrict yourself to the serious stuff. There are plenty of AI-based fiction novels that you can sink your teeth into. One such great read is Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke.

Childhood’s End is a gripping and thought-provoking story that features aliens. The premise of this story is quite simple: one day, the aliens arrive to prevent the extinction of the human race. Everything’s fine at first but as the years pass, the humans begin to see that the aliens are not as they appear.

The New Wilderness by Diane Cook

As far as science fiction books go, this one is pretty amazing. Not only is this one of the most talked-about science and literary fiction works of this year, but it was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It’s really that good!

The New Wilderness is set in a dystopic future where the world has been ravaged by the effects of climate change. The novel features a mother’s struggle to save her daughter from the Choking City. The Choking City is rife with poisoned air, which has been killing Agnes since she was born.

Bea intends to escape with her young daughter Agnes for the much cleaner Wilderness Zone where they must learn to live the ancient hunter-gatherer lifestyle. This is a fast-paced and exhilarating story about survival and hope that you will want to read.

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

Ask any self-professed romantic and they will tell you that romance is one genre that never disappoints, no matter how many romance novels you go through in your lifetime. Why? Romance novels always guarantee a happy ending and who doesn’t want that warm, glowy feeling when on vacation?

You Had Me at Hola is as romantic as a romantic novel can get. After a devastating breakup, soap star Jasmine goes back home to New York, where she has to film a bilingual romantic comedy. Her co-star is handsome telenovela actor Ashton. With actors wanting to give their best, they take their rehearsal sessions offset, where a real-life romantic adventure of their own ensues.

Uganda Be Kidding – Chelsea Handler

If you are a fan of comedy or late-night entertainment shows, then you may already be familiar with Chelsea Handler’s work. This book is a collection of several short stories about her travel adventures. As you can expect, the stories in this novel are both hilarious and absurd, which will make for a great read as you make your way through airport security.

Whether Chelsea is on safari in Uganda or fumbling her way through the streets of Asia, her misadventures will crack you up, which will then make it so much easier for you to enjoy your own trip. And it’s not just funny stories that you have to look forward to. You will also come across lots of great travel tips that you can apply.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

If you are looking for a little inspiration, then this biography by Malala will fill you with hope. This inspiring story will give you a closer look at what women in the Middle East have to endure. Malala will teach you how to approach everything in your life with courage and passion so that you can return to your day to day life ready to face whatever challenges are ahead of you head-on.

In this novel, Malala narrates the story of her life in war-torn Pakistan. Malala has spent years fighting for equal education opportunities for girls in the Middle East. Malala is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner to date and this will be one of the most remarkable stories you will ever read.

Final Thoughts

There is little that’s more enjoyable than sitting on a beach, restaurant, or bar with a good book. Reading while traveling may not be the easiest thing to do for some individuals. However, if you do manage to steal a few minutes here and there to peruse a couple of pages from your favorite book, you will find the experience more cathartic than most.

Earning the sofa

Way back when, at a time when I spent hours each day soaked up by the warm embrace of a sofa-sized beanbag, I was thoroughly aware of a meet-in-the-middle between pleasure and guilt.

After a while those beanbags were less comfortable. They were still the same, of course, but I felt differently about them. I took them for granted.

The same went for my bed. Kitchen. Running water. All of it.

A few years later, once embarking on long, cheap adventures had become a habit, it struck me that for all the lessons that a good adventure offers up one of the finest was that taking things for granted is much less likely when you live a life on the move.

That old adage, comfort kills ambition, had never been so true.

Camping out in tents and hammocks and even wild camping in weird places like old barns, and olive groves and hidden inside concrete construction tubes can be fun, but they’re not comfortable. Not really.

These days I adventure a little less but I never climb into a comfortable bed or turn on the tap without feeling grateful. They’re a real privilege and I know how lucky I am because they weren’t always there.

So maybe it’s worth backing away from our comforts every now and then, if only for a night, just as a reminder of how valuable that sofa is.

Time away earns the reward.

My antiracism commitment

I’ve been writing this blog since last Monday, and although I’m not yet ready to articulately lay out my thoughts after a few days of learning and conversation I wanted to let you know that I’ve been working towards progress behind the scenes.

