I was going to do a wrap up blog entry about being back from Newark and I'll probably do that later, but then I read this
article about ethical travel. It got me to thinking about traveling as a road warrior and how well I follow the
precepts of ethical travel. Although most of the ethical traveler guidelines are directed at travel to other countries, some can easily be applied to travel within the US.
The concept of ethical travel is not a new one to me. Many of the things that ethical travel guidelines promote are ones that I’ve followed for years. One that I sometimes find hard to do is to seek out the local restaurants. After a long day at a job site, sometimes I really crave the familiarity that national chains offer. An Appleby’s is an Appleby’s no matter where it is; a Chili’s is a Chili’s; the food is much the same. But the dollars don’t stay there; they go to some conglomerate and a little trickles down.
Normally I am successful in pushing my self out of my comfort zone and have had some really good experiences. Like the wonderful veggie burger at a pub in Madison, WI. It was made with walnuts, local goat cheese, sunflower seeds, onions, garlic and other stuff. It was served just like a hamburger but was better than any burger I’ve ever had. Then there was the place in Canton, OH. It probably isn’t there anymore. Its name was something like The Universal Cajun. The décor was not at all what one would expect from a place in Canton … very cosmic and colorful … it would fit nicely on South Congress Ave in Austin. The food was Cajun and had the best gumbo I’ve ever had … even in New Orleans! It is a place that I wish I could visit weekly. But I digress. This week in Newark, I went to a diner and sat at the counter. The beef stew and salad was unremarkable. But, because I was sitting at the counter, I was entertained by the desert person. The wait staff would tell him what they needed and it was his job to plate it. By plate it, I mean not just cutting it and putting it on a plate, but also decorating the plate. In the time I was there, I saw him do a great many designs … never the same twice even if it was the same desert. The designs were very intricate and it was interesting to watch him work.
Seeking out local restaurants is a way of making a place stick in my mind. I don’t want to ever get to the point where a place I travel to is just another city. Each is different and I hope I can always see (and appreciate) that uniqueness.
One of the things that I find hardest to do when I’m on the road is caring for the environment. First in the list is, of course, the jet fuel expended in traveling. I’ve considered purchasing carbon offsets, but have not fully explored that yet. As for recycling, I’ve only stayed in one place (Windsor, Ontario) where the hotel actively promoted recycling with bins in the rooms. I carry a travel mug with me so that I can get coffee and other drinks without getting the disposable paper or plastic cup. I also decline maid service for the entire time I’m there. I don’t change the sheets every day when I’m at home so why should I get the sheets changed everyday when I’m staying at a hotel? I know those things are miniscule drops in the metaphorical bucket, but hopefully, every little bit helps.
I think it all comes down to respect. Respect for the people that live there; respect for the environment; and, respect for the local customs.
On the road again. This time to Palm Springs. Palm Springs is a beautiful place. This is my first visit. The first clue that this is someplace different and special is when you step off the plane and walk toward the terminal. The "concourse" is an open air mall like area that is covered by heavy canvas tent like. Very pleasant. Very beautiful. Like an oasis ... go figure! It is an Oasis!!!
There are no distractions (except the scenery) … no phones, no computers, no TV … just the two of us chatting. As much as we enjoyed the time together, the trip is a very tiring eight hour drive and, unless we have something large to take up there, we probably will fly in the future. We loved seeing the landscape again. The trip took us through Texas farm country. Although, these days they are farming more than winter wheat and alfalfa, they are farming the wind! And there are more oil fields being pumped. 
The steaks are hand-battered and cook up with a thick crust that soaks up the cream gravy. Until this trip, they have always had pickled watermelon rinds on the salad bar. Pickling watermelon rinds is very labor intensive, but very worth it. It is one of those things that are falling by the wayside as too much trouble in our hectic fast paced world. I remember pickling watermelon rinds with my husband’s grandmother. We carefully trimmed the red meat and the outer skin off the rinds, leaving just a little pink where the red had been. Then you add lots of sugar and other stuff, put in jars and pressure cook the jars to seal. In the cold of winter, the watermelon rinds are a welcome reminder of the summer to come.