I’ve waited to address this publicly because words and social posts can be empty, and the action we need to take can’t afford to be pushed along on a bandwagon. I needed to be sure of what I was saying and how I was saying it, and most importantly, to be sure of how to act.

I still have a lifetime of learning ahead but I am starting to be aware of how to begin.

I’ve been aware of my own white privilege for years and have been determined to put that privilege to good use, but am only now conscious of just how complicit inaction makes me when it comes to race and racism.

A few years ago I founded a community called the YesTribe, which despite all good intention has grown as a majority white community.

I’m lucky enough to have a number of friends who lead ethnically and racially diverse communities and businesses. Very few of them are white.

But many have been very kind and patient these last few days, as I sought advice on the best way to activate my small platform.

As a group that encourages people to develop their relationship with nature, the lack of diversity in the YesTribe echoes the same issues in the adventure and outdoors space.

So we’re going to do something about this, starting with the following steps:

1. To create a growing resource for our community to educate themselves on race and racism

2. More talks, interviews and discussions with experts and role models, and a diversity platform to encourage people of all backgrounds to explore nature

3. Live private video calls, not recorded, to further discussion within the YesTribe about the actions we can take against racism. (Please see the events list at the top of the YesTribe group on Facebook)

4. This is small fry, but we’ve started an anti racism section in our YesTribe library on the YesBus, with active reading days on the bus when the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic begins.

I run the YesTribe voluntarily with a team formed entirely of those who have put their hands up over the years.

This team needs to grow and diversify. If you would like to contribute please drop me a line. Our arms are open to everyone.

Learn by Doing

We’re surrounded by endless information, recommendations, advice pages and thought pieces. The blogosphere is now the home of people sharing how they do, learn and master the various skills that give them professional and personal success.

My recommendation, thus adding to the mix, is to read away but don’t ever think you’ve got a handle on what grabs you until you do it yourself.

I was rubbish at school. I didn’t understand how I could possibly learn anything by sitting behind a desk, whether it was geometry at 11, business studies at 16 or Uganda’s political stability at 22. I was behind a desk expected to trust the opinions and findings of others. I didn’t. I wanted to get out there.

I’ve only ever learned by doing. I know how to paddle a river because I went and paddled a river, splashing around in a lake beforehand didn’t teach me what I needed to know. Neither did reading Don Starkell’s Paddle to the Amazon or watching eskimo rolls on YouTube.

I’ve learned how to lead expeditions and campouts because I’ve set up expeditions and campouts and invited people to join me.

I’ve become a public speaker because I’ve spent hundreds of hours on stage.

Theorise about wind capture as much as you like but it’s just a notion until you’re getting pulled across the surface of the planet by a kite.

Love poems? They’re lovely, but you only know when you truly know.

Best way to learn how to swim? Forget the deep end, jump in a river and swim for two months. After four full days in the water my skin started to secrete extra oils, it thought I was becoming a fish. No more prune fingers, isn’t that incredible?!

I’ve only realised when I’m not capable of something by trying to do it. But at least now I can explain why I failed.

I’ve learned to question everything I’ve ever read by someone else (I expect you to be questioning this, right now).

I’ve read hundreds of books and seen just as many films and while they’ve given me ideas and inspiration, they haven’t taught me a thing.

I can’t recall one lesson a teacher told me at school that actively contributes to the way I live my life now.

So for all the vulnerability that Brene Brown can push our way, for all the business savvy shared by Seth Godin and for the brilliant awareness-raising of the importance of creative education by Ken Robinson, they are just things that other people know (or think they do).

Their ideas are not ours. And neither are their skills.

Yet.

Give yourself a platform to gain primary information about how something works, feels and plays out in your own life.

Simply getting somebody else’s opinions doesn’t mean you truly understand them, that only comes with living them yourself.

Enlightenment comes in the field, not in a comfy chair with the stories of others.

Go and practice. Do. Act. It’s the only way to transform clichè into comprehension. And until you have your own examples of life to base your understandings on there’s no need to pretend you’re the embodiment of everything you aspire to be and represent. You don’t need to, you’re on a path and that’s ok.

Be patient but act at the same time — patience is not stagnation.

Just as watching lots of films doesn’t make you a brilliant filmmaker, spending hours on TED doesn’t give you 17 minutes on the biggest stage of your life.

You can’t read yourself into becoming a better person, but you can move yourself towards being one. You won’t be happy reaching your death bed talking about the books you read, go live as though you want to write one yourself.

A Squirrel's Choice

I saw a picture online of a tiny picnic table, perfect in form and ratio, just small, for squirrels.

Seeing as I was staying in a place surrounded by squirrels I went outside, found some wood and made a small table.

I expected the squirrels to come in their droves, just to hang out in front of a motion sensor camera.

Perhaps it was because I placed the thing to the top of a five foot log store, but no squirrels visited. Some small birds. But no squirrels.

I made another table and attached it to a half foot stump. This was definitely within reach - and eyesight - of squirrels.

I even put some nuts on there.

Still no squirrels.

It struck me after days of waiting for that perfect moment that the best way to ensure a squirrel would oblige with my fantasy would be to make so many tiny picnic tables that they covered the entire field.

But then, not discounting the time this would take, would it be as satisfying as seeing a squirrel choose to dine at one of my few creations?

No, it wouldn’t.

I think that’s why I take my time when creating something new. I relish that rare sight of seeing someone reading my book on a tube in London, or knowing that just 500 people on this planet chose to come to a festival my friends and I created.

In the first month my new podcast had just over 1000 listens. That’s not even close to groundbreaking, but it felt good. My podcast is the most popular podcast in the UK, if you don’t include the 10,000 other podcasts that people enjoy more than mine.

I’m never going to aim for the top of a chart but seeing as I’m not famous, don’t have an agent or a publisher or a publicist, and knowing that word of mouth only travels when the subject deserves it, the chances of someone hearing about my blog or talk or book or podcast is minimal.

Which makes a person’s choice to consume one of these things very special indeed.

That is my thrill. That’s what I work for. The satisfaction of an intimate, personal choice.

So I’ll not cover the land with tiny picnic tables. Instead, one or two (or maybe three) will be enough.

And one day, when the squirrel visits, the wait will be worth it.

No, I'm not coming

Somehow, after years as a one man band organising barely anything other than my own bedtime, I ended up founding and running a community of thousands, which just happens to involve organising events for the public.

In case you don’t know, the community is called the YesTribe. Our motto is SayYesMore. It’s about saying yes.

There’s a terrific irony here, which translates into my ultimate Facebook-related pet peeve.

If I organise an event it is for the people who can attend. In the nicest way possible, I don’t care about the ones who can’t make it.

So why is there an inbuilt “I can’t make it” response on social media?

I get it, life is busy, sometimes people can’t make an event. That’s fine, go to a different page or have a cup of tea. There is absolutely no reason to write, “I can’t make it + reason.”

Not in public, anyway.

Just, don’t write anything. Please. And here’s why:

Because each first comment opens the floodgates. Before you know it everyone else who can’t come decides that they have to share why they can’t make it. It turns into a game, who has the best reason for not being able to go.

Imagine if you’re a person on the fence, not sure about going, and all the comments are from people who can’t make it. That’s a powerful message, one more likely to deter someone from attending.

I hate to break it to you, but most people won’t be able to make it. I know that already, it’s a big world. Don’t rub it in.

This sentiment also exists when a question is asked on social media. If someone asks, “Does anyone know the answer to this question?” please don’t respond with, “no, sorry, I don’t know.” Mainly because it’s a waste of time and boasting about not knowing something is ridiculous.

So my ask is twofold:

1. If you’re not going to an event, just focus on whatever else it is that you’re doing.

2. If you are, be loud with it. Write in the comments and say why you’re going/ excited. It’ll encourage other people to go and help all the attendees connect ahead of time, and it’ll save the onset of Organiser Grey Hair.

Only respond if you have something valuable to add. If not, save your time for something positive and save the jangling nerves of a hard-working event organiser who just wants to know who is coming.

PS. If you really really want the organiser to know why you can’t make it, write a personal message, they’ll appreciate it. If that feels like too much effort, then write nothing at all :)

Coronahavoc

“Common sense will prevail” my Grandfather used to say, grumbling at the news. Hidden beneath his favourite well-trodden sentences was a quiet, doubtful hope.

Three decades later, is common sense the opposite of intended? If the majority act without wider consideration or care for knowledge, is a lack of sense more common?

There’s a rough estimate that if all humans bunched together they could fit — if not live comfortably — on the Channel Islands. Spread us around and there’s still plenty of space, but then we need more land for agriculture, recreation, commerce, transport, and the more we use it the less productive it becomes.

As space and resources begin to feel scarce, most humans panic. It begins slowly, masquerading as stress, anxiety, depression. All of these heighten fear and reduce confidence, which in turn lessens our capacity to cope.

This is when we react poorly and when we make unmeasured decisions. This is when our priority is to protect our comfortable state, the physical things we own, and the rules we have come to believe. And it’s at this point that open-mindedness and a capacity to learn gives way to survival. This is when opinion and how we feel becomes more important than science and fact.

The reaction to Coronavirus was predictable. The luxury of distant communication has given us a predilection towards acting on impulse. Values and community have long given way to wants and cruelty. 

Of course, it was always going to be a virus that would tame our own spread. The way we’re able to move and mingle, to attend a sporting event with thousands and then travel in a metal tube to meet with others on the other side of our planet in a matter of hours, it’s infection-heaven. It seems unlikely that COVID-19 will be that virus but it is an excellent training tool. Or rather, it would be if we were long-term thinkers.

While Coronavirus is concerning I’m not scared by the virus, I’m terrified by the reaction to it. There’s the devastating chance that we’ll be so shamed into our COVID-19 hysteria that when something really bad comes along we’ll under-react.

As any member of the emergency services will tell you, panic kills. In this case, the internal micro-tremors of normal life, let alone the uncomfortable sense that we’re seeing the early scenes of an apocalyptic movie play out in front of our eyes, will doom us in the long-term. We’re rarely able to cope sanely with a difficult week at work, so we’re not best placed to deal with the onset of an invisible global killer. 

Rather than work together, we start by protecting ourselves in the only way we know how. Scramble-shopping for toilet paper wasn’t the plan for many, but once they saw it was running out then grabbing the final roll became a priority, sweaty hands all rubbing up against the same shelves together.

It wouldn’t seem rash to base an average plan of action on tackling the root of a problem, or at least working effectively as close to the root as possible. Yet, it seems we’re a bunch of leaf-pickers. Either too lazy, unimaginative, stuck in our ways or simply lacking hope to do justice to our time on this wonderful planet.

Over population is forcing humans closer to the water at much greater rate than human activity forces the sea to rise in our direction, and while climate change is real and critical, the cause is sheer, uncontrollable, sheep-like momentum of growth — economic, material and physical — is our true downfall.

Comparing other causes of mortality to Coronavirus is perhaps pointless, but while it’s likely that more Britons will die from influenza or in car accidents than from Coronavirus this year, this thing is still killing people, so we should pay it some attention.

But at the same time, it all feels like a slow news day/week/month. At the best of times we must stop giving traditional or social media the ability to swing us into hysteria.

Let’s choose our sources of information based on calm sanity, and not clickbait or gossip. Swiftly-written deadline-sensitive articles are going to be loose on facts, hot on sales. One year ago I ditched mainstream news for podcasts as the source of current affairs. There’s a greater sense of trust in hearing a voice through a medium that takes some time to compile. Of course, tuning into multiple channels and being aware of publication agendas helps to create our own balance, more than just reading the paper that we know will tell us what we want to hear.

Above all, let’s listen to the experts, by definition they’re the ones who know what they’re talking about.  Stay healthy, stay calm, stay informed and give those hands a little wash.

Top Tips for Using TrustedHousesitters

Ever since we started using TrustedHousesitters we’ve been faced with endless questions of wonderment and curiosity: How does it work? That sounds awesome! How do I do it too!? Well, here it is; your one-stop-shop if you’re thinking of joining this network of homeowners and pet-loving, travelling strangers who are united by a common kindness. 

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Get 25% off your TrustedHousesitters Membership with the code: SAYYESMORE

TrustedHousesitters is the perfect solution for all kinds of people. With members in over 130 countries, it’s the world’s largest house and petsitting platform.

For us, an adventurous couple who mostly work from our laptops, are on the lookout for our forever home and (currently) move around too much to have our own furry friend, house sitting has become a way of life.

We thought, why not explore different areas of the country (and the world) by staying in a ready made home with a trusty furry local for company?! 

Granted, our lifestyle isn’t necessarily usual, but that doesn’t make us the exception. Anyone can use TrustedHousesitters. Whether you’re looking for accommodation or a city break, a countryside escape, an overseas adventure or a nearby stay when visiting family or friends - you’re likely to find more than a few options to choose from. We even have friends using TrustedHousesitters as they backpack around the world.

Emms gets some help “at work”

The site has become so useful to us it seems strange that there are some who don’t use it at all, so we thought we’d share our learnings on how to best use the service, and why it might be helpful.

House sitting costs less than a hotel or Airbnb, and although it takes a little more work than just making a booking, it comes with all the comforts of home. Space, facilities, cooking equipment, AND a happy pet waiting to greet you on arrival. 

The wonderful thing about TrustedHousesitters is that no money changes hands between sitter and owner. Once you pay for annual membership (the equivalent of a meal for two on Date Night) your costs are covered. Get 25% off your TrustedHousesitters Membership with the code: SAYYESMORE (if you sign up using this link, we also get two months extra on the site free! So thanks!).

The currency on this site is honesty and kindness, and that’s a key feature for us. As sitters, we give pet and home owners peace of mind by caring for the things they love too much to leave behind unguarded; they are offering sitters somewhere lovely to stay for free, safe in the knowledge that their home and furry family members will be loved while they are away. It really is a win win.

Ok, so if you’re liking this plan - here’s the practical advice…

“It would appear that you’ve stolen my hair”

For House/Pet Owners

It’s a great comfort to know that you don’t have to book your beloved Rolo and Buttons into cold kennels while you jet off to the sunny Bahamas for 3 weeks.

You can leave them warm and comfy in their own home where they will be much happier, cared for by a trusted person who wants nothing more than to look after them for a while.

You’re no longer grounded to your home, never being able to travel because you don’t know what to do with your pets or you don’t want to leave your home unattended for too long.

We haven’t yet enjoyed a home of our own to let other people sit for, but we’ve learned a little from the owners of the homes we’ve stayed in. Hopefully it’ll be helpful to hear advice from the other side.

Once you’re signed up, take the time to write a detailed Bio and Welcome Pack as more information is far better than not enough. Share plenty of photos of your home and pets - in our experience these are equally as important, sitters will want to know about your pets and the home they might be staying in. It’ll save you question and answer time in the long-run and offers potential sitters more certainty in their application.

If your pets or home have specific instructions that need attention, or quirks that won’t be obvious unless you know them, it’s massively helpful for sitters to be prepared for them. It also gives you peace of mind that you’ve covered everything - TrustedHousesitters will give you a template to fill out, it’s super easy and gives the best comprehensive guide to your home. 

Murphy the spaniel dries off after a wild swim. That’ll be extra time with a towel later…

Get to know your sitters before you exchange keys. If you can meet them and walk them around your home a few hours before you leave, it makes things super smooth and increases trust and good feeling on both sides.

We tend to arrive an hour or so before hosts need to leave so they can introduce us to their home and beloved animals. It’s also super handy to set up a video call when the sit is confirmed so both parties can get a feel for the other, get to know each other and ask questions without a wait between written messages. We always feel more comfortable about a sit when we come off a video call with the other side. It’s always nice to settle any concerns early on, especially if it’s their first time using the site and leaving pets with strangers. 

And pet owners, you don’t have to wait for sitters to come to you, you can search for your ideal candidates and contact them directly through the website or the app. This is great if you’re in a hurry to get it sorted - just search for your dates and see who’s available to housesit in your area. 

The Trust Factor

We get it. It’s a big deal, letting a stranger into your home, let alone giving them the responsibility of caring for a member of your family.

The cherry on top :)

Make sure that you look at the reviews of anyone applying to fill your housesit. You can see how they’ve done on previous housesits and get a feel for who they are. A pre-stay video call is a great way to get a feel for their reasons to be house sitting, and then let your instinct be the guide.

Watch the news and read the papers and it becomes harder and harder to trust others. But remember, every day good things happen that we don’t hear about. People are good and kind, graceful and grateful, and one of the reasons we love TrustedHousesitters is that it tunes into kindness and trust, and allows decency and good communication to be part of the service.

For Housesitters

It’s SO easy to get excited and jump in to applying for the biggest dreamy house with a menagerie of animals on a beach in remote Croatia, Colorado or Canada. Maybe you’ve always wanted a pony, never met an alpaca in person or your nan used to have one of those lizards when you were little!

But the key when applying for house sits is to not take on more than you can handle. If you’re inexperienced at caring for that animal, say so in your application. Maybe they can teach you on arrival or ask a neighbour to help out - but you don’t want to get there and find you’re out of your depth or don’t have time to care for them all. An honest sitter is a trusted one. 

Some home owners offer use of their car, some lend you their annual passes to local attractions for you to explore; and many will make families welcome so you can bring your kids, your own pup and even Grandpa to enjoy the escape with you!

Consider how you’re going to get to that place - if you confirm a sit and then find out flights are way out of budget or you don’t have a vehicle for the road trip, then it may not be for you.

Walkies with a view. Birmingham, October 2019

The worst thing is having an unreliable sitter - don’t be the idiot who cancels - earn that 5* review because you were the legend who showed up and did your best for them. 

Communicate well and have fun during your house sit. We always create a WhatsApp conversation with our pet owners so we can ask questions if things crop up and we like to send photo and video updates of our lovely new friends to show they are alive and well. If you show that their beloved Schnuffles is happily playing with her favourite toy at home then you are giving them peace of mind that she is being well loved and cared for in their absence (also showing that the house hasn’t burnt down since they left is nice reassurance!).

Enjoy it! You’re saving money and getting the awesome company of pets while experiencing a new area without paying for accommodation! Explore the local sights, take the pooch (if they have one) to different walk sites so you both get a day out. Many pet owners say their animals seem happier when they get home because they’ve had such a great time while they were away!

The App

Although the TrustedHousesitters website is great, we recommend that you download the app to your phone and carry it around in your pocket. (Download from the App Store / Google Play) It’s super easy to use, especially if you’re on the move, and we actually prefer it to using the website. You can ‘favourite’ particular sitters and homes to save them for later if existing dates don’t match up and then you get notifications when new dates are added.

You can also save your searches and get notifications when new opportunities come up that fit your criteria. That way, you can apply straight away and make sure you’re the first application they see. 

It’s safe to say that since using the website, we have become big fans and advocates for this spectacular way of traveling - it’s hard to believe we didn’t discover TrustedHousesitters until fairly recently.

Now well into our new form of luxurious nomadic living, and with a few house sits and 5* reviews under our belts, we can’t recommend it highly enough.

It doesn’t escape our attention that it takes a lot for a person or family to entrust their home life and furry family members to an utter stranger, and we’re always hugely grateful to be considered. It takes a careful selection process, great and honest reviews and clear communication to choose the right sit or sitter.

We run through any ground rules or expectations ahead of time, ensure we know if there are plants to water and when the bins need to be put out. And we’ve also asked if a friend can stay, rather than just try to sneak them in. The owners have always been open to this.

Most of all it takes good people wanting to do good things, a belief that humans and pets are awesome and a willingness to grab the opportunity and say yes to turning strangers into friends (even if they just become best friends for your pet!). 

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Read our other blog about TrustedHousesitters, all about the house sitting lifestyle and don’t forget, save 25% off your TrustedHousesitters Membership with the code: SAYYESMORE

* we worked in partnership with TrustedHousesitters on these blogs, and all words, thoughts and genuine experiences are our own